Tuesday, November 26,
2013, 6:53 a.m. – the Lord Jesus woke me with the song “Living Water” playing in my mind once again. Speak, Lord, your
words to my heart. I read Hebrews 13:1-16
(ESV).
This morning the Lord Jesus directed me to read two news
stories in relation to the nuclear deal the P5+1 (US, UK, France, Germany,
China & Russia) just made with Iran (references at end of this writing). He
also put the name of the musical production “South
Pacific” in my mind. The setting for the story is an island in the South
Pacific during WWII. The US tried to coerce a man living on the island to help
them in “a reconnaissance mission against the Japanese, but he refuses; having
run away from the outside world… He sees no reason to become involved in a war
which he did not start and in which he had no interest,” but when his love
interest “refuses his proposal of marriage, having nothing to lose,” he agrees
to go on the mission” - http://www.fandango.com/southpacific_v45781/plotsummary
Then, in reading the two news articles, with this scenario
(above) in mind, the Lord Jesus gave me a picture of this “deal” different from
the picture being painted for us in the government-controlled media. What I
believe the Lord is showing me here, to the best of my understanding, is that
the “deal” is more like a proposal of marriage, i.e. an engagement. The second
article actually alludes to this scenario. Yet, the two parties making the deal
(the US/P5+1 and Iran) are “married” to other people, i.e. to their own people,
so they must “divorce” their own in order to make this engagement work. As
well, the Lord is showing me Iran here as this Frenchman who at first refused
the US request for help in dealing with the Japanese, but who later agrees to
get involved in a war not of his own making or interest. I believe, thus, that
this “deal” with Iran has more to do with getting their assistance in dealing
with all opposition (hard-liners) to the New World Order.
A Hard-liner is “a conservative who is uncompromising; a
person who is reluctant to accept changes and new ideas.” - http://www.thefreedictionary.com/hardliner
Basically, a hard-liner is anyone who politically disagrees with the New World
Order (a global government) and who refuses to make the necessary concessions
and compromises in order to be part of the “international community,” such as
may exist within our own Congress and local governments within the US, and
within the governments of other nations. As well, a hard-liner is also a
believer in Jesus Christ who holds fast to the truths of the gospel of Jesus
Christ, and who refuses to compromise their faith in order to fit in with the
world around them; and is one who proselytizes their faith, i.e. who shares the
gospel of Jesus Christ so that others can come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and
Savior. These hard-liners must be dealt with (pushed back against) suggested
one of the articles. The hard-liners “will be weakened,” stated the same
article (#2).
What Can Man Do?
Let
brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for
thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in
prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you
also are in the body. Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the
marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and
adulterous. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what
you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can
confidently say,
“The
Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what
can man do to me?”
In a world filled with evil, hate, deception, lies,
manipulations and the forcing of others to comply with the New World Order “Beast”
or pay the consequences, we must let godly love for our fellow humans continue,
even if it costs us our lives. We must continue to spread the gospel of Jesus
Christ and show the love of Jesus to the world around us. And, we must remember
in our thoughts and prayers those throughout the world who are being persecuted
for their testimonies for Jesus Christ and for holding firm to the truth of the
gospel, many of whom are then martyred for their witness for Jesus Christ. And,
we must remain loyal and true to our marriages and to our marriage relationship
with Jesus Christ.
As well, we must face the reality of the times in which we
live and that refusal to bow to the beast and to take its mark may mean death,
persecution, and will definitely mean that we cannot buy or sell, so we will
have to learn to be content with what we have. We will be cut off from society
as a whole, and we will be completely dependent on the Lord Jesus (the Living
Water) to sustain us. Yet, although our political and even religious leaders,
family members, friends and neighbors may forsake us (divorce us), Jesus Christ
will never leave us or forsake us. Amen! He is our helper, so we don’t need to
fear mankind or what they might do to us. God will see us through whatever
difficulties lie ahead for us, and he will take us safely home to be with him
in glory when our time on earth is finished (completed).
Do Not Be Led Away
Remember
your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of
their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday
and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for
it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have
not benefited those devoted to them. We have an altar from which those who
serve the tent have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose
blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin
are burned outside the camp.
The leaders we must remember here are those who hold to the
truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, not those who have compromised with the
world and have thus diluted the gospel message to make it more appealing and
acceptable to the world. We should only imitate the faith of those who are
truly following Jesus Christ with their lives, walking in his holiness and
purity, and who are proponents of the true gospel. Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday and today and forever. His word and his gospel do not change with the
passing of time, either. So, we must be students of the word of God and not
believe everything we hear or read from human teachers and preachers, because
not everything that is passed off as truth is really truth. Some is straight
out lies, but the most dangerous of all “strange teachings” are those with
subtle lies blended in with the truth so that many unsuspecting “follower,” due
to lack of knowledge of the word, is led astray to what is false and is
misleading.
The most dangerous of all “strange teachings” in today’s
church, I believe, is what I call a “false grace.” I think most Christians
today, though not all, have fled legalism and works-based salvation, which
depends on what is external to save us instead of relying upon God’s grace.
Yet, many of these have bought into this false grace instead of believing in
the true gospel of salvation. Titus
2:11-14 offers us an accurate summary of the grace of God:
For
the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches
us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live
self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for
the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of 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 what is good.
This is the purpose of God’s grace, i.e. this is the reason
Jesus Christ went to the cross and took upon himself the sins of the entire
world. He died so that we who live might no longer live for ourselves, but for
Him who died and rose again on our behalf (See 2 Co. 5:15). Jesus said that if
we want to come after him, we must disallow our self-life, die daily to sin and
self and follow him in obedience and surrender to his will for our lives. He
said if we hold on to our old lives of sin, we will lose them for eternity, but
if we willingly die to our old lives of sin and self, we will gain eternal life
with him in glory (See Lu. 9:23-25).
We are also taught in scripture that the way in which we
come to know Christ is by forsaking our former lives of living in sin, by being
transformed (made new) in heart and mind of the Spirit of God, and by putting
on our new lives in Christ, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness”
(See Eph. 4:17-24; cf. Rom. 6; 1 John; Gal. 2:20, et al). This is true grace, it
is the working of the Holy Spirit of God in our lives as we cooperate with that
work, and this is the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. So, don’t be led
astray by those who tell you otherwise. True grace opens spiritually blinded
eyes and turns them from the darkness of sin to the light of truth (the gospel;
Christ’s righteousness and holiness), and from the power of Satan to God so
they can receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified
in Christ Jesus (See Ac. 26:16-18).
Outside the Camp
So
Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through
his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the
reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city
that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of
praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not
neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing
to God.
They killed Jesus, not because he was Mr. Nice Guy, but
because he told the people the truth about their sin, he called them to repentance
and to faith in him, he told them that he was the only way to the Father, and
that coming to him meant leaving everything else behind, i.e. it means death to
self and sin, and it means following him in obedience and surrender. This is
true faith. Many of his followers deserted him because they said his teaching
was too hard. His own disciples deserted him, and his own people crucified him.
And, becoming his disciple means we will be treated as he was treated. He
suffered outside the religious political system, i.e. he suffered because he
did not compromise with the world or with sin (See 1 Peter 2:21-25). And, they
hated him because of that. And, when we choose to not bow to the “beast,” and
we choose to not compromise with the world of sin, and we choose to maintain
our testimony for Jesus Christ, which is “outside the camp” of modern society’s
norms, we will face the very reality of death, too. Yet, we should continually
offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, “that is, the fruit of lips that
acknowledge his name,” and lips which are never ashamed to tell of him and his
gospel.
Living Water / An
Original Work / November 21, 2013
Based off Various Scriptures
My people have
forsaken Me,
Their Savior, who died
on a tree;
Made idols, and they
worshipped them;
So empty, they will
ne’er fulfill.
Lord, You are the hope
of Your chosen ones.
Those who turn away
from You will be shamed;
The Spring of Living
Water left behind.
Living Water
satisfies.
The thirsty, let them
come and drink;
Believe in Jesus as
their King;
The gift of Jesus
given them,
So they will never
thirst again.
Indeed, the Living
Water flows within.
It springs up like a
fountain cleansing sin.
Eternal life in heaven
promised them.
Living Water
glorifies.
Oh people, won’t you
come to Him?
Obey Him and repent of
sin.
Let Jesus come and
live within.
Surrender all your
life to Him.
My people, won’t you
turn your hearts to Me?
Forsake your idols and
then you’ll be free.
Won’t you come now to
Me on bended knee?
Living Water
sanctifies.
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