Who Are We?

The Lord Jesus led me today to read the transcript of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union Address of January 30, 2018. I got about half way through reading it when the Lord said to stop, and that I had read enough, and that it was time for me to write what the Lord thinks about it.

The state of our union, of the USA, is not the picture Donald Trump paints for the American people to believe. The picture he paints is the one he wants people to believe. But, this picture he paints is like a stage prop, which is something used in a performance (an act) for creating or for enhancing a desired effect; to enhance (strengthen) the act (pretense, deception) to make it appear more authentic (true, real) than what it truly is.

Our president appears compassionate, loving, kind, thoughtful and genuinely concerned about the American people and the people of this world. He went into great detail to describe the many tragedies, disasters, mass shootings, floods, pain, hardships, fires, and storms, etc., which took place this past year or so here in America.

And, then he went on to say that each of these situations we faced as a nation has “forged new American heroes to remind us of who we are, and show us what we can be.”

So, the Lord has given me here a picture of who we are, as a nation and government and people and church - mainly the institutional church - although certainly not describing every single individual or every individual church congregation here in America. But, for those churches who have united with this government via the 501c3, they are culpable for what our government has done and is doing here in the USA and across the world.

Who are we?

O God, insolent men have risen up against me;    a band of ruthless men seeks my life,    and they do not set you before them.But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.Turn to me and be gracious to me;    give your strength to your servant,    and save the son of your maidservant.Show me a sign of your favor,    that those who hate me may see and be put to shame    because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
Ps. 86:14-17 ESV

The US government, number one, is not the true government of these United States of America. We are ruled by a relatively small number of the elite, powerful and wealthy of the world, of which Donald Trump is a part. This shadow government of the elite is the de facto government of the USA. The government we believe to be our government is the prop, and it is empty of any real power and authority. Instead, it serves this shadow government in doing its bidding in bringing the world underneath the rule of the beast and a one-world religion. This is the clear vision of D. Trump.

So, who are we as a nation? Well, from the very onset of the forming of our nation we were designed to be the catalyst to bring about the rise of this beast of Revelation and to bring the world at large into submission to this beast. This is evident in our national symbols, in our national monuments and statues, in the layout of Washington, D.C., and in the eclectic and syncretistic religious beliefs involved in the founding of our nation.

This is also evident through the actions of our leaders and our military who have gone and are going throughout the world, and including within our own nation, killing, destroying, obstructing, deceiving, lying, manipulating, ravaging, raping, confiscating others’ lands and possessions, and overtaking governments via coups and via orchestrated “natural” disasters, floods, fires, storms, uprisings, terrorist attacks, and false flag operations, etc.

Many innocent people throughout the world, including many Christians, are suffering much abuse and persecution at the hands of the US government.

Although our national leaders and their military force, both public and private (secretive), are the world’s bullies and terrorists, they paint a picture of our military as our heroes who are our salvation and whom we should worship, as well as they paint a picture of themselves and our government as also worthy of our worship of them (vow of fidelity with hand over heart). And, then they paint all those opposed to them as our enemies or as the terrorists whom we are supposed to then hate and fear, but this is a lie!

So, what is their goal in all of this? Donald Trump stated it well when he said, “Tonight, I call upon all of us to set aside our differences, to seek out common ground, and to summon the unity we need to deliver for the people we were elected to serve.”

But, the “unity” he is speaking of is unity with this beast and with its one-world totalitarian government and false religion. Obama and Pope Francis preached the same message. They want us to get rid of everything which divides us as a people so that we can come together as one people, with one voice, and with one heart and mind. But, the unity is with the beast, and it means denying our Lord and rejecting his gospel, because they divide us!

On a national, governmental and church level, generally speaking, we have become grossly immoral, wicked, deceitful and deceived, idolatrous, degenerate, enslaved to sin, godless, spiritually adulterous, depraved, vile, corrupt, self-absorbed, and/or addicted to self-pleasure, oftentimes disregarding who gets hurt in the process.

As a nation, and as the church in this nation, overall, we are fallen, and we are in great need of revival and of being brought to account for our actions. Again, this is an overall picture, not describing everyone in this nation, but it is the vast majority. This is like in the days of Noah, when God had him build an ark to save lives before the Lord destroyed the earth with a flood.

Who can we be?

Teach me your way, O Lord,    that I may walk in your truth;    unite my heart to fear your name.I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,    and I will glorify your name forever.For great is your steadfast love toward me;    you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
Ps. 86:11-13 ESV

What I have just described above is who we are, as a nation, but who can we be? By the grace of God, we can humble ourselves before our Lord Jesus, repent of (turn from) our sins, and turn to follow our Lord Jesus in full surrender to his will for our lives, from this moment forward. Through faith in Jesus Christ we can die to what once bound us and we can walk in the Spirit in absolute freedom from the control of Satan, the flesh and sin. And, in the strength and power of the Holy Spirit now living within us, we can walk according to the Spirit in holiness, purity, righteousness, integrity, honesty and uprightness till Jesus takes us home. Amen!

The choice is ours. We can choose to unite with the beast and the flesh, or we can choose to unite with the Spirit and with righteousness. We can choose to unite with the slave woman or with the free woman. We can choose to continue to control our own lives and to do what pleases us, or we can choose to come under the control of the Holy Spirit through yielding our lives to God in full submission. If we choose the way of the flesh, we choose death, no matter what we profess outwardly with our lips. But, if we choose the way of the Spirit, and death to sin, then we choose life with God everlasting. Time is running short. Please decide today whom you will serve.

Jesus, I am Resting, Resting 

Jean Sophia Pigott

Jesus, I am resting, resting,

In the joy of what Thou art;

I am finding out the greatness

Of Thy loving heart.

Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,

And Thy beauty fills my soul,

For by Thy transforming power,

Thou hast made me whole.

O, how great Thy loving kindness,

Vaster, broader than the sea!

O, how marvelous Thy goodness,

Lavished all on me!

Yes, I rest in Thee, Belovèd,

Know what wealth of grace is Thine,

Know Thy certainty of promise,

And have made it mine.

Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,

I behold Thee as Thou art,

And Thy love, so pure, so changeless,

Satisfies my heart;

Satisfies its deepest longings,

Meets, supplies its every need,

Compasseth me round with blessings:

Thine is love indeed!

Ever lift Thy face upon me

As I work and wait for Thee;

Resting ‘neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,

Earth’s dark shadows flee.

Brightness of my Father’s glory,

Sunshine of my Father’s face,

Keep me ever trusting, resting,

Fill me with Thy grace.

Jesus, I am resting, resting,

In the joy of what Thou art;

I am finding out the greatness

Of Thy loving heart.

Wednesday, January 31, 2018, 9:52 a.m. – Thank you, Jesus, that you are God, and that you are completely sovereign over all that you made. Thank you for your grace and mercy to us. I pray for my nation and for the church in my nation for revival, that hearts may turn away from their sin and turn to you in faith, repentance and obedience to your will and to your ways.

Worthy of the Gospel

Do you believe in the sovereignty of God? Do you believe our God and Lord Jesus Christ is far above all rule and authority, power and dominion? And, that Jesus Christ is before all things, and in him all things hold together, and that in everything he has the supremacy? Do you accept that He is the ruler of God’s creation; the head over every power and authority; and that all angels, authorities and powers are in submission to him? Can you rest secure in knowing that God rules supreme over all? Then, you must know that nothing can happen to us but God allows it, and for his purposes.

The Purpose

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Phil. 1:12-14 ESV

When we go through troubled times, and we face hardships, tragedies, disappointments, heartaches, and/or persecutions, and the like, we might find it difficult to see beyond our pain, in those moments, to recognize the sovereignty of God in our circumstances, and in our lives. The cloud may be so thick all around us, in those times, that we cannot see anything outside or beyond our own situations. So, we may have to pray through the darkness in order to see the light of day.

But, when the light begins to dawn, God may begin to show us his purposes in it all, and how he is using our tragedies or our difficulties for good in our lives and/or in the lives of others whose lives are touched by ours. For, God has a way of turning our sufferings into blessings of his grace. What Satan means for evil in our lives, God means for good to purify us, to make us holy, to mature us in Him, to teach us his ways, to humble us, to get us to rely on him and not on ourselves, and so other people’s lives may be impacted for Christ because of what God is taking or has taken us through.

I know that, in my own life, God has used the difficulties of my life to grow me in him, and to make me the person he created me to be for his purposes, and for his glory, to be used of him to spread the love and grace of our Lord to many other people. And, in turn, other people’s lives are being encouraged, strengthened, and comforted through what I have shared with them regarding God’s grace to me, through what he has permitted in my life.

Thus, because of what God allowed in my life, and due to what he taught me through it all, the gospel is being spread far and wide through me and through what God gives me to share. All glory to God! I pray, too, that what he gives me to write is helping others to be bold in their witness for Jesus Christ. Amen!

To Live is Christ

Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. Phil. 1:18b-26 ESV

We are all put here on this earth for a purpose, and it is not for ourselves, to do what we want, for our own pleasure and praise. We are here because God created us to glorify, honor and worship him. It is his will that none of us should perish in our sins, due to our own rebellion against God, but that we should turn from (repent of) our sins and turn to follow Him with our lives, in obedience and in surrender to God’s will for our lives.

And, for those of us who have trusted in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives, we are called to holiness, purity and righteousness. We are called to live lives worthy of the calling we have received from God, too. Jesus Christ is not something or someone we add on to our present lives, but when we die to our old lives of living for sin and self, and we are born again of the Spirit of God, then Jesus Christ becomes our lives.

If Jesus Christ is our life, and now our old lives are crucified with Christ in death to sin, and resurrected with Christ, to newness of life in Christ, then for us to live is Christ. Our lives are about him, his purposes, his grace, his love, his Word, his will and his ways. They are no longer about us and what we want out of this life in our own flesh. Our desire is for him, to do his will, and to minister his love and grace to others, so that they, too, can come to know him as Lord and as Savior of their lives. So, the question is not what we have planned for the day, but what God has planned for us today.

Standing Firm

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have. Phil. 1:27-30 ESV

What is the gospel of Jesus Christ? If I had to summarize it in one verse, I would choose 1 Pet. 2:24: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” ESV

This is the essence of the gospel of our salvation that Jesus Christ died on that cross, not just to deliver us from the punishment of sin, and not just so we can go to heaven when we die, but that you and I might die to sin and live to righteousness. He died, not just to forgive us our sins, but to deliver us out of bondage (addiction) to sin. His purpose in saving us is not just for the afterlife, but for the here and now, that we might be for the praise of his glory; that we might honor him with our lives in all that we do and say.

So, if our manner of life is to be worthy of the gospel, this means that we are walking (conducting our lives) according to the Spirit of God and no longer according to our flesh. We have been rescued from darkness, and we have been brought into God’s wonderful light, and so now we honor God with our lives. We don’t live like we did before we trusted in Christ as Savior of our lives. We now live in the power and working of God’s Holy Spirit in our lives in making us holy vessels fit for God’s service.

If we are walking in a manner worthy of our calling, and of the gospel of our salvation, we should be following in Jesus’ footsteps, doing the kinds of things he did, and teaching the kinds of things he taught. If we do this, we should be hated and opposed, as he was, and even from family, friends, neighbors, fellow Christians and even from church leaders. We should expect to be persecuted and misunderstood. The world should not love us and embrace us because we are teaching that what the world does is evil, and because we are calling people to repentance and obedience to Jesus Christ.

In our suffering, though, we should be growing in our walks of faith, becoming stronger in our Lord, and we should be ministering God’s love and grace to others, standing shoulder to shoulder with fellow believers throughout the world who are all suffering because of their faith in Christ. But, in order for us to do this, we must first be abiding in Christ and in His Word, for this is where we get our strength and endurance to keep pressing on in the faith and to keep sharing Christ with others and to keep witnessing for Christ, even in the face of much opposition and rejection. Glory to God!

Abide With Me 

Henry F. Lyte / William H. Monk

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;

The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.

When other helpers fail and comforts flee,

Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;

Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;

Change and decay in all around I see;

O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need Thy presence every passing hour.

What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?

Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?

Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;

Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.

Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?

I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;

Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.

Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;

In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

Tuesday, January 30, 2018, 4:30 a.m. – Thank you, Jesus, for this teaching from your Word. May we all walk worthy of You in Your power and strength.

He Will Carry Us

Do you ever struggle with fear? With the “what ifs” of this life? You know God is leading in your life. You know he is directing your path. You know you are following him in obedience, and that you have heard his voice clearly. But then someone comes along and pulls the rug out from underneath you, or says something to you to cause you to doubt and to fear. And, it is at these moments when the Lord comes to the rescue and he reminds us of his truths found in his word and of his sovereignty over our lives, and then we are at peace. Our faith is strengthened, and then we can move forward.

Your Works

“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. Rev. 3:7-8 ESV

This is a marvelous promise and assurance for those of us who are being led of the Holy Spirit, who are walking in obedience to our Lord, and who are not denying his name by how we live our lives, or by our words. We don’t ever have to be afraid of people or circumstances, because IF it is God who opens the door, no one, not even Satan can shut that door, no matter how hard he may try. And, if God closes a door, no one can open it, not even us.

So, we rest in the Lord, and we rely upon his power and strength, and we yield control of our lives over to our Lord and we surrender to his sovereignty over our lives. And, we allow him to do his works through us as we give him full reign in our lives, and as we follow him in obedience to his will, and as we are being led of the Spirit of God. Then, these works are not of ourselves, not of the flesh, done in our own power and strength, but they are of the works of the Spirit of God, done only in God’s power and strength at work within us.

The Works

So, what should be some of these works of the Spirit in our lives which would be reflective of those whom God has opened up doors of ministry and who are in the practice of keeping (obeying) his Word, and his instructions to us, and who have not denied his name? What is the primary calling of God in the lives of those who are his followers, in the way of ministry to others?

His calling on our lives in the way of ministry to others is to love them with the love of Christ Jesus. And, how does Jesus Christ love us? He loves (loved) us so much that he gave his life up for us that we might be delivered out of our slavery to sin and that we might walk in his holiness.

So, if we who believe in Jesus Christ are Christ’s representatives on this earth, which we are, then we should be sharing the love, grace and mercy of our Lord with the people of this world and with the worldly church, too.

We should be about exposing the lies of Satan for what they are so that they are no longer hidden, so that people will no longer be deceived by them. We should be exposing man-made religion and man-made gospels, too, in order to deliver people from deception and to point them to true freedom in Christ, our Lord. And, we should be confronting sin and sinful practices, particularly among God’s people, and teaching what the scriptures teach with regard to these, for many are believing lies which tell them they can continue in sin.

But, it doesn’t end there. First we expose the lies of Satan, but then we tell the people the truths of God’s Word. And, we call people to repentance and to faith (or renewed faith) in Jesus Christ, our Lord. And, in the power of the Spirit within us, we urge them and we encourage them to walk in holiness and in righteousness and no longer according to the flesh. We also help them to see that there is a difference between human plans and agendas and God’s plans and his agenda, and that we need to be finding out what God has for us to do, and then to do what he has for us.

These servants of the Lord, who do the works of God, also encourage the people of God to get serious about their walks of faith with Christ and about his Word, and to stop playing games with God, just going through the motions of religious activity, but not really having their hearts surrendered to Christ. They also warn of the consequences of ignoring God’s warnings and his teachings on holiness and of continuing to operate according to the flesh, following man’s ways and not God’s ways.

These servants of Christ know all too well that God’s love for humankind was demonstrated to us all in Jesus’ death and resurrection, in order that we might be delivered from our slavery to sin and walk in the power of the Spirit in holiness and righteousness. Thus, these Christ followers are ones who deliver this message of hope and of deliverance to the people so that they can be delivered, too.

Yet, that message will often be met with opposition, but not just by the world, but by the worldly church, too.

They Will Learn

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. Rev. 3:9 ESV

One day, our Lord is going to humble our persecutors before us – those who have strongly opposed us in our obedience to our Lord in sharing the truths of his word with the people, telling them that they can be free from their slavery to sin. And, at that time, these opponents to the gospel will be brought to the realization that God does, indeed, love us, and that we are the called according to his purposes, when he exposes their lies for what they are and he calls them to account for their actions.

Patient Endurance

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. Rev. 3:10 ESV

This is also another marvelous promise, but not the one that many people have believed it to be. If we keep God’s Word and we patiently endure unjust suffering, persecution and hardship for the sake of the name of Jesus, and for the sake of his gospel, God will keep us, he will strengthen and empower us, and he will comfort and encourage us with his love. Yet, this is not to keep us from trials, for trials and tribulations are what he said we must all go through. But, he will preserve us under trial so that we are able to endure it, and so that we come through it unscathed regarding our faith and trust in Him, and protected from detriment to our spiritual lives.

Conquerors through Christ

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.’ Rev. 3:11-13 ESV

The Bible promises us that we will have trials and tribulations which test our faith, that we will be hated and persecuted for the sake of the name of Jesus Christ and for the sake of his gospel, and that some of us will even become martyrs for the cause of Christ and for the message of the gospel of our salvation.

Yet, when we are down, when we are going through those troubled times, Jesus reaches down to us and he comforts and he encourages us with his love and grace, and he reminds us that we can’t do this in our own strength, but that in his strength we can be conquerors.

He encourages us to put our complete faith and trust in him, for he will carry us through. And, he helps us to rise above our circumstances so that we can give him praise even in the storms of life that come against us.

It Is Well with My Soul / H. G. Spafford / P. P. Bliss

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,

It is well; it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed his own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well with my soul,

It is well; it is well with my soul.

Monday, January 29, 2018, 3:59 a.m. – Thank you, Jesus, for these encouraging and these hopeful words which strengthen our hearts. Amen!

Stage Props

What is a prop? What is a stage prop? And, what is the purpose of props or stage props? And, what about the stage (or staged)?

Prop: “To support by placing something under or against —often used with up (to prop up); sustain, strengthen; something used in creating or enhancing a desired effect” (M-W Dictionary).

Staged: “Contrived for a desired impression” (dictionary.com).

Stage prop: “A property (commonly shortened to prop) is an item used on screen or stage to help enhance a performance. It can make a scene feel more authentic or help actors play their role more adequately” (Source: spurcreative.co.uk).

So, this is something which is used to support, sustain or to strengthen a desired impression; something or an item used in a performance for creating or for enhancing a desired effect, i.e. this is something used to enhance the act to make it appear more authentic (true), or to help actors (pretenders; deceivers) to play their roles (their performances) more effectively.

Enhancing a Performance

“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.” Rev. 3:1 ESV

What the Lord is showing me here about this church, which represents a large portion of the church here in the USA, I believe, is that it is “propped up” to make it look like it is spiritually alive when truly it is destroyed, fallen away, declined spiritually, degenerate, and ruined; a failure, disgraceful, defeated and a wreck; immoral, wicked, worldly, and fleshly.

They circumvent the truth in order to sustain and to strengthen the lie. And, the lie is the desired impression they want to leave, that they want in the forefront. So, they use “props” to help them keep this lie going.

So, what kind of props? Advertising is certainly one of them. Marketing schemes is another. Even the Bible can be a prop to make it look like they are spiritual when they are not. Stage productions in themselves are props. Anything which would make them appear as though they are spiritual when they are not is a prop. The gospel they preach is a prop, too, for what they put out at the forefront is the first half of the gospel message only, giving the impression that they are telling the whole truth, when they are not. A half-truth is still a lie if it is told in order to deceive naïve minds.

This church lives as though they have never been freed from their sins. They live as though the natural man, the sin nature, is still the one in control. They are double-minded, deceitful, dishonest, and unfaithful to the one who saved them from their sins. Their leaders, too, are often wolves in sheep’s clothing who are out to kill and to destroy the church, not to save her.

They teach this half-truth gospel which excludes repentance and obedience to Christ and which gives a false impression that one can be saved and going to heaven and still live according to the flesh, and not according to the Spirit. But, scripture says the opposite. Scripture says if we walk (in lifestyle, in practice) according to the flesh (fulfilling our lustful desires) that we will die in our sins, not live with Christ for eternity (See: Lu. 9:23-25; Rom. 8:1-17; Eph. 4:17-24; Ac. 26:16-18; 1 Jn. 1:5-9; Gal. 5:19-21).

Wake Up!

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. Rev. 3:2-3 ESV

So, the Lord Jesus is calling out to this “propped up” fallen church to wake up spiritually, and to strengthen what little bit of spiritual life might still be there but is about to die. Their works are incomplete because so much of them are works of the flesh, to gratify the cravings of the sinful flesh. Included in this is man-made religion, and I am not speaking just of legalism, either, for today’s modern church movement is very driven by the flesh of man and not by the Spirit of God.

They have united themselves with a “false love,” a mistress, which is this false gospel which promises them a false hope of salvation based on a lie (a half-truth). It gives them carte blanche to continue in their sinful addictions without guilt and without remorse, but it is still a lie. And, it will kill them if they do not repent!

So, this fallen “propped up” church, which gives a false impression of being spiritually alive but is actually mostly dead, needs to remember what the scriptures teach, and not just the ones which support this “feel good” watered-down gospel, but all the scriptures in the New Testament which teach about salvation, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life with God, etc. We can’t build our doctrine of salvation off of just a few verses, though many do, because they take them out of context and apply them wrongfully.

So, we need to know what the Word of God teaches, and read what Jesus and his NT apostles taught with regard to why Jesus died on that cross, and as to the meaning of God’s grace and faith and salvation. And, then we need to obey the truth which says we must repent of our sins, and we must walk in the Spirit and not according to the flesh, if we want to have eternal life… and which teaches us that God’s grace instructs us to say “NO!” to ungodliness and worldly (fleshly) passions (lusts), and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we await Christ’s return.

If this “propped up” fallen church does not turn away from her sins, and if she does not reject (throw off) this false grace gospel and the old man (sinful flesh), the Lord is saying he will come against her in judgment.

Walk in White

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.’ Rev. 3:4-6 ESV

Yet, not every individual believer in Jesus Christ has fallen prey to deception and captivated by clever deceivers and enchanters, nor has every congregation of the saints of God followed after the ways of man and of the flesh. There are many, though they may be the minority, at least here in the USA, who are walking in the Spirit, being led by the Spirit, who are not walking (not living) according to (in agreement with) the flesh (sin nature).

They are clothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ, for they are worthy, not because of anything they have done in the flesh, but because they have yielded their lives over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and they have allowed him to purify their hearts and to conform them to his likeness. They have separated themselves from what is worldly so that they can be made into the likeness (the image) of their Lord Jesus, yet they are still a work in progress. God will be refining our hearts until the day he takes us home.

So, hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. If we walk according to the flesh, we will die in our sins. But if by the Spirit we are putting to death the deeds of the flesh, we will live with Christ for eternity (Rom. 8:1-17).

As the Deer / Martin J. Nystrom

Based off Psalm 42:1

As the deer panteth for the water

 So my soul longeth after You…

 

You alone are my strength, my shield

 To You alone may my spirit yield

 You alone are my heart's desire

 And I long to worship You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZv3jzOTE70

Sunday, January 28, 2018, 7:17 a.m. – Thank you, Jesus, for this teaching from your word. Bring it home to our hearts, I pray, in Jesus’ name.

Unmet Expectations

Scenario: The church at large, particularly here in the USA, though not the entire church, or every individual believer in Jesus Christ, has adapted itself to a false grace gospel. This gospel has all the appearance of being the true gospel, but it is deceptive, for it is a half-truth gospel promising people a false hope. It is partially true, but it is not wholly true, and therefore it is a lie, because it leaves out critical components of the gospel message which are necessary to finding true salvation from sin. This new gospel, though, has replaced the old gospel in much of today’s church here in America.

This new gospel has many elements of the old gospel, which are what give it the appearance that it is genuine. But, the problem lies with what it means to “believe” in Jesus Christ. We are saved by grace, through faith. This is not of our own doing, but “it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (See: Eph. 2:8-9). I absolutely agree!

Yet, even this faith to believe is a gift from God, as this very word “faith” means to be divinely persuaded, and we can only come to faith in Jesus Christ if God the Father first draws us to him. And, since this faith is God’s persuasion, then it will submit to his purposes, and to his will, and it will surrender to Christ in death to sin and in living to righteousness. It will lead the believer to repent of sin, to leave the old life of sin behind, and to follow Jesus Christ in walking in obedience to him and to his Word, because the believer has been born of the Spirit, and thus is now being led by the Spirit.

But, this new gospel does not teach this. This new gospel leads one to believe that repentance and a walk of obedience are not required for salvation from sin. Yet, scripture teaches that if we walk in sin, according to our sinful flesh, we will die in our sins, and that if we don’t walk in obedience to Christ, that we don’t know God, and we don’t have eternal life with God. This is not saying we will live in sinless perfection, but that sin should no longer be ruling our lives so that we are obeying its lustful desires, as a matter of practice (See: Rom. 8:1-17; 1 Jn. 1:5-9; Gal. 5:19-21).

Throw it Off!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb. 12:1-2 ESV

The problem with this new gospel is that it leaves its adherents with the notion that they can keep on walking (living) in sinful practices without guilt and without remorse, and that they can still claim heaven as their final resting place. Thus, this new gospel provides the means for the church to wander from the truth and to backslide back into old sinful patterns of behavior and to remain there forever, yet assured that they still have eternal life with God. But, that is a lie, as we have already talked about.

Thus, many shallow Christians, or baby Christians, or immature believers in Jesus Christ, or those who have fallen away from their pure devotion to Christ, are holding on to sinful practices as though holding on to a mistress. They are holding on to such things as bitterness and rebellion against God, resulting from unrealistic and unreasonable expectations not satisfied and not fulfilled in their lives. Thus, they are angry and bitter with God, because he did not perform up to their expectations. And, they may even treat other people the same when they, too, do not meet up to their expectations.

But, these things are from the old nature, not the new nature, yet they still have control over some Christians’ lives, who have been unwilling to let go of them and to surrender their lives completely over to the Lord. So, the Lord here is giving instructions to those who are being weighed down by sin’s deceitfulness, and who are giving the devil a foothold in their lives, that they must cast off those sins to which they are clinging, as to a mistress, because Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, not to give us permission to continue in willful rebellion against God.

When people hold on to bitterness and rebellion against God, due to anger with God over unmet expectations, this will impact their relationships with other people, too, and their behaviors and attitudes, which are the fruit of this bitterness. So, the Lord is saying not only to cast off this bitter root, but to then put these sinful practices behind, truly in the past, and to no longer walk in them, but to now walk in the Spirit in holiness and righteousness.

Some of the fruit of a bitter spirit can be unforgiveness, abuse, given over to self-pleasure, addictions, temper tantrums, and being easily irritated, etc.

Bitterness, as a result of unmet expectations, if not cast off, not only leads to sinful practices, wrong attitudes, and wrongful treatment of others, but it hinders our walks of faith with Christ. Yet, when we repent of our sins and we turn to (or back to) walk in obedience to Christ, then we can run with endurance this race God has marked out for us, because we will no longer be hindered by whatever it is that still has a hold on our lives. We will truly be free to walk according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh.

Our Example

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. Heb. 12:3-4 ESV

Jesus Christ, although fully God, was also fully man when he walked the face of this earth. Thus, he suffered as we suffer and he was tempted in like manner as we are also tempted, yet he was without sin. He was betrayed to death by one of his disciples, denied three times by another, and abandoned by all when he was arrested on false charges and brought to trial. Then, he was beaten beyond recognition, mocked, had a crown of thorns placed on his head, forced to carry a wooden cross, and then hung on that cross to die a very painful death for you and for me so we could go free.

Yet, in his death he put sin to death, and in his resurrection he conquered sin, death, hell and Satan, so that we, by faith in him, can be delivered out of slavery (addiction) to sin and so we can walk in victory over darkness and in his righteousness and holiness. And, through faith in him, we have everything we need to live victorious Christian lives in purity and in integrity and in faithfulness to God and to our spouses. He has, through his death and resurrection, made the way of escape for us from sin’s temptations. We just have to take the way he provided, which is through death with him to sin.

Weak Knees

Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears. Heb. 12:12-17 ESV

Our knees are what we get down on to pray to God, and our knees are what we bow to God in humility and in repentance and in submission to his will for our lives. So, if our knees are weak, it is because we are still holding on to “the mistress,” i.e. to bitterness or rebellion or lust or whatever it is that still has a hold on our hearts and lives, and which is leading us into sin. So, again, the Lord is saying to cast off “this mistress” and to strengthen weak knees through obedience and through prayer and through the Word of God. And, follow the way of holiness and righteousness, in the Spirit’s power.

Draw Me Close To You 

Donnie McClurkin

Draw me close to You

Never let me go

I lay it all down again

To hear You say that I'm Your friend

You're all I want

You're all I've ever needed

You're all I want

Help me know You are near

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAnwBixzuNo

Saturday, January 27, 2018, 5:48 a.m. – Thank you, Jesus, for this teaching from your word. May you apply it to our lives wherever it fits. Amen!

Sensual Pleasure

For those of us who live in the USA, or in the world, as a whole, are we aware of the spiritual and moral decline across our nation, or across the globe? Have we noticed the chaos, the rebellion, and the utter moral decay and depravity that is now being accepted as normal in our society, and perhaps, even within the church? Does this concern us? And, if it does concern us, what are we doing about it? What should we do about it?

Our Passions

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. Jas. 4:1-3 ESV

I want us to look here at this word translated as “passions” in these verses. The Greek word “hēdonḗ is the root of the English terms, ‘hedonism,’ ‘hedonistic,’” which is really “sensual pleasure; satisfaction of physical appetite, with a strong negative connotation, generally referring to pleasure that is made an end in itself. That is, the satiation of bodily desires (lusts) at the expense of other things.” (biblehub.com).

This, I believe, is where we are as a nation, as the world, perhaps, and as the church, at least here in the USA, by a vast majority, though this does not include every individual, for many followers of Jesus Christ are truly walking in holiness and purity, but they appear now to be in the minority.

I believe our world, and our nation, and the vast majority of the church, in my nation, anyway, are consumed (overly saturated) with sensual pleasure, with lust, with entertainment, and with gratifying the flesh. We live in a “Me, Me” culture where it is all about our needs, which are often our wants (desires). Pornography addiction is catastrophic, but not just out in the world, but it has reached epidemic proportions even within the church. Homosexuality, adultery, fornication, sexting, extra-marital affairs, and the like, are common place even within the church, and among its leaders.

The “need” to be entertained incessantly is also very widespread, especially since the introduction of television, movies, the internet, social media, the media, video games, laptop computers, IPads (tablets), and smart phones, and the like. And, this attitude has now also permeated the church.

Church services are often now not more than massive stage productions designed for the entertainment of the masses. Pastors have turned into clowns and entertainers (actors) to keep the people laughing and having fun and coming back for more.

Worship services are now more often than not about the really cool (and loud) band (worship team) and the really hip (trendy) pastor, who has to show how much he connects with the world by his obvious worldly displays from the stage. Singers on stage sometimes may be more like bar singers with sensual voices and with swaying hips, because sex sells, even in church. And, pastors regularly use video clips for their sermon illustrations, even if the clips come from sensually-charged and seductive movies.

And, then, to top it all off, the gospel has been diluted so that it will sell to the world. Thus, it has been altered to make it more appealing and acceptable to human flesh. So, they stripped away the cross of Christ, in our lives, from the message, so as not to offend anyone. And, they teach that all you have to do is say you believe in Jesus Christ’s existence, or in what he did for us in dying on a cross for our sins, and then accept his forgiveness for our sins, as though that is automatic to anyone who just acknowledges his existence or even what he did. And, then the believers are congratulated that they are now part of God’s family and heaven is guaranteed them.

They do not, though, teach death to sin and living to righteousness. They don’t teach the necessity of repentance or obedience to Christ, although scripture certainly does. And, they teach that God is pleased with us no matter what we do, and that his grace allows us to keep on sinning (practicing sin).

Friendship with World

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Jas. 4:4 ESV

God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – sees this situation as adultery against him, but not just as adultery, but as strongly opposed to him and to his Word, as though the vast majority of the church has now become his enemy. Is this what you see, too? This is what we should be seeing.

The Lord gave me an interesting illustration of this this morning that was a picture of him, and of his messengers, his representatives. We are on the pathway of holiness, preaching and teaching the truth of the gospel. But, his voice (and our voices) are being drowned out (smothered) by all this worldliness and sensuality, adultery, sexual perversion and incessant thirst for entertainment. His voice, his truth is being smothered nearly to the point of death, i.e. this is a quenching of his Holy Spirit which is going on within the church, and the church is not doing much of anything about it, either (See 1 Corinthians 5). They are choking out the Spirit’s voice, and most of them don’t seem to care, either.

He Yearns Jealously

Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. Jas. 4:5-10 ESV

The Holy Spirit needs to move in our midst, but his voice is being choked out so that he is not able to influence, persuade and lead the world on this path of holiness, because of all the other influences that are weighing down on his voice so that it cannot be heard. His voice is in danger of being snuffed out altogether, and this is because God’s people, for the most part, are consumed with the world, with entertainment, and with sensual pleasure, i.e. with gratifying the sinful cravings of our flesh.

God is yearning jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell within us, which is Christ in us, the hope of glory. Jesus paid the price for our sins with his blood so that we could be delivered out of slavery to our sinful passions (lusts), not so we could continue in them without conscience. He is grieving over this situation where his voice, the voice of His Spirit, and of his messengers, is being choked and smothered to the point of near death, while the vast majority of this nation, and the church in this nation, are involved in pagan revelry, as in the days of Noah.

And, the problem is that his people, for the most part, are not doing anything about it (1 Corinthians 5). But, this is not about getting involved in political movements or sending letters to our congressmen, either. He wants to raise up a mighty army from among his people who will speak out, and who will raise a war cry, and who will expose what is going on in the church, and among the church leaders, too.

Do you realize that probably as many as 50% to 75% of pastors are involved in pornography, and many of them have also gone to prostitutes, homosexual relations, extra-marital affairs, and the like, because they, too, are among the lust addicted? Is it any wonder, then, that the church is not speaking out on these issues, and that they have diluted the gospel message in order to ease their own consciences, or what is left of them? And, that probably as many as 90% of all males are regularly viewing porn? And, porn is leading many to acting out what they see on the screen in real life?

And, do you realize how many lives are being destroyed by this, including spouses, children, families, and the church, too? It is astounding how many people’s lives have been utterly devastated by this lust for sensual pleasure that is now epidemic in America, at least, and in the church. And, what are we doing about it? What can we do about it?

We are living in very troubled times here, and our Lord’s return is near. We need to unite as one voice and speak out on these issues and call for people to repent of their sins and to return to their Lord, because the days are evil. So, would you please pray about what I have shared here, and ask the Lord what he wants you to do and how you can make a difference? Time is running out.

When the Roll is Called up Yonder

James M. Black

When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be no more,

And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair;

When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore,

And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise,

And the glory of His resurrection share;

When His chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies,

And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun,

Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care;

Then when all of life is over, and our work on earth is done,

And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

When the roll is called up yonder,

When the roll is called up yonder,

When the roll is called up yonder,

When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

Friday, January 26, 2018, 7:11 a.m. – Thank you, Jesus, for this teaching from your word. May we take it to heart.

And, to my readers, I want to tell you that the Lord called me to write a book addressing these issues I have talked about in this writing. This is what he has given me to do about it, to raise a war cry, to make people aware. I hope you will read it: I Married My Dad

A Love Letter

To all my friends and family in the Lord, my fellow believers in Jesus Christ in this physical world of ours, and in the blogging world, on social media, and on Christian support and discussion sites: 

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Phil. 1:2 ESV

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Phil. 1:3-6 ESV

I thank the Lord for you all! What a blessing you have been to my life! There were many years when I had little in the way of true Christian fellowship, spiritual and emotional support, and regular and consistent encouragement from the body of Christ in my walk of faith with my Lord. Those were desert times in my life, yet they were learning and growing times, too. I think, in fact, that having had those times in my life, that it makes me all the more appreciative of what God has now blessed me with in the way of Christian fellowship and mutual encouragement from within the body of Christ.

Just knowing you are there is an encouragement to my heart. I pray for you that God would encourage your hearts, as well, and that you would be lifted up in him in your walks of faith, steadfast in love, and assured of his watch and care over your lives. He loves you beyond measure!

I know that many of you right now are going through trials and tribulations which test your faith. I pray that God will make you strong in him, and that in Christ you will have the faith to endure much hardship on his behalf. I pray that you will be comforted with Christ’s love for you and that you will trust in his sovereignty and in his grace for your lives. All that we are going through has a purpose, and God will work out all things for good for those of us who love him - who follow him in obedience - who are the called according to his purpose.

You’re in My Heart

It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. Phil. 1:7-8 ESV

I do hold you all in my heart. What a blessing from God it is to know that we are not alone in this battle against the enemy of our souls, but that we have other believers in Jesus Christ standing with us in prayer, supporting us with encouraging words, and agreeing together with us in what needs to be done to bring this world of ours to its knees in humble submission to God. This must happen in order that they might find the only true hope they will ever know, which is found in Jesus Christ, our Lord. He alone can deliver them from their demons, and he alone can set them free to walk in victory over their enemy and in Christ’s righteousness and holiness.

I can’t tell you how many times the Lord has spoken to my heart on a particular issue facing us, as believers in Jesus Christ, only to read where he was speaking to one or several of you on the same subject, on the same exact day. That is a God-thing! He works all things together in conformity with the purpose of his perfect will. He does this, I believe, to confirm in our hearts the messages he has for us individually and as his body. That is such a tremendous encouragement when HE does this in us and through us for his glory and praise. Amen!

I have a deep affection in my heart for you all, even for the ones I have never heard from, but I know are there reading what God has impressed upon my heart to write each day. Some of you I have gotten to know pretty well, while others of you I know little of, and yet you bless my heart. I know God is using many of you to bless the hearts of many others, too. And, I find encouragement in that, as well, when I read what God is giving you to say, and when I read the responses you get from your readers. Even your readers bless my heart by the responses they give to you.

More and More

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Phil. 1:9-11 ESV

But, this is not about us, is it? What I mean is, this is not about us just patting one another on the back so we can feel good about ourselves. This is about encouraging one another to follow in Jesus Christ’s footsteps and to be his servants and witnesses in taking the gospel of Jesus Christ to the regions beyond so that many more can come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and as Savior of their lives. And, this is about helping each other to grow in our walks of faith so that we do not fail, and so we truly walk in freedom from sin and in victory over darkness and in the power of God living within us.

This is about love for God and sacrificial love for one another, sharing with one another the love, grace and mercy of Jesus Christ so that we may all walk in Him and in His righteousness and holiness. This is about caring for one another’s needs, and carrying one another’s burdens, too, and praying for one another and encouraging one another in our walks of faith.

I love the story in the Bible recorded for us in Exodus 17. God’s people were in a battle against an enemy. Whenever Moses held up his hand, God’s people prevailed against their enemy, but whenever he lowered his hand, then their enemy prevailed against them. But Moses’ hands grew weary, so a stone was put underneath him on which he sat, and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. And, then God’s people won the battle against their enemy.

On a spiritual plane, what this is teaching us is that we can’t go it alone. If we have to, and God is our only support, he is absolutely enough!! And, sometimes that is exactly where we are, too. But, oh how wonderful it is when the body of Christ comes alongside us and holds up our hands, i.e. holds us up in prayer and encourages us in our walks of faith, for we do grow weary, at times, do we not?

And, just when we begin to feel that we are all alone in this battle, the Lord will encourage us through his Word or he will send someone alongside us to lift us up in prayer or with just the right words to spur us on toward love and good deeds, and that makes all the difference! And, they might not even know they are doing this, but they are just obeying the Lord in writing or in saying what God gives them to say, and the Lord leads us to hear or to read what He has given them, and it is as though the message is just for us. Do you relate?

But, notice with me here what happened first, before his hands were held up by others. He had a rock placed underneath him to give him support. That Rock is Jesus Christ, our Lord. If he is NOT our foundation, then having other Christians support us may have little impact on our lives. Or, we may find that we are finding our dependency in these others to hold us up, and when they don’t, our faith may fail. We cannot put our hope and trust in humans. Our Lord has to be our all sufficiency, and then if he blesses us with encouragers along the way, that is like getting a bonus, is it not?

Basically, if we are going to win this battle over our enemy Satan, we have to have Jesus Christ as our foundation and as our all sufficiency, no matter if we have human support or we don’t. And, then, when he does send helpers our way, our trust and reliance remains in our Lord, as it should.

Cornerstone

Hillsong

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus' blood and righteousness

I dare not trust the sweetest frame

But wholly trust in Jesus' name

Christ alone; cornerstone

Weak made strong; in the Saviour's love

Through the storm, He is Lord

Lord of all

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvLxZEU02uI

Thursday, January 25, 2018, 6:35 a.m. – Thank you, Jesus, for this teaching from your Word. May it minister Your grace to each of our hearts, I pray in Jesus’ name, and all to Your honor, glory and praise. Amen!