A Great Light

Monday, June 30, 2014, 3:00 a.m. – the Lord Jesus put the song in mind, “Arise and Shine.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Isaiah 9:1-7 (NIV).

No More Gloom

Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—

The people walking in darkness

    have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of deep darkness

    a light has dawned.

This is a prophecy about Jesus Christ. He was from Galilee. Those who are in distress are the ungodly, who do not speak according to the word of God. They have no light of dawn. They still walk (live) in their sin. Yet, Jesus Christ, the Light, came to earth, took on human flesh, died for our sin, was resurrected, ascended back to heaven, and sent his Holy Spirit in his place to be with us and to live in those of us who believe on Him. One day he will come again. He came to give light (truth; life) to those who walk in darkness (in their sin).

Shattered the Yoke

You have enlarged the nation

    and increased their joy;

they rejoice before you

    as people rejoice at the harvest,

as warriors rejoice

    when dividing the plunder.

For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,

    you have shattered

the yoke that burdens them,

    the bar across their shoulders,

    the rod of their oppressor…

When we are still in our sin, it is a lot like having a bar across our shoulders. We bear the weight (burden) of that sin in our lives. Yet, Jesus Christ came to shatter that yoke of sin that burdens us. Amen! When we carry around in our bodies the burden of sin, it is miserable. Yet when Jesus breaks that burden, we are joyful! It is a lot like being set free from the confinement of prison. In our sin we are behind bars. We are locked up inside. We can’t see the light of dawn. We are not free! We are bound in slavery to sin. Yet, when we come to faith in Jesus Christ, he delivers us from the weight of and the slavery to our sin so that we are now free to walk in the light of His love. In our sin, we are free from the control of righteousness. Free from sin, we are now free to walk in His righteousness. Amen!

Mighty God

For to us a child is born,

    to us a son is given,

    and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the greatness 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.

Jesus Christ was born as a baby, but not of the will of a man and a woman. God the Father supernaturally impregnated a young virgin who gave birth to the Son of God. He grew up on this earth as a child and then as a young man. In his early 30’s he began his ministry. Although he was fully God, he was also fully man, yet without sin. Yet, he did suffer like we suffer, and he was tempted to sin in all the same ways in which we are tempted. So, he knows what we go through. And, he sympathizes with us in our weaknesses.

During his years of ministry on the earth he preached repentance (turning from sin) for the forgiveness of sins. He told us that if we want to have life with God in heaven that we have to die to our old lives of living for self and sin and we have to follow him in obedience. He said that his sheep listen to his voice and they follow him. He said we have to be “born again,” not of the flesh, but of the Spirit. He said that if we love him, we will obey him. He taught that being a follower of Christ meant leaving our old lives of sin behind us, and it means we now walk in his righteousness and holiness. Some believed his messages. Many did not. Some loved him. Many hated him. All deserted him when they arrested him. One betrayed him. Another denied him. Many crucified him. Yet, he came back to life! Amen!

When Jesus Christ died on the cross, he took upon himself the sins of the entire world. When he died, our sins died with him. When he rose from the dead, our sins remained buried. He conquered them in death and in his resurrection. What this means for us is that, through faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we can be delivered from our sin, and we can have life with God in heaven. We no longer have to walk (live) in darkness (sin). We can now walk in his Spirit, in his love, and in his righteousness and in his holiness. Amen!

The way this happens is that, when God the Father draws us to Christ, and when we hear the gospel of our salvation, we respond by humbling ourselves before God, repenting of (turning from) our lifestyles of sin, allowing the Spirit of God to transform (change) our hearts, and by submitting to the Spirit of God by now walking in the Light, living by the truth, and by following Jesus Christ wherever he leads us - no longer conformed to the ways of this world, but transformed in the renewing of our minds, so that our desire now is to live holy lives pleasing to God – all in the power and working of the Spirit within us (See Ac. 26:16-18; Ro. 6-8; 12:1-2; 2 Co. 5:15; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 4:17-24; Tit. 2:11-14; 1 Jn. 1-5).

So, if you have never before accepted God’s invitation to his great salvation, or if you have bought into the lies that say you just pray a prayer to receive Christ but repentance and obedience to Christ are not necessary to salvation, then I pray today that you will submit your will to Jesus Christ, humble yourself before him, turn from your sin, allow him to change your heart, and that you will now live and walk in the Light; in the power and working of the Spirit and of God’s grace within you in conforming you to the image of Christ. For we are “God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (See Eph. 2:8-10). We are no longer our own. We are bought with a price. Therefore, we are to honor God with our lives.

Arise and Shine / An Original Work

March 6, 2014 / Based off Isaiah 60

Arise and shine; your Lord has come.

Allow His light to flow through you,

For many walk in wickedness.

Show them the way to life anew.

Arise and shine. Your Lord loves you.

Lift up your eyes, and look about.

Some do believe, while others doubt.

Believe in all God’s promises.

The many will, In Christ, find rest.

Lift up your eyes, and you’ll be blessed.

Arise and shine; salvation comes

To all who trust in Christ, God’s Son.

Forgiven of their sins, they’ll be,

When they repent on bended knee.

Arise and shine, so all will see.

Lift up your eyes, and see your Lord.

He will revive his church, forlorn.

Though humans have forsaken you,

They will find Christ, and walk in truth.

Lift up your eyes; God honors you.

http://originalworks.info/arise-and-shine/

No Overpowering

Sunday, June 29, 2014, 7:47 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put the song in mind, “To Be Like Him.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Isaiah 7 (NIV).

Hearts Shaken

When Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem, but they could not overpower it.

Now the house of David was told, “Aram has allied itself with Ephraim”; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.

Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out, you and your son Shear-Jashub, to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field. Say to him, ‘Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood—because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah. Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah’s son have plotted your ruin, saying, “Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves, and make the son of Tabeel king over it.”

Obviously this is a situation spoken of in Biblical history, and so these directives are specific to this particular situation. Yet God’s word teaches us that ALL scripture is God-breathed and is useful (profitable) for teaching, reproof, correction and for training in righteousness (See 2 Tim. 3:16). So, we look at the principles that are being taught here, and we interpret them in light of the New Covenant relationship between God and his people, the church, and we pray for wisdom and understanding to know how this can be applied to our lives today.

The people had received a report of an alliance between the king of Aram (in Syria) and the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Israel was then divided into two kingdoms, and Jerusalem was in the southern kingdom. True Israel today is the true church, the Body of Christ, not to be confused with the institutional church, an institution created by humankind. Perhaps an analogy could be made here that the “Israel” of today, i.e. the church, is also a divided kingdom and only in the southern kingdom (not a physical location but in a spiritual realm) does Jerusalem, The Holy City, the heavenly Jerusalem, the Bride of Christ dwell.

In other words, when in America someone says “church,” they generally mean a non-profit corporation of the federal government of the USA, instituted of men (humans), and run much like a business, though they don’t generally picture it that way. Usually they think of it as the true church because there are some true Christians who go there, but there is a definite distinction that must be made here between the “northern kingdom” and the “southern kingdom,” i.e. one is an institution of humans (a physical entity) and is in an alliance with the federal (or global) government, and the other is a spiritual entity of the Spirit of God in which dwells the Holy of Holies, the Spirit of God.

They are not one and the same, though the true church may attend the meetings of the institutional church. And they are operated completely different from each other, too, i.e. one has as its head human beings and government, and the other has Christ as its head and is ideally operated by the Spirit of God. Yet, the institutional church is definitely at war with and is coming against the true church, the Body of Christ, of the Spirit of God, yet the institutional church will not overpower the true church. God will not allow it. So, we are to be careful, keep calm, not be afraid and not lose heart. We will not be overcome. Amen!

Not Happening

Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘It will not take place,

    it will not happen…

If you do not stand firm in your faith,

    you will not stand at all.’”

…The Lord will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.”

In that day the Lord will whistle for flies from the Nile delta in Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria. They will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices in the rocks, on all the thornbushes and at all the water holes. In that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates River—the king of Assyria—to shave your head and private parts, and to cut off your beard also. In that day, a person will keep alive a young cow and two goats. And because of the abundance of the milk they give, there will be curds to eat. All who remain in the land will eat curds and honey. In that day, in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels, there will be only briers and thorns. Hunters will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers and thorns. As for all the hills once cultivated by the hoe, you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns; they will become places where cattle are turned loose and where sheep run.

This is what I believe the Lord Jesus is showing me here. It would appear, from all outward signs, that the true church of the Spirit of God, headed by Christ himself, is dying out, and that it is being overrun by the institutional church, of the making of and being operated by humankind. We see so many lies, manipulations and deceptions within the institutional church today. We see the gospel being destroyed from within. We see the focus of the church turning more toward man-made religion, humanistic teachings and philosophies, and worldly values and standards, and it breaks our hearts. And, it can get discouraging at times, with no visible end in sight other than the total and absolute obliteration of truth and of godly principles and values. So, the Lord is encouraging us here, that even though things look bleak at the moment, his church will survive and they will overcome! Amen!

Yet, not all is encouraging, for the way in which he must get his church to thrive and survive in this world of lies, deceptions and manipulations, is that he must bring judgment upon his adulterous and idolatrous church, and that involves the persecution and death of even the genuine followers of Jesus Christ. The King of Assyria, I believe, is symbolic of this beast of Revelation which will be allowed to conquer even the saints of God, but only physically. They can kill our bodies, but they can’t kill our souls. I believe God will use this judgment against his church to open up the short-sighted eyes of his church so that they can see the reality around them, so they are no longer deceived by the liars and manipulators, and so they will follow Jesus Christ wholeheartedly, even to their deaths.

I believe the church will actually grow during this time, as many will come to Christ through the time of severe persecution that has come and is coming upon the church throughout the world. Satan can try all he wants to destroy us, but we will only grow stronger. So many times we can only see what is directly going on around us. God wants to give us long-distance vision to see what lies ahead for us in the future, so that we do not give up hope.

To Be Like Him / An Original Work

March 16, 2014 / Based off Scripture

Crucified you are with Jesus.

To be like Him, oh, you’ll be,

Because He died at Calv’ry,

So from sin you’d be free.

Oh, what joy He brings into your life,

Giving life with Him endlessly.

Oh, what plans He has for your life.

Share the gospel faithfully.

Show the people He loves them.

Now His witness you’ll be.

Tell the world of sin about Jesus,

How He died for them on a tree.

Purifying hearts, He saves them,

Who believe on Christ, God’s Son.

Turning now from their idols,

New lives they have begun.

Jesus saves from sin; we’re forgiven.

Over sin, the vict’ry He won!

When He comes again to take us

To be with Him evermore,

There will be no more crying.

Gladness will be in store.

Heavens joys will now overtake us:

We’ll be with our Lord evermore.

http://originalworks.info/to-be-like-him/

Here Am I

Saturday, June 28, 2014, 5:52 p.m. – The Lord Jesus put the song in mind, “What the Lord Says.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Isaiah 6 (NIV).

Woe to Me!

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;

    the whole earth is full of his glory.”

At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

Isaiah was brought into the presence of Almighty God. He saw him in all his awesomeness, power, majesty, glory, righteousness, holiness, supremacy and sovereignty. And, he revered, honored, and respected him for the holy and powerful God that he is. As well, he was humbled by being in the presence of such a holy God, realizing that he was a sinful man who lived among a sinful people. Not only did he recognize and acknowledge (confess) his own sinfulness, and that of his people, but he had the fear of God instilled in him to where he recognized that, in his sinful state, he was doomed, as we all are without Christ.

I believe the people of America, for the most part, have lost, or perhaps have never even known that fear (awe, reverence and respect) of God, honoring him for the holy God that he is, and seeing themselves as unworthy to even be in his presence, apart from his saving grace. God is oftentimes mischaracterized, and Jesus is often too humanized to where they are (he is) brought down to our level, as though God is altogether like us, or as though God is like a doting grandfather in the sky just there to grant our every wish. The love of God is taught, which is good, because he is a loving God, and he is a gracious, merciful and a forgiving God, but he is also a God of justice, righteousness, and holiness, as well as he is a jealous, wrathful and vengeful God who will judge the people of this earth one day.

Because we have lost the awe, respect and reverence for Almighty God here in this country, as is described for us in this passage, many people have become too casual about God and his word, teaching that all we have to do is just pray a prayer and that we have our ticket into heaven, but not teaching his righteous requirements of true believing faith (See Ac. 26:16-18; Ro. 6-8; 2 Co. 5:15; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 4:17-25; Tit. 2:11-14 & 1 Jn. 1-5). They will often teach that these Biblical requirements for believing faith are legalism and works-based salvation, and ignore the reality that the scriptures teach that coming to faith in Jesus Christ means death to sin, spiritual transformation, and new lives in Christ lived out in the power and working of the Spirit, free now to walk in Christ’s righteousness and holiness.

Or many go so far as to not even require a personal faith in Jesus Christ but assume that all the people of the earth are God’s children. Or else they think that because Jesus died for the sins of the entire world, that it means all people are saved. There are so many twists and manipulations of scripture in what is being taught in the church, and so many deceptive spirits among so many who call themselves teachers of the word, or ministers of the gospel, or pastors or leaders within the church, so that much of what is being called “truth” is really a lie, and so much of what is called “the gospel” is really man-made, worldly and of Satan.

Sin Atoned For

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

Notice with me here the sequence of these events. First off God presented himself, Jesus Christ the Lord (Ref: Jn. 12:41), to Isaiah in all his holiness and glory. Christ was high and exalted, seated on a throne. Then, Isaiah feared God, humbled himself in his presence, and then confessed his sinfulness and his unworthiness to even be in the presence of God. Then, God sent a divine messenger to him to atone for his sin and to take away his guilt.

This is a prefiguring of our salvation. Jesus Christ died on the cross to atone (pay) for our sin. He was buried, but he was resurrected from the dead. In his death and resurrection he put our sin to death, as well as he conquered sin so we would be set free from the penalty of sin (eternal damnation), and so we would be set free from the control of sin over our lives. Shortly after he was resurrected, he ascended to heaven where he is seated at the right hand of God, and where God has exalted him to the highest place; “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come” (See Ph. 2:8-10; Eph. 1:20-21).

After Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, he sent his Holy Spirit to earth to indwell, fill and empower his followers, and to send them forth with the gospel of salvation. When we hear the gospel message, and we humble ourselves before God, repenting of (turning from) our sin, we die with Christ to our old lives of living for sin and self, we are spiritually reborn of God into new creatures in Christ Jesus, and we are now free to walk in his holiness and righteousness in the power and working of the Spirit within us. What Jesus Christ accomplished for us in his death on the cross and in his resurrection is now applied to our lives. Christ’s righteousness is now credited to our accounts so that we are set free – free of the control (power) of sin, and free to live holy lives pleasing to God.

Send Me

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

It was only after Isaiah had been presented with the awe, glory and righteousness of his holy God, had humbled himself before him, acknowledged his sin, and had received his salvation from the guilt and penalty of sin, applied to his life, that he heard the voice of the Lord calling him. And, it was then that he accepted the call to go – for God to send him wherever he would send him. We cannot serve God in our own strength. We cannot serve God if we are still living sinful lifestyles. He cannot fill us with his Spirit to do his work if we are still holding on to sinful attitudes and behaviors. We must come humbly before God. We must repent of our sins. And, we must experience the cleansing power of God and the empowering of the Holy Spirit if we are to be effective witnesses for his kingdom work.

He said, “Go and tell this people:

“‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding;

    be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’

Make the heart of this people calloused;

    make their ears dull

    and close their eyes.

Otherwise they might see with their eyes,

    hear with their ears,

    understand with their hearts,

and turn and be healed.”

Wouldn’t you welcome a call like that? - Maybe not. A call like this does not fit with today’s church here in America. It is too judgmental; too in-your-face; too confrontational; too uncomfortable; not seeker-friendly; and doesn’t mix with (immerse itself in) the culture of the day. Yet, that is exactly the message that is sometimes needed, and someone needs to carry that message to the people. The message is unpopular, and thus it will most likely be met with resistance, both to the message and to the messenger. The messenger will probably face much rejection, hatred, disdain, mockery, ridicule, misjudgments and abandonment for being the carrier of the message, too. And, yet, I can’t find a more fitting message to describe the condition of much of the church in America today. We have been given so much, and many have heard the truth over and over again, and yet so many close their ears to what is right because they don’t like the message.

Then I said, “For how long, Lord?”

And he answered:

“Until the cities lie ruined

    and without inhabitant,

until the houses are left deserted

    and the fields ruined and ravaged,

until the Lord has sent everyone far away

    and the land is utterly forsaken.

And though a tenth remains in the land,

    it will again be laid waste.

But as the terebinth and oak

    leave stumps when they are cut down,

    so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.”

I believe very much so that God is giving a similar message to the church here in America, and perhaps in other nations, as well. He is calling the church to repent of her sins of idolatry and spiritual adultery, to forsake her “other gods/idols” and to follow him in obedience and surrender to his will for their lives. He is chastising her for her stubbornness, rebellion and her refusal to listen to what is true, and for her acceptance of a diluted gospel message that is intended to tickle the itching ears of those who listen. And, I believe, too, that he will judge America if she does not repent of her sin, and maybe it is already too late.

Those who continue to hold to the truths of scripture, and to the teachings of Christ and the apostles, are among the outcasts, and in many countries throughout the world they are severely being persecuted for their faith, and many are being put to death because they will not compromise with the world, and because they will not bow to the “beast” (N.W.O.). This is coming to America, too, and to some degree it is already here. Yet, we should be encouraged! We have nothing to fear because our Lord is with us. He will carry us, sustain us, strengthen us, and help us. He will lead, guide and direct us in the right way, no matter what we must suffer for the sake of his name, and the sake of the true gospel of our salvation. We just need to continue to follow what is true, even if it costs us our lives.

What the Lord Says / An Original Work

February 24, 2014 / Based off Isaiah 43:1-44:5

This is what the Lord says to you:

Fear not, for I have chosen you.

I have summoned you by your name.

You are mine. I died, you to save.

When you go through your trials, so deep,

I will be with you; you will not sink.

You are so precious always to me.

Trust in your Lord, Savior and King.

This is what the Lord says to you:

He who gave salvation to you;

Who delivered you from your sin;

Takes your burdens now upon Him:

Forget the former things of your life.

Give of your heart not now up to strife.

See all the new things I have for you.

Walk in vict’ry. Trust in what’s true.

This is what the Lord says to you:

He who made you; who will help you:

Do not fear what humans may do.

Walk in freedom. Follow what’s true.

Drink of my Spirit given for you.

Trust in my mercy, for I love you.

I have a plan for all of your life.

Follow my ways. Do what is right.

http://originalworks.info/what-the-lord-says/

His Ways

Thursday, June 26, 2014, 8:11 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put the song in mind, “His Tender Mercies.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Isaiah 2:1-5 (NIV).

This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:

In the last days

the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established

    as the highest of the mountains;

it will be exalted above the hills,

    and all nations will stream to it.

Many peoples will come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,

    to the temple of the God of Jacob.

He will teach us his ways,

    so that we may walk in his paths.”

The law will go out from Zion,

    the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

He will judge between the nations

    and will settle disputes for many peoples.

They will beat their swords into plowshares

    and their spears into pruning hooks.

Nation will not take up sword against nation,

    nor will they train for war anymore.

Come, descendants of Jacob,

    let us walk in the light of the Lord.

The Last Days

Many people ask, “What are the ‘last days’? When did they begin?” I believe that Peter gave us an answer to that question. We can read about it in Acts 2.

It was the Day of Pentecost. All the believers in Jesus were gathered together in one place. The promised Holy Spirit came upon them that day and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. As the Spirit enabled them, all the believers began to speak in other languages (tongues) known to mankind, it would appear, since the people heard them speaking in their own languages. The people were amazed and perplexed at this, the scripture passage says. They wanted to know what all of this meant. Some scoffers were in the crowd, nonetheless. They made fun of Christ’s disciples, proclaiming that they had too much wine to drink. Nevertheless, Peter contradicted their accusations with the truth. He told them that the prophet Joel had foretold this day when he spoke about the ‘last days,’ saying that God would pour out his Spirit on all people and that men and women alike would prophesy, see visions and dream dreams.

Yet, is that when the ‘last days’ began? Hebrews 1:1-4 (NIV) says this:

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

It would appear, then, that the ‘last days’ began with Jesus Christ – with his birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection, and then continuing on into the life of the church. All references to the ‘last days’ in the prophecies and teachings of scripture, thus, refer to the Messianic age and the church age before the return of Christ.

The Mountain

We must interpret this section of scripture in Isaiah 2, thus, with the understanding that this is speaking of the Messianic age and the church age, i.e. of the time beginning with the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, and including his death and resurrection, ascension to heaven, the sending of his Holy Spirit, the life of the church, the judgments at the end of time, the time of his return when he comes back to receive his bride to himself, and continuing on into his kingdom reign on the earth.

I would like you to follow with me here as we look at the grammatical structure, at least in English, of these following sentences. In verse three it mentions the “mountain of the Lord” and “the temple of the God of Jacob.” Then it says “He will teach us his ways…” Grammatically speaking, the “he” refers back to the subjects “mountain” and “temple.” As well, in verse four the “he” refers back to the “law” that will go out from Zion and the “word of the Lord” that will go out from Jerusalem (Ref: verse three). And, in keeping with the understanding that we are speaking of the Messianic era here, the “temple” of God is both Jesus Christ (See Jn. 2:19-21) and it is his church, the body of Christ (See 2 Co. 6:16). Zion is a reference to the church (See Heb. 12:22), as well as is Jerusalem, for physical Jerusalem is of Hagar, the slave woman, but we are of the free woman, and we, Christ’s followers, are the children of promise, the heavenly Jerusalem (See Gal. 4:21-31).

So, understanding all of what we just discovered above, we can read this passage as thus: In the last days, i.e. in the days of the Messiah and his church, Jesus Christ will be established as superior to all other gods, and things that are worshiped, and also places of worship (Ref: mountains as high places of worship). He will be exalted above the heavens (See Heb. 7:26). In fact, “God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name…” (See Ph. 2:9). All nations will stream (run) to him. Many people will say, “Come, let us go to Jesus Christ. He will teach us his ways…” He (the law) will go out from the church, the Body of Christ. He (the Word) will go out from the church. Jesus Christ will judge between nations at the end of days, and wars will cease. So, “Come, let us walk in the light (truth, holiness and righteousness) of Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The Only Way

So, what does this mean for us today? Well, for one it means we live in the last days, so all this applies to us. Jesus Christ has been established as the only Way, Truth and Life. No one comes to the Father except through Jesus Christ. Only through faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior can we have access to God and the hope of eternal life in heaven. There are not many ways to God and to heaven. Jesus Christ is the ONLY way! His Body, the true church, are the only true children of God. The Jews, unless they are believers in Jesus Christ, are not the children of God. They are not heirs of the promise. Only through faith in Jesus Christ are we made righteous with God and thus become the children of promise, the heavenly Jerusalem, the City of God. And, only His Word can teach us His Ways.

Physical Jerusalem is no longer the “Holy City.” We, the redeemed of the Lord, are the temple of God; the City of God. The Holy of Holies now dwells within us. So, don’t give your support to physical Israel thinking they are God’s people, for the physical nation of Israel is antichrist. Give your support to Jesus Christ, to his word (teachings; commandments) and to his true church, the redeemed of the Lord. In supporting the physical nation of Israel you may unwittingly be supporting the antichrist. Beware!

Walk in the Light

In this Messianic age in which we now live, many people will come and say, “Come, let us go up to Jesus Christ. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” Jesus Christ and his teachings (instructions; commandments) will go out from the church. Yet, the sad reality is that, in America, this is not happening much at all.

Instead many people are saying, “Come to my church because we’ve got a great band or a really cool (hip) pastor, and you will have lots of fun there because we play lots of games, and we are non-judgmental, laid back, and we don’t get in your face about anything, so the world can feel right at home here.” What’s wrong with this picture? Instead of Jesus Christ, his teachings and his commandments going out from the church, marketing schemes, trickery, gimmicks, games, feel-good and soft-sell gospel messages, worldly entertainment, and teachings of humans are primarily what are going out from the church. What is wrong with this picture? Instead of the church calling us to Jesus Christ and saying that Jesus Christ will teach his ways so that we may walk in his paths, much of the church is promoting the teachings, philosophies, values and culture of this sinful world so that we can learn the ways of the world and so that we can walk in its path. What is wrong with this picture?

Is it any wonder that God must judge his adulterous church at the end of the age? Yet, I believe with all my heart that God will discipline his children for the purpose of bringing them back to him; to revive his church. And, when this happens, I believe many nations will flock to Jesus Christ and to his gospel, and that they will say “Come to Jesus Christ. He will teach us HIS ways, so that we may walk in HIS paths.” I believe this is happening right now in multiple nations throughout the world, and that many are coming to faith in Jesus Christ, and that many are being martyred for their faith, too. We need to wake up America or God will wake us up in order to get HIM to be the one who is going out from the church, and in order to get HIS WORD to be what is going forth from the church, so that we can learn his ways, and so that we can walk in his paths. And, I believe this will be God’s mercy come running to us to deliver us out of the grips of deception and to bring us back into his light.

“Come… let us walk in the light of the Lord.”

His Tender Mercies / An Original Work / January 26, 2014

Fear not! I’m with you.

Be not dismayed!

God watches o’er you.

Trust Him today.

He’ll lead and guide you;

Give you His aid.

He’ll love and keep you

With Him always.

Walk in His footsteps.

He’ll lead the way.

Trust in His love;

Believe that He cares.

He will not leave you.

Faithful He’ll be.

His tender mercies

Now you will see.

Fellowship with Him

Throughout the day.

Tell Him your heartaches.

He’ll heal always.

Rest in His comfort.

He is your friend.

Your faith He’ll strengthen,

True to the end.

http://youtu.be/9L96ZnxjMEY

Are You Willing?

Wednesday, June 25, 2014, 10:27 p.m. – The Lord Jesus put the song in mind, “He Reached Down.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Isaiah 1 (NIV).

Persisting In Rebellion

The children of God have rebelled against him. They lack understanding. They are a sinful lot. They are given to corruption. They have forsaken their Lord, and have turned their backs on him. Although God knows the answer to this question, he is asking “Why?” “Why do you persist in rebellion?” He wants his children to examine their hearts. He wants them to look deep inside and to ask themselves the question, “Why?” Most probably already know the answer. Many are self-deceived, though, and they believe their own lies.

The Lord says, “The multitude of your sacrifices – what are they to me? I have more than enough… I have no pleasure in” (them). “When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me… I cannot bear your worthless assemblies… They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening.” ~ Is. 1:11-15

God is not interested in what WE are willing to do for him, i.e. in what we have self-determined is what is required of us, or what seems to be reasonable or customary religious activity in order to demonstrate our service to the Lord. If we go to a worship service, sing or play in the praise team, serve on a committee, organize a bazaar, teach VBS, give our tithe, go on a mission trip, lead a small group, host social gatherings, serve in the nursery, and/or volunteer at a shelter, etc., but we hold on to our own lives, and we pick and choose what we will give to the Lord and what we won’t; and we follow a sinful course, even though we know it is wrong, and even though God has spoken to us about it time and time again, God is not pleased! Our sacrifices are meaningless! He doesn’t want our sacrifices apart from repentance, obedience and surrender to Him and to His will for our lives.

Willing and Obedient

Wash and make yourselves clean.

    Take your evil deeds out of my sight;

    stop doing wrong.

Learn to do right; seek justice.

    Defend the oppressed.

Take up the cause of the fatherless;

    plead the case of the widow.

“Come now, let us settle the matter,”

    says the Lord.

“Though your sins are like scarlet,

    they shall be as white as snow;

though they are red as crimson,

    they shall be like wool.

If you are willing and obedient,

    you will eat the good things of the land;

but if you resist and rebel,

    you will be devoured by the sword.”

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. ~ Is. 1:16-20

He is calling out to his rebellious children to repent of (turn away from) their sins of rebellion. He is asking that they remove their evil deeds from his sight, i.e. that they not just play church, pray insincerely, go through the motions of a relationship with him, and/or give lip service only to him, but then willingly keep doing what they know is wrong, and with no sense of conscience at all. He is asking that they repent of their sins and stop doing wrong and to learn to do what is right by following him and his word in obedience. He is asking that they come to him and settle this matter of their rebellion and their sinful deeds.

Although, as God’s true children, we have been cleansed from our sins, and we have been made righteous through the blood of Christ shed for us on the cross for our sins, the Bible speaks much on the subject of our Christian walks as a process of sanctification whereby we continually confess our sins to God and we are daily cleansed and purified (See 2 Co. 7:1; 1 Jn. 3:3; 1 Pet. 1:22; Heb. 12:1; Eph. 4:31; Jas. 1:21; & Ro. 8:12-13, etc.). It is essential to our walks of faith that we consistently resist Satan, flee temptation and draw near to God. We can’t drink from the cup of demons and the cup of the Lord, too. We need to continue to be willing and obedient in doing what our Lord requires of us in thought, word and deed and in following him wherever he leads us, instead of going our own way and us just giving him our leftovers. He doesn’t want our sacrifices, i.e. of our own choosing. He wants US as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to him, set apart from the world of sin, and set apart to him and to his service (See Ro. 12:1-2). With this he is pleased.

Afterward

I will turn my hand against you;

    I will thoroughly purge away your dross

    and remove all your impurities.

I will restore your leaders as in days of old,

    your rulers as at the beginning.

Afterward you will be called

    the City of Righteousness,

    the Faithful City.”

Zion will be delivered with justice,

    her penitent ones with righteousness.

But rebels and sinners will both be broken,

    and those who forsake the Lord will perish. ~ Is. 1:25-28

We read both in the prophets of old and in the New Testament that God will judge his adulterous church in the last days before the return of Christ. I believe that time is not far away from the church here in America. So much of today’s church has adopted the ways of humans over the ways of God; the teachings of mankind over the teachings of Christ; the sinful practices of the world over the holiness of God. It is hardly distinguishable between the church and the world anymore. We are supposed to come out from the world of sin and be different, not become one with the world, and not adopt the world’s philosophies, culture, values and practices. We are supposed to be lights for the gospel to the world around us, not enter into their darkness with them in order to “reach” them.

So, a time is coming when God will purge his church of her impurities, and afterward she will be called the Faithful City of God. Those who are repentant will be delivered from their sinful rebellion against God, will be restored and renewed in the Spirit of God, and the church will be revived! Hallelujah! Those who persist in rebellion against God will be broken, and those who forsake the Lord will perish, the word says. So, if you have been playing church, willfully sinning against God, just going through the motions of a relationship with Jesus Christ, but you have not surrendered your all to him, I pray you will do so today.

He Reached Down / An Original Work / February 3, 2014

Based off Psalm 18

How I love You, Lord,

My Rock and my strength.

My God is my fortress;

I hide in Him.

He is my shield and the horn of

My salvation, whom I praise.

I have found my refuge in Him.

He reached down from heaven

And rescued me;

Drew me out of waters

So deep, I’d sink.

He delivered me from Satan

And my slavery to sin;

Gave me hope of heaven with Him.

My God turned my darkness

Into His light;

Opened up my blinded eyes;

Gave me sight.

As for God, his way is perfect.

He gives strength to stand secure.

I have found my vict’ry in Him.

My Lord lives!

Praise be to my Savior God,

Jesus Christ, who died

On a cruel cross.

He is my Rock and the source

Of my salvation, whom I trust.

I will give praise always to Him.

http://originalworks.info/he-reached-down/

Coming Soon!

Wednesday, June 25, 2014, 5:42 a.m. – the Lord Jesus woke me with the song in mind, “He Lifted Our Burdens.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Revelation 22 (ESV).

Their Light

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”

Can we even begin to imagine what heaven will be like? “No longer will there be anything accursed.” Awesome! Can we possibly fathom a world without sin, pain, suffering, heartache, grief, evil, etc.? Oh, how I long for that day! Nothing will be rotten or will rot. Everything will be perfect, whole, and will be filled with the presence of Almighty God. There will be no more death, but only life; no more darkness, but only light; no more sadness, but only joy; no more defeat, but only victory. We will see his face. That is a wonderful thought! I want to see Jesus face to face and to literally sit at his feet and listen to him audibly speak his words to my heart. I want to be in perfect union and fellowship with the body of Christ, too, where we are all united in our praise and adoration of our Lord, and there is no more division. Yay! There will be no more lying, cheating, stealing, murder, abuse, unkind words, gossip, etc., but there will be only honesty, kindness, faithfulness, and true love for one another. All the things which sadden our hearts on this earth will be gone. Hallelujah!

His Tender Mercies / An Original Work / January 26, 2014

Fear not! I’m with you.

Be not dismayed!

God watches o’er you.

Trust Him today.

He’ll lead and guide you;

Give you His aid.

He’ll love and keep you

With Him always.

Walk in His footsteps.

He’ll lead the way.

Trust in His love;

Believe that He cares.

He will not leave you.

Faithful He’ll be.

His tender mercies

Now you will see.

Fellowship with Him

Throughout the day.

Tell Him your heartaches.

He’ll heal always.

Rest in His comfort.

He is your friend.

Your faith He’ll strengthen,

True to the end.

http://youtu.be/9L96ZnxjMEY

Coming Soon

“And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

…And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for 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, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

One day Jesus is coming back to receive us to himself, and forever we will be with our Lord. Amen! We are blessed (happy, peaceful) when we keep (obey, observe, hold firmly to) the word of God; to the teachings and instructions of Christ, and to those of the apostles. If we want to be happy and at peace in this life, we must trust in our Lord Jesus and obey God.

As wonderful as that description was of heaven in the first part of this chapter, that is not where we are right now, but it is something we have to look forward to. Praise Jesus! Right now, though, evil still reigns, and it is only going to get much worse, as we have learned in reading the book of Revelation and other prophecies of scripture with regard to the last days before Christ’s return. We must understand, from reading this passage of scripture and others like it in the New Testament, that those who live (walk) in sin (darkness), and according to their fleshly desires, will NOT inherit the kingdom of heaven. Even many good people, by human standards, will not be in heaven, because they did not put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives, having been cleansed of their sins and made whole in the blood of the Lamb. If we make a practice of doing what is evil, i.e. if we continue in sinful lifestyles, we have no part of God and he has no part of us (See 1 John).

Nonetheless, happy and peaceful are those of us who have been cleansed of our sins, who walk in the Spirit and in Christ’s righteousness, free from the control of sin over our lives, and in the power and working of the Spirit within us. We have chosen the way of holiness, i.e. of separation from the world of sin, and are set apart to God and to his service. We have repented of (turned away from) our way of living for sin and self, we have been transformed (reborn) of the Spirit of God, and we have been given new lives in Christ to be lived out in his power at work within us, being conformed to the image of God and no longer conformed to the ways of this sinful and evil world (See Eph. 4:17-24; Rom. 12:1-2).

Come

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

…He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

There appears here to be two separate calls to “Come.” One is a call of the Spirit and the Bride for Jesus to come; to return for his Bride, the true church of the living God; the Body of Christ. Oh, how we long for his appearing! We watch and we wait for him by how we live our lives in each day in guarding our hearts against evil and by listening to our Lord’s voice, walking in fellowship with him, and in following him wherever he leads us in obedience.

The other call to “come” is to those outside of faith in Jesus Christ, who are in need of the drink of the living water, the Spirit who gives life. Jesus Christ died on the cross, taking upon himself the sins of the entire world. Our sins were crucified with him on that cross so that, by God’s grace through faith, we might be set free from slavery to sin, and so we might walk in his righteousness and holiness. If he is calling you to “come,” I pray you will heed his call today while you still have today, because time is short, and he is coming soon.

He Lifted Our Burdens / An Original Work / February 15, 2014

Based off Isaiah 9:2-7

People walk in darkness.

They abide in their sin.

It has power o’er them.

True belief escapes them.

Jesus Christ came to save them.

He gave His life up for them;

Crucified; died for our sin,

So we might be forgiven,

And have life up in heaven.

Many come to know Him.

God’s love now o’erflows them.

They rejoice in vict’ry.

Their sin is but hist’ry.

We were once bound in slav’ry.

Jesus lifted our burdens;

Set us now free from Satan,

So we now walk in freedom.

Sin has no more dominion.

Praise be to our Savior!

He showed us His favor.

He took all our burdens;

Cast them all upon Him.

He is our mediator;

The Light which shines in darkness.

Counselor in our troubles;

He gives peace now in our hearts;

Joy which is everlasting.

http://originalworks.info/he-lifted-our-burdens/

Because of Their Testimony

Monday, June 23, 2014, 3:00 p.m. – The Lord Jesus put the song in mind, “He Reached Down.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Revelation 20:4-6 (NIV).

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 about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. 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 share 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.

I believed in the Lord Jesus as my Lord and Savior when I was around seven years old. I can still remember vividly that moment at summer camp when the invitation (altar call) was given. I didn’t go forward, though. I just sat right where I was seated on that hard wooden bench in the Pavilion at Beulah Beach Camp grounds, on Lake Erie, in Ohio. I wept, poured my heart out to God, repented of my sin, asked for his forgiveness, and invited him into my life to be my Savior. I know I was transformed of the Spirit of God at that very moment. I wanted nothing more in life but to follow Jesus wherever he would lead me.

I was very involved in church as a child, as a youth, as a young adult, and into my more mature adult years. My birth family was there just about every time the doors were open, as the saying goes. Yet, my home life was difficult. There were abuse and neglect issues. Yet, that only drew me closer to my Lord. I drew on his strength and comfort all the time just to make it through each day. It wasn’t all bad, though. I have happy memories, too. I was not a perfect child, though. I battled with temptations of my flesh, and sometimes I gave in. Yet I know I went to the Lord in prayer, asking for his help, guidance, wisdom and strength to help me to resist Satan, to flee temptation, and to draw near to God.

I took God and his word very seriously. That made me an odd ball, peculiar, different. I was never popular. Yet, I wanted to do what he said and what his word said. I had a strong child-like faith that believed God and took him at his word. During missionary conferences, the call to go to the mission field pulled on my heart strings. I cried out to God, committing myself to follow my Lord wherever he would send me. “I’ll go where you want me to go, dear Lord, o’er mountain, or plain, or sea; I’ll say what You want me to say, dear Lord, I’ll be what You want me to be” (Mary Brown), I would sing. And, yet, it was not his will for me to go to a foreign mission field at that time in my life. My work was on the home front.

I married Rick Love in August of 1972, nearly 42 years ago. We have four children. We have lived many different places. For many years we were very involved in church ministry together, singing in the choir, in ensembles, singing duets or in small groups, teaching Bible studies or working with children, youth and then college students. We had and have our battles, too. No marriage is perfect. Yet we have had many good years together, too, and I have an abundance of happy memories of our times together, and with our children, with our children’s spouses, too, and with their children, i.e. with our grandchildren, now totaling twelve – seven girls and five boys. I love our family times together. My grandchildren bless my heart on a regular basis. I know I am very blessed, and I don’t take that for granted.

Because of my close walk with the Lord, though, and because I took him and his word so seriously, I faced a lot of rejection in my life. I am not saying I was perfect or that people were not rejecting my personality, or that I didn’t have room for improvement, or that I never failed. I did, and I still do, yet I often stood out like a sore thumb because of my relationship with my Lord and because of my seriousness concerning his word. It hurt to get rejected and to be misunderstood, though. And, although I knew my Lord was there, and that he would comfort me, encourage me, counsel me and help me through these times, I struggled to truly grasp his sovereignty over my life, and so there were times when I just wanted to give up and run away from it all. There were times when I did just that, too.

I went through a period of several years where I was on an emotional roller coaster ride, it seemed. I would walk with the Lord and obey him and be in fellowship with him for a time, and then I would regress and would escape into sinful behavior patterns, only to come back to the Lord and follow him again, only to fall back into sin again and to disobey him. I would never have imagined at an earlier point in my life that I would have ever gotten to this low point in my life where I did some of the things that I did in disobedience to my Lord, but I did. Yet, in his love and mercy, “He reached down from heaven and rescued me; drew me out of waters so deep, I’d sink. He delivered me from Satan and my slavery to sin;” and he gave me hope once again. I shut the door on my past, and I never went back.

Then, the Lord Jesus called me to be a missionary, to take his gospel to the ends of the earth, but not by sending me physically to a foreign country. He called me to write down what he teaches me through his word each day, and to give it to a “runner” (the internet) so that the runner could “Run With It.” He spoke to me through Habakkuk 2:2-4:

Then the Lord replied:

“Write down the revelation

    and make it plain on tablets

    so that a herald may run with it.

For the revelation awaits an appointed time;

    it speaks of the end

    and will not prove false.

Though it linger, wait for it;

    it will certainly come

    and will not delay.

Then he did something I would have never imagined in my wildest dreams. He gave me dreams and visions as allegories to illustrate Biblical truth in a way which was relevant to the world around me, and that was applicable to my life and to the life of the church. He showed me things I would not have known had he not revealed them to me through his Spirit. And, with great fear and trembling, but in the power and working of the Spirit within me, and with child-like faith, I dared to share what I believed he was revealing to me through his word and by his Spirit, i.e. how the word of God is being fulfilled in our day, and how it is to be applied to the real life situations which are going on in our world.

He also gave me numerous songs, too, to write as my testimony for him, and for my encouragement, and for the encouragement and strengthening of the body of Christ. The words and music came from him and from his word, so all praise and glory go to him. Most all of the songs, if not all, contain the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus has had me sharing that gospel in writing for eight years this June 27^th. It is the gospel taught by Christ and by the apostles, but it is not a popular message today, and it is becoming even less popular as the days go by and so many are altering it to make it pleasing to humans.

Many throughout the world are being killed for that gospel. And, it is because they “keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus” (See Rev. 12:17), they do not deny his name, they refuse to bow to “the beast,” and they will not take its mark. Amen!

He Reached Down / An Original Work / February 3, 2014

Based off Psalm 18

How I love You, Lord,

My Rock and my strength.

My God is my fortress;

I hide in Him.

He is my shield and the horn of

My salvation, whom I praise.

I have found my refuge in Him.

He reached down from heaven

And rescued me;

Drew me out of waters

So deep, I’d sink.

He delivered me from Satan

And my slavery to sin;

Gave me hope of heaven with Him.

My God turned my darkness

Into His light;

Opened up my blinded eyes;

Gave me sight.

As for God, his way is perfect.

He gives strength to stand secure.

I have found my vict’ry in Him.

My Lord lives!

Praise be to my Savior God,

Jesus Christ, who died

On a cruel cross.

He is my Rock and the source

Of my salvation, whom I trust.

I will give praise always to Him.

http://originalworks.info/he-reached-down/

Salvation and Glory

Monday, June 23, 2014, 5:59 a.m. – the Lord Jesus put the song in mind, “He Lifted Our Burdens.” I read Revelation 18-19 (quoting selected verses in the NIV).

Come Out!

Then I heard another voice from heaven say:

“‘Come out of her, my people,’

    so that you will not share in her sins,

    so that you will not receive any of her plagues;

for her sins are piled up to heaven,

    and God has remembered her crimes.” ~ Rev. 18:4-5

Beginning in chapter 14 of Revelation we have been reading about Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries. I believe that, in this context, this is speaking of a specific place in the world and/or a specific entity. I believe Babylon the Great is America, or more specifically it is our center of government in D.C. and in NYC, the U.N., the Federal Reserve, and our military force, etc. We and our allies are the ones going throughout the world, including inside the U.S., deceiving, looting, murdering innocents, blaming others for our crimes, and then taking over the governments and peoples of nations. Also we are killing true followers of Jesus Christ and those who pose a threat to the rule of the beast (the N.W.O.), and those who have not willingly cooperated with the goals and objectives of the N.W.O. Our military alone comprises about 90% of the international forces in these various countries throughout the world, the last time I checked.

The command here is for us to come out of her so that we don’t share in any of her sins. Certainly there is a broader interpretation to the term Babylon which can be implied here, as well, and that is that Babylon represents the world system. We are all commanded to come out from the world of sin and to be separate, for what fellowship has light with darkness? (See 2 Co. 6:14-18) Being holy means to be set apart from the world of sin and set apart to God, and we are all commanded to be holy because God is holy. We are also instructed that we are not to love the world or anything in the world – “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (See 1 Jn. 2:15-17). So, we should all evaluate in what ways we are partakers in this world of sin, and where we need to “come out” and be separate. This includes what we take into our eyes, minds and hearts via the things we watch, read and listen to, the lies we buy into, and what we are entertained by.

Yet, I believe we are also commanded to come out from under the influence of worldly governments and institutional churches, too. I believe the institutional church in America, via the 501c3 non-profit corporation status, is “in bed” with the U.S. government, which I believe to be Babylon the Great, and of Satan, and that Jesus Christ is calling out to his church to come out from union with our government so that we don’t share in her sins. I also believe that much of the institutional church here in America has bought into the lies of Satan, has adopted the ways of man over the ways of God, is following a false gospel of salvation, and is teaching books written by men over the word of God. Much of the institutional church here in America is following man more than they are following God, and they are utilizing the marketing schemes of men for how to build their churches instead of allowing Jesus Christ to be the one to build his church his way, using his methods. So, I believe God is calling out to his true church to come out from underneath the influence of what is falsely called church, but which are truly businesses and corporations of men.

A Great Multitude

After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:

“Hallelujah!

Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,

    for true and just are his judgments.

He has condemned the great prostitute

    who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.

He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” ~ Rev. 19:1-2

So, who is this great multitude in heaven? They could be angels. They could also be the saints of God both in heaven and those on the earth who have heaven as their home.

The scene here is that God has just judged Babylon the Great. She has fallen from power. I believe this is America. We will fall. The world system will fall, too.

After that this multitude in heaven will give praise to God for his salvation, glory and power. It isn’t as though they get great pleasure in the death of humans, though, but perhaps they have observed over a very long time the atrocities committed by the US/UN, as well as by the institutional church here in America, and they have grieved and wept over the pain and deception inflicted upon human lives by this Babylon the Great. Perhaps they have wept and prayed for God to intervene on behalf of innocent lives, to open blinded eyes so they are no longer deceived, and to bring revival to the church here in America and throughout the world, as well as they prayed for the salvation of souls. And, so they rejoice in God’s salvation, glory and power because they see that this judgment has brought about the salvation of souls, the revival of the church, the opening of blinded eyes, and the cessation of buying into Satan’s lies by those whose eyes are now or will be opened. Amen!

The Bride Made Ready

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

“Hallelujah!

    For our Lord God Almighty reigns.

Let us rejoice and be glad

    and give him glory!

For the wedding of the Lamb has come,

    and his bride has made herself ready.

Fine linen, bright and clean,

    was given her to wear.”

(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)

Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” ~ Rev. 19:6-9

When we accept God’s invitation to his great salvation by God’s grace, through faith, which are both gifts of God, yet gifts which we must appropriate to (adopt into) our own lives, we enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ which is much like a marriage contract like they had in old Bible times. Although the actual consummation of the marriage has not taken place, i.e. our salvation has not yet been made complete, we are like a bride walking down the church aisle, our eyes focused on our Lord – our groom - fully committed to this relationship, i.e. representing our spiritual walk with him. We are also like the bride who has had her hand given in marriage to her groom, and who has taken the oath to love, honor and obey; to be faithful, and to keep herself only to him for as long as they both shall live. We, the true saints of God, the true church, are the bride. Jesus Christ is our husband.

So, what does it mean when it says that the bride has made herself ready? How can she do that? Wouldn’t that be considered works-based salvation? No! We make ourselves ready by trusting in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We make ourselves ready by walking in his Spirit, in his holiness and righteousness, in his power and strength and wisdom within us. And, we make ourselves ready by submitting to the cross of Christ in willingly dying with Christ to our old lives of sin and self, and by allowing the Spirit of God to transform us in heart and mind and to make us into new creations in Christ Jesus, living holy lives pleasing to God (See Ac. 26:16-18; Ro. 6-8; 2 Co. 5:15; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 4:17-24 & 1 Jn. 1-5).

There is no way we can be ready for our groom/husband and the wedding, and the consummation of the marriage relationship, if we are operating in the flesh. It is not obedience to Christ if we are trying to follow a set of rules by human effort. Obedience is submission to God and to his work of grace in our lives, and it recognizes that all power, wisdom and strength must come from the One who saved us and not from within ourselves. The Bible says that God’s grace teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled and upright lives in this present age (see Tit. 2:11-14) while we wait for our Lord’s return. This is how we make ourselves ready. Are you ready?

He Lifted Our Burdens / An Original Work / February 15, 2014

Based off Isaiah 9:2-7

People walk in darkness.

They abide in their sin.

It has power o’er them.

True belief escapes them.

Jesus Christ came to save them.

He gave His life up for them;

Crucified; died for our sin,

So we might be forgiven,

And have life up in heaven.

Many come to know Him.

God’s love now o’erflows them.

They rejoice in vict’ry.

Their sin is but hist’ry.

We were once bound in slav’ry.

Jesus lifted our burdens;

Set us now free from Satan,

So we now walk in freedom.

Sin has no more dominion.

Praise be to our Savior!

He showed us His favor.

He took all our burdens;

Cast them all upon Him.

He is our mediator;

The Light which shines in darkness.

Counselor in our troubles;

He gives peace now in our hearts;

Joy which is everlasting.

http://originalworks.info/he-lifted-our-burdens/