Why I Don't Do Christmas

Tuesday, December 04, 2012, 8:09 a.m. – the Lord Jesus woke me with this song:

Blessed Are You / An Original Work / August 29, 2012

Based off Luke 6:20-49 NIV 1984

“Blessed are you;

Blessed are you who are poor

For God’s kingdom is yours.

Blessed are you;

Blessed are you who are hungry,

You’ll be satisfied.

Blessed are you;

Blessed are you who weep now,

For you will laugh with joy.

Blessed are you;

Blessed are you when men hate

And reject you because of Christ…”

http://originalworks.info/blessed-are-you/

The subject of the celebration of Christmas came up this morning before I read my passage of scripture for the day. I am reading in the Psalms, and today’s passage was Psalm 12. So, as I went into my time of reading this morning, I asked the Lord what my response should be to people who ask about the celebration of Christmas. I prayed, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Then I read Psalm 12. When I got to verse 8, this is what stood out to me:

The wicked freely strut about

    when what is vile is honored among men.

The word “vile” stood out to me, and then the Lord immediately put this phrase in my mind, “pagan revelry.” I believe God sees, and has always seen in the history of mankind, “pagan revelry” as “vile.”

Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.” ~ 1 Co. 10:7

I wanted to understand what this all meant, and how it related to my inquiry about what my response should be to the subject of the celebration of Christmas, so I looked up some of these terms in the dictionary (www.thefreedictionary.com) . Vile means “loathsome, disgusting, objectionable, offensive, wicked, shameful or evil.” A pagan is a supporter (sticking or holding to) polytheistic (more than one god) religion, “especially when viewed in contrast to an adherent (supporter) of a monotheistic (only one god) religion.” And, revelry is “boisterous, noisy or unrestrained merrymaking; pleasure and good times, with connotations of carousing and self-indulgence.”

The Christmas Connection

So, what does this all have to do with the celebration of Christmas? Well, let’s look at what all the celebration of Christmas entails. For those of you who celebrate Christmas, what do you spend most of your time, thoughts and energies on in this celebration? What is Christmas to you? What is the main focus of Christmas in our society? And, what does the word of God have to say about celebrating Christ’s birth?

Christmas, in our society, is primarily about Santa Claus, Christmas trees, lights, decorations, Santa’s stockings, greed, commercialism, and presents, etc. So, who is Santa? He is an aberration. He is made up. Yet, he sees all, knows all and he can be all over the world at everyone’s homes all in one night. Who does this sound like? Yes, you are right: God Almighty. He is the only one who is all knowing, all powerful, and has the ability to be everywhere at all times. So, who is the great imitator of God who wanted to be God? Satan. He parades himself as an “angel of light” to deceive minds and hearts. Ever notice the similarity between the names “Santa” and “Satan”? Santa is of Satan and Satan’s goal is to be God in the hearts and minds of all people, but especially in the hearts and minds of professing followers of Jesus Christ. He wants nothing more than to steal the hearts and minds of naïve people, especially young children, away from God and to another god.

Is He the Reason?

Christmas is often marketed as the celebration of Christ’s birth, i.e. that “He is the reason for the season.” Is he really? Let’s look at that. How do we celebrate Jesus’ birth? Some people will tell you it is with the giving of presents to one another, just like the wise men gave gifts to Jesus or just like God gave us the gift of his Son, Jesus Christ. Well, for one, the wise men did not visit Jesus when he was born. He was probably a child of two years old when they visited him, and they were not coming to celebrate his birthday, per se, but to give honor to the King of kings and Lord of lords, the promised Messiah of the people of God. They were giving honor to the Savior of mankind, and they honored him with these costly gifts. Also, the giving of God’s Son is the giving of salvation to mankind (Jn. 3:16).

So, when we give each other gifts, is this truly giving honor to God/Jesus as the King of kings and Lord of lords and as the Savior of mankind? If it is, in your thinking, then how do you believe this is accomplished? Do you think God is truly pleased with this gift giving of ours on this holiday? And, how is this similar in nature to what God did for us in giving us Jesus? If we want to respond in like manner, then instead of giving each other gifts, most of which we don’t really need, then we should be sharing the gospel of Jesus with the unsaved. That is why Jesus came! And, that is why he died on the cross. The greatest gift we can give, then, is the gift of God’s Son to those who have not yet believed in Jesus as Savior.

Should we celebrate Christ’s birth?

How did Jesus say we should remember him and honor him? He said we should honor him and remember him through the remembrance of his death, not his birth. And, the way in which we remember his death is through the taking of communion, not just the taking of it in the sense of taking a sacrament in a ritualistic sense, but as Paul described in 1 Co. 11:

Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.

There is a sense, thus, in which this participation in the Lord’s Supper is not merely the sharing in the drinking of the vine and the eating of the bread, but it is a participation in the meaning of these symbols in reality in how we live our lives. For Jesus, the juice of the vine and the bread represented his blood and body which were given for us on the cross of Christ for our sins, so that we could be set free from the penalty of sin (eternal damnation), and so we could be set free from slavery to sin (day-to-day).

So, when we come to the Lord’s Table in remembrance of him, we are not merely recalling his death, but we are choosing to partake (drink and eat) with him in his death, which communion symbolizes, and in his resurrection, in death to our sins and in resurrection to new lives in Christ. This is why it is critical that we examine our hearts, not just in communion services, but all the time, to make sure that we have forsaken our lives of sin, and we are walking in obedience to Christ in all ways all the time. This is the kind of worship and honor of Jesus that he desires:

Jesus said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” ~ Luke 9:23-26

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. ~ Romans 12:1-2

Who gets Top Billing?

This (the above scriptures) is the kind of “gift giving” that God approves. It is not that he is against us giving each other gifts, I don’t believe, but I don’t believe the way we do gifts and the way we celebrate Christmas in our culture is what he desires, and in fact, I believe he sees it as “vile” and as “pagan revelry,” because it is a blend of the worship of Santa, greed, and a pagan holiday with the celebration of Jesus, only Jesus does not get top billing in this celebration. Think with me about that for a moment.

Look at your decorations for Christmas. Do you have a tree beautifully decorated with all kinds of trimmings? Are there lots of gifts underneath the tree? Who are these gifts for? What do they represent? Do you have Santa stockings hanging by your fireplace? Do you have images of Santa and his reindeer displayed in your house? And, where is Jesus in all of this? Do you buy a bunch of gifts you can’t afford for people who don’t really need them because tradition dictates that we should do this in celebration of Jesus? How does any of this give honor and praise to God/Jesus?

And, do you also have a manger scene displayed in your house along with Santa? Then, this is a celebration of a false god and the true God side-by-side, which is what God chided his children about all throughout history. And, how is Jesus pictured? He is pictured as a helpless baby in a lowly manger. Whose birthdays do we celebrate with images of what we looked like as babies? - Only Jesus’. I believe this is purposeful. Why?

Children, in particular, will see Jesus as a helpless baby who does what for them? And, they will see Santa as all powerful, all knowing, and can be all places at all times, and who brings them presents. What is wrong with this picture? Do you see the deception here? And, the two are celebrated together side-by-side. Even if you don’t do the Santa thing, you, perhaps, are still celebrating the birth of Jesus in a manner which has pagan roots, and which has nothing to do with Jesus Christ at all, and that minimizes who he truly is while on the same day an “all powerful, all knowing and omnipresent Santa” steals the hearts and minds of young children, because he brings them presents. How can you top that?

And, then we lie to our children and we tell them that Santa is real, even though they can’t really see him, so is that of God? And, we use terminology like “I believe in Santa.” And, then we tell our children to believe in Jesus, whom they also cannot see. Oh, what trickery Satan has concocted to get us to believe we are truly celebrating the life of Jesus when all we are doing is falling prey to a lie of Satan.

The Challenge

You don’t have to believe this, obviously, because I said it, but I pray that each person reading this today would prayerfully and honestly before God examine what has been shared here today in light of God’s word, and that you would inquire of God as to how he views our celebrations of Christmas. God gave us the gift of salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ shed on a cross for our sins. The best way we can celebrate the life of Jesus is to honor him with our lives, and to share the truth of his gospel with a world in need of the Savior. Will you pray and ask God if he is pleased with your celebration of him?

Sing Praises / An Original Work / November 30, 2012

Based off Psalms 6-9

Sing praises to the Lord!

Tell of His wond’rous works.

Afflicted, they cry out;

The Lord will not forget;

The needy, not desert.

The Lord’s our refuge now;

A stronghold when we fear.

The Lord will ne’er forsake

The ones, who Him pursue!

Sing praises to the Lord!

With all my heart I sing.

I will rejoice in Him;

Sing praises to His name;

Tell of His wond’rous works.

My shield is God Most High.

He saves those who believe

In Jesus Christ, God’s Son.

His grace has pardoned you!

The Lord accepts my prayer!

The Lord has heard my cries.

He is so merciful.

He heals my anguished soul.

The Lord has made me whole.

Give thanks unto the Lord.

Give praise unto His name.

Our Lord is righteousness.

Sing praises to the Lord!

Sing praises to the Lord!

Sing Praises: http://originalworks.info/sing-praises-2/

Blessed Are You: http://originalworks.info/blessed-are-you/

Note: All scripture references are taken from the NIV 1984.

I Miss Church

Sunday, November 30, 2014, 5:58 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song, “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Revelation 5 (NASB).

I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; and one of the elders *said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”

And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they *sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice,

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”

And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying,

“To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”

And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

Why Was I Crying?

This morning, as I sat down here at my desk in front of my computer, with this passage of scripture before me, and a new Word Document opened up, ready for me to write (type) whatever the Lord Jesus would lay upon my heart for me to write from this passage today, I began to weep, literally. I was suddenly overcome with enormous sorrow in my heart, and tears began streaming down my cheeks. Why was I crying? I miss church!

Now, when I say I miss church, what I mean is that I miss real church, you know like the Body of Christ, believers in Jesus Christ, meeting together with one another to study the Word of God together, and to share burdens, heartaches, joys and praises from the depths of our souls, and then to pray for one another, fellowship in the Spirit together, and then to minister in the Spirit to one another using the gifts given us by the Spirit to encourage and to strengthen one another in the faith – with each part doing its work.

I miss preaching that is straight from the Word of God, in context, and of the Holy Spirit’s leading – the kind of preaching that convicts of sin and pierces through our hearts, that lifts us up when we are down and strengthens us when our faith is weak - that draws us close to the Lord in the knowledge of who he truly is and in what he is honestly all about. I miss hearing testimonies of other believers as they share what God is teaching them through his word each day and how he is growing them in their faith. I miss how Mrs. Dittmar used to just break out in singing a hymn during our time of personal reflection during communion, and how the rest of the congregation would join her in singing praises to Almighty God.

I miss the friendships I used to have with other women who would call me and share a scripture with me the Lord Jesus had laid upon their hearts to share with me in order to encourage or counsel me, because they knew what I was going through, and they cared, and they were listening to the Spirit’s voice, and they were walking in obedience to him. I miss those long conversations which we used to have with each other over the phone, or sitting across from each other at a breakfast table, where we talked about Jesus and our walks of faith and what we were learning, and how God was encouraging us. I miss how we would then be sensitive to the Spirit’s voice with each other and would pray in the Spirit one for the other. My friend Mary even, one day, made me a prescription bottle with capsules with scripture verses in them, and she prescribed I take one a day. I saved it now 35 yrs. J  

Why Don’t I Have Church?

So, why don’t I have church today? Church is not what it used to be. It has evolved. We, as the people of God, have evolved. So many Bible studies are not Bible studies at all. They are studies in books written by humans in which the Bible may be mentioned or quoted, but in the context of the philosophy of the person who wrote the book, and so we end up studying human thinking instead of God’s thinking. And, if we would try, in many cases, to introduce a teaching from scripture in contrast to the human’s teaching, it may well be thrown out, even though it may be biblically sound, because it doesn’t fit with the message written by the person who wrote the book – a message that group is all following blindly. So many of these books, too, are way far away from the gospel as taught by the apostles, too.

In so many churches today so much of everything is so orchestrated and controlled by humans that there is not much room at all, if any, for the Spirit to even work. There is not much space, at all, given for the body to use their spiritual gifts and to work in the roles God has assigned to them, unless their body parts and gifts fit neatly into the prepackaged way of doing church as is being passed down from globally recognized pastors and Christian leaders who have developed materials for pastors across denominations to follow for how they should grow their churches.

Many of these church growth methods teach the pastors to avoid people strong in their faith or in Bible knowledge and to filter them out because they are not a “good fit” for what they are trying to do, and even to encourage all the “misfits” to go someplace else. In fact, many of these pastors say they will help you find another place to go, just so you leave their place. Whatever happened to not saying to any part of the body, “We have no need of you”?

In so many churches today their “worship services” are major stage productions and everything is completely orchestrated by humans in order to appeal to the emotions and desires of human flesh, diluting the gospel, and making everything fun and entertaining, light and fluffy, in order to make the world comfortable in the church so the world will want to come back. The church has adopted the ways of the world, and has led their people to immerse themselves in worldly cultures so that they can “win the world,” but to what?

So, what is wrong with this picture? Most everything! If the world is comfortable in our churches, then we are not the Body of Christ. The Body of Christ may attend these “churches,” but so much of what is called “church” today is just businesses of humans, and corporations under the government, and run just like any other business, replacing the leading of the Spirit with marketing schemes, manipulations of emotions, trickery, and with a conforming of “the product” to the desires and wishes of the “customers” so they will want to come back, and so they will keep “buying.” Oh, how I miss church!

Stop Weeping!

After I expressed to my husband, who was sitting across the room from me at his desk, how I was overcome this morning with how much I miss church, and how tears were streaming down my cheeks, I read this passage again, and read how John was weeping because it appeared there was no one worthy to open the book or to look into it. One of the elders, though, told him to stop weeping, because the Lion of Judah (Jesus Christ) has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals. Amen!

I asked the Lord Jesus to give me understanding into all this, and to help me to see how what I was weeping over related to this passage of scripture, as I believe he put that into my heart this morning. What was written on the parchments represented God’s purposes, his sovereign will, and his protective care over the church and over the people of the world. What was written on the sealed parchments also represented future events yet to take place which would fulfill God’s purposes and will for the church and for the world. In other words, God has everything under his control, and he has a plan in place, I believe, to bring his church back to him as their only God and Lord, and to revive his church so that they will be his holy people once more, enjoying his sweet fellowship with him and with one another.

When Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was slain for our sins, took the book, then the creatures and the elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding the prayers of the saints. This morning, but not unlike most days for me, I was praying for unsaved family members to come to Christ, and for the revival of God’s church. God listens to my prayers, and I believe he is responding this morning to my prayers by the message he is giving me here. He is encouraging me that he is in control and that he is completely sovereign over all things, that he has a plan and a purpose for everything that is presently going on with the church, and that his plan is for his church to be a kingdom and priests to their God and to reign with him upon the earth. Amen! In other words, things will not remain as they are forever. Praise Jesus! There is hope! One day his wayward people will return to him and the church will be like he intended her to be all along. Oh, how wonderful that day will be!

‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus / Louisa M.R. Stead / William J. Kirkpatrick

’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His Word;

Just to rest upon His promise, just to know, “Thus saith the Lord!”

O how sweet to trust in Jesus, just to trust His cleansing blood;

And in simple faith to plunge me ’neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus, just from sin and self to cease;

Just from Jesus simply taking life, and rest, and joy, and peace.

I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee, precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;

And I know that Thou art with me, will be with me to the end.

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Thee! How I’ve proved Thee o’er and o’er

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! O for grace to trust Thee more!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DdgkvnsHjM

Open and Shut

Saturday, November 29, 2014, 6:46 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Revelation 3:7-13 (ESV).

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.

“‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

The Key of David

A key is an instrument of some kind which can be used to open and to close things which can be locked or unlocked. A person who has the key is the one who has the power and the authority to open and to shut whatever it is that needs opened or shut. So in this case, in particular, the key represents power and authority.

Jesus Christ, our Messiah, came from the line of David, as well as David was king of Israel and a type of Christ. Jesus Christ, heir to the throne of David, is thus the King of true Israel, the church. So, he is the one who holds this key, and he is the only one who has the power and authority to open what no human can shut, and to shut what no human can open.

What this means ultimately is that Jesus Christ, God the Son, creator of the universe, and Savior of mankind, is absolutely sovereign over all things. If he decides to open something and he wants it to remain open, no human can shut it. And, if he decides to close something, and he wants it to remain closed, no human can open it. When this truth finally sunk into my slow-to-understand mind, I can’t describe to you the peace that it brought into my life. Sometimes I still have to remind myself of this fact when I start to become anxious about particular circumstances going on in my life.

I used to think humans had certain powers over me, and that nothing could be done about it. One time, as I have shared before, when God was asking me to keep pressing on in the face of persecution and to even confront my persecutors, and to try to reason with them, I told God, “But God, you don’t understand!” In my mind I believed in the sovereignty of God, but in my emotions, I did not. My response to my circumstances revealed what I truly believed down deep in my heart, which was that God could do nothing about some of the situations of my life, even though I trusted in his comfort through them. Yet, when I came to the realization that he is absolutely in control over all things, and that nothing can happen to me but what he allows it, and he allows it for a purpose, it gave me great peace.

An Open Door

A door is an entrance or access into something or a means of access. It can also be an opportunity for something to open up or to become available, such as a new job, or a promotion, or a position in an organization, or a new ministry, or a chance to witness to someone about Jesus Christ, etc. If God has opened up such a door in your life, and he intends for that door to remain open, then he is the only one who has the power to shut it. So, we never have reason to fear humans or what they might do to us, because if God is for us, who can be against us? Nothing can separate us from his love. Amen!

So many times in my past life I ran away (escaped in some fashion) from my circumstances because I got afraid and so I gave up, because I did not understand the sovereignty of God over my life. I always believed God was there holding me in his arms, comforting and encouraging me when I was downcast, but my emotions told me that God was somehow limited by my circumstances. Oh, how wrong! Yet, we must keep in mind here that God also has the power and the ability to close doors he has opened, because oftentimes the doors were only opened for a certain period of time and for a very specific purpose.

Yet, if he has opened an opportunity for you, even if you have to wait a little while for it to be fully realized, don’t get discouraged when opposition comes against you, or if doubts begin to enter your mind, and/or if all the “what ifs” in the world begin to flood your thinking. Believe him. Trust him. And, step out in faith and do whatever it is he has called you to do, believing that he will make the way for you, and that he will supply you with all you need to go in that direction. Trust him, too, with all the hurdles along the way. He will never leave you or forsake you. He is completely faithful in all that he does, and he will accomplish his will and his purposes in our lives and through our lives for his glory.

Those who now make pretenses of faith in Jesus Christ, but who are really following after Satan and the flesh, and who serve to oppose the Lord’s servants and the message of the full gospel of Jesus Christ, although appearing right now as though they have the upper hand, will one day bow the knee to Jesus Christ, will be humbled before God, and will learn from God that the Lord’s servants were truly the loved of God. So, we just need to put our persecutors into the hands of God, and just trust God to work in their lives for his purposes.

Hour of Trial

There is a promise here for those who keep God’s word, who patiently endure, and who do not deny his name, that they will be kept “from” the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. Many Christians here in America have interpreted this scripture in conjunction with their belief in a pre-tribulation rapture, and have thus applied this to all who claim to know Christ - whether they keep his word or not, or whether they deny his name by their lifestyles or not.

Also, by interpreting this passage in this way, they translate this Greek word into English as merely “from,” indicating they will escape (be exempted) from tribulation. Yet, is that truly the promise here? And, can it be applied across the board today to all who claim to know Christ, although by their lifestyles many of them deny him?

Well, first of all, it appears that the Greek word translated here as “from” literally has more to do with the Lord Jesus keeping (preserving; holding on to) us from within (under) the trial and extending to its outcome (Source: biblehub.com). This reminds me of 1 Corinthians 10:13 where it says that God will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear, but when we are tempted he will also provide a way out so we can endure it.

This Greek word often translated as “a way out” in 1 Co. 10:13 seems to have a similar meaning as the word “from” in this Revelation 3 passage. They both have to do with “out from and to” and with “outcome.” Yet, there is also a sense of being able to endure the trial or the persecution, as well, because we are being kept by Jesus Christ. So, I believe this is speaking more of preservation under and deliverance from within the trial itself rather than a literal escape (exemption) from trial. The same applies to temptation. We are not promised exemption from trial, tribulation, persecution or temptation throughout the NT. In fact, we are told we are destined for them, but that Jesus will give us all we need to endure and to be victorious to the end.

Hold On

So, I believe the real promise here actually fits with the rest of what we have talked about here concerning the sovereignty of God. There are many who oppose us and who stand in opposition to the full gospel message, even among those who claim to know Christ but who are truly disciples of Satan. We don’t have to fear them, because God is absolutely sovereign over all things in our lives, and nothing can happen to us unless God allows it, and he allows it for a purpose. No human can thwart the plans of Almighty God. Amen!

As well, all throughout the NT we are promised that we will have to endure persecution, hatred, mocking, trials, temptations, beatings, imprisonments and even death for the sake of the gospel and for the sake of the name of Jesus, but that we are to endure patiently, and we are to keep trusting our Lord to see us through these difficult times. Many Christians all throughout history have had to and are presently suffering such trials and persecutions, so why should we in America think that we should be exempt?

When we run away from pain and suffering, and we do not do the will of God for our lives, then we lose certain rewards from God in heaven. Honestly, though, my mind can’t comprehend such rewards other than I believe we will lose out on the blessings of obedience in this life, and that we will miss out on the opportunities provided to us by God to affect other lives for Jesus Christ and for eternity. So, we should not let humans or trials unsettle us, but we should trust in Jesus Christ, believe that he will hold on to us, that he will show us the way, that he will give us all we need to accomplish his purposes and his will, and that one day we will get to be with him forever, face to face. Amen!

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Joseph M. Scriven / Charles C. Converse

What a friend we have in Jesus,

all our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear,

all because we do not carry

everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged;

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful

who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden,

cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge;

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In his arms he'll take and shield thee;

thou wilt find a solace there.

A Spider's Web

Friday, November 28, 2014, 6:45 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song, “Living Water.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Revelation 3:1-6 (ESV).

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

“‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Your Reputation

In the church here in America, and perhaps in other locations throughout the world, the church has a reputation of being spiritually alive, but in many cases they are not, but they are dead. They are still the church, so they are not dead in the sense of being condemned to hell, but rather they lack the life of the Spirit of God in their midst. So, why is this?

I believe that much of the Body of Christ, which is comprised of true followers of Christ, has slowly and gradually moved away from God’s original design for his church, and they have, instead, turned to following after human design for what the church should look like and act like: They have moved away from walking in the Spirit to walking according to the flesh; away from true worship of God to forms of worship which often have nothing to do with God at all. They have moved away from awe, honor, respect and reverence for God to playing games, entertaining and making jokes about what should be taken very seriously. They have moved away from being followers of God to being followers of man; away from the teachings of scripture to the teachings of humans; and away from the authority of God to human authority. God could be totally missing, and they probably wouldn’t even notice.

The sad reality of this all is that today’s modern church here in America is only a shell of what God intends and desires for her to be. She looks good on the outside, but inside she is filled up with the flesh, and she is very worldly. In fact, she has invited worldliness into the church because she wants to attract the world to her meetings in order to grow her “churches.” She has also opened the door wide to invite in false teachers (wolves in sheep’s clothing) – cunning, crafty, poisonous and predatory creatures who spin their (spider’s) webs in order to catch their unsuspecting prey in their webs of trickery and deceit. These poisonous and predatory leaders of the people twist scripture and dilute the gospel to make it more appealing and pleasing to human flesh – non-judgmental, and with no requirement at all for the follower to die with Christ to their old life of living for sin and self. So, they give out a false hope of salvation and a false hope of eternity with God in heaven.

As well, her true loyalties and devotion fall not with God, but with humans and with human institutions. And, she tries to lead others to follow in her footsteps into the same kind of lighthearted, casual and often disrespectful to God kind of worship and service to their Lord. As well, God’s authority is often treated with contempt and dishonor, while human authority is often given greater honor.

The presence of God is not required at all, in fact, for the worship services to even begin in many of these churches. Thus, they do not truly meet in the name of Jesus, because he is not central to and involved (engaged) in most of what they do, beginning with their corporate times of worship and praise to the teaching and preaching, and to the times of fellowship, too. As well, the bulk of their meetings is not according to God’s will and purpose, but is according to the will and purpose of human beings. If Jesus himself were to walk into their meetings, they probably would not even recognize him and would treat him no differently than they treat anyone else, or worse. In fact, he would probably be asked to leave most of these churches, because he would not be a “good fit” with their target audience, goals and visions, and they would probably suggest he go someplace else.

A Few

This picture of much of today’s modern church here in America is kind of depressing, yet not all is bleak. I do believe revival is going to come to America, but that it will come through tribulation of some kind, and that the unsuspecting church will be caught off guard by it. As well, I do believe there are many Christians in this country who have not soiled their garments with the ways of the flesh and the ways of this sinful world, but they have remained faithful to God, committed to obedience, surrendered to his will for their lives, and that they are truly walking according to the Spirit, and are no longer living to gratify the desires of their sinful flesh.

They are not perfect people, mind you, but their lifestyles reflect ones who love the Lord Jesus and who are fully devoted to following him wherever he leads them, and to doing whatever he has called them to do, even in the face of much worldly opposition, and even in the midst of strong opposing forces from within the worldly church with its venomous and predatory leaders who are full of trickery, deceit and hypocrisy.

These who are faithful to the Lord Jesus will walk with him in white (in his righteousness and holiness), for they are worthy. This means that we have died with Christ to our lives of living for sin and self, we have been transformed in heart and mind of the Spirit of God, and we are daily putting off the deeds of the flesh and are putting on Christ and his holiness. We do not, however, do this in our own strength, but only in the power and working of the Spirit within us (See: Ro. 6-8; Eph. 4:17-24; 1 Pet. 2:24-25; Tit. 2:11-14 & 1 Jn. 1-5).

Wake Up!

So, God is calling out to this modern church of today, which has made MUCH PROVISION for the flesh, in order to gratify sinful desires (cf. Ro. 13:11-14), and he is telling her to WAKE UP! She needs to strengthen what remains and is about to die, i.e. she is not completely dead, yet she is only a little bit alive. The way in which she will be able to wake up is that she needs to remember the truth from God she has received and heard. She needs to keep (obey) it, and she needs to turn from her idolatry, spiritual adultery and worldliness and begin to walk in the ways of God, according to the Spirit, and not according to the flesh. She needs to take God seriously, and honor and respect and reverence him for the holy God that he is. In other words, the modern church of today which is caught in the spider’s web of deceit, and is following after the flesh instead of after the Spirit, needs to be revived.

If the church does not wake up, Jesus Christ will come like a thief, and she will not know what hour he will come against her in judgment – in divine discipline and correction in order to bring her back to him so that he can restore her. So, don’t wait! If you are living a worldly lifestyle, and you are immersed in the culture of today, and you are not giving God the honor and respect he deserves, but you are going your own way and doing your own thing, instead, then repent of your sin today and allow him to revive your heart. If you have forgotten the Living Water which springs up like a fountain within those who believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior, and you have chased after what can never satisfy, then surrender your all to Him today while you still have today, because none of us knows if we have tomorrow.

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.

https://vimeo.com/113088324

http://originalworks.info/living-water/

Tolerating Jezebel

Thursday, November 27, 2014, 7:00 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song, “Give Me Jesus.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Revelation 2:18-29 (ESV).

“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.

“‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

The Church

When we think of a church today we often get an image of a building of some size or shape in which people meet together to study the Bible, to hear sermons, to listen to music and/or to participate in singing worship songs; to pray, and to enjoy the fellowship of one another. These meetings generally take place on a Sunday morning, though some church congregations may meet on Saturday and/or during the week. Usually the church falls underneath a particular denomination or it might be considered independent or non-denominational. In most of these buildings, called church, we are probably taught that this is “the house of God” and that the “sanctuary” is the holy place in which we enter into God’s holy presence. We may also think of “church” as a place we go, like a building. People will often ask, “Which church do you go to?” or “Are you Baptist or Methodist?” etc.

Yet, Biblically speaking, the church is not a building, or a human-based organization, or a denomination, or a not-for-profit corporation under the federal government. The church is a spiritual entity and is made up only of those who are true believers in Jesus Christ. WE are the house of God. God’s presence dwells within us, so we are his sanctuary. The holy place dwells within us both individually and corporately. So, if two or more of us gather together in His name, He is in the midst (center, middle or central part) of us, and together we are the church, his Body. Yet, to gather in his name, so that he truly is the central part of our meetings, means so much more than just verbalizing his name, for his name is his divine character, which includes his divine will and purpose. So, if we want to have God/Jesus Christ with us (central to, involved and participating) in our meetings, we need to gather according to his will and purpose and not according to our own will and purpose.

So, the church in Thyatira probably comprised all believers in Jesus Christ throughout the city, which met in people’s houses and other public places wherever they were allowed to gather together for the teaching of the word, for fellowship, for the breaking of bread and for prayer. And, their meetings probably didn’t look much like some of ours today.

Love and Faith

The church corporately appears to have been comprised of a group of believers which was acting in love one towards another, and probably towards outsiders, too, though certainly this did not include every individual participating in the church’s meetings, which is evident by what was against them. As a whole, they were commended for their love, faith (or faithfulness), their service, and their patient endurance, and that these qualities were increasing in measure. Yet, it seems so contradictory that they would have the charge against them that they tolerated false teaching, idolatry, sexual immorality and the like, or that at least they tolerated those who were involved in such hypocrisy.

So, how can we reconcile this? Can we come up with a modern-day example or two that might help us to understand what was going on here? – Or, how this might apply today?

Example Number One

In America we have many followers of Christ, I am sure, who are sincere in faith, and who practice love and service, and who also have learned to endure patiently. They exist within these human-based organizations and corporations (underneath the federal government of the USA), although the organizations and corporations themselves are not the church. Many of these so-called churches, instead, are businesses of human-origin, most of which follow after humanistic teaching, philosophies and marketing schemes, which then teach the leadership of these “churches” how to grow their “churches.”

In this example, I believe, the US government serves as a Jezebel to the church. The church, which is a spiritual entity, with Christ Jesus as its head, decided to bring itself underneath the authority of the US government under the 501c3 not-for-profit corporation status. This brings another head into the church, for the church is now in partnership (yoked) with the government. It is a business arrangement. Now they not only have to answer to the Lord Jesus, but they have to answer to the government, and the government can stipulate what is allowed and what is not allowed in the meetings of the church. Yet, the government of our country is not the body of Christ, and it is not Christ, so it does not have the mind of Christ. It is worldly and it is ungodly, and the church is in bed with “her.”

Going back a lot more in time, if anyone one of us would care to take the time, at least at present, there is plenty of information on the internet concerning the true roots of the US government. We can see a lot of this in the layout of D.C., and in its buildings, statues, and the symbols in our government and on our currency. So much of this is based off of Roman, Greek and/or Egyptian gods, goddesses and their temples – examples: The Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, as well as the statue which sits on top of our capital building, and our Statue of Liberty, etc. If we do the research, we will learn that our nation was syncretistic from just about the very beginning, with a strong Satanic influence, as well.

The Lord Jesus has been opening my eyes these past ten years to what our government is really all about, and what all they are involved in globally. Although I don’t have the time to get into specifics here, I believe the government of these United States is part of “the beast” (of Revelation), that it is directly involved in presently taking down the nations of the world, one at a time, and that it is working with this beast one-world government to conquer all nations of this world in order to bring us all underneath the rule of the beast.

I believe our government regularly makes use of false-flag operations, that they control the media, and that they use the media to convince Americans that we are the “good guys” helping out the innocent victims of the “bad guys.” Yet, first we knock the squirrels out of the tree, and then we “rescue them.” Check it out.

And, yet, the church has partnered with the government, has invited the government to be in a position of authority over the church, and the church helps sell the government’s lies and the deceptions, and she even encourages government worship via patriotic songs and via the pledge of allegiance to the flag with hand over heart. If there is such a thing as separation of church and state, then why is the church in partnership with the government, and why does she fly the US flag and encourage her congregants to vow such allegiance (loyalty, commitment, faithfulness, fidelity, devotion, steadfastness and dedication) to an ungodly, unholy and evil government? We are to obey the government, but we are not to give our hearts in such devotion and faithfulness as this to anyone other than God.

Example Number Two

Since so many of these “churches” are human-based organizations (human businesses), run just like businesses, and marketed just like Big Businesses, they are also, I believe, the Jezebel of the true church. And, the true church puts up with it easily enough (See: 2 Co. 11:1-4).

These humanistic teachings and humanistic philosophies on how to do church and on how to grow our churches do not come from God, but from man. The gospel is thus diluted and twisted in order to make it fit with today’s culture, and to make it culturally relevant, non-threatening, non-judgmental, comfortable, palatable and pleasing to the listeners. Entertainment has often replaced true worship of God. Movies and books written by mere humans have replaced the Word of God, or have been used to alter or twist scripture. Appealing to the flesh of humans has replaced the honor, awe, respect and reverence for God and a desire to obey him and to do what pleases him.

Because these human-based organizations are focused so much on attracting the world and appealing to human flesh, and thus have compromised the truths of scripture and have diluted the gospel, they have brought the ways of the world into the church so that there is not much difference between the world and the church anymore, and so the servants of the Lord are being seduced by false teaching to believe sin does not matter, and that we can be worldly in order to identify with the world, immersing ourselves in the culture more so or in place of immersing ourselves in Christ, in his word, and in true worship of God in spirit and in truth. And, so many Christians do not even blink an eye, or they just put up with it, although many of them know this is wrong.

So, God is calling to the church to repent of her acceptance and tolerance of her “Jezebels” who are leading God’s people astray to self-indulgent devotion to pleasure and happiness as a way of life. So, what should our response be to all this? What is the solution to this problem? The remedy for lives given over to selfish and pleasure-driven desire at the cost of all other relationships is to desire Jesus Christ, his love and mercy, his forgiveness, his restoration and renewal, and a walk of faith in him that is undivided in loyalty and commitment, which puts Jesus first, and which honors and obeys him and his word.

Give Me Jesus

Oh, What Gladness!

An Original Work / December 2, 2013

Give me Jesus. He’s my Savior.

I’ll walk with Him in His favor.

I’ll abide in His love always;

Follow His ways to the end.

Jesus is the Son of God.

He died upon a cruel cross.

He’s forgiven all my failures

By His mercy and His love.

Give me Jesus – His compassion,

And His mercy; loving kindness.

Let Him teach me how to love Him,

And to please Him. He’s my friend.

Jesus died for all our sin

So we could have eternal life.

He will free you from your bondage

If you trust Him with your life.

Give me Jesus. Let me trust Him.

May I listen to His teachings.

May I follow where He leads me

In His service. He’s my Lord.

Jesus Christ will come again

To take His bride to be with Him.

Oh, what gladness; free from sadness

When I meet Him in the air.

http://originalworks.info/give-me-jesus-oh-what-gladness/

https://vimeo.com/113054381

You Will Be Tested

Wednesday, November 26, 2014, 3:00 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song, “All Through the Night.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Revelation 2:8-11 (NASB).

“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write:

The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:

‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’

Tribulation and Poverty

Jesus Christ knows all about us. He knows all about the difficulties we face in this life. They have not escaped his notice, although sometimes we may feel as though he is not paying attention. For instance, I can remember a time in my life many years ago when I was going through such a trial, and when God was encouraging me to stop running away from the situation, and to get back in there and to see it through. He spoke to my heart while I was reading the story of Jonah to my children. I responded to him with, “But God, you don’t understand!” I truly believed that in my emotions. Although intellectually I believed in the sovereignty of God, my responses to my circumstances spoke just the opposite.

I did listen to him, though, and I stepped out in faith, and I went against my fears, and he did turn the situation around for my good and for the good of others. But, did I learn? For a time I did, but then when the next big trial came my way, I responded in fear once again, and again, and again until I finally learned to trust in the absolute sovereignty of God over my life, to believe in his promises, that he is in control, and that he has a plan and a purpose for everything he allows to come into my life. As well, I learned to believe that he is quite capable to see me through any and all troubles and hardships, and that he will work all things for good in my life, if I put my faith and trust in Him. Yet, this is not a finished work in me. I am still a work in progress, but growing stronger every day by his grace.

For each one of us, our trials will be different, though for some of us they may be the same (or similar) as what others are going through. Some of us may be suffering physically, while others of us may be going through emotional pain. For some of us, our trials and tribulations may be minor, while for others, they may be catastrophic. Yet, God’s grace is sufficient for us no matter what we are going through. He will give us all we need to remain strong and steadfast, and to persevere and to not give up hope. We just have to keep reminding ourselves that he loves us, that he is not absent from the situation, that he knows what is going on, that he has something he wants to teach us through it, and that he will give us all we need to keep on keeping on, even when all looks absolutely hopeless.

So, although we may presently be facing hardships and difficulties, we are rich in faith, and abounding in all of God’s resources, blessings, and provisions to us which will see us through these troubled times. He will never leave us or forsake us. He is always there to meet our every need. We just need to trust him, and not give way to fear. Amen!

A Synagogue of Satan

In the Old Testament, under the Old Covenant relationship between God and his people, the Jews were God’s chosen people, the children of God, heirs of the promise; the true Israel of God. Yet, when Jesus Christ died on the cross, and he provided the way of salvation for us via his shed blood for our sins, the children of God became those who put their faith in Jesus Christ – both Jew and Gentile. We are now God’s chosen people, heirs of the promise; the true Israel of God (See: Romans 9:6b-8; Gal. 3:10, 16, 26-29; Gal. 4:22-31; Eph. 2:14-18).

So, in context, when it speaks here of those who say they are Jews, but are not, this can be either a literal reference to those who are Jews by physical birth, and who think they are still God’s chosen people, but who are not because they do not believe in Jesus Christ, or this could be speaking more figuratively of those who say they are Christians (God’s chosen), but who are not. Either way, this is definitely speaking of those who believe they have a relationship with God, and that they are his people, but it is profession only, for their lives deny what their lips profess. In reality, they oppose Jesus Christ and his gospel, so they are not true worshipers of God Almighty, but are worshipers (followers) of Satan.

Jesus said, "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Matt. 12:30).

These who profess to know God, but who deny Jesus Christ either verbally, or by their lifestyles, and thus stand opposed to God/Christ and to the full gospel message, may become abusive towards those of us who are true followers of Christ, and who hold to the truths of God’s word, and who preach the full gospel message. They may attack us with false accusations intended to damage our reputations, and/or they may make unfair, unkind and hurtful remarks about us or towards us.

They also may become blasphemous concerning the gospel itself. Those who blaspheme the gospel switch right for wrong, i.e. they exchange the truth of God for a lie. Literally this word “blaspheme” carries with it the idea of being “slow to identify what is truly evil, and slow to call something good that is really good” (Source: biblehub.com). I see this taking place quite frequently in the modern church of today here in America, and often coming straight from the pulpits of many churches (cross-denominational). So many who claim to be ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ have diluted the gospel message to make it more appealing to human flesh, less offensive, non-judgmental and acceptable to the world.

They twist the word of God to make it say what they want it to say so that it is pleasing to the ears of those who listen, and so that people will want to come back to their churches. When the world feels at home in our churches, though, something is seriously wrong! I have seen so many different versions of “the gospel” in the past 15 years, that it is truly heartbreaking, for so many people are being fed lies in place of truth, and are being given a false hope of heaven based upon those lies.

Some ways in which this is realized is in what I call the “false grace” movement. They teach faith absent of the cross of Christ in our lives, because they do not teach what the apostles taught concerning our salvation, which is that we must die with Christ to our old lives of living for sin and self, that we must be transformed in heart and mind of the Spirit of God, and that our new lives in Christ are “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (See: Eph. 4:17-24; cf. Ro. 6-8; Gal. 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:24-25). As well, they do not teach that God’s grace teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives, and that Jesus gave himself up for us “to purify for Himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good deeds” (See: Tit. 2:11-14).

Do Not Fear

Because there are so many people who reject Jesus Christ, either outright by verbal denial of him or through denying him by their lifestyles, although they give lip service to God, we are bound to face persecution at their hands if we stand on the Word of Truth and we do not deny our Lord. For me personally, the largest percentage of the persecution which has come against me has not come from the professed unsaved in the world, but from the professed saved within the church. And, much of that has come from the leadership within the church who are diluting the gospel and who are following after a gospel of humans, instead. In fact, many of these leaders are being trained to suppress, reject and/or to discard those who are sharing the full gospel message, because we serve as a direct threat to their human-based kingdoms here on earth. I have even heard preachers from the pulpit encourage people to either “get on board” with human-based goals and objectives or to “go someplace else.”

Yet, we are not to be afraid of their rejection, persecution and personal attacks against us because we hold to the truths of scripture and do not deny our Lord. We are also not to be afraid of being falsely accused and/or arrested on false charges, or afraid that people will think things about us which are not true. We must surrender our reputations to God, understanding that we are called to suffer for the sake of the name of Jesus, and to share in the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings. He was treated in the same way, so he empathizes with us in what we are going through. Although the idea of going through severe physical pain and suffering for the sake of the gospel may seem foreign and a bit scary to some of us who have never had to suffer in that way, we have no cause for fear, for our Lord is with us, and he will supply all we need to survive and to be victorious. Amen!

Be Faithful

So, this is an encouragement to us to be faithful (steadfast) in our commitments, service and obedience to our Lord and to his word, despite how we may be treated in return. We must never give up, or lose hope, or begin to doubt God when life hits us hard, and it will. For some of us, this may require much strength and perseverance, but God will supply us with all we need. Many of us, too, will be persecuted unto death, yet we must hang in there! We need to rely upon the strength of the Lord to see us through. It will be worth it all! One day we will get to see our Savior face to face. Then, I believe that many of the things we don’t understand now, in this life, will then make sense to us, for we will see how God was working in and through our lives in ways which we now cannot see. So, trust him, even when life doesn’t make sense. Believe him. And, rest in his love.

All Through the Night / An Original Work / December 7, 2013

Based off Various Scriptures

Blessed are you when you’re persecuted

Because of your faith in Jesus Christ.

Blessed are you when people insult you,

And falsely say what leads folks to doubt.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is

Great in the heavens. You’re not alone.

When you are persecuted in one place,

Flee to another. God will be there.

You will be hated by all the nations

Because you testify of God’s grace.

Many will seize you and persecute you,

And put to death the foll’wers of Christ.

Yet, do not fear what humans may do to you,

For I’m with you all through the night.

I tell you, love your enemies with my love,

And forgive as I forgave you.

Pray for those who do evil against you.

Rest in my love and grace from above.

https://vimeo.com/112899981

http://originalworks.info/all-through-the-night/

Your First Love

Tuesday, November 25, 2014, 10:55 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song, “In Harmony.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Revelation 2:1-7 (NASB).

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:

‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent. Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’

Your Toil

There is much talk these days of grace vs. works, as though they are in opposition to each other. They can be, but they don’t have to be. On the one end of the spectrum we read in scripture concerning works of the flesh or of the law (See: Ro. 3:20-28; 4:2-6; 9:32-33; 11:6; Gal. 2:16; 3:2-5; Eph. 2:8-9). Keeping the letter of the law and/or following after works of the flesh (man-made rules, regulations, and traditions) will not save us. We can do nothing to earn or to deserve our salvation. Our salvation is a free gift from God, which we receive by faith in Jesus Christ alone (Eph. 2:8-9). We do not gain brownie points with God via good works done in the flesh. He gets no pleasure in them. He delights, though, in our obedience (See: Ro. 6:16; Heb. 5:9; 1 Jn. 2:3-5; 3:24; 5:3; 2 Jn. 1:6; 1 Pet. 1:2).

On the other end of the spectrum, though, are works of the Spirit done in and through our lives via our cooperation with and submission to the Spirit’s work of grace in our lives (See: Eph. 3:20; Col. 1:29; 1 Tim. 2:10; 6:18; 1 Co. 3; 15:58). We are God’s workmanship. We were created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (Eph. 2:10). This involves action on our part, and obedience. Yet, it is his power which is at work within us through which we are able to do these good works – the works he prepared in advance for us to do, not our own fleshly works.

God gives us various people within the Body of Christ to equip us for the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:12). In the Body of Christ, we each have our work (our assignments from the Spirit) to do. James said that faith without works is dead (Jas. 2:14-26). Paul said we should work out our own salvation (in obedience to God and to his Word) with fear (awe; respect; reverence; and honor for God) and with trembling, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:12-13).

So, what I see here is that our faith and our works (of the Spirit, by the Spirit, and done in the Spirit) work together. We can have works without faith, but we cannot have faith without works, for true faith shows itself genuine by what we do in submission to God and to his work of the Spirit and of his grace in and through our lives.

This Against You

So, what’s the big deal here? It would appear from what was seen outwardly that this was a church on fire for God, doing the works he prepared in advance for them to do, because these things which they were commended for here are what are taught us in scripture that we should be doing. So, what went wrong? I believe 1 Co. 13 speaks to this issue. The problem here wasn’t that they were following human-based rules, regulations and traditions. They were following the teachings of scripture. Yet, they were lacking in what was most important. They had forgotten their first love, or the love they had at first.

We can do all these wonderful things taught us in scripture, but if it is lip service only, or if it is out of human performance, to gain acceptance or human appreciation or God’s approval, and if it is not us submitting to the Spirit’s work in our lives, then it amounts to nothing. As well, if it is not done in love towards others, and we are not truly walking in Christ’s love by following him wherever he leads us in doing, being and saying what he wants us to do, be and say, then it amounts to nothing – it is just a bunch of noise. And, it profits us nothing. So many people pick and choose what they will do for God. He is not pleased with our sacrifices. What he wants is our hearts, submitted to him in humble obedience to his will.

The “love” being spoken of here is not human love and emotion, though. It is not based in ourselves, in society’s norms, in our culture and traditions, or in the values, belief systems and philosophies of this sinful world. This is agape love, which is God-like love for others and it is love for God/Christ. We can only love like this because God, who is love, lives within us. Only in his power and strength and wisdom can we love with agape love. This love prefers what God prefers, it seeks to please God in all it does, and it seeks to show good will to its fellow humans in the same manner in which Christ loved us and gave himself up for us to meet within us our legitimate needs, especially the need of him and of his salvation. This kind of love embraces God’s will, chooses his choices, and obeys them through his power (Source: biblehub.com). We love, because God first loved us.

So, how did Christ love us? He didn’t love us because of our own righteousness. It was while we were yet sinners that Christ died for us. His love is not based in the objects of his love, but in the one doing the loving. The same applies to us. We don’t love just the lovely. We are to love our enemies, too – pray for them, do good to them and bless them. Yet, we can’t do this in our own human flesh. We must yield control of our lives – thoughts, actions, attitudes and emotions – over to the Lord Jesus, allowing his desires, his will, his purposes, and his pleasure to be what rules our hearts, minds and actions. We also don’t love in order to be loved in return. We may even be hated in return for loving like Christ loved us. He said the world hated him because he told them that what they did was evil. Sometimes love involves speaking the truth about sin, but it must be coupled with grace and mercy.

Jesus Christ was loving, kind, gracious, merciful, compassionate and sympathetic. Yet, he was also honest and forthcoming, and he cared enough about those he loved to tell them the truth about their sin, and to let them know the only way to salvation and to heaven. He did not withhold the truth about sin or its remedy from people so they would like him or so he would not offend them. People are walking down the tracks of life and a train is barreling down toward them and they don’t see it or hear it, so he is calling out to them, warning them to get off the tracks, and to follow him on the path of righteousness. He died, not just so we would go to heaven and escape hell. He died to free us from bondage to sin, and to free us to walk holy lives pleasing to him – all in his power within us (See: Ro. 6-8; 2 Co. 5:15; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 4:17-24; 1 Pet. 2:24-25; Tit. 2:11-14; & 1 Jn. 1-5).

Repent or Else

The word “repent” literally means to have a change of mind. It is nearly always used in scripture in the context of agreeing with God about our sin, humbly grieving over it and confessing it to him, and willingly turning from sin (dying with Christ to sin) and turning to God to walk in his ways, according to his truth, and in his power within us.

The lampstands were the churches themselves, so if he is to remove our lampstand from its place, because we refuse to repent of our sins of idolatry and spiritual adultery, it would seem to me that we would lose our effectiveness for Christ and for his gospel, and/or the church will suffer some type of spiritual decline, which I believe it already has in many places throughout the USA. Perhaps this is Christ turning the worldly church over to its own devices, and to suffer the natural consequences of its sinful choices, so that it might eventually be brought to its knees in humble repentance and then be revived.

The problem with much of today’s church is not that they are not doing some of the right things, according to the teachings of Christ and that of the apostles, but that they do what they do in their own flesh, and they pick and choose what they are willing to do and what they are not willing to do. This is not love! If a man or a woman does good deeds toward his or her spouse, but regularly and consistently commits adultery, is this love? – Not according to God! He doesn’t need our sacrifices, i.e. the things we are willing to do for him. He requires us to die to what we want, and to live for him and for what he wants – living holy lives, pleasing to him - no longer conformed to the ways and thinking of this world, but transformed in the renewing of our minds so that we can discern God’s good, pleasing and perfect will for our lives (See: Ro. 12:1-2).

This carries over, too, into how we choose to love others, or to not love them. We are to love each other truly, which means in truth, with no lies (including no flattery or white lies). If we tell people what they want to hear, instead of what they need to hear, that is not love. That is selfishness! If all we do is entertain them, make them feel good about themselves, make them laugh, and play games with them, etc., but we never tell them the truth about their sin, about hell, and about their eternal destiny without Christ, if they do not believe, then that is not love, for truly we are loving ourselves more than we are loving them. To truly love others, and to be in harmony with them means we must first of all be in harmony with Christ and with his purposes and his will for our lives, then we can truly love others by following after his perfect will (See: 1 Jn. 5:2-3).

In Harmony / An Original Work / September 2, 2012

Based off Ro. 12:9-21; 1 Pet. 3:8-15

Love each other truly.

Cling to what is good.

Hate all that is evil.

Never lack in zeal.

Serve the Lord with fervor.

Joyful in hope be;

Patient in affliction;

Praying faithfully.

Honor one another.

Live in harmony.

Share with all God’s people

Who are found in need.

Do not be conceited.

Sympathetic be.

Love, and show compassion

In humility.

Keep your tongue from evil.

Peaceful you must be.

Honor one another.

Live in harmony.

God sees who are righteous;

Listens to their prayers.

But He’s against evil –

Is His to avenge.

Do not fear what they fear.

Suffer patiently.

In your hearts, make Christ Lord.

Serve Him faithfully.

Honor one another.

Live in harmony.

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