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.
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