Joined: May 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 76 Location: Tennessee Karma: 1
Are You Dead Yet ? « Result #1 on Oct 15, 2009, 9:55pm »
When you are forgotten, or neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you do not sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight, but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ, that is dying to self. When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient loving silence, that is dying to self. When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any impunctuality, or any annoyance; when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility--and endure it as the Savior endured, that is dying to self. When you are content with any food, any offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude, any interruption by the will of God, that is dying to self. When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, or to record your own good works, or seek commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown, that is dying to self. When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met, and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and in desperate circumstances, that is dying to self. When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself, and can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within the heart, that is dying to self. ARE YOU DEAD YET?? We should "know Him...being made conformable to His death."
Joined: May 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 76 Location: Tennessee Karma: 1
The Seeds Of Apostasy « Result #2 on Sept 26, 2009, 10:47am »
THE SEEDS of APOSTASY -by Paul Holdren.
John Wesley recounted that within every revival were the seeds of apostasy. By this he meant that with revival came righteousness, with righteousness came favor, with favor came prosperity, and with prosperity came the temptation to self-reliance. The temptation of self-reliance is the first step away from God. It is sad that people are willing to serve the illusion of prosperity by means of self-reliance.
As Americans we can definitely see how this insight fits our country. Our land was birthed with the ideal that a nation should have the freedom to worship the true and living God according to one’s conscience. The Almighty had blessed our nation with righteousness. With righteousness came national favor, with favor came prosperity, and now we, as a nation, bear the burdens of decline resulting from our own self-reliance. As American Christians we can see how the Spirit of the Lord could speak of a church that sees itself as “increased of goods and have need of nothing” (Rev. 3:17).
When idolatry’s seed of self-reliance yields its crop of perversion, poverty, and struggle—many who claim to be worshippers of Almighty God will turn to other gods. These gods are the gods which originate in the satanically manipulated carnal heart. These gods are conceived in the human imagination and constructed by human hands. These gods of imagery are bombarding Americans now, seducing us in a downward spiral of the media’s ongoing promotion of abomination against God.
Our present “it’s the economy” or “it’s health care” politicians have replaced Jeremiah’s prosperity prophets, giving us a false sense of security by proclaiming blessing and peace upon the land. Our “soft-sell” preachers are proclaiming health and wealth, while the glory is preparing to depart from our places of worship. “Change that makes a difference” will not come by the hands of men. “Change that will make a difference” will only come when we cast our idols down at the foot of the cross.
Where are the believers like Ezekiel today? Where are the watchmen on the wall of a nation’s destiny—crying out that the enemy is coming, that the glory is lifting, and that God is turning His back? Political correctness tells us not to speak in such a manner. Religious convenience tells us not to prophecy such, for the people have ears that need to be tickled (II Tim 4:3). As passionate believers, we cannot help but speak a word of warning. As passionate oracles of the truth, we must speak the promise of restoration grace in order that many may be given the opportunity to cast down their idols and return to the God of our fathers.
Joined: May 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 76 Location: Tennessee Karma: 1
Lover or Prostitute « Result #3 on Jul 8, 2009, 9:27pm »
Lover Or Prostitute? David Ryser THE QUESTION THAT CHANGED MY LIFE -by David Ryser. Editor Note: When my wife read this to me today I could not help but drop to my knees, arrested in heart before a Holy God of Love...
A number of years ago, I had the privilege of teaching at a school of ministry. My students were hungry for God, and I was constantly searching for ways to challenge them to fall more in love with Jesus and to become voices for revival in the Church. I came across a quote attributed most often to Rev. Sam Pascoe. It is a short version of the history of Christianity, and it goes like this:
”Christianity started in Palestine as a fellowship; it moved to Greece and became a philosophy; it moved to Italy and became an institution; it moved to Europe and became a culture; it came to America and became an enterprise.”
Some of the students were only 18 or 19 years old, barely out of diapers, and I wanted them to understand and appreciate the import of the last line, so I clarified it by adding, "An enterprise. That's a business." After a few moments Martha, the youngest student in the class, raised her hand. I could not imagine what her question might be. I thought the little vignette was self-explanatory, and that I had performed it brilliantly. Nevertheless, I acknowledged Martha's raised hand, "Yes, Martha." She asked such a simple question, "A business? But isn't it supposed to be a body?" I could not envision where this line of questioning was going, and the only response I could think of was, "Yes." She continued, "But when a body becomes a business, isn't that a prostitute?"
The room went dead silent. For several seconds no one moved or spoke. We were stunned, afraid to make a sound because the presence of God had flooded into the room, and we knew we were on holy ground. All I could think in those sacred moments was, "Wow, I wish I'd thought of that." I didn't dare express that thought aloud. God had taken over the class.
Martha's question changed my life. For six months, I thought about her question at least once every day. "When a body becomes a business, isn't that a prostitute?" There is only one answer to her question. The answer is "Yes." The American Church, tragically, is heavily populated by people who do not love God. How can we love Him? We don't even know Him; and I mean really know Him.
...I stand by my statement that most American Christians do not know God ~ much less love Him. The root of this condition originates in how we came to God. Most of us came to Him because of what we were told He would do for us. We were promised that He would bless us in life and take us to heaven after death. We married Him for His money, and we don't care if He lives or dies as long as we can get His stuff. We have made the Kingdom of God into a business, merchandising His anointing. This should not be. We are commanded to love God, and are called to be the Bride of Christ ~ that's pretty intimate stuff. We are supposed to be His lovers.. How can we love someone we don't even know? And even if we do know someone, is that a guarantee that we truly love them? Are we lovers or prostitutes?
I was pondering Martha's question again one day, and considered the question, "What's the difference between a lover and a prostitute?" I realized that both do many of the same things, but a lover does what she does because she loves. A prostitute pretends to love, but only as long as you pay. Then I asked the question, "What would happen if God stopped paying me?"
For the next several months, I allowed God to search me to uncover my motives for loving and serving Him. Was I really a true lover of God? What would happen if He stopped blessing me? What if He never did another thing for me? Would I still love Him? Please understand, I believe in the promises and blessings of God. The issue here is not whether God blesses His children; the issue is the condition of my heart. Why do I serve Him? Are His blessings in my life the gifts of a loving Father, or are they a wage that I have earned or a bribe/payment to love Him? Do I love God without any conditions? It took several months to work through these questions. Even now I wonder if my desire to love God is always matched by my attitude and behavior. I still catch myself being disappointed with God and angry that He has not met some perceived need in my life.. I suspect this is something, which is never fully resolved, but I want more than anything else to be a true lover of God.
So what is it going to be? Which are we, lover or prostitute?
"They, then, who are destined to die, need not be careful to inquire what death they are to die, but into what place death will usher them." Author:Augustine =
Joined: May 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 76 Location: Tennessee Karma: 1
God Is Faithful,Who Has Promised « Result #4 on Apr 29, 2009, 8:41am »
GOD IS FAITHFUL, WHO HAS PROMISED - David Wilkerson
I am deeply blessed by God’s message to his people in Psalm 37. I simply have to recommend that you read this Psalm before the day is over. It is one of the richest, most encouraging passages in God’s Word. No matter what you may be going through, no matter how trying your situation, this Psalm will be a source of great strength and encouragement to you.
Psalm 37:7 is of special interest to me in light of what is happening in the gay community. Massachusetts has legalized gay marriages, and hundreds have gotten married illegally in San Francisco. I was so deeply grieved at this lawlessness and mockery of true, God-ordained marriage, I cried, “Oh, Lord, they are stealing our nation. They are mocking your holy Word. America is now indulging in a sin not even known in Sodom and Gomorrah. There is no biblical record of gays marrying in those wicked societies.”
Then I read Psalm 37:7: “Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man that bringeth wicked devices to pass.” In other words: “Do not let it get at your spirit. Do not get worked up about it. God hears the deep inner groanings of his people, and he is very patient.”
Even so, a line is now being crossed. And God says when that happens, “Evildoers shall be cut off…the Lord shall laugh at him…and their plots…for he seeth that his day is coming” (Psalm 37:9-13).
Let no evildoer think for a moment that God is going to overlook blatant disobedience and mockery of his Word. All through the Bible, we see the Lord sending judgment when lawlessness envelops a society. Let the scoffers laugh, but soon the world will witness God’s answer to these satanic attacks against his plan for marriage. Christ likened the female, the wife, to the church, which he calls his bride. Now Satan has caused ridicule of this biblical type and moved many Americans to reject the Bible as the final moral rule of law.
Soon God is going to breathe his wrath on every Sodom-like community, with judgments unlike any this generation has seen. Everyone will know that God has a controversy with this nation. I believe he has already cried, “Enough! The hour of chastisement has come.”
Pray for our nation amid these times. God hears the prayers of his people.
Joined: May 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 76 Location: Tennessee Karma: 1
I Hear A Bulldozer...I See A Harvest « Result #5 on Apr 1, 2009, 10:15pm »
I HEAR A BULLDOZER...I SEE A HARVEST
Recently I've had a few things that I've sensed the Holy Spirit was speaking to me. It seems as if they have been laid on my heart. They are a result of prayer, some winepress-type experiences, and rich fellowship with some christian brothers who regularly hear the Lord. I humbly submit them here:
A major calamity is coming, which is being confirmed now by reliable people of God. The Lord will take care of His people by delivering us now from fear and teaching us to trust Him. More importantly though, there is a HARVEST that will flow out of this adversity...KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE HARVEST. We should be ready to minister to those who will need the Lord and His wisdom in the days ahead.
Before and during this time of difficulty, we should learn to live like the prophet Elijah, free from material pleasures and selfish wants. Be content to be hidden by the Brook Cherith, with provision from a natural brook(water) and supernatural provision (bread & meat) from unclean ravens. If our brooks dry up, then we are to look for the widow of Zarephath which simply means to hear His voice and obey even if He leads us to an illogical source of provision or plants us in Jezebel or Gentile territory to provide. Imagine what it must have been like and the humilty required, for the prophet after getting hungry and thirsty and then to be sent to a poor, hollow-eyed, foreign woman for his next meal. I've been reminded that after she exercised her faith by putting God's man first, she did not receive a wagon load of food. Instead, every day she went to the flour barrell and turned it sideways, so she could scrape a sthingy down in the crack, getting the prophet's sthingyful first and hers second. Every day there was a miracle of multiplication and the same will be true for us as we need it.
All true men of God are first called to Cherith ( which means a place of cutting away), then Zarephath ( which means refinement) and then Mount Carmel to confront false religion. Cherith and Zarephath come first. Many are trying to confront false religion without having first been tested and sanctified.
God is raising up some spiritual bulldozers (fearless Elijah's) to clear out a spot for the foundation of a spiritual house (the true church). When I was a little boy my father built a new house. Before the house could be constructed, a bulldozer was brought in to clear trees, debris and level a house foundation pad, so that a concrete slab could later be poured and finished. I remember the bulldozer as it was doing its work and also how much this piece of heavy machinery frightened me. These spiritual bulldozers ( Elijah's) may at times frighten the little ones in Christ, but these bulldozers have to do their work of clearing trees, stumps and pushing down faulty foudations before the craftsmen builders (five-fold ministry) come to build a house of God. Ephesians 4:11,12 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. We can't build without first clearing....many, many are trying to build a spiritual house with trees and stumps obstructing them. It won't work.
The Lord seems to be connecting these spiritual craftsmen (five-fold ministers), described in Ephesians 4, together in loving unity to usher in the next move of God, by teaching them about the POWER OF PRAYING IN AGREEMENT. This is so they can have discernment and understanding for the times at hand. God is teaching that each part of this band of workers has a significant part, but at the same time is not a one-man show or lone ranger builder by themselves. I have seen a picture in my mind of a wagon wheel with many spokes (leaders with different giftings), with each spoke representing an important aspect of maintaining the integrity (strength) of the wheel (the true church). I believe that the spokes are men of God who understand that they will never function properly without being connected to Jesus ( the hub) and the other parts (spokes). This biblical concept of ministry to the Lord is being greatly ignored at present time, but is the only way that true spiritual warfare (clearing of the heavenlies) can be accomplished. The powers of darkness are far too strong for one person to handle by himself. Many of God's warriors (spokes) are confused about what wheel that they should be connected to, but in the future will need to properly align their part (spoke) in the right wheel to have the full power of God and to stay encouraged.
Joined: May 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 76 Location: Tennessee Karma: 1
A Pastor's Responce To "An Urgent Warning" « Result #6 on Mar 14, 2009, 5:47pm »
It is the task of a true prophet to warn. We have recently heard such a clear warning of perilous days just ahead of us. The prophet is like a man who comes to warn a shepherd that ravenous wolves are approaching.
It then becomes the shepherd’s task to appropriately discern the warning and to guide those in his care to a place of wisdom and security. I am not a prophet. I am a local pastor. I must ask myself what I am to do in light of hearing the warning from God. What should I say to those under my pastoral care?
First, I want my people to clearly hear the word. What is it saying and what is it not saying. Some have heard of fires and looting and their hearts are filled with fear. I am to assure my people that God is always completely in control. God is sovereign. Nothing takes place outside of his notice and counsel, and all things happen for his ultimate, highest glory. Even in the most troubling of times, our God knows exactly what he is doing.
Second, I want those I serve to know two things concerning God’s wrath. First, some leaders in the church have sadly fallen into the deception that there is no such thing as the wrath of God. Roman 1:18 says, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” Some act in ungodly ways, others are ungodly by their suppressing the truth of God’s wrath. Some leaders reduce, ignore and even ridicule anyone who reminds them of the certainty of God’s wrath. Romans 2:5 also tells us clearly that the wrath of God is toward those whose hearts are hard and impenitent. This leads to the second element of understanding God’s wrath. It is never, ever, ever poured out on the children of God. In I John 2:2 “He is the propitiation for our sins.” The word propitiation means “wrath quencher.” What marvelous grace, what redemption! God’s wrath at my rebellion and sin has been quenched on the Cross of Christ. Hard times come; rain falls even on the just but wrath does not.
Last, I am obligated to guide the flock given to me with loving-kindness and soberness. If a wolf or a storm is coming, I as a shepherd must know the conditions of my flock. Are any sitting on the fence? Warn them that this is no time for compromise or close affiliation with the world. Partying in the house of an Egyptian on the night of the Passover is definitely not a good idea. This is a time to stay close to the Chief Shepherd. This is also an opportunity for us to call out to those outside the gate. Jesus is the Door and has opened his heart. His cry is that all flee from wrath to come. More than shrinking behind a double-locked door or fleeing to a rural farm, this is a call from Jesus to move your life into the sheepfold.
When a prophet comes with a message of warning, often people want the prophet to give them specific advice about what to do in response. At times, God gives the prophet a word, but more often it is up to the shepherd, and even more so, up to every man of God to take the word into account for his own family. Just as a pastor has stewardship of the church, a man of God is to give an account of his own family. When one comes to warn that wolves are coming, it is not always his responsibility to tell them what to do. We can hear from God. Joseph heard God say to store up food for the season to come (Genesis 41). Moses heard God say to receive gifts from the Egyptians for their journey (Exodus12). We as well can hear from God for our situation. Sheep do hear the Shepherd’s voice.
Jesus—in this hour, in this storm—will not only guide his people and comfort his flock but will also give them boldness, confidence and a heart to serve those troubled by the afflictions. A prophet once came to Paul and prophesied that if he went to Jerusalem he would be bound and put in prison. The prophet was faithful to give his word; it was up to Paul to hear from God how to deal with that warning. Paul, after hearing the prophecy, still decided to go to Jerusalem—willing to risk his life for the gospel (Acts 21). Some will hear and stay in a place of safety; others will hear and go to a place to serve. Some churches are positioned in cities that will need their spiritual strength and compassion. Perhaps the wisdom of Paul in Ephesians 5:15-18 speaks most to what we need, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.”
Joined: May 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 76 Location: Tennessee Karma: 1
Urgent Message !!! « Result #7 on Mar 8, 2009, 9:06pm »
3-9-09 I am compelled by the Holy Spirit to send out an urgent message to all on our mailing list, and to friends and to bishops we have met all over the world.
AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. IT IS GOING TO BE SO FRIGHTENING, WE ARE ALL GOING TO TREMBLE - EVEN THE GODLIEST AMONG US.
For ten years I have been warning about a thousand fires coming to New York City. It will engulf the whole megaplex, including areas of New Jersey and Connecticut. Major cities all across America will experience riots and blazing fires—such as we saw in Watts, Los Angeles, years ago.
There will be riots and fires in cities worldwide. There will be looting—including Times Square, New York City. What we are experiencing now is not a recession, not even a depression. We are under God’s wrath. In Psalm 11 it is written,
“If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (v. 3).
God is judging the raging sins of America and the nations. He is destroying the secular foundations.
The prophet Jeremiah pleaded with wicked Israel, “God is fashioning a calamity against you and devising a plan against you. Oh, turn back each of you from your evil way, and reform your ways and deeds. But they will say, It’s hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart” (Jeremiah 18:11-12).
In Psalm 11:6, David warns, “Upon the wicked he will rain snares (coals of fire)…fire…burning wind…will be the portion of their cup.” Why? David answered, “Because the Lord is righteous” (v. 7). This is a righteous judgment—just as in the judgments of Sodom and in Noah’s generation.
WHAT SHALL THE RIGHTEOUS DO? WHAT ABOUT GOD’S PEOPLE?
First, I give you a practical word I received for my own direction. If possible lay in store a thirty-day supply of non-perishable food, toiletries and other essentials. In major cities, grocery stores are emptied in an hour at the sign of an impending disaster.
As for our spiritual reaction, we have but two options. This is outlined in Psalm 11. We “flee like a bird to a mountain.” Or, as David says, “He fixed his eyes on the Lord on his throne in heaven—his eyes beholding, his eyelids testing the sons of men” (v. 4). “In the Lord I take refuge” (v. 1).
I will say to my soul: No need to run...no need to hide. This is God’s righteous work. I will behold our Lord on his throne, with his eye of tender, loving kindness watching over every step I take—trusting that he will deliver his people even through floods, fires, calamities, tests, trials of all kinds.
Note: I do not know when these things will come to pass, but I know it is not far off. I have unburdened my soul to you. Do with the message as you choose.
Joined: May 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 76 Location: Tennessee Karma: 1
Strange Fire in the House Of The Lord « Result #8 on Feb 18, 2009, 9:29pm »
STRANGE FIRE in THE HOUSE of THE LORD -by J. Lee Grady.
We need to be careful. Current fads involving angels, ecstatic worship and necromancy could push us off the edge of spiritual sanity.
No one fully understands what Nadab and Abihu did to prompt God to strike them dead in the sanctuary of Israel. The Bible says they loaded their firepans with incense, ignited the substance and "offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them" (Lev. 10:1, NASB). As a result of their careless and irreverent behavior, fire came from God's presence and consumed them.
Zap. In an instant they were ashes.
When Moses had to explain to Aaron what happened to the two men, he said: "It is what the Lord spoke, saying, ‘By those who come near to Me I will be treated as holy, and before all the people I will be honored'" (v. 3). Although we don't know the details of what Nadab and his brother did with the holy incense, we know they were careless and irreverent about the things of God.
"We want the miracles of God, but we also want the fear and reverence of God. We cannot allow this strange fire to spread unchecked."
This ancient story has relevant application for us today. We don't use incense or firepans in our worship, but we are expected to handle God's Word with care and minister to His people in the fear of the Lord. In other words: No funny business allowed. We aren't allowed to mix God's Word with foreign concepts or mix our worship with pagan practices.
Yet as I minister in various churches around this country I am finding that strange fire is spreading in our midst-even in churches that call themselves "Spirit-filled." Pastors and leaders need to be aware of these trends:
1. Deadly visitations. In some charismatic circles today, people are claiming to have spiritual experiences that involve communication with the dead. One Michigan pastor told me last week that some church leaders he knows promote this bizarre practice and base it on Jesus' experience on the Mount of Transfiguration. The logic is that since Jesus talked to Moses and Elijah on the day He was glorified, this gives us permission to talk to dead Christians and our dead relatives.
Although little is said about these experiences from the pulpit (since the average believer is not ready to handle this "new revelation"), people in some streams of the prophetic movement are claiming to have visitations from Aimee Semple McPherson, William Branham, John Wimber or various Bible characters. And we are expected to say, "Ooooooo, that's so deep" - and then go looking for our own mystical, beyond-the-grave epiphany.
That is creepy. Communication with the dead was strictly forbidden in the Old Testament (see Deut. 18:11), and there is nothing in the New that indicates the rules were changed. Those who seek counsel from the dead - whether through mediums and séances or in "prophetic visions" - are taking a dangerous step toward demonization.
2. Ecstatic rapture. Not long after ecstasy became known as a recreational drug, someone in our movement got the bright idea to promote spiritual ecstasy as a form of legitimate worship. The concept evolved from "spiritual drunkenness" to the current fad in which people gather at church altars and pretend to shoot needles in their arms for a "spiritual high." Some preachers today are encouraging people to "toke the Holy Ghost" - a reference to smoking marijuana.
I hate to be a party pooper, but the Bible warns us to "be of sound judgment and sober spirit" (1 Pet. 4:7). There is plenty of freedom and joy in the Holy Spirit; we don't have to quench it by introducing people to pagan revelry. Christian worship is not about losing control. Those who worship Jesus do it "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24), and our love for God is not measured by how violently we shake or how many times we fall on the floor.
Recently I told a friend in Pennsylvania that when people get tired of this drug imagery it won't be long before we see some Christians having sexual experiences at the altar. "It's already happening," my friend said. He described a recent "worship concert" in which one of the musicians simulated sex while stroking a microphone and whispering sensual phrases to Jesus. What is next - orgasmic worship? God help us.
3. Angels among us. Angels have always played a vital role in the life of the church. They are "ministering spirits" sent to protect, guide and strengthen believers (Heb. 1:14). But suddenly angels have become the rage in some segments of our movement. People are claiming to see them everywhere, and often the stories don't line up with the Word of God.
During the Lakeland Revival last year in Florida, a man from Germany took the stage and claimed that an angel walked into a restaurant while he was eating a hamburger, took his intestines out and replaced them with a gold substance. Others have testified that angels took them to heaven and operated on them. And many are claiming that angels are dropping feathers, gold dust and precious gems on worshippers.
I know God can do anything. He can make an iron axe head float, hide a coin in a fish's mouth and use a little boy's lunch to feed a multitude. Those were genuine miracles that He can still do today. But we still have to use caution here. There are counterfeits. If we promote a false miracle or a false angel in the Lord's house, we are participating in strange fire.
I know of a case where a man was caught planting fake jewels on the floor of a church. He told his friends he was "seeding the room" to lift the people's faith. I know of others who have been caught putting gold glitter on themselves in a restroom and then running back in a church service, only to claim that God was blessing them with this special favor. Where is the fear of God when Christians would actually fabricate a miracle?
This is a time for all true believers with backbones to draw clear lines between what is godly worship and what is pagan practice. We want the miracles of God, but we also want the fear and reverence of God. We cannot allow this strange fire to spread unchecked.
Joined: May 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 76 Location: Tennessee Karma: 1
History is Repeating Itself ! « Result #9 on Jan 30, 2009, 9:51pm »
History is repeating itself, and the first sermon Jeremiah preached against Judah needs to be repeated within many a church today. We have found no injustice in God, yet have gone far from Him, following idols and becoming idolaters. We have defiled the house of God, and made His heritage an abomination. The priests do not say where is the Lord, those who handle the law do not know Him, the rulers transgress against Him, the prophets prophecy by Ball and walk after things that do not profit, yet we still cry aloud, God bless America! We have so deceived ourselves as a nation that we are living with the expectation of blessing while a curse is upon us. We still beat the dull drum of prosperity while judgment is at the door. We continue to deny God, question His sovereignty, mock His omnipotence, dismiss His counsel and reject His nature, yet still have the audacity to not only expect, but demand that He arise and save us. Jeremiah 2:27-28, “For they have turned their back to Me and not their face. But in the time of their trouble they will say, ‘arise and save us.’ But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, if they can and save you in the time of your trouble.”
Joined: May 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 76 Location: Tennessee Karma: 1
The Night Watch « Result #10 on Jan 28, 2009, 3:08pm »
Psalm 134:1-3, “Behold, bless the Lord all you servants of the Lord, who by night stand in the house of the Lord! Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord. The Lord who made heaven and earth bless you from Zion!” The setting sun reminds us of the day that was. As it descends below the horizon, we hold onto the memories of the day, and we cling to the warmth of the sun shining on our faces. The sun is setting, and night is coming. Nothing of this world can hold off the night, for the night has been foretold, the Son of God reminding us that the day, the sun, the merriment, the ease, the comfort, the excesses, the lightheartedness of it all are not permanent, that all the things not rooted in the Word, that all that is not hidden with Christ in God, will come crashing to the ground like so much hail in an autumn storm. It is always easier to labor during the day than it is during the night. Daytime in the house of the Lord is always pleasant; it is always full of light, of joy, of singing, of praise, of listeners and visitors, of barbeques out in the parking lot, of missions trips and church expansions. Speak of the coming night during the day, and most will dismiss you, rolling their eyes thinking you a nuisance or a pest. Encourage them to prepare spiritually for the season when the light will not be so abundant, when the joy will not be so overwhelming, when the songs will not be so exuberant, when the worshippers will dwindle, when the visitors will cease to exist, and the lukewarm will flee seeking a refuge they can never find, and they will think you mad, a pessimist, one who refuses to make lemonade and simply bites into the lemons. It is inevitable that with the onset of the night, the number of those still standing in the house of the Lord will dwindle. It is inevitable that with the onset of the night, the faith of those that remain standing will be tried, their convictions and confidence put to the test. The task of holding fast becomes more difficult with the onset of the night, and the dangers, the threats, and the temptations grow not only in frequency but also in strength. Keeping the perpetual fire burning on the altar and not letting it go out becomes an arduous task when the night descends, because those that remain standing in the house of the Lord must stand in the gap, and not only perform their assigned tasks, but take up the slack and perform the tasks of those who have fled. They must do alone, what was done not only by a larger number of laborers, but also in far easier conditions. When seasons of trial come upon the Church and the work of Christ, when the night comes upon the house of God, when the number of those who by night stand in the sanctuary of the Lord and bless Him decreases with each passing day, and the responsibility of those who remain increases, it is inevitable that those who continue to stand become all the more precious in the sight of God. The sifting has begun, and the exodus of those who stood in the house of the Lord simply in the hope of receiving material blessing from Him is soon to commence within the churches of America. Yes, the exodus is almost upon us, for the sounds of laughter and jubilation have ceased from within the walls of manmade temples, only to be replaced with the sounds of weeping and lamentation. More than ever before those who have been called and commissioned to be on the night watch, those who continue to by night stand in the house of the Lord, must be awake and refreshed in the knowledge that with great tribulation comes great power, with great adversity comes great intimacy. Be strengthened, knowing that He who sees all things, He who knows all things will rightly reward those who overcome, those who in times of great upheaval stand on the Rock, unshaken and fearless. It will be necessary for those that remain standing to do more and not less. Lift up your hands all the more, bless the Lord all the more, pray all the more, grow all the more, fight all the more, and do not cease doing these things until the night passes and the rising sun warms our faces once more. We must in these dark hours be faithful in that which we have been entrusted with, doing our utmost to keep the fire burning in our hearts, to focus our gaze upon the Christ and the cross and not be swayed. We must calm and quiet our souls, and return to the simplicity of intimacy with Christ, to rebuild that which we have neglected for far too long, and submit to His authority and His will. Psalm 131:1-2, “Lord my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, nor with things too profound for me. Surely I have calmed my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.”
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