Sheep among Wolves

Thursday, February 21, 2013, 6:30 a.m. – the Lord Jesus woke me with the song “My Sheep” playing in my mind. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Matthew 10 (quoting selected verses in the NIV 1984):

He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness… These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “… As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give…

“If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

“Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another…

“A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household!

“So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

“Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn

“‘a man against his father,

    a daughter against her mother,

a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—

    a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

“He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me... And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”

The Kingdom of Heaven

John the Baptist was sent by God to prepare the way for the Lord Jesus and his earthly ministry, i.e. to prepare people’s hearts for the Lord by preaching and baptizing for repentance. He preached “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” Jesus began his preaching ministry with the message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” And, Jesus told his disciples to go to the lost sheep of Israel and to preach, “The kingdom of heaven is near.”

The kingdom of heaven entails many things, yet Jesus was the embodiment of that kingdom. The kingdom is Jesus, it is his life, ministry, death, resurrection, his salvation provided for mankind, the gospel of Jesus Christ, the church – the body of Christ, eternal life with God, Jesus’ return to earth one day and his millennial reign here on the earth as King of kings and Lord of lords. So, John, Jesus and the disciples all preached that the Messiah was near, their salvation was near, and that life in Jesus Christ, their God, was near to the people and so was Jesus’ kingdom (a heavenly and spiritual kingdom, not of men).

Opposition and Apathy

So, when the disciples went out, they were to preach not just these literal words, but the reality of what is behind these words, I believe, i.e. they were to call the people to repent of their sins and to turn to faith in Jesus Christ as their Messiah and Lord, and they were to call the people to follow the Lord Jesus in obedience and in surrender to his will for their lives. Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and self) and follow (obey) him (see Matt. 10:38; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23-25; Jn. 10:27).

They were to preach what Jesus taught them: that anyone who loved his family members more than Jesus was not worthy of Jesus, and that anyone who did not take his cross (die to self and sin) and follow Jesus in going wherever he led them, and in doing whatever he commanded them to do, is not worthy of Jesus. And, they were to teach, I believe, that anyone who holds on to his own life (self-will and sin) will lose it for eternity, but anyone who willingly gives up his or her life of self and sin for Jesus Christ and his gospel will find it.

So, not everyone welcomed this message. Not everyone wanted to lay everything down to follow Jesus Christ – to turn from self and sin, to die to their ways of living their own lives the way they choose, and to risk being hated, rejected, despised, and ostracized by their friends, family and fellow citizens (and in this case fellow Jews). Not everyone just jumped at the chance of being arrested on false charges and brought before governors and kings for their testimony for Jesus Christ. Not all, I’m sure, were thrilled with the idea that their brothers and sisters would hate them, betray them, and persecute them - some to the death. And, I’m quite sure they were not all delighted with the notion that they may even be accused of being of Satan, such as Jesus was.

So, Jesus prepared his disciples for possible or likely rejection of the message they were given to give to the people, and he obviously prepared them for possible or likely very strong opposition to the true gospel of Jesus Christ. He said he was sending them out like sheep among wolves. That should give us a vivid picture of what it is like when we go out with the true gospel among people who may strongly oppose it, and who may vigorously fight against us. And, the strongest opponents of all may be among our own family members, our friends, acquaintances and in particular among “the lost sheep of Israel,” i.e. within the walls of the institutional church, and even among its leadership. Not many are preaching such a gospel these days, because it doesn’t “sell” well. And, it certainly does not draw in large crowds of people or make the people feel like church is a fun place to be.

Shake the Dust

So, what do we do when we preach the true gospel of Jesus Christ, i.e. which includes the Biblical truth that repentance (turning away from sin and toward Christ) and obedience to Christ (following him) and his commands are necessary components of believing faith, as Jesus taught his disciples, and as required for salvation (see Luke 9:23-25; Eph. 4:17-24), and then people reject the message? Or they hate us, persecute us, falsely accuse us, arrest us and/or bring us to trial?

Jesus said that if they reject our message (the true message of the gospel) that we are to shake the dust off our feet and leave. Basically, this means that we shouldn’t keep on trying to force the truth where it is not welcome, but we should just leave. He said when we are persecuted in one place, we should flee to another. Now, I believe that just because we face persecution, it does not mean we should give up, or just because we face it from a few, that we should desert all. I believe this is focused on specific locations or groups of people where the leadership or where the majority have rejected the message and have stopped up their ears and have refused to listen any longer. We should not beat a dead horse to death, but we should move on to someplace else. This calls for wisdom and discernment.

We should also not be afraid of these possibilities but should guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, taking every thought captive and making it obedient to Christ, and we should daily put on the full armor of God with which to fight against Satan’s evil schemes against us. We should not worry about what is going to happen to us or what we will say when the time comes, but we should entrust our lives into our Lord’s capable hands, and believe that he will give us the strength, help, power, wisdom and words when they are needed. Jesus said that one day the truth will all come out and that everything that is disclosed now will come out into the open, so what he speaks to us, we are to speak to others per his instructions, and we are not to fear the people’s response. God is in control of all! He who stands firm to the end will be saved, Jesus said.

My Sheep / An Original Work / June 24, 2012

Based off John 10:1-18 NIV

My sheep hear me. They know me.

They listen to my voice and obey.

I call them and lead them.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

They will never follow strangers.

They will run away from them.

The voice of a stranger they know not;

They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that

I am the gate, so you enter in.

Whoever does enter

Will find forgiveness and will be saved.

Nonetheless whoever enters

Not by the gate; other way,

He is the thief and a robber.

Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,

Who laid his own life down for the sheep.

I know them. They know me.

They will live with me eternally.

The thief only comes to steal and

Kill and to destroy the church.

I have come to give you life that

You may have it to the full.

http://originalworks.info/my-sheep/

The Severed Fingers

Tuesday, February 19, 2013, 9:57 p.m. – I woke up from sleep. I had to go to the bathroom. I was cold, and I didn’t want to get out from underneath the warm blankets. Then, I had a vision:

I saw a human hand. It was the left hand. The thumb was pointing straight up, and the fingers were all pointing left (or west). The thumb was intact, but the index finger (or the forefinger), the middle finger, and the ring finger were all severed at the ends, and the baby finger was completely missing. The forefinger (or index finger, pointer finger, or trigger finger) had had a large ring on it of some kind, but it was severed from the finger when the end of the finger was severed, it appeared. It was dark at the ends of these fingers where the ends had been severed (cut off) from the hand. END

Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I had just finished reading Matthew 7 in the morning, so Matthew 8 was next. I glanced at the subject matter of the next several chapters, and I wondered how this vision would fit with what was going on in this next chapter or any after that. Then, I began to prayerfully read Matthew 8, and when I got to vv. 11-12, I stopped. I believed that somehow the vision fit with these two verses:

“I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Hand and Fingers

I researched the names of the individual fingers and then I looked at why some people thought they were named what they were and saw that some people had associated some of the fingers with names of Greek gods. Then, I wanted to know the significance of a ring on the forefinger, so I looked that up. One site suggested that a ring on the forefinger symbolized power and authority. Another site said that kings and priests wore rings on their forefingers, because they thought that the forefinger represented power and authority.

Not counting the thumb as a finger, I wanted to know the significance of the ends of the fingers, for the first three fingers were just severed at the ends, though maybe 1/3 of the way in on the finger from the tip. Only the baby finger was completely severed. A finger is a member or a limb. To finger someone means to inform on or point to. It can also mean to manipulate and to toy with. The fingers were severed or cut off. To sever can mean to break off a relationship; or to separate people apart (Encarta). A hand can be “a sign of agreement or acceptance, especially of an offer of marriage,” (Encarta), so this can be a severing of some kind of agreement or offer of marriage. That would definitely fit with v. 12 (above), as Jesus has made the offer of marriage to all, but those who refused his offer will be cut off and thrown into utter darkness at the end of the age.

I also wanted to know the significance of the thumb, especially since it remained intact. I read some dictionary definitions on thumb, but what stood out to me is when I read the phrase “under somebody’s thumb,” i.e. under the influence and control of somebody. The way the hand was positioned in the vision, the fingers were all underneath the thumb, so the thumb must represent some type of control under which all these fingers fall. Ultimately, we are all under God’s control, and the thumb was aimed upward, so perhaps this is speaking of God’s control, which is completely intact, and that the hand and fingers represent the world and the people of the world, who are all underneath God’s control, which fits with the song “Above All,” which was the song in my head as I awoke, and which states that God is above all powers, kings, kingdoms, thrones and the ways of man.

The Word

Verse 11 speaks of many coming from the east and west and taking their places in the kingdom. Evidently this is depicting people from all over the world coming to faith in Jesus Christ who will be part of God’s eternal kingdom in glory, represented by the hand and the fingers. Yet, the fingers appear to not only represent those already in the kingdom by faith, but also those to whom the invitation has been extended, as those who refused the invitation were severed, and many of those were kings and/or priests. So, that would definitely make the thumb representing God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Verse 12 speaks of the subjects of the kingdom being thrown out into the darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is represented, I believe, by these fingers being partially severed or completely severed from the hand (the kingdom of God). In Jesus’ day, this would have been speaking of the Jews who were God’s kingdom people, but who refused to believe in Jesus Christ as their Messiah, and thus they were cut off because of unbelief, but they can be grafted back in by faith in Jesus Christ while there is time.

Today I believe this speaks either of the whole world to whom God has extended the invitation to come to faith in Jesus Christ, or else it speaks of those who expect to be a part of God’s eternal kingdom, i.e. those who call themselves Christians, but who have refused the true gospel of Jesus Christ, have not repented of their sins, and who have refused to obey Jesus Christ. They will be cut off from the offer of marriage to Jesus Christ due to unbelief. Those who have refused to accept Jesus Christ’s invitation to come by faith to him and to salvation will be shut out from heaven’s light, and they will no longer have the opportunity to experience the love, peace, joy and hope found in Jesus Christ, which is why there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

It struck me that the fingers were facing (pointing toward the) west, and that three of the fingers, one of which represented kings and priests, it appears, had the west ends of them cut off. Since I live in the west, i.e. in America, this could be speaking of judgment against our nation and against the Laodicean-type church here in America which is lukewarm and is thus about ready to be spit out of God’s mouth. I will commit this matter to prayer. Yet, I do know that the Lord is showing me this separation of the wicked from the righteous in judgment at the end of time as we know it, yet he is also showing me that many will be in God’s kingdom and will enjoy the blessings and enjoyments of heaven for eternity. Amen!

Parallel Scriptures

In Matthew 13 we read the parable of the weeds, which Jesus thus explained. The one who sowed the good seed is Jesus Christ, the field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds, he stated, “are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil.” Both the good seed and the weeds will grow together until the harvest, at which time God will “weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil,” which is what I believe is represented here by this severing of parts of 3 fingers and the complete severing of the 4^th finger.

In Matthew 22 we read the parable of the wedding banquet. There was a man there not wearing wedding clothes, i.e. he was not a true believer in Jesus Christ. Though he had been invited, he did not wear the appropriate attire which he must have known to wear, i.e. he knew the truth of the gospel, yet he refused it. He, too, was thrown into the darkness.

In Matthew 24 we read about the wicked servant who felt as though he could do as he pleased since his master was taking so long to return, symbolizing Jesus as the master and the fact that he has not yet returned for his bride, but he will most certainly. That servant would be cut to pieces, much like these fingers were in my vision, and he would be assigned a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

In Matthew 25 we read a parable about talents given to three servants. Two increased their talents, but one buried his. He was called a wicked and lazy servant. His one talent was taken away from him and given to the one with the ten talents. Then, the master ordered the worthless servant to be thrown outside, “into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

And, in Luke 13 we read about the narrow door to heaven. Jesus said that we should make every effort to enter through the narrow door. We just read about the narrow (restrictive) road that leads to heaven in Matthew 7. Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny (disallow) himself (his selfish will), 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 sin we will lose them for eternity, but if we willingly die to our old lives of sin, we will have eternal life with God. Not many are teaching this today in America. This is the narrow gate, and it is the narrow path to heaven. Yet, many will have the door shut in their faces because they just played “Christian” but they never really ever repented of their sins and made a commitment to walk in obedience to our Lord by God’s grace and in his strength and power within them. They, too, will be thrown out into utter darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus Christ died on the cross, taking the sins of the entire world upon him so we could be free, not only from the ultimate penalty of sin (eternal damnation, i.e. being cut off from the kingdom and thrown out into utter darkness), but he died so we would be free from slavery to sin on a daily basis, and so we could walk in fellowship and obedience to him, because of what he did for us in dying for our sins and in being resurrected back to life in conquering death, hell, Satan and sin. Won’t you give him your life today, while you still have time?

These Words

Tuesday, February 19, 2013, 8:18 a.m. – the Lord Jesus woke me with this song:

Just a Closer Walk with Thee / Unknown

I am weak, but Thou art strong,

Jesus, keep me from all wrong,

I’ll be satisfied as long

As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.

Through this world of toil and snares,

If I falter, Lord, who cares?

Who with me my burden shares?

None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.

Just a closer walk with Thee,

Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,

Daily walking close to Thee,

Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Matthew 7 (quoting vv. 24-29 NIV 1984):

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

What Words?

Jesus was probably referring to these specific words he had just spoken in what is commonly referred to as “The Sermon on the Mount.” Yet, I believe we can take this to include all instructional words Jesus spoke (all God-breathed words in scripture) for the edification, encouragement and strengthening of Jesus’ followers. Yet, what are these words he had just spoken?

He had just spoken words of blessing on those who are humble, contrite, repentant, submissive, mournful over all sin, thoughtful, kind, generous, forgiving, and restoring, who hunger and thirst after righteousness, who are merciful and compassionate, who are pure (honest; sincere) in heart, who lead others to peace with Jesus Christ (with God), and who are persecuted for the kingdom of God because of their testimony for Jesus Christ.

He had just expressed the importance of being effective in this world of ours in our testimony for Jesus Christ both by how we live our lives, and by our words. If we are hiding our lights (of the gospel) and we are not sharing our faith, and/or if we are not living what we profess, then we are not very effective for God’s kingdom work.

He also communicated how all the law and the prophets pointed to Jesus Christ, so he is, thus, the fulfillment of all that was written in the Old Testament, some of which is yet to be fulfilled. So, we are not done with the Old Testament, for it still speaks God’s truths to our hearts, yet all must now be interpreted through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and his ultimate purpose in coming to earth to save us from our sins.

He addressed the issue of how some Biblical truths were being taught on a surface level only, or of how what was being taught was not a complete picture of the underlying principles behind the laws, such as he taught how we murder others when we hold on to hate, resentment, bitterness and unforgiveness (anger) against them in our hearts, and how we commit adultery when we lust (longingly) after another person who is not right for us to have, whether the lust is emotional only or is sexual in nature.

He, as well, discoursed on how we need to not be hypocritical by doing our “righteous acts” before men so that we can receive their praise, such as not announcing our giving to the needy, not praying in public for the purpose of being seen of men, not pontificating in our speech or in our prayers in order to sound spiritual, and not being showy about our fasting for the goal that others will be impressed. And, then he gave us the model for how we should pray (in what manner we should pray) – see Matt. 6:9-14.

He told of the importance of not stock piling a whole bunch of worldly and earthly stuff, which is not exclusive just to material possessions, but can include attitudes, behaviors, ways of thinking and believing, cultural norms, religious practices and traditions, et al, but that we should be stock piling what will have eternal value, such as love, kindness, generosity, obedience, holiness, godliness, surrender to God, tenderness, compassion, and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ so that others can come to know him, too.

He declared our need to stop worrying about everything, but to put our hope and trust in him for all things. If he can take care of the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, can’t he take care of us? Life is more important than all these things, and we cannot add a single hour to our lives by worrying, and in fact, we will probably cut our lives short. God knows all we need, and he will take care of us. We just need to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and he will provide all that we need to live this life on the earth.

He preached against hypocritical judging of others, i.e. if we look down on others, we reject or condemn them, and/or we try to correct them when we have much bigger sin issues in our own lives, hearts and minds with which we have not dealt at the cross of Christ. We should first repent of our own sins and make sure we are not giving way to sin in our own lives before we try to help others get rid of sin issues in their own lives (cf. Gal. 6:1).

He cautioned against sharing our pearls – the gospel, the words of Christ/God, and the pearls of godly wisdom, knowledge and understanding with those who have previously treated our pearls with disdain, rejection, scorn, hardened hearts, et al, lest they take what we share with them, and like vicious dogs chew us up one side and down the other.

He encouraged us that the treasures we have in Christ, such as righteousness, humility, purity, love, obedience, repentance, and the ability to act upon all that we have just heard, etc., is available to us for the asking. Jesus will not ask us to do anything but what he will give us all that we need to accomplish what he desires for our lives. Yet, we have to seek his face, we have to spend time on our knees in prayer, we have to listen to what he says, and we have to do what he shows us, and he will give us all we need to do all of that, too.

He exhorted us to understand that the Christian life is not the broad and wide road to heaven that many say that it is, but that it is narrow and restrictive, and few find it. The wide gate is inviting and accommodating so that more people will want to travel it, yet it is deceptive in that it does not teach the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The broad road says you don’t have to repent (turn from your sins) and you don’t have to obey Christ as a requirement for salvation, and God is pleased with you no matter what you do, so come and have fun. The narrow road says that if you want to come after Christ, you have to die to your old life of sin, you have to die daily, in fact, to self and to sin, and you have to follow Jesus in obedience and surrender to his will for your life. This path will involve much opposition, rejection and persecution, but it is the only one that leads to heaven.

He warned us, too, against those false teachers of the gospel who are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They may have the appearance of being one of the sheep, i.e. they may try to make us believe they are one of us, and they may say all the right words in all the right ways, or seemingly so, yet they don’t teach the narrow way, i.e. they teach this false gospel that does not slay the sinner but that entertains him, as Tozer so eloquently put it. Jesus said we need to be discerning here by looking at all that these teachers say and do (their fruit), praying that the Lord Jesus will show us what is true and what is false, so we are not prey for their deception.

And, he strongly and emphatically expressed the reality that not everyone who thinks he is a Christian really is one, and that one day we will all have to stand before our Maker and to give an account for what we did with Jesus, with his words, and with the true gospel. Just because we say the right words and go through the seemingly correct motions, does not guarantee us eternity with God in heaven. We must come to Jesus Christ in genuine faith via his loving grace he provided for us through his death on the cross and through his resurrection, and we must turn from our sins, allow his Holy Spirit to change us into a completely new person, and then we must walk in obedience and surrender to our Lord.

Therefore

Jesus wants us to not just be hearers of the word only, but to be doers of the word. James put it this way (James 1:22-25):

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

Jesus said that if we put these words of his words in practice, we are wise, because we have built our house (lives) on a solid foundation (Jesus Christ). When the storms of life come crashing in, and/or when judgment falls, we will not fall, because our foundation is on the Rock, Jesus Christ, because we put his words in practice with all the strength and power of his Spirit working within us to do the will of God in our lives.

Yet, if we think that just saying words, or just going through the motions of religious practice or good deeds will get us to heaven, think again. We are saved by grace, through faith, and this is not of anything we can do to earn or to deserve our salvation, for it is a gift from God. Yet, it does not come without cost to us. We must leave our lives of sin behind us, and we must be transformed into completely new creatures in Christ Jesus, and we must follow him in obedience (not perfection) and surrender to his will for our lives if we want to survive in his judgment, and if we want to spend eternity with him in heaven.

But I Say

Monday, February 18, 2013, 6:50 a.m. – the Lord Jesus woke me with the song “My Sheep” playing in my mind. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Matthew 5:21-6:24 (quoting Matt. 6:19-21):

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

You have heard…

Jesus began a series, as recorded in Matthew 5, of “You have heard it was said” or “It has been said,” and then he added, “But I say.” Most of these matters they had heard were Biblical teachings from the Old Testament, though some were not. So, most were true, i.e. it is true that we should not murder, and it is true that we should not commit adultery. So, in these cases, in particular, Jesus was not saying that what they had heard was wrong, but that it was incomplete. There was more to the story. It wasn’t that their understanding was completely faulty, but that it was missing some key elements.

For instance, it is true that we should not murder. Yet, that is not the whole truth of the matter, for all acting out of sin first begins in our hearts and minds and attitudes, and even the entertaining of the sin in our minds is sin itself. If we are willfully angry with another person, i.e. not speaking of the initial emotion of anger, for scripture teaches to be angry and sin not, but if we entertain anger, bitterness, rage, spite, and vindictiveness in our minds and hearts, and/or if we choose to hold on to these feelings and we refuse to forgive another for wrong (or perceived wrong) against us, then Jesus says it is the same as murder.

In the same respect, it is true that it is wrong to commit adultery. Yet, Jesus goes beyond just the physical act of stealing another’s spouse, and/or engaging in actual physical (sexual) relationships with another with whom we are not married, but he deals with the issue as one of moral purity, such as the impurity that begins when a person (man or woman) looks on another (opposite or same sex) with lust (desire; longing; hunger; hankering and/or covetousness) in his or her heart and mind, desiring something or someone which or who is not his or hers to have. And, lust (and adultery) can take many forms. God/Jesus often spoke of the church being adulterous toward her Lord when she followed after other lovers (other gods of this world).

In the same respect, adultery can be emotional as well as sexual, as well as it can be in the mind and heart only, or it can be acted out, too. When we give our hearts, minds, affection, passion and desire to another with whom we are not married in a manner that should be reserved only for the spousal relationship, and especially if that affection and/or desire should cause us to withdraw emotionally and/or physically from the one to whom we are betrothed, whether to our Lord or to our husband or wife, and we begin moving the affection, attention and passion rightfully belonging to our beloved to another, then we have committed adultery in our hearts, i.e. we have sinned.

Jesus’ remedy for sin seems a bit drastic (see Matt. 5:29-30), but I think it makes a strong and necessary point, which the writer of Hebrews reiterates (see Heb. 12:1-3). If there is something in our lives that is leading us down a path of sin, we need to get rid of it. We need to crush it, destroy it, eradicate it, put it to death, and throw it away to where it cannot be retrieved, just as we would unload a heavy burden that is weighing us down and is keeping us from being able to run a race. We can’t fight off the temptation to lust, for instance, if we are continually feeding that animal within us. We must rid our lives of all hindrances to our walk of faith, and this is radical, but this is what Jesus called for. We can’t play with this. And, we must then focus our time, attention, affections and desires and passions on our true love, Jesus Christ.

Treasures on Earth

I think when we read this passage (Matt. 6:19-24) about not storing up treasures on this earth, that we naturally think of material possessions and/or money. Yet, the Lord gave me a “But I Say” to go along with this passage today, i.e. he gave me a more complete understanding of what all this entails, which follows with the line of thinking above, and which also goes along with the song he gave me in my mind this morning, which is based off John 10, and is about Jesus and his sheep.

Our treasures can include our material possessions and our bank accounts, but they may also include pride, lust, sinful practices, wrong attitudes, unforgiveness towards others, our religious traditions and practices, our cultural philosophies and leanings, our political affiliations, our careers, families, control of our own lives and destiny and/or our belief systems based upon what we were taught, what we are willing to accept, and/or what makes us the most comfortable. Some of these things, in and of themselves, are not sinful, but many are, i.e. it is ok to have earthly possessions. The issue, I believe, goes back to the heart, and is a matter of priorities, “adultery,” and idolatry.

Jesus said that we are not to “store up” treasures on the earth, because they are all going to pass away and they can easily be taken from us, i.e. they are temporary and they have no real eternal value. Yet, to a certain degree some of them are necessary, but many are not, and many are actually harmful to us and to our relationship with Jesus Christ. So, we should not store them up, i.e. we should not stock pile a bunch of things that are from this earth that not only are perishable, but they have no eternal value.

In other words, the things of this world and this earthly life of ours should not be our primary focus of our time, thoughts, attention, affections and expenditures, and/or passions and desires. We should not lust after the things of this world or of our earthly lives. Rather, we should focus our time, attention, talents, gifts, resources, affections, passions, and desires on what will last for eternity, i.e. our personal relationships with Jesus Christ, listening to what he says, following him wherever he leads us, loving others with his love, and in sharing the true gospel of Jesus Christ to as many as possible so that they can have eternal life, too.

Religious Treasures

“You have heard it said… but I say…”

The Lord Jesus gave me a picture this morning of how some of what we have been taught can be a treasure to us, which we hold on to (store up), but that has little to no eternal value because it is based upon faulty thinking and/or incomplete understanding of Biblical truth. My husband, though probably not original with him, once dubbed these as our “sacred cows.” These include religious traditions and practices, things we have always been taught, and cultural leanings and etiquettes, etc. that we “treasure” and that may be true, to some extent, but that are incomplete, though some may not be true at all.

Jesus said, as recorded in John 10, that his sheep hear his voice, they listen, they know him and his voice, and they follow (obey) him. They will never follow strangers. They will, in fact, run away from them. They go in through the gate, Jesus Christ, and they find forgiveness and they are saved, (and they are being saved, and they will be saved). Jesus laid his own life down for his sheep. He knows them. He gives them life to the full, and they will live with him eternally. Yet, there are those who are thieves and robbers who come into gatherings of the church by another way, and their goal is to destroy the church. They teach incomplete truths on purpose, i.e. half-truths, i.e. deceptions (lies) in order to lead the sheep astray. To the sheep who listen to the Lord, these are the strangers.

Behind these thieves and robbers (the strangers) is Satan. He is a liar and the father of lies, and his greatest tool against us, other than fear, I believe, is deception. Deception can be defined as “the practice of deliberately making somebody believe things that are not true; an act, trick, or device intended to deceive or mislead somebody;” a sham; fraud; con; et al (Encarta Dictionary). So, although not everyone who believes an incomplete truth or a half truth is a deceiver, there are many who go about deceiving the minds of naïve believers or prospective believers in order to either lead people away from pure devotion to Jesus Christ and the truths of his word, and/or for the purpose of gaining disciples after themselves. And, many “sheep” follow them and their lies, i.e. deceptions, i.e. half-truths.

To me, the biggest and most dangerous of all incomplete truths being taught today, and by many on purpose, and for the reasons already mentioned, and perhaps more, is to tell people only half the gospel. They quote scripture, and what the scriptures teach is obviously true, but they leave out the other half. Many do this innocently and naively, believing what they have been taught, and so are just regurgitating it, while others do this with more sinister motives in mind.

It is true that we are saved by grace, through faith, and that this is a gift from God, not from ourselves, not of works, lest any of us should boast (see Eph. 2:8-9). We can do nothing in our own efforts or works or good deeds to earn or to deserve salvation. No matter how many rules we follow or how many laws we obey or how many good deeds we do, we will never be good enough. We have all sinned, and we all fall short of attaining the glory of God. This is absolutely foundational to our understanding of salvation by grace through faith. There is no dispute here. Yet, taking this passage out of context and teaching it by itself, or with others just like it, as God’s sole eternal plan of salvation is incomplete. In interpreting scripture, we should always read in context, and we should compare scripture with scripture to make sure we have the whole picture, as much as is possible.

If we read two more chapters into Ephesians we read this in chap. 4:20-24: You, however, did not come to know Christ that way (see 4:17-19). Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

And, Jesus said (as recorded in Luke 9:23-25): “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?”

This (above) is what it means to have faith, and the ability to do this is a gift from God. His Holy Spirit within us will give us all we need to be able to turn from our sin, to be transformed in heart and mind, to die to sin and self daily, and to follow Jesus in obedience and surrender to his will for our lives, making him both our Savior and Lord (master). These scriptures, and others like them (such as Mtt. 4:17; Luke 5:32; 13:3; Jn. 14:23; 15:10; the book of 1 Jn; Rom. 6, et al) complete the teaching on salvation, and they give us the true understanding of the kind of faith that is required by God to be considered believing faith that ensures our eternity with God in heaven. So, make sure today that you have the complete story, i.e. that you search the scriptures and make sure what you believe is not just a half-truth, but that you believe the whole truth. Some of it may matter for eternity.

My Sheep / An Original Work / June 24, 2012

Based off John 10:1-18 NIV

My sheep hear me. They know me.

They listen to my voice and obey.

I call them and lead them.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

They will never follow strangers.

They will run away from them.

The voice of a stranger they know not;

They do not follow him.

My sheep hear me. They know me.

They listen to my voice and obey.

I call them and lead them.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

So, I tell you the truth that

I am the gate, so you enter in.

Whoever does enter

Will find forgiveness and will be saved.

Nonetheless whoever enters

Not by the gate; other way,

He is the thief and a robber.

Listen not, the sheep to him.

So, I tell you the truth that

I am the gate, so you enter in.

Whoever does enter

Will find forgiveness and will be saved.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,

Who laid his own life down for the sheep.

I know them. They know me.

They will live with me eternally.

The thief only comes to steal and

Kill and to destroy the church.

I have come to give you life that

You may have it to the full.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,

Who laid his own life down for the sheep.

I know them. They know me.

They will live with me eternally.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

http://originalworks.info/my-sheep/

Shoot from the Shadows

Saturday, February 16, 2013, 3:36 a.m. – the Lord Jesus woke me with this song:

Rock of Ages / Augustus M. Toplady / Thomas Hastings

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in Thee;

Let the water and the blood,

From Thy wounded side which flowed,

Be of sin the double cure;

Save from wrath and make me pure.

The Lord Jesus also woke me from a dream. As soon as I woke from the dream, the Lord Jesus put this scripture in my mind from Psalm 11:1-3 (in particular v. 2 NIV 1984):

“In the Lord I take refuge.

    How then can you say to me:

    ‘Flee like a bird to your mountain.

For look, the wicked bend their bows;

    they set their arrows against the strings

to shoot from the shadows

    at the upright in heart.

When the foundations are being destroyed,

    what can the righteous do?’”

THE DREAM: Someone was shooting at me through two different doors, both of them right/east of me. One door was directly east and the other door was southeast. I think I tried reasoning with the person, but to no avail. I believe I was also protecting some children. At first I was just trying to avoid being hit, but eventually I shot back, only my weapon looked more like a water pistol (weapon; shooter; gun).

Aside: Just as I recorded this part of the dream about me shooting back with a water pistol, the Lord Jesus brought this scripture to mind from 2 Co. 10:2b-5 (NIV 1984):

“…some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

Continuing with the dream… I am not sure what ensued next, but the two of us came out of the room (which was situated to the west of the doors) together (after the children went first). I thought most certainly there were people on the other side of the door (to the outside of the room I was in) with guns aimed at us, but I don’t recall seeing any.

Anyway, this other person, who had been shooting at me, and I came out of the room (south), and we were walking side-by-side down what appeared to be a hall of some kind (to the east). He laid down his weapon, and then I looked at mine, which I knew was different from his, but I am not sure I laid mine down, though I thought about it. END

Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Matthew 5:13-16 (NIV 1984):

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

The Assault

The church in the west (in this instance) is under assault from the enemy of our souls, Satan, and he uses human instruments to do his dirty work, too. The attacks of the enemy come from different directions, i.e. the attacks are underhanded (shoot from the shadows), like this person in the dream would come out from one door and shoot, and then go back inside, and then come out through another door and shoot, always hiding behind the doors, though. This may symbolize that the enemy does his work in the darkness, i.e. in secret or is treacherous (deceitful; two-faced [comes out from two different doors]; shifty; and devious) in his approach.

As I considered these directions of east, southeast, et al, the thought came to my mind of Washington, D.C., and southeast of it are several key military bases. If this is what the Lord is showing me here, then this is speaking both of attacks from real guns, i.e. weapons of war on a military front, as well as attacks on a political front with weapons of war politically speaking against the people of the U.S., i.e. through changes in laws, removing of human rights and freedoms, et al. Yet, the two fronts can also be political and religious, i.e. the attacks can come from the government and from within the church, too, because the institutional church is in a covenant relationship with the government through (501c3) non-profit status, so it is also one room with two different doors.

The Response

At first I tried reasoning with the enemy, and then I tried avoiding getting hit, all the while trying to protect the children, and then eventually I began to shoot back.

On a political front I think we try debating with the enemy, only he comes at us through two different doors, such as Republican and Democrat, military and government, church and government, American and foreign, friend and foe, et al. If we are Republican or Democrat, we think we can debate and argue our case and we can reason with people to move to our way of thinking, but what we don’t realize is that Republican and Democrat operate out of the same room, just with two different doors.

We think that we, as America, can reason with what we believe to be our enemies abroad, but what we don’t realize is that the US and other countries now operate out of the same room (the New World Order), just with different doors, so our enemies are within and they are from our own people. We see the institutional church under attack from the U.S. government on some fronts, yet they operate out of the same room with two different doors. In other words, the true enemy is sometimes difficult to discern, because he is dubious, deceitful, two-faced (literally and figuratively), and he plays both the part of the attacker and that of the victim sometimes to throw us off base.

Then I just tried avoiding getting hit. I literally used to fight off Satan this way, and it didn’t work. My approach to his attacks was like that of an abused child holding his or her arms in front of his face, hoping not to get hit, but knowing he was going to get hit. That is a defeatist approach. Instead, I had to learn to put on the armor of God (my water – Holy Spirit – pistol as recorded in Ephesians 6:10-20).

I think we have many ways of “avoiding” getting hit (fleeing like a bird). Some of it may be through apathy, lack of knowledge, i.e. “what I don’t know won’t hurt me,” escape into entertainment, busyness, and/or lack of planning and lack of being proactive, but rather waiting until the hit comes and then just reacting, sometimes badly. Many Christians avoid the idea that we could be living in the end of time, that the beast could be setting up his kingdom right now, and that Jesus may be coming back soon. And, so they live as though they will always have tomorrow, i.e. the children represent our future and so they are trying to protect their own future, holding on, hoping that things will get better.

Eventually I shot back. I stopped trying to reason with the enemy, and I stopped just trying to avoid getting hit, trying to protect my own future, but I began to shoot at the enemy with my water (Holy Spirit) pistol, i.e. with the armor of God (see Ephesians 6:10-20). Yet, my weapon was not carnal and not of this world. I began to fight the enemy of my soul with the truth of God’s Holy Word, with obedience to my Lord in humble submission to his will for my life, despite the enemy’s attacks, with sharing the true gospel of Jesus Christ daily wherever the Lord would lead me, and with faith and belief in God’s word and in his many promises, warnings and words of encouragement, hope and healing, et al.

Salt and Light

The Lord is giving me a picture here, I believe, of the church in America, as well as he used my own life as an illustration. The enemy is coming strong against us, and yet so much of the church is asleep, is apathetic, is trying to hold on to their earthly lives and their future on this earth, and is escaping the realities around us via entertainment, technology, busyness, joking, having fun, etc., and this even goes on within the church from the leadership down.

So many are avoiding the reality that our enemy is at the gate and life as we now know it is short-lived, I believe. The church is so busy having “fun” and being entertained that it is losing its saltiness (flavor; spice; sting; impact on) in this world for the gospel of Jesus Christ. The light of the true gospel is going out through very few, while so many are just busy enjoying life and are just trying to avoid the realities of where we are in time in relation to Biblical prophecy.

Yet, as these attacks of the enemy are becoming more fierce and more evident, the church is beginning to (or will soon) wake up and realize that she needs to put on her spiritual armor and she needs to fight off her enemy with her Holy Spirit weapons, and she will begin to go forth with the gospel, which will break down and will abolish those strongholds of Satan and of men which are coming against her on many fronts. And, at the end of time, she and her enemies (people) will walk together in peace, side-by-side, and her enemies will no longer come against her, but she will always have the Holy Spirit with her.

I believe this is a picture of the church being revived, of the church awakening to the truth of God’s word and to the realities of what is going on around us, and she will begin to let her light shine before men, and people will begin to lay down their weapons waged in war against God/Jesus and his church, and they will walk side-by-side with the church in going throughout the earth sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, and then the Lord will return and we will forever be with the Lord. Then we will no longer have to fight our enemy, so there will be no more need for a “water” pistol, though for now there most certainly is.

Just a Closer Walk with Thee / Unknown

I am weak, but Thou art strong,

Jesus, keep me from all wrong,

I’ll be satisfied as long

As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.

Just a closer walk with Thee,

Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,

Daily walking close to Thee,

Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

When my feeble life is o’er,

Time for me will be no more,

Guide me gently, safely o’er

To Thy kingdom, dear Lord, to Thy shore.

Just a closer walk with Thee,

Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,

Daily walking close to Thee,

Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

The Marks of True Disciples

Friday, February 15, 2013, 2:57 a.m. – The Lord Jesus woke me with this song:

As the Deer / Martin J. Nystrom

Based off Psalm 42:1

As the deer panteth for the water

 So my soul longeth after Thee.

 You alone are my heart's desire

 And I long to worship Thee.

 You alone are my strength, my shield.

 To you alone may my spirit yield…

Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Matthew 5:1-12 (NIV 1984):

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,

    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn,

    for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,

    for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

    for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful,

    for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart,

    for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,

    for they will be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Gold and Silver

When I woke this morning, the Lord put the name “The Rothschilds” in my mind. I Googled the name, and one of the articles my search rendered was this: The Rothschild Dynasty - http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/slavery.htm.  The Lord has been teaching me much these past 6.5 years concerning this New World Order that is conquering the nations of the world presently. This is either the “Beast” of Revelation, or it is certainly a precursor to the beast. The Rothschild family, along with a group of international elite bankers (the money people) are really who run the world. I cannot vouch for everything in this article, but it certainly fits with all the Lord has been showing me these past few years. We, as a nation, and as the world, are on the precipice of a global downturn economically, and we must be prepared for dire times in the months or years ahead, I believe.

Refiner’s Fire

The perspective the Lord Jesus is giving me this morning of this passage in Matthew 5 is from this viewpoint of the times in which we now live where these international bankers have such power and control over the world, and of their ability (God permitting) to conquer us all (as with the beast in Revelation – see Rev. 13), and to make us their slaves. For them to accomplish their goal, we will have to be brought to our knees in poverty, et al. This would certainly help explain the “mark of the beast” where no one can buy or sell unless he bears the mark. It is during this time that those who bear the name of Christ Jesus and his mark will face the most severe persecution ever. Christians in other nations have had to undergo severe persecution throughout the generations since Jesus left this earth, but we, in America, have known little of this kind of severe persecution, though it is coming.

The Lord Jesus put two songs in my mind this morning: “As the Deer,” and “Refiner’s Fire.” In the song “As the Deer,” the songwriter expresses his desire for the Lord as that of greater value than gold or silver. The Lord alone was his heart’s desire. The Lord alone was his strength and shield. To the Lord alone – not to money and not to “the beast” – doth his spirit yield (surrender). Only the Lord Jesus could satisfy the deepest longings of his soul.

And, in the song “Refiner’s Fire,” silver and gold are also mentioned, only this time as our lives being refined in God’s refiner’s fire for the purpose of purifying us, to make us holy as we were created to be, and so we might be ready to do his will. I believe the Rothschilds and their global (international) allies will be used of God to refine us, to purify us, and to make us ready to meet our husband, Jesus Christ, when he returns for his bride.

Blessed Are You

To be blessed of God carries with it the thought of our spiritual well-being - our joy, peace, satisfaction, sense of fulfillment, freedom from sin, and our intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, who is our comfort and joy, etc. Those of us, who have accepted our Lord’s invitation to make him Savior and Lord of our lives, are God’s chosen people - favored by God, and promised the hope of eternal life with him forever in glory. He lavishes his grace and love upon us, and all his spiritual riches and blessings in Christ Jesus (see Ro. 11; Eph. 1-4).

We are blessed when we are poor in spirit. This is in contrast to those who are self-sufficient and proud. It has to do with putting our confidence only in God, not in man, and not in the things of this world to satisfy us or to be our “salvation” from whatever ails us individually, or as a nation. It means that we acknowledge that we cannot get to God through our own human efforts, but it also accepts God’s Lordship over our lives, i.e. that we are no longer in charge of our lives, but we must humbly submit to God in surrender of our wills to the will of the Father in all humility, repentance, and with the goal of obedience to his commands.

We are blessed when we mourn. This is not speaking of everyone who is sad or who is mourning the loss of someone or something, though this certainly can be involved depending upon our response to God. In other words, when the judgment of God comes upon us, and we face these dire times, and we are brought to our knees, if in our mourning we turn to God to satisfy us, and we repent of our sins, then we will be blessed. Also, this idea of mourning carries with it the thought of those who grieve and who wail over their own personal sins as well as the sins of the world, and who call on God for revival and the salvation of human lives for eternity.

We are blessed when we are meek. Meek is very similar to “poor in spirit,” as they both have to do with humility. When we are meek, we are forgiving of others offenses and we don’t demand that they pay, because we have a true view of ourselves, and we are so grateful for God’s amazing grace in our own lives. If Jesus, who is pure and holy, and who never sinned, was willing to take the sins of the entire world upon himself, though he had done no wrong, and to die on the cross so we could go free, how can we, mere humans, not forgive those who have wronged us? We must endure patiently the insults of others.

We are blessed when we hunger and thirst for righteousness like a deer panting for water. God/Jesus is first place in our lives, and we long to be with him, to spend time at his feet, listening to him speak, and then to go out and obey him in doing what he says. We love our Lord Jesus and we want nothing more in this life than to live for him, to do what he asks of us, to love others with his love, to see others come to faith in Jesus Christ, and/or to see the lukewarm and/or rebellious church return to her first love. Jesus is the love of our lives, and so we treat him much like we would a first love – he is in our thoughts when we get up in the morning, throughout the day, and when we go to sleep at night. We are continually in an attitude of prayer, realizing he is in us and with us every moment throughout our day. And, we like nothing more than to be where he is and doing what pleases him.

We are blessed when we are merciful. Mercy is called for both when forgiveness is needed for an offender, and when the suffering and hurting are in great need of some compassion. You have probably heard it said that grace is getting what we don’t deserve and mercy is not getting what we do deserve. We deserve hell. Yet by God’s wonderful grace and mercy he provided salvation for us through Jesus’ shed blood for us on the cross. He died not just so we would escape hell and go to heaven one day, though. He died so we would be free from slavery to sin, and so we could live for righteousness while we are still on the face of this earth. If Christ, who is pure and holy, could show us such grace, mercy and compassion, how can we, mere humans, not extend the same kind of mercy to others?

We are blessed when we are pure in heart. This means that we are morally pure, as well as we are honest, trustworthy and faithful. We have a singleness of mind and purpose in our commitment to our Lord, and the way we conduct our lives reveals integrity of heart in our service to our Lord. There is no deceit in us; no hypocrisy. We are the “real deal.” We see life through the eyes of faith, and our desire is for our Lord and to please him.

We are blessed when we are peacemakers. I will note here that there is a distinct difference between a peacekeeper and a peacemaker. A peacekeeper’s goal is to have physical calm and lack of disturbance and conflict to the point where he or she will compromise principles, moral laws, integrity, honesty, and other people’s true needs in order to keep the peace. He or she may be a chameleon, which changes color (character) in order to blend in with its environment as a protective mechanism. In contrast, a peacemaker follows the example of Jesus Christ, who laid down his life for us so that we could have peace with God. He never compromised, he didn’t try to appease others, and he definitely did not avoid conflict. He spoke the truth in love, and shared the truth of the gospel, despite rejection, persecution, abandonment, misunderstandings, false accusations and ultimately his own death.

We are blessed when we are persecuted because of righteousness and because we bear the name and the testimony of Jesus Christ and his gospel. We will be insulted, hated, persecuted, falsely accused, perhaps arrested falsely, and we may even be killed for our witness for Jesus Christ. This time is coming to America, and to some degree it has already come, even within the church, i.e. some of our fiercest opponents (as were Jesus’) will be among religious (church) leaders and congregants who oppose the true gospel in favor of a false gospel (a diluted gospel) that does not teach repentance, but that entertains the sinner instead.

These are the marks of true followers (disciples) of Jesus Christ, and for this we are blessed, and we will receive our heavenly rewards, some in this life, but most when Jesus Christ returns for his bride and we go to be with him forever, and our salvation is complete.

Refiner’s Fire / Doerksen, Brian

Refiner's fire,

my heart's one desire

is to be holy;

set apart for You, Lord.

I choose to be holy;

set apart for You, my Master,

ready to do Your will.

Refiner’s Fire - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=larbuWBZ58k

As the Deer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZv3jzOTE70

The Speech

Tuesday, February 12, 2013, 4:00 a.m. – the Lord Jesus woke me with the song “Jesus, Lead Me” playing in my mind. I also woke from a dream.

THE DREAM: I had been asked to speak at a club meeting of some kind. There were all kinds of activities going on at the beginning of this meeting. I was the last item on the meeting agenda. I was asked to teach on the entire book of Revelation in a very short period of time.

I had studied the book some, but not enough. I was ill prepared for such a task. When it came time for me to speak, the people in charge of the meeting gathered everyone into the auditorium. There were only a handful of people left. My youngest son (army) was seated at the very back of the auditorium, and all the people were seated in the very back section of the auditorium.

One of the leaders went down to the front of the auditorium, right in front of the stage, to find me a podium, which looked like a fold-up music stand. She brought it to me, and she set it up in front of this back section of the auditorium. I placed my Bible on the stand, and I began to teach. I told them that the words in red (Revelation 2-3, i.e. the letters to the seven churches) were the words of Jesus Christ.

I asked if anyone could tell me what they thought the book of Revelation was about. Then, people began to get up and leave. I think there was one person left, so I suggested that we “give it a rest,” i.e. that we call it quits.

I packed up, and I went out to my car and cried, or I thought about going out to my car to cry, and I thought about one of the leaders walking by and seeing me cry and me explaining that I was not prepared like I should have been. END

Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Isaiah 63 (quoting vv. 1-6 NIV 1984):

Who is this coming from Edom,

    from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson?

Who is this, robed in splendor,

    striding forward in the greatness of his strength?

“It is I, speaking in righteousness,

    mighty to save.”

Why are your garments red,

    like those of one treading the winepress?

“I have trodden the winepress alone;

    from the nations no one was with me.

I trampled them in my anger

    and trod them down in my wrath;

their blood spattered my garments,

    and I stained all my clothing.

For the day of vengeance was in my heart,

    and the year of my redemption has come.

I looked, but there was no one to help,

    I was appalled that no one gave support;

so my own arm worked salvation for me,

    and my own wrath sustained me.

I trampled the nations in my anger;

    in my wrath I made them drunk

    and poured their blood on the ground.”

My Thoughts: I often represent Obama in my dreams because the Lord has me write about his judgments and I believe Obama is a divine instrument of judgment against the nations and against God’s people. Today is the day of the State of the Union Address. I believe the Lord is paralleling the “state of the union” with the book of Revelation, in particular the letters to the seven churches, and with this passage in Isaiah 63 concerning Christ Jesus coming in judgment against the nations and against his people, the church (see vv. 7-10):

I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord,

    the deeds for which he is to be praised,

    according to all the Lord has done for us—

yes, the many good things he has done

    for the house of Israel,

    according to his compassion and many kindnesses.

He said, “Surely they are my people,

    sons who will not be false to me”;

    and so he became their Savior.

In all their distress he too was distressed,

    and the angel of his presence saved them.

In his love and mercy he redeemed them;

    he lifted them up and carried them

    all the days of old.

Yet they rebelled

    and grieved his Holy Spirit.

So he turned and became their enemy

    and he himself fought against them.

I also see a parallel between Jesus’ garments stained crimson (red), from the blood of those whom he judged, splattered on his garments, and his words to the seven churches recorded in red letters, for he promised five of the seven that he would judge them if they did not repent of their sins, and if they did not return to him.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

I spent some time in prayer over this dream and passage of scripture again this morning, and this is what I believe the Lord is showing me here.

By the way, I did listen to the president’s speech, and I will tell you from what the Lord has taught me about him, about our leaders, and about our nation over the past 6.5 years, that I believe most everything that came out of his mouth was based on a lie. I believe his speech was filled with empty promises which he and our government have no intention of keeping. If you do the research, and you see the kinds of things he (coming from those over him) said about 9/11, Aurora, Sandy Hook, et al, you will find that all those stories are filled with holes all over the place, and that they were false flag operations used by our government and their allies to accomplish their global goal of world domination. Anyway, this is what the Lord showed me concerning the dream, I believe.

I represent Obama, who represents the people of America, so ultimately I represent the people of America in this dream, as well as Obama and whoever he represents (the N.W.O., et al). I was asked to speak. This is referring both the “State of the Union” address and literally to the state (condition) of our union (the U.S.A.). The Lord paralleled the state (condition) of our union to the book of Revelation, in particular to the red letters of Jesus’ words in Rev 2-3 (the letters to the seven churches). In other words, we are in such a state (condition) as a nation, and as the church within this nation, that we are under the judgment of God because the majority have failed to call on God in repentance, and we, as a nation, have become like Sodom and Gomorrah, mainly due to the fault of the church, which has largely become one with the world and has mostly adopted a false gospel which no longer calls for repentance.

Representing the people of this union, I am ill prepared for what is coming (the events prophesied in the book of Revelation), because my head has been so filled with lies, deceptions, false promises, et al, both from the government leaders and church leaders, as well as from the government controlled media. As Obama, the “ill prepared” has more to do with this image he (and those over him) are presenting concerning 9/11, Aurora, Sandy Hook, the changes in weather patterns, etc. They act surprised by all of this and so they are now having to make all these changes in laws, etc., in order to combat and help them be better prepared in the future for such events, or to help prevent such events from occurring in the future, yet it is my belief, based upon what the Lord has shown me, and based upon intelligent research and diligent “police work,” that they caused these events to happen so that they can justify making all these changes which are not for our good, but are for the purpose of taking us over (in preparation for the rule of the beast).

As I was speaking, people began to desert me until only one was left (not sure which one). Since Obama was speaking in front of the leaders of our nation as well as he was speaking to the American people, I believe this represents first of all the leaders of our nation and the leaders in our churches deserting the American people. I believe the leaders of our nation have already handed us over to the N.W.O. (a precursor to the beast or the beast itself), and have given us up to be taken over. They are no longer supporting the American people, but have handed us over to the wolves. As well, many spiritual leaders in our churches have deserted the people spiritually and most are not teaching the true gospel anymore, but have gone to a gospel of men, the ways of the world, the ways of big business, and to a gospel of false grace that no longer calls for death to sin and self, but entertains the sinner.

I was in the back (rear) section of the auditorium (hearing). I believe this represents the time of days near the end of time as we know it on this earth, which is why the speech is being paralleled to the book of Revelation. And, it is also why we see our leaders deserting the people of America and the people giving up in despair. Not many are left who will listen to the truth of the gospel, especially not many who are willing to listen to messages about repentance and judgment. Their eyes are blinded and the ears are stopped up to Jesus’ words he spoke to the church in Revelation 2-3 in which he told the majority that if they did not repent of their sins, which he had pointed out, that judgment was coming. But, if they did repent, then they could experience his blessings and life everlasting.

Someone else (another leader) gave me my podium, i.e. those were not Obama’s words, but were the words given to him to speak. He is just the puppet. And, they came from someone over him in authority, i.e. those who are really in charge (the N.W.O.). The podium came from in front of the stage. A front is a false image, i.e. a façade, i.e. the image our government is presenting to the American people. The podium (stand) represents the beliefs, viewpoint, outlook, policy, et al of our government, which is collapsible and portable, i.e. it is packed with lies, deception, manipulations, and can easily go away, i.e. we can’t put our trust in anything Obama said. The stand came from the front of the stage, and a stage represents theatre, play, acting, and performing, which is what our leaders are doing – the whole thing is a big performance for the American people, including the whole thing of Republican and Democrat, the elections, et al. Remember the end of time is a time of great deception.

I called it quits, i.e. our leaders have given up on the people, the people have given up on their leaders, and many have given up on God and his word and are no longer listening. Obama is not holding to his oath of office, leaders are deserting (packed up and left), et al.

In the dream I either went outside to cry or I thought about it. I had a strong sense that I was doing this for the attention of another leader, as I played out in my mind the leader coming by and seeing me cry and me explaining that I just was not prepared. I believe this is speaking of fake emotion, such as what Obama displayed near the end of this speech when he went into his emotional plea concerning gun control, mainly I think, as a response to the events of 9/11, Aurora, Sandy Hook, weather changes, et al (know that they can manipulate the weather). The Lord Jesus has shown me many times over that our government has helped plan and carry out these tragic events for their own evil purposes, in coordination with their allies, and for the purpose of taking over nations, including our own, for manipulating the people, and eventually this will lead to the rule of the beast.

Again, this whole idea of being ill prepared is a ruse, and it is to justify our leaders and those over them (the true leaders of the world) making all these changes to our laws and making executive orders (bypassing Congress) and removing the people’s rights and freedoms all under the guise (pretense) of protecting the American people, including gun control, drones, scanners and body searches at airports, more security and security people posted throughout our nation, forced mental evaluations, removing freedom of speech, et al. People get ready. Jesus is coming!

Addendum

I, as the Lord's servant, represent the Lord, and Obama, as the Lord's divine instrument of judgment, also serves as God's servant, only in a different way. So this is also a picture of Jesus weeping over his church, longing for her to come to him and under his protection, but overall the church is unwilling and they have deserted their Lord as the people deserted me in this dream. They have closed their ears and have refused to listen (they left the auditorium, and auditorium means hearing).

We know from reading in scripture that God always warned his people before he did anything. Even though we have the warnings in the Bible, I believe God has been speaking much through dreams to his people, warning them of what is coming, calling his people to repentance, and is warning if they do not repent that he will judge them, which is why, in the dream, I was reading from the book of Revelation, and the Lord specifically was pointing to the letters to the churches. Ultimately, all messages must be supported scripturally and must come from God's word, i.e. our dreams, if they are from God, must be interpreted in light of scripture.

I weep over the condition of today's church here in America and pray much for revival and for the salvation of souls, but I have not given up, and I have not called it quits just because people desert and few support my efforts (in the Lord). Yet, a time will come, and we know this from scripture, when the Lord will say that it is time for these messages to end because the time of judgment will certainly be upon us, and I believe that is what he was depicting in this dream, as well, and it is supported by this passage in Isaiah where the Lord said there was no one to support him so his own arm worked salvation for him, because ultimately his goal is not to destroy us, but to save us, but if we won't listen, and we won't heed his words after he has sent message after message after message, then he will judge us most certainly, and then my job here will be done.

Jesus, Lead Me / An Original Work / July 22, 2011

Jesus, lead me all the way.

Be my hope and be my stay.

Gently lead me where I should go,

So Your Spirit, I want to know.

Open up my heart to You.

Fill me with Your love and truth.

Make my heart want to obey.

Be my Lord today. Gently lead always.

Jesus, lover of my soul,

Cleanse my heart, and make me whole;

Be transformed in my heart today,

As I turn from my sin and pray.

Make Your will known to my heart.

May I not from You depart.

How I long to hear You now,

As I humbly bow. Jesus, hear me now.

http://originalworks.info/jesus-lead-me/