Now It Was Here

Saturday, November 05, 2011, 12:44 a.m. – The song, “The Debt We Owe,” was playing in my mind when I awoke this morning. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Philemon 1:1-21:

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

Paul’s Plea for Onesimus

Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I appeal to you on the basis of love. I then, as Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do will be spontaneous and not forced. Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for good— no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.

So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self. I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

When I got to verse 6, and I began reading, “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith…,” then the Lord reminded me of a dream I had in the night.

THE DREAM: The dream ended with the military police showing up. I had been noticing (observing) the signs that this was soon upon us, and now it was here. They drove their military vehicles through the door (north to south). I was the first person inside the door to the left (west). I was wearing some kind of military insignia on my shirt or jacket arm (sleeve), or on an arm band. I was instructed to go inside my house. Everything was just like I had been observing that it was going to be like, and now it was here. END

My Understanding: I read several news stories. Four of them struck a chord of recognition in relation to this dream. Although I don’t know what is really going on in these various locations, in reality, yet I do believe the Lord has given me this dream to help me see and to understand some of what is presently taking place in our country and in other countries throughout the world, so I will share what I believe he is showing me, to the best of my understanding. I pray that the Lord Jesus would guide me and would lead me in all truth as I seek him for understanding of this dream in relation to these news stories and in practical application of the truths of the word of God to our world today. I will reference the news stories at the end of this writing.

District of Columbia

The first news story I read was concerning a supposed protest in D.C. in the “Occupy” the state capitals of the U.S. and Wall Street campaign. Reportedly, a car drove through a crowd near the protest and hit some people, which apparently sent some people to the hospital. And, allegedly hundreds of protesters were instrumental in closing down streets in downtown D.C. As well, it was reported that this happened near a gathering of a group of conservatives.

I immediately saw parallels between this car that drove through a crowd and the military police who drove military vehicles through our door (gate; entry; access). I also saw a connection between the protesters who supposedly shut down the streets, and the military police, which I will refer to as the S.S., who sent everyone to their homes, i.e. they got everyone off the streets. A group of conservatives were purportedly holding this gathering. I was the only one present on the street, and I was wearing a military insignia on the arm (or arm band) or sleeve of my jacket.

Ohio

The second news article I read stated that a man, who they claimed was ridden with debt, obviously depressed and troubled over his marriage, released a bunch of African wild animals and then committed suicide. The animals supposedly attacked the deputies and crashed through fences after the deputies arrived on the scene. Before the man killed himself, he purportedly told one of his workers about his failed marriage and that he had “a plan,” and that the employee would know when “it” (the plan) happens.

I immediately saw a connection here between the wild animals crashing through fences and attacking these officers after the authorities arrived on the scene, and the S.S. arriving in their military vehicles and them coming through our door (gate) while I stood at the side, and then they told everyone to go to their homes. I also saw a connection between what this man allegedly told his worker about how he would know when “it” happened, and me stating that I had been observing the signs of the coming of this military police (police state) and “it” was now here. And, again, I appear to be associated in some way with the military, too. I also noted that the man was in debt, that this Bible passage is about debt and the song is about a debt we owe for which Jesus Christ paid the price.

Greece

This is another article concerning debt, only this is a country that is reportedly in a debt crisis and that the international community has come to the rescue to help get them out of debt. Supposedly the Greek PM was involved in quieting a malicious uprising in his “Socialist party” with an agreement to step aside, if needed, so he could seek a government that crossed party lines. There was a reference to the dropping of masks. As well, there were statements in the article concerning angry responses from markets, hostile international responses, open rebellion, opposition parties, etc. Reportedly the PM made a statement concerning the need to move forward in an orderly fashion. He apparently stated that the nation must be run tomorrow absent of conflict. Purportedly government officials were not moved by this opposition. And, supposedly Greece has seen punitive and severe measures that reportedly have been the catalyst to strikes, ferocious protests and street violence. Then, again there was a mention of the Socialist party, only this time in reference to deputies of the party.

I immediately saw comparisons between the Greek PM and myself. When I heard the term “Socialist Party,” I thought immediately of my arm band with the military insignia. The PM making an agreement to step aside reminded me of how I stood to one side (the left) of this door (passageway; opportunity) while the S.S. drove through the door in their military vehicles. I saw the cross-party government as the S.S. crossing over our threshold and taking over and telling everyone to go to their homes. I saw the debt again in relation to the debt we owe Christ for which he paid with his blood on a cross. I saw the masks coming down as “Now it is here!” I also recognized a parallel between the angry markets and hostile international response and the S.S. driving their vehicles through the door with me standing aside and letting them inside. I saw the moving forward in an orderly fashion as the S.S. driving their military vehicles in single file inside the gate (door), me stepping aside to let them in, and them sending us to our homes. I also saw the punitive and severe measures as the S.S. taking over, and I also observed that the only one inside was me and that I also represent the military, but there was no indication of struggle, protests, etc.

Columbia

Lastly I read an article about trouble in Columbia. Allegedly there was a military raid in the country’s southwest region, and a top leader, of what they termed as the main rebel group, was killed in the raid. Supposedly this man was the head of the R.A.F., the “A” standing for “armed,” and the “F” standing for “forces.” Reportedly the man’s death does not give a sign of the imminent death of Latin America’s final standing “leftist” dissident army. The article made mention of a military unit, in July of 2008, pretending to be international aid workers in what they termed a “bloodless ruse.”

Here I observed similarities between this military raid that killed this leader and the S.S. in their military vehicles driving through our open door with me stepped to the side to let them inside and them telling everyone to go home. The raid reportedly took place in the country’s southwest, and I was south of these vehicles and west of the door (opening). Allegedly this was a regular military maneuver, yet in my dream it was military police coming inside our door to take over, so this was anything but normal. The capitals of nations around the globe and the capitals of states within the USA appear to be the primary targets. I also observed a similarity between this R.A.F. and the military insignia on my arm band (or jacket sleeve). The article mentioned these events not being a sign of the end of the FARC and the end of the rebels. Here I noticed distinct resemblances between these events not being a sign of the end to me observing signs of this coming of a police state, and the fact that I noted that what I shared was at the end of my dream, yet I don’t remember the rest of the dream, only the end. This military group was leftist, and I stood to the left of the door and allowed the S.S. to come inside. And, lastly I realized a comparison between a military unit pretending to be aid workers in a bloodless ruse with the S.S. coming through our open door with me stepped aside.

Conclusion

For the past year or two, the Lord has been giving me dreams about these supposed uprisings in various countries in Africa and Asia and how our government and the international community has come inside these countries supposedly to assist the rebels to overthrow their oppressive leaders and to help lead them to democracy. As well, in these reported uprisings, we are supposedly sending aid, too, and helping these poor people back on their feet, to rebuild their nations, and to establish new democratic governments. In every case, without exception, the Lord has shown me that the news stories are a pack of lies, and that the situations reported are false flag operations, i.e. “operations (which) are covert operations designed to deceive the public in such a way that the operations appear as though they are being carried out by other entities” (Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_flag). All these uprisings are the work of a global order of government, often referred to as the New World Order, whose purpose is to take over all the countries and governments of the world and to bring us all under one rule of law.

In each case, the Lord would show me, via a dream, in connection with news stories, how what was really happening in these locations was at the hands of this New World Order whose military is like a rebirth of Hitler’s military and military police, and that both the “rebels” and the “Pro-government” protesters were of the same source, i.e. of this military of the N.W.O. And, the purpose of these “uprisings” was for deception and to cover-up the true purpose of these missions so that the public was not aware that our government is the terrorists of the world. We are involved in the takeover of nations and the slaughtering of millions of people, including our own countrymen. I don’t believe there has not been the shedding of blood in all of this. There has been. We have killed so many, many innocents, and the Lord has particularly been showing me how this military of the N.W.O. is targeting Christians for extinction. So when, in reality, there is the killing of “rebels,” and “the opposition,” I believe this is speaking of any opposition to the beast and of believers in Jesus Christ who are sharing their faith, and that the very nature of their testimonies for Jesus Christ is what stands in direct opposition to this beast of a global order of government.

So, although these uprisings are being acted out by the players in this N.W.O. game of check and checkmate, which is not a game, this does not mean that people are not being hurt and killed. They are. It is just not occurring by the people they say or in the manner in which they claim it is occurring. So, these protests throughout the USA are all part of this, too, and the purpose is very clear, i.e. to bring the USA into a police state to where our rights and our form of government and constitution no longer exist and we turn back the clock of time and we become the hated and the sought after to kill by the new Hitler regime and its military.

To The Word

For a little while now, the Lord has been using these songs that he has given me to write as a means of leading me to the practical understanding that he wants me to receive out of the passages I read in scripture each day, so I knew this morning to look for the subject of the debt that we owe. I read Philemon, but was not connecting the dots. Then, later on today I read it again and I immediately saw how the Lord was paralleling the events spoken of in this letter of Paul’s to Philemon with the gospel message.

It was when I read, “I pray you will be active in sharing your faith,” that I remembered this dream, and the Lord has often shown me how this military police is specifically targeting those who have a strong testimony for Jesus Christ and who are sharing their faith. Then, Paul said the reason he hoped they would be active in sharing their faith was so they might have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. I believe the Lord is using this story of Paul and Onesimus as an allegory to illustrate what Jesus Christ did for us when he paid the debt we owe with his own blood so that we could go free.

Onesimus was a runaway slave. His owner was Philemon. We, outside of Christ, are runaway slaves, too. We are running from God, our true owner – all we like sheep have gone astray. As runaways, we are slaves to sin and to Satan. Paul said that Onesimus became his son while Paul was in chains. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He took our sins upon himself and he put them to death. He buried them, and then he triumphed over them through his resurrection back to life. So, while Jesus hung on a cross for our sins, he made the way possible for us to become sons of God. Paul urged Philemon to receive Onesimus back, only not as a slave, but as a brother. So, Paul stood in the gap between Onesimus and Philemon and made the appeal to Philemon on Onesimus’ behalf for Onesimus to be received back by his rightful owner, no longer as a slave, but as a brother. Jesus Christ, via his death and resurrection, became our high priest and our mediator between us and God the Father. Through his death he stood in the gap between us and God, and he made the way for us to be brought back to God, no longer as slaves to sin, but as brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus.

Paul told Philemon that if Onesimus had done any wrong, or if he owed anything, that Philemon was to charge his debt to Paul and Paul would pay it back. Wow! Jesus willingly left his throne in heaven, came to earth, took on human flesh, took on the form of a servant, suffered as we suffer, was tempted as we are tempted, yet without sin, was rejected, despised, forsaken, ridiculed, falsely accused, beaten, humiliated, robbed of his dignity, denied, betrayed, and nailed to a cross as a common criminal, although he had done no wrong. And, it was the religious and the religious leaders who nailed him to that cross, too. We, as sinners, owe our lives to death (the penalty) for our sin, yet Jesus Christ took that debt that we owed and he paid the price for our sins with his blood so that we could be bought back for God (redeemed). When we come to faith in Jesus Christ, we appropriate to our lives what Jesus did for us when he paid the debt we owe. He died so we could go free from the penalty of sin and the control of sin over our daily lives. So, when we come to Christ, we die with him to our sins and our old way of life, the Holy Spirit transforms our hearts, and via the working of the Holy Spirit within us, we are resurrected to new life in Christ Jesus. We are no longer slaves to sin, but now we are received back to God as brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus.

I believe we are living on borrowed time. The signs are everywhere that we are living near the end of time and that the return of our Lord is not far off. The Bible says we will know when the time is near by the signs, although we won’t know the day or the hour, so the Lord’s coming should not surprise us. I also believe that what has been happening in other countries of the world has now come to the US and our government has let them inside the door without a fight. A police state is inevitable and imminent, as well as this rise of a Hitler-like regime that will bring in the rule of the beast of Revelation and will speed the Lord’s coming, I believe. So, if you have been running from God, return to him today.

The Debt We Owe / An Original Work / July 2, 2011

I adore You, Lord, my Master.
I worship and praise You, King.
You are such an awesome God who
Loves us so much, grace You bring.
You died to save us from our sin
So that we could be set free.
I adore You, Lord, my Master.
I worship and praise You, King.

Lord, You are our Great Redeemer.
You paid the debt that we owe,
So that we might be forgiven,
And our God we’d come to know;
Be transformed to be like Jesus,
Who conquered, in death, our foe.
Lord, You are our Great Redeemer.
You paid the debt that we owe.

Jesus our Messiah, Savior,
Lord and Master, King of kings,
You provided our redemption,
So we’d live in victory.
From our sin and self You ransomed
Us for all eternity.
Jesus our Messiah, Savior,
Lord and Master, King of kings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUr2TZzgpJE

Resources:

Authorities: Car strikes 3 at Occupy DC protest
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OCCUPY_DC?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-11-05-00-42-36

Ohio deputies faced charging animals during escape
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_EXOTIC_ANIMALS_LOOSE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-11-05-01-02-25

Greek PM wins confidence vote, pledges transition
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_GREECE_FINANCIAL_CRISIS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-11-05-01-15-05

Colombian officials say top FARC leader killed
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LT_COLOMBIA_REBEL_LEADER?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-11-05-01-11-32

If You Remain

Saturday, November 05, 2011, 10:04 a.m. – The songs, “Your Servant,” and “Remain in Him,” were playing in my mind when I awoke. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Hebrews 1-3. I will summarize the first two chapters and will quote chapter 3.

Summary (Chapter 1)

In the Old Testament times, God spoke to his people through the prophets. In these last days, i.e. the days since the birth, life and death of Jesus Christ, God has spoken to us by his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus spoke many words to us while he was on the face of the earth. Those words are recorded for us in the New Testament, in particular in the Gospels. When he died and was resurrected back to life, and he ascended back to heaven, he sent his Holy Spirit to dwell within the hearts of true believers in Jesus Christ, who have been crucified with Christ in the putting off of the sinful nature, and who have been raised to new life in Christ, through the power of a heart transformation of the Holy Spirit of God in cleansing our hearts from sin, and in giving us new hearts that desire to obey God as our only god.

The Holy Spirit within us continues the work of Jesus Christ in counseling, guiding, directing, teaching, instructing, convicting, and encouraging us to live godly and holy lives. His job is to teach us all that Jesus Christ commanded us. The Holy Spirit of God also spoke to and through the apostles and writers of the New Testament, as they were moved along by the Holy Spirit. The words they wrote, we now know as our New Testament, God’s divine God-breathed words to us, his church, and to the world. Jesus Christ continues to speak to us through his divine and revealed word to us, in all of scripture, and through the witness of the Holy Spirit within us in speaking to us through whatever means he chooses, as long as the means by which he speaks to us does not contradict or conflict with God’s revealed word to us, or with his divine nature. In I Corinthians 2 we learn that the Spirit of God reveals to us the things of God. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. No one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God, who reveals God’s thoughts to us, so that we have the mind of Christ (v.16), and we can know what God chooses to reveal to us.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is also God the Son, the second person of our triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ was with the Father from the beginning. He was/is the creator of the universe. The Son is the exact representation of God, i.e. he is God, and he sustains all things in this universe by his powerful word. God the Father said this about his Son:

“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever,
and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.” (Hebrews 1:8-9 NIV 1984)

God the Father continued by calling his Son, “O Lord,” who laid the foundations of the earth. He said that the created things will perish, but God the Son will remain. Jesus Christ will judge the earth, and thus the earth will change, but God the Son will remain the same, and his years will never end, because he is our eternal God. Now Jesus Christ is sitting with God the Father at his right hand, until the Father makes his enemies a footstool for his feet.

Summary (Chapter 2)

Because of what we learned in chapter one about Jesus Christ, who he is, how he speaks to us, and what he did for us in dying on the cross for our sins, and in being resurrected back to life in conquering death, hell, Satan and sin so that we could be free from sin, we must pay more careful attention to what we have heard so that we don’t drift away from the truth of the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. God is going to judge all men one day, and we will not escape that judgment if we ignore such a great salvation as Jesus provided for us.

God the Son left his throne in heaven to come to earth and to take upon himself human flesh. He was made perfect through suffering. Jesus Christ shared in our humanity so that by his death he might destroy Satan, and so he might free us from the slavery of sin. Jesus had to be made like us so that he could become our merciful and faithful high priest, i.e. our mediator between us and God the Father. He is merciful to us because he experienced what we experience, yet was without sin, which is why he was our perfect sacrifice for our sins. Because he suffered when he was tempted by sin, he is able to help us when we are tempted, and he will provide a way out from under the temptation so that we can stand up under it and not give way to it, if we will let him, and if we will trust him to do so.

Chapter 3

Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future. But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.
Warning Against Unbelief

So, as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion,
during the time of testing in the desert,
where your fathers tested and tried me
and for forty years saw what I did.
That is why I was angry with that generation,
and I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray,
and they have not known my ways.’
So I declared on oath in my anger,
‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. As has just been said:

“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion.”

Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.

My Understanding: “Therefore…,” i.e. because of, as a result of, or for the reasons stated in chapters one and two, we, who share in the heavenly calling of God in Christ Jesus, should fix our eyes, thoughts, motives, attitudes, actions and behaviors on Jesus Christ, and on his will and purpose for our lives. Christ Jesus is our faithful high priest over God’s house, the true church, i.e. over the hearts and lives of those who are truly his. In other words, he’s our boss! And, we are his house IF we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast. And, we have come to share in Christ IF we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. The scriptures teach this over and over again, and I believe this teaching is also supported by Jesus’ own words when he taught the parable of the sower and the four kinds of soil.

When some people hear the word of God, but do not understand it, the evil one (Satan) comes and snatches the word from their hearts. Others hear the word, and at once receive it with joy, but the word does not take root in their hearts and lives, so their “faith” only lasts a short time, probably because it was emotionally based. Trouble and persecution, which try our faith to see if it is genuine, come along, and these “believers” quickly fall away. Then, there are those who hear the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it out, so that it does not bear fruit in their lives. Then, lastly are those who fit in the category of these “IF” statements from Hebrews 3. They are the ones who hear the word, who understand it, who are doers of the word, and who bear fruit for God in keeping with repentance and true faith, which is the kind of faith that holds on (remains) in Christ, and that holds firmly to the end the confidence in Jesus Christ that we had at first.

So many people today are teaching a “faith” absent of true repentance and obedience to Jesus Christ. They are teaching that God is pleased with us no matter what we do. They promise them a false hope of eternal life based upon a lie. Yet, we learn here in Hebrews 3 that our eternal life is contingent upon true and genuine faith, which is faith that lasts, and is faith that bears fruit for God and his eternal kingdom in keeping with repentance. All throughout the New Testament we learn that we must repent (turn from our sin) and we must put off the old sinful self and put on the new self, created to be like Christ in true righteousness and holiness. We cannot base our faith on a false hope. We must cooperate with the Holy Spirit’s work of cleansing of sin, of change of heart and mind, and of making us into new creatures in Christ Jesus, free from the control of sin over our lives, and free to walk humbly in obedience daily to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This is the true gospel.

So, the Spirit of God is saying to us even today that when we hear his word, we should not harden our hearts to it as was done previously during a time of spiritual rebellion. We should not test God by continuing in willful sin. God is not pleased with us when we choose to willfully disregard his commands and we choose to disobey him. There are many ways in which we can harden our hearts to God’s word – some of them are more obvious, and others more subtle. Yet, the result is the same. We quench the voice of the Holy Spirit within us time and time again to where we don’t even recognize the convicting voice of the Holy Spirit any longer. We grieve the Spirit of God when we do this. And, we do this whenever we ignore the truths of God’s word, which are for his church and the world today, and by willfully choosing to go our own way, instead.

We need to be in God’s word daily, sitting at Jesus’ feet, letting the Spirit of God teach us the things of God, and then we need to obey all that he teaches and commands us to do, so that it may go well with us. So, today, if you hear his voice, do not turn away from your reflection in the mirror and forget what you look like. Remember the parable of the sower and the four types of soil, and remember that true faith is faith that endures forever.

Your Servant / An Original Work / September 21, 2011

Lord, I love to have You near me
As I go throughout my day,
Walking daily in Your footsteps,
As I humbly pray.
List’ning to You, hear You teaching
Me to live and work for You,
Lord, I pray You lead and guide me
Daily in Your truth.

Lord, I want to be Your witness,
Telling others of Your grace;
Telling how they can be set free
Of their sins today;
Share with them the love of Jesus,
He died on a cruel tree,
So that we’d be forgiven
For all eternity.

Lord, I want to serve You only,
As I bow on bended knee,
Making You my Lord and master,
And Your servant be.
Humbly walking in obedience,
Doing what You say to me,
Lord, may I be an example
Of one who’s set free.

Your Servant

Remain in Him / An Original Work / September 23, 2011

Based off of John 15:1-17

Remain in Him

I Will Uphold You

I Will Uphold You / An Original Work / November 4, 2011

Based off of Isaiah 41:8-20; Ephesians 6:10-18

You are My servant; I’ve chosen you.
I’ve not rejected you; I’ve been true.
Do not be fearful; I am with you.
Don’t be alarmed, for I am your God.
I will give you strength, and will help you.
I will uphold you with My right hand.

All who’re against you will be disgraced.
Those who oppose you, they will perish.
Enemies you search, but will not find.
They war against you; nothing will be.
I am your Lord God, who takes your hand;
Says, “Do not fear, for I will help you.”

The poor and needy, water they need.
Their tongues are thirsty; no drop to drink.
I will give answer; not forsake them.
I will make rivers flow from within.
My living water I will outpour
On those who seek Me; and Me adore.

Jesus provided the sacrifice;
For our sins blood bought; He paid the price,
So we’re forgiven all of our sins,
When we invite Him to come within.
He cleanses us from our impure hearts.
His life within us gives a new start.

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The Only Hope

Friday, November 04, 2011, 3:33 a.m. – When I awoke this morning, I could hear the lyrics to a song playing in my mind, and I immediately identified one line of the lyrics with the song, “Never Will I Leave You.” The line was, “He knows all about you; He will supply all you need.” Yet, there was another line that did not fit that song, so I looked that one up, and that song was “Open Your Hearts.” The line in that song was “Hasten to Me calling. I’ll keep you from falling.”

The Lord was combining the two songs together in my head for a reason. In listening to both songs, I realized that they both begin with the same sequence of notes, yet the similarity does not end there. The Lord had given me two lines in each song that are exactly the same. The lines are about Jesus Christ being our deliverer, our Rock of salvation, and our cornerstone, who was rejected by men, but he is our mighty God! And, then I noticed the dates the songs were written. One was written on May 11th and the other on September 11th, so both of them were written on the 11th of the month, and four months apart from each other. I began to feel as though the second song was just an extension of the first one, though I never got the connection before now. I don’t know what significance the date May 11th may hold, but the date of September 11th will be a date forever in my memory as a day in our history when we needed to know that God would never leave or forsake those who are truly his, even if some of the men we trusted to lead us did reject and desert us.

Never Will I Leave You / An Original Work / May 11, 2011

God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Heb. 13:5).

“Never will I leave you, nor will I forsake you.”
Jesus is your Savior; love and comfort keep you.
He is your deliverer; Rock of your salvation;
Cornerstone, rejected by men; mighty God is He!

Hope of your salvation; He is your Redeemer.
He is living in you as your Lord and Master.
He will not forget you, nor will He neglect you.
He knows all about you; He will supply all you need.

God of your redemption’s perfect plan to save you
Sacrificed for your sin, so you’d be forgiven.
He loves and adores you; perfectly He made you
So that you might be His servant and child of the King.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PkN6_lsTJk

Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read 2 Timothy 4:9-22:

Personal Remarks

Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.

Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.

At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus. Do your best to get here before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers.

The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.

My Understanding: Paul was in prison. He was dying. He had said previously that the time had come for his departure, and here he stated that God would bring him safely to his heavenly kingdom. He had fought the good fight, he had finished the race, and he had kept the faith. Now he was looking forward to the crown of righteousness he would receive from the Lord. He was, as well, looking forward with great expectation, I believe, to his earthly trials and sufferings coming to a close. And, he was excited about the prospect of being with his Lord and Savior for all eternity. I empathize with those sentiments.

Paul knew his life on this earth was drawing to a close. Yet, his death was not imminent, it appeared, because he requested to have his cloak and his scrolls brought to him before the winter set in. Prisons back then were not like they are here in the USA. And, I am certain they did not have central heating and air conditioning, nor did they provide warm blankets to their guests. With the winter coming, it was going to get very cold for Paul, which is why he requested his cloak. He wanted his scrolls, too, which were probably some of the OT books. He would find much comfort in God’s words. And, he desired that his friend, Timothy, and brother in the Lord, come to be with him to comfort and encourage him, as well. It is such a blessing of God when he sends us friends to encourage us.

Paul was lonely and hurting emotionally and physically. His helpers had left and had gone off to other missions or they had deserted him or had turned against him. Demas left because he loved the world more than he loved God. Luke was still with Paul. Paul requested that Timothy bring Mark with him. Mark had been part of his ministry before, had deserted him, for what reason I do not know, and then Barnabas tried to bring him back on another missionary journey. Paul would not hear of it, so Paul and Barnabas split and went out in two teams – Paul and Silas, and Barnabas and Mark. This is the same Mark who wrote the gospel of Mark and it is the same Mark to whom Paul was referring here when he said for Timothy to bring Mark with him, because he is helpful to Paul in the ministry. Mark’s life is a wonderful testimony of the power of God to use a life that others might reject.

A man named Alexander did Paul a great deal of harm in that he stood in strong opposition to the gospel message, and must have caused a great deal of trouble for Paul as he was attempting to share the gospel. As well, Paul, evidently, was on trial, which is why he was in prison, and during his trial and defense no one came to his support, but everyone deserted him. And, then Paul said words that rung a familiar tone with me. He said, “May it not be held against them.” This reminded me of Jesus’ words on the cross when he said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” This also reminds me of the stoning of Stephen, as recorded in Acts 7:59-60:

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

So, here Paul was reflecting on his life and ministry past, on his present circumstances, and on his future glory with Christ Jesus in heaven. He was lonely and hurting. Friends and fellow workers had left, had deserted, and had not come to his defense and support when he greatly needed them. Another had opposed the gospel message and had made things difficult for Paul. Yet, Paul was also reflecting on those who had not deserted him and who were helpful to him in his ministry. Luke was still with him, and he was calling for Timothy and Mark to join him at his side, so he was not completely alone and abandoned, though it might have felt like that, at times. Perhaps you identify with some or all of what Paul was expressing here. You feel abandoned, rejected, persecuted, deserted, and/or opposed. In your time of grief and sorrow you may, as well, not be able to see that not everyone has deserted you, but you may recall that there were or are those who have encouraged and supported you, but in your loneliness and hurt you are not seeing the positive side to it all. I know I can empathize with Paul here, too, and have felt on numerous occasions the emotions and thoughts that he expressed here.

Yet, Paul, in all his reflecting, stated something that was his hope in all his life circumstances, which often felt hopeless and lonely. He said that the Lord Jesus stood at his side and gave him strength, so that he could continue to give out the gospel message and all the Gentiles might hear it. God gave him the strength he needed to fight the good fight, to finish the race and to keep the faith, especially during times when I am certain he felt like the bottom literally had fallen out. He also stated that the Lord delivered him from the lion’s mouth, and that he rescued him from every evil attack against him. God does not always physically rescue us, i.e. he does not always remove us from difficult circumstances, but he will rescue and deliver us in our hearts, minds, and emotions. He can fill us with the comfort of his love and he can give us the peace of Christ to rule our hearts as we commit our ways to him and as we take our requests to him in prayer and petition, instead of worrying over them. So, all hell could be breaking loose all around us, as it often might be, and still we can have peace, strength and confidence within because of the love and power of the Holy Spirit of God within us giving us strength and encouragement.

I serve an awesome God! He knows exactly what I need when I need it. He woke me with two songs this morning about his own suffering and rejection, but how, because of what he went through for us, he has become our Rock (our fortress; strength) and our deliverer (rescuer). He is the one who holds all things together, including he holds us together so that we don’t fall to pieces when everything else around us is coming apart at the seams. And, one of the songs reminded me that he, as well, will never leave me or forsake me. He knows all about me and he will supply all I need. The Lord knew where I was going to be reading in his word today, and that I would be reading a passage of scripture about someone who had been deserted by his friends, but how God had been his support. The Lord Jesus had stood at his side, had delivered, and had rescued him from every voice that would come against him, either voices in his mind or in reality, literally rescuing him from his opponents. I find it so awesome how God, day after day, coordinates the songs he puts in my head with where I am reading in scripture that day. This is a God thing! He does this to encourage my heart, as well. He knows all about me and he supplies all I need. Amen!

If you have not put your hope and trust in the Lord Jesus to be your Rock, your deliverer, and your salvation, I pray that you will today. Jesus Christ, God the Son, came to earth, became a man, suffered as we suffer, was tempted as we are tempted, yet without sin. He was rejected, persecuted, abandoned, deserted, denied, betrayed, beaten and then hung on a cross to die, as though he was a common criminal. When he died, he took all of our sins upon him so that our sins died and were buried with him. Then, he was resurrected back to life, triumphing over the grave, death, hell, Satan and sin so that we could be free – free from the ultimate penalty of sin in hell for eternity; free from the bondage to and control of sin over our daily lives; and free to worship, walk in fellowship with and obey our Lord.

We come to faith in Jesus Christ via repentance (turning from our sin) and turning to God in faith in Jesus Christ, and with a commitment to walk in obedience to him and to serve him only as our God. It is the Holy Spirit of God who transforms our hearts by God’s grace and through our faith, so that we die to our old way of life of sin and we are resurrected with Christ to a new life in which Christ lives within us and our flesh no longer reigns. And, when that transformation takes place, we enter into God’s eternal kingdom and have hope for this life here on the earth, which is Christ in us, and the hope of eternal life with our Lord in heaven. It is this hope that sustains us and it is Christ in us who gives us strength, hope, endurance and encouragement to persevere during these kinds of great trials and tests.

Open Your Hearts / An Original Work / September 11, 2011

Open your hearts to Me.
Will you not receive me?
I’m your Lord and Savior, Jesus,
I am King of kings.
Listen to Me speaking to you.
Invite Me within.

Hasten to Me calling.
I’ll keep you from falling.
I am with you, and I will
Abide with you always.
Repent of your sins and
Worship Jesus Christ today.

Come and follow your Lord.
Obey all His teachings.
Witness to your neighbors,
And tell them of Jesus Christ.
Let them know that He provided
Their sin’s sacrifice.

He is your deliv’rer;
Rock of your salvation;
Cornerstone, rejected by men,
Mighty God is He.
He will give the only hope
Of life eternally.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3NOg7tHMl8

The Times in Which we Live

Thursday, November 03, 2011, 6:52 a.m. – The song, “Muted Trumpet,” was playing in my mind when I awoke this morning. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read 2 Timothy 3-4:8 (NIV 1984):

Godlessness in the Last Days

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.

Paul’s Charge to Timothy

You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry…

My Understanding: Paul began his remarks here to Timothy by stating that there will be “terrible times in the last days.” Most Bible scholars I have read describe the “last days” as beginning with Jesus Christ, his earthly ministry, his death and his resurrection. Yet, the description here of the sin nature of people has been true since the fall into sin in the Garden of Eden. Some times were worse than others, yet man was conceived in sin and is thus prone to wander. Yet, I do believe that as the day for our Lord’s return draws closer that we will see this more and more, and I also believe it has reached epidemic proportions in the times in which we now live. I am 61 years old, so I have at least 60 years of observation of our society and of the church, and I have seen much decline over the years.

Terrible Times

Paul went on, then, to describe what those “terrible times” would look like. He said that people would be lovers of themselves, and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. What this means is that people will be more concerned about their own lives, and what gives them pleasure, than they will be concerned about serving and obeying God and doing what pleases him. Wow! Can you imagine if Paul could have seen our world today? I don’t know of a time in history when pleasure has been more accentuated than it is now. We, in the USA, are entertained to death, even in the church. With the help of Smart Phones, we can now stay connected 24/7 to a world of entertainment and pleasure. Many, many people plan their lives and days around their favorite TV shows, games, etc. We have, as a society in the USA, become gluttonous with entertainment choices and opportunities. These things are not all bad, but when pleasure becomes our idol that we live for, in place of God being our only god to whom we pledge our undying devotion, then we have a serious problem.

The more seriousness of this problem, though, exists in this next statement: “Having a form of godliness but denying its power.” Jesus said he did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (see Luke 5:27-32). Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who were criticizing Jesus for eating and drinking with tax collectors and “sinners.” So, when Jesus used the term “righteous,” he was not speaking of true righteousness. He was speaking of a false sense of righteousness. The Pharisees only thought they were righteous, but they were not. Jesus was letting them know that only those who realize they are sinners can be brought to repentance. And, again, we learn that repentance (turning from sin) is a prerequisite to true righteousness, i.e. to salvation. One of the greatest hindrances to true faith in Christ is self-righteousness, i.e. having a form of godliness, but true godliness not existing within the lives of those who proclaim it, because by the very lifestyles of those who see themselves as righteous, when they are not, it is evident that they are denying the power of Almighty God in their hearts and lives.

Nothing to Do

Then, Paul made a very severe statement with regard to those who fit this description. We are to have nothing to do with them. Paul gave a similar command in 2 Co. 6, when he was speaking on the subject of being yoked (bonded, linked, joined, partnered or tied) together with unbelievers. He said there is no fellowship between righteousness and wickedness; between light and darkness. So, we are to come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. We are not to touch (be affected by; influenced by; or participate in ) anything spiritually unclean (unrighteous; or wicked). We also learn in Rom. 12 that we are to no longer conform our lives by the pattern of this world. And, we learn in 1 Co. 5 that we are to separate ourselves from anyone who claims to be a believer and yet lives a lifestyle of sin. We are not to separate ourselves entirely from the world around us, otherwise we would have to leave the world, but we are to not be partakers with the ungodly in worldly things that stand in opposition to God and to his word.

Then, in I Co. 7 we learn that, when we use the things of this world, that we are not to be engrossed in them. In 2 Co. 10 we learn that, although we live in the world, we are not to wage war against our enemy, Satan, with the weapons of this world. The weapons of this world don’t have the power to demolish the strongholds of sin in our lives. In Gal. 6 we learn that the world has been crucified to us, and us to the world. In Eph. 2 we learn that we are not to follow the ways of the world as we did when we were outside of Christ. In Col. 2 we learn that we, as believers in Jesus, have died to the basic principles of this world. In Jms 4 we learn that to be friends with the world is hatred toward God and that God sees us as committing adultery in our relationship with him when we “make nice” with the world. If we choose to make friends with the world, we become enemies of God. In I Jn. 2 we are instructed to not love the world or anything in the world. If we love (adore; worship; give our lives to) the things of this evil world, such as sinful cravings, lust, and/or pride, then the love of the Father is not in us. And, here we are reminded that this world and its desires are going to pass away, but the one who does the will of God will live forever.

We are to live in the world, but not be of it, i.e. we are not to partake in worldly passions and desires and/or to be influenced or entertained by those who do. We are not to be partnered with or to have as our closest friends and companions those who live by the standards of this world. We are to be beacons of light for the gospel of Jesus Christ in this dark world of sin, and we should be about the Father’s business in sharing that gospel with the world so that they, too, can come to know Christ. Yet, today’s church, overall, is busily making friends with the world, entertaining them with the world so as to attract them to the “church,” and is thus watering down the gospel message to make it more palatable with what people’s “itching ears” want to hear, because they want to suit the gospel according to their own desires, not according to God’s plan and purpose for our lives. We are to show love and kindness to people. We are to pray for them and do good things for them, but we are not to become like them or to partake with them in anything that stands opposed to God and to his divine will and purpose for our lives to live holy lives pleasing to him.

Resolute

In contrast to living like the world, we are to be resolute (firm; unyielding; steadfast) in our commitment to obey our Lord Jesus in all things, to do the work to which he has called us, and to not be partakers with the world in fleshly pleasures that war against our souls. We must realize, though, that when we choose to not befriend the world and we choose to be beacons of light for the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, that the world, including the worldly church, will hate us, reject us, persecute us and may even kill us for our testimony for our Lord Jesus. Paul said here in 2 Tim. 3 that “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” So, if everyone loves us and we are not being persecuted for our faith or our testimony for Jesus Christ, then we need to do some serious soul searching before God to learn why. The church today has become so much like the world, as it has embraced the world, so that it is indistinguishable between the church and the world. We need to stand out in stark contrast to this world by being true followers of Jesus Christ. Then, we can say, with Paul, when our time comes to leave this earth:

“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:6-8 NIV 1984).

Muted Trumpet / An Original Work / October 14, 2011

Softly He speaks gently to us,
Giving us His messages, and
He waits patiently for us to
Respond to His words.
Will you listen to Him speaking?
Will you waken from your sleeping?
He is calling; hear Him whisper
His truth unto you.

Jesus speaks His words unto us,
So that He might live out through us,
Giving light to all who need Him,
So they can obey.
He gave His life to die for us,
So that from sin He would free us
To walk humbly in obedience
Unto Him each day.

Hear the trumpet clearly calling.
He died to keep us from falling.
Won’t you listen; heed His call to
Turn to Him today?
Hasten to Him calling to you.
Turn from sin and follow Jesus.
He loves you so much He gave you
Life eternally.

Song Lyrics @ Public Domain

Audio, song lyrics and sheet music at:
https://sites.google.com/site/psalmshymnssongs2/home/songs/muted-trumpet

Song on video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0iizyIw0KM

Reliable Soldiers

Wednesday, November 02, 2011, 6:26 a.m. – The song, “Your Heart,” was playing in my mind when I awoke this morning. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read 2 Timothy 2:

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

Here is a trustworthy saying:

If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
if we are faithless,
he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.

A Workman Approved by God

Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

My Understanding: Paul began this section of his letter to Timothy with the words “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” We all go through things in this life where we need emotional, mental and spiritual strength and fortitude to endure, to have wisdom and discernment, to make hard choices, to do the right thing, to say what is necessary, even if it is not received well, to forsake sin, to get rid of our idols, to not give way to our fears, to be able to rejoice in difficulties, and to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, etc. This strength is not generated in our own flesh or in the will of men, but in the will and the power of Almighty God at work in our hearts and lives in the person of the Holy Spirit within us, who was given to us by God via his grace and through Jesus’ blood sacrifice for our sins. So, we should give all over to the Lord and should pray for his strength within us.

Then, he told Timothy to take the word of God, which had been entrusted to him, and he should, in turn, “Entrust it to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” Jesus gave his disciples the commandment to go into all the world and to make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching them to observe (obey) all that Christ Jesus had commanded us to obey. We are all Christ’s disciples, if we have come into genuine relationship with him by his grace and through faith. So, we are all commanded to make disciples, not just converts. A disciple is a follower of Christ who has turned from his or her sin, and who has chosen to follow the Lord Jesus Christ in obedience.

So, although Paul was speaking man-to-man with a fellow shepherd of the church, we have all been commanded to make disciples, which is what Paul was talking about when he said that Timothy should take what was entrusted to him, i.e. the gospel of Christ, and he should entrust it to reliable men who will be qualified to teach others. What stood out to me here is that he was to pass it along to “reliable” men. A reliable person is one who is trustworthy, dependable, consistent, steadfast, and unswerving in his or her commitment to the gospel, and to sharing it with others, so that they, too, can come to know Christ, and can be his followers. In other words, we cannot disciple someone who does not want to be discipled, i.e. one who is untrustworthy and/or who is tossed here and there by every wind of teaching, or by whatever happens to grab his or her attention that day, week or month.

The next instruction he gave him was to “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” To “endure” something means to bear up under it, to suffer, to withstand it with grace, to sustain our commitment to Christ, to stand on our faith and what we believe, i.e. the truth of the gospel of Christ, to remain in Christ in fellowship with Him, in his word, in obedience to what he teaches us, to persist (be resolute) in obedience to Christ and his gospel, to persevere, and to continue in Christ in our commitment to forsake sin and to walk humbly in obedience to him and to his commands, found in his word (the Bible).

We are to endure like good soldiers of Christ. A soldier is “someone who serves in a military organization; or somebody who works with dedication for a cause” (Encarta). A soldier’s job is to obey his commanding officer, to fight the enemy, when necessary, to protect, defend, and to be loyal and dedicated in his or her service to God and country, et al. As soldiers of Christ, we are to obey our commanding officer, Jesus Christ, in all things; we are to show this same kind of loyalty, obedience and commitment of service as that of a soldier; we are to be resolute in fighting off the enemy of our souls, i.e. in daily putting on the armor of God with which to fight off Satan’s fiery darts that come against us; and we are to love and care for God’s flock in such a way that we would be willing to lay down our lives and reputations for their freedom from sin and from the control of Satan over their lives.

A soldier does not “get involved in civilian affairs – he wants to please his commanding officer.” As soldiers of Christ, we, too, are to come out from the world and to be separate. We are not to get involved in worldly things that have nothing to do with Christ or with the gospel of Christ. If we fill our lives with the stuff of this world, then Jesus Christ gets shoved in a back corner, and we prove to not be his soldiers, or at least we prove to be unfaithful soldiers who have gone AWOL. There are certain things of this world that we must be involved in, such as working to pay bills, in order to have food on the table, clothing on our backs, a roof over our heads, etc. We need to be involved in our kids’ education. We need to participate in family events and outings that are designed to bond us together as a family, etc. So, when the Lord says to come out from the world and be separate, he is not speaking of neglecting the necessities of life, but he is speaking of worldly, deceptive and sinful influences that would distract us from our pure devotion to Jesus Christ. If Christ is our life, then everything we do in this life should be to honor him and to please him.

An athlete “does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules.” God is comparing us, as his disciples, to soldiers in an army and to athlete’s running a race. God is saying here that we won’t win the victor’s crown in heaven if we don’t compete according to the rules. Some people might think this is works-based salvation in that it mentions “rules,” but it is not. Being under God’s grace does not mean we are free to do whatever we want. Being under God’s grace means we follow Christ’s rules for us for holy living. The “rules” are all through the New Testament. Some of them are listed for us here:

Be strong in Christ. Entrust the gospel to reliable people. Endure hardship like a good soldier. Run the race according to the rules so you get the crown that will last forever. Don’t quarrel about words. Handle the word of God correctly. Avoid godless chatter. Turn away from wickedness. Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Don’t disown your Lord. Be faithful, steadfast, committed and consistent in your walk with the Lord. Cleanse your lives of worldly and ungodly influences, thoughts, and behaviors, so that you can be an instrument for God, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. Flee the evil desires of youth. Pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace. Call on God out of a pure heart. Don’t get involved in foolish and stupid arguments. Be kind to everyone, able to teach, and not resentful. Gently instruct those who oppose you, hoping God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, so they will come to their senses and escape the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

“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 NIV 1984).

Yet:

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14 NIV 1984).

I don’t know about you, but the Lord Jesus is definitely speaking these days to my heart, and he is encouraging me much to be joyful in all things, to give thanks, to not fear, to let the peace of Christ rule my heart, to stand for what is true, but to not quarrel over words.

Your Heart / An Original Work / October 24, 2011

Tenderly He speaks, softly so.
Gently He calls - His will to know.
Won’t you invite Him in your heart?
Humbly accept Him now.
Bow before Him with contrite heart.
May you obey His will.
Seek Him with all your heart and soul,
And your heart, His Spirit fill.

Jesus died to free you from sin,
Giving you new life to begin,
Walking with Him ev’ry hour,
Obeying His commands.
Won’t you trust Him to be your Lord?
His grace you can’t afford.
Freely He gives you peace within,
When you turn from all your sin.

Live for Him ev’ry passing day.
Meet with Him; read His word and pray.
Serve Him in the way He leads you,
Doing all that He says.
Do unto others as you would
Have them do unto you.
Love them with Jesus love within you.
Your hearts to God be true.

Song lyrics @ Public Domain

Audio, song lyrics and sheet music:
https://sites.google.com/site/psalmshymnssongs2/home/songs/your-heart

Song on video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc7tEOtSOLM

The Peace of Christ

The Lord is speaking to my heart concerning letting the peace of Christ rule in my heart and to think about things above, where Christ dwells, and not to dwell on or to be worried over the cares of this world, so that is what this song is about.

The Peace of Christ / An Original Work / October 31, 2011

Based off of Col. 3:1-17; Eph. 5:19-20

Let the word of Christ dwell in you,
As you teach with all wisdom,
Teaching one another to not
Think on earthly things;
Think instead on things above,
Where Christ sits with God, in love,
Saving us from all of our sins,
Cleansing us; made new within.

Let the peace of Christ rule your hearts,
As you sing songs unto Him;
Speak to one another with psalms,
Hymns, and spir’tual songs;
Always giving thanks to God,
In the name of Christ, His Son,
Who gave His life up for us all,
And gave us eternal life.

Let the love of Christ within you
Rule in your hearts; grace within,
Purifying you from your sin,
Make you whole within.
Forgive as the Lord forgave.
Show His kindness ev’ry day.
In word or deed, whate’er you do,
Glory give to Jesus Christ.

Song Lyrics @ Public Domain

Audio, song lyrics and sheet music (free)

Song on video