Rely on The Lord

Friday, September 4, 2015, 7:28 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Why are you Afraid?” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Isaiah 10 (selected vv. NASB).

Who Withhold Justice (vv. 1-4)

Woe to those who enact evil statutes

And to those who constantly record unjust decisions,

So as to deprive the needy of justice

And rob the poor of My people of their rights,

So that widows may be their spoil

And that they may plunder the orphans.

Now what will you do in the day of punishment,

And in the devastation which will come from afar?

To whom will you flee for help?

And where will you leave your wealth?

Nothing remains but to crouch among the captives

Or fall among the slain.

In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away

And His hand is still stretched out.

Isaiah wrote this about the people of God, who at that time were the nation of Israel, i.e. the Jews. The people were prideful and arrogant, and so they spurned God’s divine judgments against them, which were for the purpose to bring them to repentance. Yet, the people of God did not turn back to him, nor did they seek his face. The leaders of the people were leading the people astray. Thus, God’s people were believing lies, and many were speaking foolishly (See: chap. 9). The people’s and/or rulers’ judgments in decision-making was perverted and unjust. They decreed evil laws (rules) for the people to follow, in order to deprive some people of their rights, and most likely to give preferential treatment to others.

So, how might this be applied to today? Today the church, the body of Christ – not to be confused with the institutional church – is the people of God. Within the local church assemblies we have pastors, elders, and deacons who serve in positions of church leadership. If these local fellowships are connected in fellowship with other like-minded local bodies of believers, they might also have leaders who are over particular territories or districts who would serve in leadership over the pastors of these local congregations. These leaders make judgments and decisions for their church congregations. In some modern-day church plants, the pastor(s) might make most all the decisions for the church, whereas some older and more traditional church fellowships might have boards of directors or committees who wield much power and influence in the decision-making processes.

What I have seen take place in evangelical Christianity in the past 15 years, in particular - and I grew up going to church meetings from infanthood (65 years) – is that certain religious powers (cross-denominational) from very high up got together or were brought together and were sold on a particular man-made method for how to grow their churches, which then they passed on to their people below them, who passed it on to their people below them, and so on and so forth so that eventually pastors and church leaders across multiple denominations, including the non-denominational, were all teaching pretty much the same stuff to their congregations, and these leaders were following the same methods for how to market and to grow their churches. From what I observed, they would each act like this was their own idea, but they all followed the same pattern, i.e. they were all following the same script, but not from the Bible, but from a book or books written by mere humans. And, this has spread across America, and into other countries, too, I believe.

As a result of these various church congregations and denominations coming together to teach and to follow this man-made method for how to market and grow their churches, human thinking, logic and reasoning has largely supplanted the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ as the head of the church. The vast majority of the church here in America has lost the fear of the Lord and is following man’s ways instead of God’s ways. There is much going on within the church in the way of deception, lies, manipulations, injustice, and using and stepping on people while these leaders advance to the top. They have been trained to make their target audience the people of this world in place of seasoned Christians who know the word of God, and in how to “filter out” those who “don’t fit,” i.e. those who might upset their plans or who might expose their wickedness and their deceptions, because they are able to discern truth from error. So, they pattern their meetings around entertaining the world, and thus they have diluted and/or destroyed the gospel in order to make it more pleasing and acceptable to the people of the world.

The Rod of God’s Anger (includes a summary of vv. 5-19)

In the case of Israel, God used the nation of Assyria as the rod of his anger against his people in divine discipline and correction (judgment). They were to “capture booty” and “seize plunder,” and “trample them down like mud in the streets.” Yet, the Assyrians had plans of their own, as well, which was to destroy God’s people. So, it was God’s plan that when he had finished using the Assyrians as his divine instrument of judgment against his people, that he would then come in judgment against the Assyrians. So it is at the end of time. The Lord will use, and I believe is presently using, the dragon, the beast and the false prophet as his divine instruments of judgment against his adulterous church, on the earth, and against the people of the earth. Then his wrath will turn against the beast, the false prophet and the dragon, and he will bring them into judgment.

I believe that the events of 9/11/01 with the bombing of the twin towers in New York was a judgment of God against his adulterous and idolatrous church here in the USA, but she would not be corrected, just like the nation of Israel spurned God’s correction, so God will revisit her (us) in judgment, which I believe has already begun, and it is for the purpose to turn the hearts of God’s people back to their God in repentance, humility, and renewed faith and commitment to God as their one and only true God, and to make us ready to meet our husband, Jesus Christ, when he returns for us. Yet, most of the church here in America is not listening to God’s calls for repentance and renewed faith and obedience to his Word and submission to his will for our lives. The majority of the church here in America has become so much like the world that it is barely distinguishable between the church and the world anymore. Preaching on repentance and obedience is rare these days, but feel-good messages that tickle itching ears and which comforts people in their sin abounds.

Right now the judgment has come primarily in the way of this “church growth” movement of which I spoke of earlier in this writing, and the subsequent twisting and diluting of the gospel message in order to give people a false hope of eternal life with God, while they continue in their sin and their fleshly ways. So, the church is being destroyed from within via deception and manipulation via these false teachers who distort the word of God for profit. And, that destruction from within is continuing with messages coming now from people in high up positions within the government and within the church who are trying to bring the church into union with the New World Order’s goals to bring all religions together under one roof, and to unite all people of this world together, regardless of faith or lack of faith in any god, and to have them focus on a social gospel while putting to death all that divides us as the people of the world, which most especially includes the gospel of our salvation. As well, persecution of those who follow Christ is on the rise in our nation.

The Remnant (vv. 20-27)

Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.

A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.

For though your people, O Israel, may be like the sand of the sea,

Only a remnant within them will return;

A destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness.

For a complete destruction, one that is decreed, the Lord God of hosts will execute in the midst of the whole land.

Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts, “O My people who dwell in Zion, do not fear the Assyrian who strikes you with the rod and lifts up his staff against you, the way Egypt did. For in a very little while My indignation against you will be spent and My anger will be directed to their destruction.” The Lord of hosts will arouse a scourge against him like the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; and His staff will be over the sea and He will lift it up the way He did in Egypt. So it will be in that day, that his burden will be removed from your shoulders and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be broken because of fatness.

The beast of Revelation is a conglomerate of the wealthy and powerful, the elite of this world, world leaders, CEOs of corporations, bankers, the Trilateral Commission, the Bilderberg Group, the Council on Foreign Relations, etc. Although I can’t say if it is in its final form or when exactly the seven years of tribulation will take place, or even if it is a literal seven years, what I do know is that this beast is on the rise, and it is conquering nations, governments, peoples and the saints of God worldwide. It is presently doing what Revelation 13 said it will do. As well, I believe there are Christians who are being severely persecuted and even murdered for their faith in Jesus Christ and for the gospel, and that this beast is behind these murders, and that the US government is leading the charge in bringing the world under the authority of this one-world beast government. So, as a nation, we are being destroyed from within and from without, for our Assyrians are some or all of our own government leaders, and many of our leaders in the Christian church, too.

The result of this judgment, though, will be that a remnant of the church will no longer rely on these liars and deceivers in our government and in the church, but they will rely on the Lord alone, will repent of their sins, will bow the knee to their God and Lord, and will choose to follow Jesus Christ the rest of their days, even if it costs them their lives. They will return to their Lord who saved them from their sins. Amen!

Yet, we are not to fear this judgment that is upon us or that is yet coming, for God is allowing it for his purposes, which is to get his wayward people to return to him as their only Lord, and to purify his bride and to make her ready for her husband. Our God will not leave us or forsake us, and he will give us all we need to make it through this difficult time. So, stay strong in your faith in the power of the Spirit of God within you, do not give way to fear, but put your trust fully in the Lord.

Why Are You Afraid? / An Original Work / December 5, 2013

Based off Various Scriptures

Do not be afraid.

Your Lord is always by your side.

Serve the Lord in righteousness

Before Him all your days.

Those who hate the light

Will not come to the Lord.

They fear their deeds

Might be noticed.

So, they hate the light,

And they embrace the night.

Do not be afraid,

Although your enemy attacks.

Dare to share your testimony

Of God’s saving grace.

Do not fear their threats,

But honor Christ, your Lord.

Be prepared to give an answer

For the hope you have,

With gentleness; respect.

Why are you afraid?

For all that’s hidden will be shown.

What I tell you, speak in daylight.

Let the truth be known.

Do not be afraid

Of those who’ll take your life.

Fear the Lord with understanding.

Trust Him with your life,

And give not up to strife.

Do not be afraid.

Take courage, it is I, your Lord.

Bow before Me; now adore Me.

Oh, why do you doubt?

Listen to the Lord.

Get up, and bear His name!

Run and tell the world He loves them.

Jesus came to save.

Give Him your all today.

https://vimeo.com/114668071

Walking in The Light

If you ever want to know what it truly means to be saved and to be in Christ, and whether or not repentance and obedience to Christ are really required by God for salvation, then read the book of 1 John. He pulls no punches. He tells it like it is. He does not soft peddle the gospel one iota. He’s not concerned about stepping on toes or offending people. He is concerned about people’s salvation, and that so many who think they know Christ really don’t know him at all, and that many will hear the words “I never knew you” on the day they come before God.

So, if you truly want to be sure of your salvation and to be confident that you do know him, then humbly bow before him in repentance (turning away from sin) and choose to walk in obedience to his commands from this day forward. Do not follow the ways of the world, but come out from the world and be separate. Find out what God’s will is for your life, and do it. Remain daily in fellowship with him and in his word and allow his word to come alive in your heart and life. Continue in him. Persevere in the faith. Remain steadfast and not moved from the hope you have in Christ.

Walking in The Light / An Original Work / November 16, 2011

Based off 1 John 1-2

When I lift up my voice, and

Sing praise unto God,

I will fellowship with my

Lord and Savior, King.

In Him there is no darkness.

He is in the light of truth.

If we walk in His light,

From sin He purifies.

If we repent of our sins,

He’ll forgive us now,

When we humble ourselves, and

Before Jesus bow.

The man who says, “I know Him,”

But does not obey His truth,

There is no truth in him.

In darkness still he’s found.

Do not love the world of sin,

For it is hell bound.

If you follow the world, you’ll

Not in Christ be found.

The world and its desires

Will not last; they’ll expire.

The one who does God’s will,

Receives eternal life.

See that what you have heard from

Christ remains in you.

Then, you’ll remain in Christ, and

In His Father, too.

This is what He promised us –

His eternal life with God.

So, continue in Him, and

You’ll receive a crown.

https://vimeo.com/114160122

Break the Yoke

Thursday, September 3, 2015, 12:35 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “My Jesus, I Love Thee.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Isaiah 8-9 (selected vv. NASB).

Our Sanctuary (8:11-14a)

For thus the Lord spoke to me with mighty power and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying,

“You are not to say, ‘It is a conspiracy!’

In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy,

And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it.

“It is the Lord of hosts whom you should regard as holy.

And He shall be your fear,

And He shall be your dread.

“Then He shall become a sanctuary…”

We, as followers of Jesus Christ, are not to walk in the ways of the people of this sinful world (See: Eph. 4:17; 5:15; Col. 3:5-10), but we are to walk (conduct our lives) according to (in agreement with) the Spirit of God (See: Ro. 6:4; Gal. 5:16, 25; Eph. 5:8). In fact, the Word of God teaches that if we say we are in fellowship with God, but we persist in conducting our lives according to the flesh, that we are liars, and we don’t live by the truth. As well, it teaches us that if we walk (conduct our lives) according to the flesh, we will die, but if by the Spirit we put to death the deeds of the flesh, we will live (See: Ro. 8:1-14). We, as followers of Jesus Christ, are called to be holy. To be holy means to be set apart (separate, unlike, different) from the world because we are becoming like Christ.

So, what is a conspiracy? It is generally considered some type of evil plan conspired by more than one person in secret and for the purpose to do others harm. There are, in reality, people within the world who are involved in conspiring evil against others, who are doing so in secret, and who cover-up their evil deeds by blaming others. If we discover this is going on, and God opens our eyes to these truths, and we find overwhelming evidence that a conspiracy does truly exist, and we expose it for what it is, we are not guilty of what this passage is referring to. What this is saying is that we are not to call something a conspiracy just because the people are generally calling it that. We shouldn’t just join in with what everyone else is saying, especially if we are doing so just to be accepted and liked. We need to use our God-given minds to exercise reason, to do the homework, and to see if there is any validity to what others are saying before we just chime in and go along with the crowd.

The main concern here seems to be that the people were listening to rumors, and that they were believing the rumors, and they were responding in fear. We should not fear even if a conspiracy turns out to be true, but we should always trust in the Lord. Yet, it seems to be implied here that the people were calling the course of conduct of some as a “conspiracy” when it clearly was not. Sometimes people call what is good evil just because they disagree with it, such as many who call themselves Christians are opposed to the gospel as taught by Jesus and by his apostles mainly because they don’t like the message, and they prefer something a little lighter and more pleasing to the ears and to the flesh. And, so they attack the true gospel, and they accuse its messengers of being judgmental, hatemongers, bigoted, extremists, disunifiers, and legalistic, etc. We are not to fear what they fear, for they fear putting their trust solely in God, and submitting to his will for their lives.

So, instead of fearing what they fear, and assigning blame to people and beliefs just because that is what everyone else is doing, or just because we don’t like the message, we are to fear God, i.e. we are to revere, respect, honor, and obey him, and submit to his Lordship over our lives. Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and self) and follow (obey) him. He said if we hold on to our old lives (of living for sin and self), we will die, but if we lose our lives (die to sin), we will gain eternal life. If we are walking in the fear of the Lord, we will not want to sin against God, but we will want to please our Lord in all that we do and say and are.

According to the Word (8:19-22)

When they say to you, “Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter,” should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn. They will pass through the land hard-pressed and famished, and it will turn out that when they are hungry, they will be enraged and curse their king and their God as they face upward. Then they will look to the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be driven away into darkness.

In today’s modern church there is much teaching being taught that is not biblical, and some or much that is directly opposed to the teachings of Christ and of his NT apostles. Mysticism has gained wide popularity in evangelical Christianity, particularly here in America. There is so much twisting of truth going on within the church, but which is being passed off as truth. Humanistic philosophy and pagan beliefs are being blended right in with biblical teaching to where it sounds like what is being taught is biblical when often it isn’t. The gospel has been diluted to make it more appealing to the flesh of humans, less judgmental, and more pleasing to the ears and to fleshly lifestyles. So many people are just believing what they hear in the church, which is being taught by preachers, just because it sounds good, but they are not checking out what they hear against the Word of God to see if it adds up.

Yet, if these preachers do not speak according to the Word as taught by Jesus, and as taught by his apostles (NT), and what they are teaching is in conflict with the Word, there is no light in what they teach. Yet, this is not speaking of someone whose theology might be a little off, but it is clear that this is speaking of false teachers who are leading the people astray by teaching what is from another spirit, not the Holy Spirit. They are not walking in the light, but they are still walking in darkness. They have no hope of salvation from sin, but all they have to look forward to is gloom, darkness and distress. Instead of Jesus Christ becoming a sanctuary for them, through faith in him, he becomes a stumbling block to them, because of their unbelief, and they are thus condemned to hell for eternity unless they put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of their lives.

A Great Light (9:1-4a)

But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.

The people who walk in darkness

Will see a great light;

Those who live in a dark land,

The light will shine on them.

You shall multiply the nation,

You shall increase their gladness;

They will be glad in Your presence

As with the gladness of harvest,

As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders,

The rod of their oppressor…

The good news in all of this is that no one has to remain in darkness and gloom. The Light, Jesus Christ, has shone in the darkness, and he has overcome the darkness. Amen! We don’t have to continue in sin. We don’t have to be slaves any longer to our flesh. Jesus died to set us free, not just from the penalty of sin (eternal damnation), but from bondage to and the control of sin over our lives. Amen! When Jesus died, our sins died with him. They were buried with him, and when he was resurrected from the dead, he rose victorious over sin, Satan, death and hell. Through faith in Jesus Christ we, too, are victors over sin. When we believe in Jesus Christ to be Savior of our lives, we die with Christ to sin, and we are resurrected with Christ to newness of life in him, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Now we are free to become servants of righteousness.

Jesus didn’t die just so we could escape hell and go to heaven when we die. He died to give us new lives in Christ, to be lived for his glory. He died to break that yoke of sin which once held us in its grip, and to free us as though we were being literally set free from prison. His grace, which brings salvation, is not free license to continue in sin without guilt or remorse. It is not grace if it still leaves us under the control of sin, is it? His grace teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions and desires and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we wait for Jesus’ return (See: Tit. 2:11-14). His grace leads us away from continuing in sin to following our Lord Jesus in obedience and in surrender to his will for our lives. His grace leads us away from following the pattern of this world, to following the example Jesus set for us in walking in the fear of God, and in obeying him in all things.

Yet, it is only because of what Jesus did for us in dying on the cross for our sins that we can be set free from sin and have eternal life with God. We can do nothing within ourselves to earn or to deserve such a great salvation. And, it is only through faith in him that we can receive this salvation, and have the hope of eternity with God. And, it is only by God’s grace and in the power and working of the Spirit of God within us that we can have the faith to believe and to walk according to the Spirit of God, and no longer persist in conducting our lives after our flesh. So, all glory belongs to God/Jesus, for what he has done in breaking that yoke of sin and in setting us free to now be servants of his righteousness. Amen!

My Jesus, I Love Thee

William R. Featherstone / Adoniram J. Gordon

My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine;

For thee all the follies of sin I resign. 

My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art thou;

If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now. 

I love thee because thou hast first loved me,

And purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree;

I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow;

If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now. 

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,

And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;

And say, when the death-dew lies cold on my brow,

If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ‘tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight;

I'll ever adore thee in heaven so bright;

I'll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;

If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now. 

Brokeness

Wednesday, September 2, 2015, 7:13 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song, “Unless You are Born Again.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Isaiah 6:1-10 (NASB).

Holy is The Lord (vv. 1-4)

In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said,

“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts,

The whole earth is full of His glory.”

And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.

The word “holy” means “apartness, separateness, sacredness.” With regard to God’s holiness, it carries with it the idea that he is like no other. He is high above all others. None can compare to him. He is absolutely perfect, without sin, and fully righteous in all that he does. He is our creator, and he holds all things together. He is absolutely sovereign (supreme in authority) over all that he created. He is all powerful, all knowing, and present everywhere all at the same time. So, he is to be honored, revered and esteemed above all others. We, as human beings, are to give him our full respect, obedience, and submission to his authority over our lives.

As well, he has called us to be holy, which means we are to be set apart from the world of sin because we are being conformed into the image of Christ. We, as his followers, are not supposed to be like the world, but we are supposed to be like Jesus in all that we are, and do and say. Yet, in today’s modern church, we have all but lost the fear of the Lord. So, many who profess his name have become all too casual and even disrespectful with regard to their relationships to God/Jesus, taking him and his grace to us for granted.

Woe is Me (vv. 5-7)

Then I said,

“Woe is me, for I am ruined!

Because I am a man of unclean lips,

And I live among a people of unclean lips;

For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.”

When we are presented with a holy God who humbled himself, took on human flesh, and was willing to die on a cross for our sins so that we could be set free, it should bring us to tears, and we should be broken and humble before him with regard to our sin, especially in contrast to his divine holiness and glory.

I can still remember the day when I was at camp. I was maybe 7 years old at the time. Our camp was right at Lake Erie in Ohio, so the pavilion sat on a hill overlooking the lake. The building was completely open, i.e. it had no walls, but it did have a roof. It had hard wooden benches for seats. It was in the heat of the summer. The preacher was preaching the gospel. The invitation was given to receive Jesus Christ. I sat in my seat and just wept over my sin, and I prayed for God to forgive me and cleanse me of my sin and to make me a new creature in Christ Jesus. I wanted to be his forever! And, the Lord heard my prayer, he forgave me of my sin, and he came into my life to live within me in the person of his Holy Spirit, and to lead and guide me in the way he wanted me to go from that day forward.

I didn’t become instantly perfect, though. The Christian life has been a life of growing in his grace, falling down sometimes, and him picking me back up and putting me back on the right path. Yet, he was and is always with me, always speaking his words tenderly to my heart, always showing me the right way to go, and always giving me all that I need to walk daily in his truth, to grow in his grace, and to mature in his love.

You see, this is the type of response the holiness and awesomeness of Almighty God should invoke in our lives. Now, I know that such a response can also be emotional only, and that true repentance might not possibly take place, so tears of sorrow over sin is not necessarily an indicator of true repentance. People can have emotional experiences which never stay with them, or which stay with them only a short while because genuine faith never took root. And, this is also not to say that if we lack this type of tearful response that we have not truly repented of our sins. Yet, what I am saying is that when we are presented with a holy God, as was Isaiah, that it should bring us to our knees in all humility before God, and we should acknowledge our sin to God and our need of him and of his salvation.

Jesus Christ died for our sins, not just so we could escape hell and have the promise of heaven when we die. He died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. This is the essence of the gospel of our salvation, for if we have not been crucified with Christ to sin, and we have not been resurrected with Christ to newness of life, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness,” then we have not truly been born again. We are not saved from our sins, but we are still dead in our sins and bound for hell. The old us has to die in order for the new us to come alive, yet this is not something that happens once, then we just live our lives, and then we go to heaven when we die. We must daily, by the Spirit, put to death the deeds of the flesh and conduct our lives according to the Spirit, and not according to the flesh. God’s grace, which brings salvation, teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions and desires, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s soon return (See: Tit. 2:11-14; Ro. 8:1-14; Eph. 4:24).

Send Me (vv. 8-10)

Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” He said, “Go, and tell this people:

‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive;

Keep on looking, but do not understand.’

“Render the hearts of this people insensitive,

Their ears dull,

And their eyes dim,

Otherwise they might see with their eyes,

Hear with their ears,

Understand with their hearts,

And return and be healed.”

When we have humbled ourselves before Almighty God in humility and in repentance, and he has forgiven us of our sins, and has given us new lives in Christ Jesus to be lived in his righteousness and holiness, all in the power and working of the Spirit within us, our Lord will show us what he has for us to be and to do. The Holy Spirit within us gives each one of us gifts of the Spirit, and God assigns each of us tasks (roles, parts) within the body of Christ which are ours to be and do.

When the Apostle Paul was transformed of the Spirit of God on his way to Damascus, he immediately was told what he was to do. He was to go to Jew and Gentile alike, and he was to open their blinded eyes, turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they could receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified through faith in Christ Jesus (See: Ac. 26:16-18). This, as well, is the essence of the gospel of our salvation. And, it is what we are all commissioned to do, i.e. to open blinded eyes and to turn them from sin to the light of God’s holiness. This is what it means to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth, and to make disciples of Christ of people of all nations. By our lives and by the words we speak we turn the hearts of people away from living for sin and self to living for God and for his will and his purposes.

Yet, not everyone will receive the message with joy. There will be those who will slam the door in our faces, who will reject us and the message, and who may even persecute and ridicule us, or even kill us for our testimonies of God’s saving grace in our lives. They will close their ears to the truth because the lies sound better, because the lies allow them to live however they want without the fear of the Lord in their lives, while still promising them heaven when they die. Yet, we must continue in the faith we have been taught by Jesus Christ and by his NT apostles, and we must continue to share the truth of the gospel so that many will be saved before Jesus Christ returns for his bride.

Unless You Are Born Again

An Original Work / November 3, 2013

Based off John 3:1-21

Nicodemus came to Jesus.

He acknowledged God was with Him.

Jesus said, “You can’t see heaven

Unless you are born again.”

“How can a man be born when he’s old?

Can he enter into his mother’s womb?”

Jesus answered, “Flesh is flesh,

So of the Spirit, you must be.”

Jesus said to Nicodemus,

“You’re a teacher, and yet you don’t

Understand of what I tell you,

Because you will not believe.

“For God so loved the world that He gave

His one and His only Son for your sin.

So, whoever believes in Him

Has eternal life in heav’n.

“Light has come into the world,

But human beings love the darkness,

Because their deeds are so evil,

So in truth, they stand condemned.

“Everyone who practices evil

Fears that the Light will expose his sin.

Yet, whoever lives his life by the Light

Does so through his God.”

https://vimeo.com/114686371

Broken and Contrite

5/13/12: I was praying and crying through some situations in my life, seeking the Lord’s wisdom, counsel and direction, and asking him to cleanse me of all impurities. This is when he gave me the words to this song, which expressed so well the prayer of my heart to him. I also read through all of Matthew 8, which recorded various situations where Jesus miraculously healed people. Matthew said that Jesus’ healing ministry was a fulfillment of the prophet Isaiah’s words concerning Jesus, as recorded in Isaiah 53:4a (quoting vv. 4-5 NIV ’84):

“Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”  4a: “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried” (NASB). Amen!

Broken and Contrite / An Original Work / May 13, 2012

I come before You, Lord, my Savior,

With humble heart and crushed in spirit.

I bow before You, I implore You,

Heal my broken heart, I pray.

Love You, Jesus, Lord, my master,

You are the King of my heart.

Lord, purify my heart within me;

Sanctify me, whole within.

Oh, Lord, I long to obey fully

The words You’ve spoken through Your Spirit.

I pray You give me grace and mercy,

Strength and wisdom to obey.

Father God, my heart’s desire,

Won’t You set my heart on fire?

Lord, cleanse my heart of all that hinders

My walk with You, now I pray.

Oh, Jesus, Savior, full of mercy,

My heart cries out for understanding.

I want to follow You in all ways,

Never straying from Your truth.

Holy Spirit, come in power,

Fill me with Your love today.

Lord, mold and make me;

Your hands formed me;

Live Your life through me, I pray.

https://vimeo.com/118841304

Changing Times

Tuesday, September 1, 2015, 8:30 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Why Are You Afraid?” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Isaiah 5 (selected vv. NASB).

His Vineyard (vv. 1-4)

Let me sing now for my well-beloved

A song of my beloved concerning His vineyard.

My well-beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill.

He dug it all around, removed its stones,

And planted it with the choicest vine.

And He built a tower in the middle of it

And also hewed out a wine vat in it;

Then He expected it to produce good grapes,

But it produced only worthless ones.

“And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,

Judge between Me and My vineyard.

“What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it?

Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones?

Jesus Christ, God the Son, came to earth, took on human form, suffered as we suffer and was tempted in like manner as we are tempted, yet without sin. He healed the sick, raised the dead, comforted the sorrowful, and he cast out demons. He confronted sin in sinful human beings, and called for us to deny self, die daily to sin, and to follow him in obedience. He said if we hold on to our old lives (of living for sin and self), we will die, but if we lose our lives (die daily to sin and self), we will live for eternity (See: Lu. 9:23-25).

There were those who loved him and who followed him, but many rejected and hated him, and eventually they had him put to death on a cross, although he had done no wrong. Yet, when he died our sins died with him. They were buried with him. And, when he was resurrected from the dead, he rose victorious over hell, Satan, sin and death. Yet, Jesus did not go through all of that just so we could escape hell or have the promise of heaven when we die. He died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; that we might no longer live for ourselves, but for him who gave himself up for us; and that we might no longer conduct our lives according to the ways of our sinful flesh, but that we might walk in the Spirit of God, living holy lives pleasing to God (1 Pet. 2:24; 2 Co. 5:15; Ro. 8:1-14).

Yet, the modern church in America has largely gone the way of the world, and has turned the church into big business, marketed just like any other business, utilizing human reasoning, logic, and scheming (tricks) in order to draw large crowds of people to become consumers of their new product-line. They focus much attention on entertainment and the “big show,” which they call a “worship service,” because that is where they draw in their large crowds. Book studies and movies have largely replaced Bible studies, some of which teach mysticism and false doctrines. And, the hymns, many of which were filled with the doctrines of the Christian faith, have largely been replaced with feel-good songs which stir human emotions, although there are many good spiritual songs out there, too.

They dilute the gospel message, as well, to make it more appealing, less offensive, and more acceptable to the world. They teach that God does not require that we repent of our sins or that we obey him, and they teach that if we pray a specific prayer that we are now guaranteed heaven, no matter how badly we sin from this point forward. Because so many within the church have bought into this watered-down gospel, much of the church here in America has become spiritually static, while largely just going through the motions of having a walk of faith in Jesus Christ. The purpose of this diluted gospel is to reduce pressure (conviction of sin), thus reducing the risk of the gospel having much impact on our lives (on our lifestyles). It is a false grace gospel which gives free license to continue in sin.

Hedge Removed (vv. 5-7)

“So now let Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard:

I will remove its hedge and it will be consumed;

I will break down its wall and it will become trampled ground.

“I will lay it waste;

It will not be pruned or hoed,

But briars and thorns will come up.

I will also charge the clouds to rain no rain on it.”

For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel

And the men of Judah His delightful plant.

Thus He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed;

For righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress.

In many scriptures in the New Testament the church is warned against such spiritual adultery as this, and against spiritual apathy, and she is commanded to turn from sin and to obey Christ’s commandments, and to live a life worthy of her calling. The church is also warned of divine judgment if she does not repent of (turn from) her sins and obey God (See: Rev. 2-3). I believe God is going to judge his adulterous church in these final days before his return, and the purpose of the judgment will be to revive her, to restore and to purify her; to get her ready for the consummation of her marriage relationship with Jesus Christ.

In order for this to happen, the Lord must remove the hedge of protection over her, and allow her to be trampled on by the nations (See: Rev. 11:2; 13:7). The church worldwide, though, is already being trampled on by the nations, and many have already lost their lives for their testimonies for Jesus Christ and for his gospel. This New World Order “Beast” has been going throughout the world overtaking nations and murdering innocents and followers of Christ for some time now. The church in America, though, has largely been protected from such persecution, so far, but it is coming to us, as well. We will not escape. Yet, the trampling that has taken place so far in America has largely been in the form of deception and getting the church to embrace a false grace gospel which requires no death to sin or living to righteousness. In other words, the church is being destroyed from within.

With regard to this New World Order “Beast,” they stage protests, uprisings, riots, bombings, terrorist attacks, etc., often playing both sides of the conflict, in order to create chaos so that they can come into a situation as “savior” to help resolve the conflicts or problems which they first created. This is not to say that none of these conflicts are real, or that people are not really getting hurt or killed. I believe some are, but some aren’t, and it has gotten to the point where it is really difficult to know the difference. The US government is a big part of this New World Order, in that it was instrumental in giving it birth, along with its political allies. The US government, thus, which is in partnership with the institutional church, is rotten to the core, fully corrupt and wicked, and responsible for much shedding of innocent blood worldwide. The complacent and apathetic church, which gives its worship to this government, is thus culpable for all this shedding of innocent blood, even that of those who follow Jesus Christ with their lives, and this is part of the reason we are being judged.

Darkness for Light (vv. 20-23)

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;

Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;

Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes

And clever in their own sight!

Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine

And valiant men in mixing strong drink,

Who justify the wicked for a bribe,

And take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!

I believe this woe applies to the adulterous church of today, in particular here in America, which has partnered with a wicked and evil government. This church leads its members in government worship via the pledge of allegiance (fidelity, loyalty) to the government, via patriotic songs sung in the church, via honoring our soldiers and veterans of war as heroes, and via believing the lies being spread through the government-controlled media, and by way of our politicians, concerning why we are in all these other countries, etc. By partnering with our government, they have allowed the government to take precedence over Jesus Christ as head of the church, in that they allow the government to dictate to them what they can and cannot say from the pulpit, and it is only going to get much worse. So many American Christians equate worship of God with this worship of country to the point to where if you try to imply that our government and military are not telling us the truth, some Christians will think of you as evil. So many are so blinded to the truth.

Pope Francis and Barack Obama are both strong voices for this New World Order in urging the church to be less judgmental and more accepting and welcoming of all people. Now, to some degree that message has good merit, because there are a lot of self-righteous hypocritical professing-only Christians who look down on people who commit certain sins, while their worship of God is in form only, and they aren’t going anywhere spiritually themselves. We should never treat others as though we think we are better or that they should be discarded as trash. We should love all people as God loved us, and we should be merciful, but as Jesus was merciful, i.e. he told people the truth about their sin, and he lovingly called them to repentance and to faith in himself, and he encouraged them with the hope of freedom from slavery to sin and of the wonderful awesomeness of a Spirit-filled life.

Showing mercy is never placating, accepting or condoning sin in sinful human beings in order to make them feel better. It is never kind to lie to people or to give them false hope. We should always tell people the truth about sin, hell and judgment, but to do so in love, and always to give them the hope of a life free from slavery to sin and eternal life with God. Yet, Obama and the Pope are preaching a social gospel which is inclusive of all people no matter their walks of life or whether they believe in the one and only true God or not. They want to do away with all that divides the people of this world, which means doing away with the gospel as taught by Jesus and his apostles, and thus doing away with the gospel’s messengers, too. They want to bring all people under the rule of this one-world government and one-world religion, and this is their mission. Pope Francis and President Obama have both inaugurated a scheme to reform the global church. And, this reform means out with the old and in with the new, but the new is of the beast, and it is directly opposed to Jesus Christ and his gospel.

God is calling out to his church to “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes” (Rev. 18:4-5). Yet, so many who call themselves Christians will not take the exit door. One of the reasons may be that they don’t want to have their own evil deeds brought into the light. One of the main reasons may also be that they are so deceived, and so blinded by all the lies, that they truly believe they are doing what is right by staying. Yet, leaving is not just physical. Leaving means a parting with all the lies and deceptions and being willing to have God open our eyes to the truth about our nation, and about our government, and about many of our leaders in the government and in the church. Some people really don’t want to know the truth. Yet, we have to stop looking only on the surface of things, and ask the Lord to show us what lies under all the masks. We have to ask him who is really in control of our government, and where we are headed as a nation, and as the people of this world, and as the church in these troubled times.

Yet, although we have our eyes opened to the truth, we should never be afraid of what is coming or of what humans may do to us, but we should continue in Christ and in sharing the truth of the gospel as long as we are able, until Jesus takes us home to be with him.

Why Are You Afraid? / An Original Work / December 5, 2013

Based off Various Scriptures

Do not be afraid.

Your Lord is always by your side.

Serve the Lord in righteousness

Before Him all your days.

Those who hate the light

Will not come to the Lord.

They fear their deeds

Might be noticed.

So, they hate the light,

And they embrace the night.

Do not be afraid,

Although your enemy attacks.

Dare to share your testimony

Of God’s saving grace.

Do not fear their threats,

But honor Christ, your Lord.

Be prepared to give an answer

For the hope you have,

With gentleness; respect.

Why are you afraid?

For all that’s hidden will be shown.

What I tell you, speak in daylight.

Let the truth be known.

Do not be afraid

Of those who’ll take your life.

Fear the Lord with understanding.

Trust Him with your life,

And give not up to strife.

Do not be afraid.

Take courage, it is I, your Lord.

Bow before Me; now adore Me.

Oh, why do you doubt?

Listen to the Lord.

Get up, and bear His name!

Run and tell the world He loves them.

Jesus came to save.

Give Him your all today.

https://vimeo.com/114668071

Faces Bear Witness

Monday, August 31, 2015, 8:11 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “What the Lord Says.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Isaiah 3:8-15 (NASB).

Spiritually speaking, I believe there are four distinct classifications of people in the world, which we can learn about by reading the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13. First there are those who don’t believe in Jesus Christ at all, and who have never made a profession of faith in Christ, some of whom have heard the gospel preached, and some who haven’t, but those who haven’t are still without excuse based on the teachings of Romans 1:18-32. Then, there are those who have made a profession of faith in Christ, but it is surface only. Their faith never really took root, i.e. there is no transformation of the Spirit of God present in their lives but only a shallow declaration of faith which has little foundation in the teachings of the gospel in scripture, so they, as well, are not true believers in Jesus Christ.

Then, there are those who genuinely believed in Jesus Christ as Lord and as Savior of their lives. They were transformed of the Spirit of God in spiritual birth, they were crucified with Christ to sin, and were resurrected with Christ to new lives in Christ Jesus, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24). Yet, at some time in their spiritual walks, they drifted away from their pure devotion to Jesus Christ, and they got caught up in the ways of the world again, and so they became unfruitful in their Christian lives, and they are thus in need of revival via repentance and renewed faith in Jesus Christ as their only Lord. And, lastly, there are those who are walking in faithful obedience to their Lord, though not necessarily in sinless perfection. These are those who conduct their lives according to the Spirit of God, and are no longer living their lives to please their sinful flesh. They are bearing fruit for the kingdom of heaven in their own lives and in the lives of others.  

They Have Fallen (vv. 8-9)

For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen,

Because their speech and their actions are against the Lord,

To rebel against His glorious presence.

The expression of their faces bears witness against them,

And they display their sin like Sodom;

They do not even conceal it.

Woe to them!

For they have brought evil on themselves.

Jerusalem today is heavenly Jerusalem, the church, the body of Christ, so today this would be speaking of particular believers in Jesus Christ who have fallen back into sin, and have forsaken their first love. Although they once were committed to following their Lord in faithful obedience, they have since been deceived by the trappings of the world, and have drifted away from their pure devotion to Christ. Although they are in genuine relationship with Jesus Christ, the words they sometimes speak, and the actions they sometimes take are against the Lord, and are against his divine will and purposes for their lives.

As well, this sin of theirs is willful rebellion against God, i.e. they knowingly and willfully are going against what they know is wrong. Some will conceal their behavior via lies and deception, while others seem to have no shame at all, and openly display their rebellion against God. Yet, even if they attempt to conceal their sin, their faces (countenance) witness against them. Yet, we must be careful here that we don’t misjudge people merely on the basis of countenance. We could be wrong. Yet, many who are habitual sinners, in particular, although they try to hide their sin, reveal what they are doing through their faces, and those who know them well can usually tell when they are not telling the truth.

Well With Them (v. 10)

Say to the righteous that it will go well with them,

For they will eat the fruit of their actions.

The righteous in this context, I believe, is speaking of those who live righteously before God, and who are not merely righteous positionally through faith in Jesus Christ. Yet, I don’t believe this is a promise of health, wealth and prosperity. When we read about the life of Jesus, and we read the writings of his NT apostles, we soon learn that the faithful are not promised loss of hardship, or of tribulation, persecution, and trials, etc. In fact, we are taught that we are destined for them, and that we can expect to be hated, persecuted, abandoned, mistreated, beaten and even killed for our faith and testimonies for Jesus Christ. Yet, we have the promise and the hope of God’s spiritual protection over our lives, of his continued presence with us, and of his unending love, grace, mercy, help, comfort, strength and encouragement to help us in our time of need, to get us through these difficult times, and to bring us safely into his heavenly kingdom. What will go well for us is that we will bear spiritual fruit (outgrowth, produce) for God’s eternal kingdom, both in our own lives, and then in the lives of others whose lives have been touched by ours.

Those Who Guide You (vv. 11-15)

Woe to the wicked! It will go badly with him,

For what he deserves will be done to him.

O My people! Their oppressors are children,

And women rule over them.

O My people! Those who guide you lead you astray

And confuse the direction of your paths.

The Lord arises to contend,

And stands to judge the people.

The Lord enters into judgment with the elders and princes of His people,

“It is you who have devoured the vineyard;

The plunder of the poor is in your houses.

“What do you mean by crushing My people

And grinding the face of the poor?”

Declares the Lord God of hosts.

The reason so many believers in Christ have fallen into sin, and have remained there, or the reason there are so many false confessions of faith in Jesus Christ, I believe, is the shortage of spiritually mature male leaders in our churches. So many leaders have fallen prey to the lies of Satan and have gone off to follow humans and humanistic philosophy and marketing schemes and even mysticism and myths instead of following Jesus Christ and his word. And, a large reason so many of them have become so vulnerable to following these lies, I believe, is perhaps to ease their own consciences, because so many of them have fallen into serious sin and have become entangled by it all over again. For instance, there is an alarming number of pastors, particularly here in America, who are addicted to pornography and/or who have engaged themselves in some type of extramarital relationships.

Yet, it isn’t just that leadership is spiritually absent, or that they have fallen into sin themselves, but that they are leading their people in the wrong direction. So many church leaders have ceased to even speak of sin or judgment, and many are teaching that repentance and obedience to Christ are not required by God. They distort the character of God to fit their own lifestyles, and so they have no fear of God anymore. They also teach that God is pleased with us no matter what we do, even if we are steeped in sin, and in fact, that he smiles upon us even when we are willfully sinning against him. They teach that all you have to do is pray a prayer to “receive” Jesus Christ, and that once you pray that prayer you are now saved and guaranteed eternal life, no matter how badly you sin from this point on. Their gospel is more like a free license for lasciviousness as it requires no death to sin, no obedience to God’s commands (his word), and no fear of the Lord.

Yet, if we read the words of Jesus Christ, and those of his NT apostles, we will learn that to believe in Jesus Christ means that we die with Christ to sin, and that we are resurrected with Christ to new lives in him, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24; 1 Pet. 2:24). It means we no longer live to please ourselves, but we live to please our Lord who gave his life up for us so we could be set free from slavery to sin (2 Co. 5:15). It means we no longer conduct our lives according to our sinful flesh, but we now live our lives according to (in agreement with and in the power of) the Spirit of God (Ro. 8:1-14). It also means if we say we have fellowship with God, but we persist in conducting our lives according to our sinful flesh, that we are liars. It means, too, that if we continue in walking in agreement with our flesh, we will die, but if by the Spirit we put to death the deeds of the flesh, we will live. Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.

So, we need to stop trusting in humans and what many of them are teaching us, and we need to start exercising spiritual discernment in testing everything we hear against the gospel of Jesus Christ as he taught it, and as his apostles taught it. Not everyone who professes the name of Jesus Christ is genuinely saved. Though I believe scripture indicates that Christians can still sin, and that Christians can even fall for deception, forsake their Lord, tolerate false teaching, drift away from their pure devotion to their Lord, become spiritually apathetic and worldly, and have need to repent and to be spiritually revived, this should never serve as security to those who willfully continue in sin after having made a profession of Christ as Savior of their lives, for scripture also teaches that if we persist in living for our flesh, and not for the Lord, that we will die, and we don’t have eternal life. We should never take lightly what Jesus Christ did in dying on the cross for our sins, or think God no longer cares if we sin or not. He cares! And, he disciplines those he loves.

So, instead of walking in your own flesh, walk in freedom from slavery to sin. Instead of following after lies, follow what’s true. Instead of doing what you know is wrong, choose to do what is right. Instead of living in defeat, walk in victory. Instead of trusting in the words of humans, test what you hear, know what God’s word teaches, and put your trust in the Lord and in his word. Instead of caving into peer pressure, or falling prey to discouragement when trials come your way to test your faith, rest in the Lord, look to him for your help, and stop looking to humans to save you. And, instead of giving up in defeat when humans persecute you or when they abandon you, keep pressing on in the strength the Lord gives you, don’t fear what humans may do to you, and know God will carry you through.

What the Lord Says / An Original Work

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

This is what the Lord says to you:

Fear not, for I have chosen you.

I have summoned you by your name.

You are mine. I died, you to save.

When you go through your trials, so deep,

I will be with you; you will not sink.

You are so precious always to me.

Trust in your Lord, Savior and King.

This is what the Lord says to you:

He who gave salvation to you;

Who delivered you from your sin;

Takes your burdens now upon Him:

Forget the former things of your life.

Give of your heart not now up to strife.

See all the new things I have for you.

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

This is what the Lord says to you:

He who made you; who will help you:

Do not fear what humans may do.

Walk in freedom. Follow what’s true.

Drink of my Spirit given for you.

Trust in my mercy, for I love you.

I have a plan for all of your life.

Follow my ways. Do what is right.

https://vimeo.com/87634334