As the days grow darker and it seems that iniquity abounds, my mindset must be, continually to remember this admonishion from Scripture ~
Philippians 4:8
" Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are of good report;"
"If there be any virtue,
and if there be any praise,
THINK ON these things."
This is not a suggestion; it is a commandment.
We have been forwarned that gross darkness would cover the earth in the last of days. The political side of my character, the fleshly part of my nature would much rather think on the war in Iraq, President Obama and his administration, possible change that is surely coming, the economy, the banking system, the credit crisis, unemployment and Congress!
If I am obedient to what God has said to concentrate on, I have to just let these issues be a passing thought. There is very little that is true, honest, just, lovely, of good report or of virtue in the world we now live in.
We are not to be earthly minded, but heavenly. Our citizenship is not of this earth. We are told that we sit in the heavenlies with Christ. We cannot do both.
Many are blowing trumpets that have a hallow ring; it spreads fear, mistrust, doubt and has a ring of calamity. It is a trumpet of politics masquerading as something from the Throne of God.
Remember, God says the nations of the earth are as dust on a balance, a scale. He blows and they disappear. Our duty as His children is to spread the good news, the gospel of the Kingdom. We cannot serve two kingdoms.
Some spend their entire life trying to figure out who the anti-christ may be; from where he will arise, from which government he may hail. Where does the USA fit into the prophetic scenario. Of what use is wasting such energy that could be used to advance the Kingdom of God?
Jesus never, ever went to Rome; the powerhouse, the superpower of His day. He never spoke to the Roman Senate or Congress. He did not have an encounter with Cesar. If He is our example, why do we fall into the trap of the politics of our day?
I like what a Jewish Brother has said often; if he had foreknowledge of who the anti-christ was he would present the message of the gospel to him and present Jesus Christ as the Savior who was slain from the foundation of the world for the forgiveness of our sins!
God has everything under control! Our focus should be to allow ourselves to be changed into His image.
Psalm 32 instructs everyone that is godly to seek the LORD while He may be found. We have a promise that in the floods of great waters, (which are rising even now!)
that the floods will not come near unto us. He is our hiding place! He will preserve us from trouble and compass us about with songs of deliverance!
I have been dusting off the old church hymnals and singing in my spirit of the faithfulness of our Father, of the love of God that is still shed abroad to the lost and dying living among us, and songs that strengthen my faith in His faithfulness to me.
We must let the peace of God rule in our hearts. I cannot entangle myself in the affairs of fallen man and his systems and worship, and praise and please God at the same time. I am aware of what is going on, but it is no longer a mindset.
Do not fall into the trap! Concentrate on HIM and HIS faithfulness and HIS promises! We have to read them and meditate on them for the Sprit of God to bring them to our minds! He cannot bring out of our spirit something that we have not bothered to put in!
Our families, our spiritual growth, and our faithfulness and effectiveness for Him depends on a proper mindset.
And you shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all of your heart! (Jeremiah 29:13) The LORD is good to those that wait for Him; to the soul that seeks Him. (Lamentations 3:25)
Friday, February 27, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
HE IS, HE SHALL, HE WILL!
After acknowledging our sin and shortcomings to the LORD, we have precious promises that are available to us! I, like the Apostle Paul go through seasons (seasons that hopefully are getting shorter and shorter as His coming draws near) of falling short of the high calling in Christ Jesus, that is there for each Believer.
Several verses I read last evening confirmed these facts, not opinions, but facts~
" For this shall every one that is godly pray unto Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found:
surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him."
" Thou art my hiding place;
Thou shalt preserve me from trouble;
Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah."
" I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go:
I will guide thee with Mine eye...
Many sorrows shall be to the wicked:
but he that trusteth the LORD,
mercy shall compass him about."
" Be glad in the LORD,
and rejoice,
ye righteous,
and shout for joy,
all ye that are upright in heart."
Our daily cleansing comes through our confessions to God of our shortcomings.
Our uprightness of heart comes from that daily cleansing and confession to the Father of our weaknesses.
The faith we have, however great or inadequate is from Him! It is His faith; the faith of the Son of God. We are given a measure of faith and this grows as we read, believe, and meditate on His word. The Word of God, spoken to us from ages past, is as alive today as the days in which they were written.
Meditate on His promises! Make them a daily mindset and the center of our worship, prayers and praise.
Several verses I read last evening confirmed these facts, not opinions, but facts~
" For this shall every one that is godly pray unto Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found:
surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him."
" Thou art my hiding place;
Thou shalt preserve me from trouble;
Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah."
" I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go:
I will guide thee with Mine eye...
Many sorrows shall be to the wicked:
but he that trusteth the LORD,
mercy shall compass him about."
" Be glad in the LORD,
and rejoice,
ye righteous,
and shout for joy,
all ye that are upright in heart."
Our daily cleansing comes through our confessions to God of our shortcomings.
Our uprightness of heart comes from that daily cleansing and confession to the Father of our weaknesses.
The faith we have, however great or inadequate is from Him! It is His faith; the faith of the Son of God. We are given a measure of faith and this grows as we read, believe, and meditate on His word. The Word of God, spoken to us from ages past, is as alive today as the days in which they were written.
Meditate on His promises! Make them a daily mindset and the center of our worship, prayers and praise.
Friday, February 20, 2009
NEGLECTED MINISTRY?
As a child growing up in a minister's home, and as an adult who has been "in and out" in things pertaining to the people of God, I have noticed a pattern that I would like to address. If I am in error, may God forgive me and show me truth.
It regards those who have totally dedicated themselves to living a life given to God. This covers a range from deacon, Sunday School teacher, prayer warriors known and called upon in times of crisis and pastors, Bible teachers alike.
I have noticed when these special people of God themselves fall on difficult times, those they have ministered to may become embarrassed, bewildered, or caused to doubt as to why one so used of the LORD seems to be having difficulty. My dear Mother was one of those. She was used of God during her life to minister to many; from missionaries visiting our home to family members, her sons included.
When I would go to visit her in the Nursing Home after her health took a severe turn for the worse, I would look upon her as one seemingly forsaken of God. On my way back home to prepare for my employment I would cry out and ask God, "Why?"
My Grandfather was a man of God of such a nature that I have only met maybe a handful. He languished in a hospital for almost ten weeks before he went to be with the LORD. A minister friend of mine that was married 65 years has periods where he breaks down and weeps uncontrollably for the loss of his wife, the lack of concern in the churches he ministered to, and the general lack of concern, except for two or three out of the hundreds of people he and his wife ministered to for over fifty years.
In defense of the prevailing attitude of neglect of these modern day saints of God who have paid the ultimate price, I have been led to several passages of Scripture that have given me some insight into this important issue. It is an issue that is as old as the foundation of the Church.
Christ, who is our example in all things, of whom we are to emulate, had the religious leaders of His day, the Chief Priests and Scribes cry out and mock Him in His time of distress; saying, " He saved others, He cannot save Himself. He trusts in God, let God deliver Him!" ( Matthew 27-Mark 15:31-Luke 23:35)
Is this not what we say by our actions when we question the saints of God who have their hour of trial and testing? What is the difference? How can one so used of God on behalf of others in ministry, prayer, giving or faith face such an ordeal?
The book of Hebrews tells us to remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill treated, since we are also in the Body. (Hebrews 13) Do not be ashamed of our brothers and sisters, fellow warriors of the faith, in their hour of darkness or despair. They need our support more than ever in this condition. It is the human condition and all are subject to this hour of trail as long as we inhabit this human body. We are to strengthen and encourage each other in the faith as we see the day of the coming of Jesus draw closer.
This concept is nothing new. In 2 Timothy 1, the Apostle Paul was deserted by ALL of the church in Asia except one man, one family, the house of Onesiphorus. This one family out of all refreshed Paul and was not ashamed of his chains when he was imprisoned in Rome. They actually searched for Paul before finding him. Their support may have just been word of kindness, prayer, a cup of tea or a sandwich; but support non the less. How many old saints are still around who would appreciate such kindness from someone to whom they have ministered?
A ministry can be a blessing in good times, and a great burden in difficult times. Anyone can minister when things are good; it takes a person with a gift from God to minister to one in great need. Paul, again in Galatians 4 speaks of having a bodily illness when he preached the gospel in Galatia the first time. He acknowledge that it was a trial for the people he was ministering to. He also says that his bodily illness was not despised or loathed by these people but that he was received as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself!
Imagine, an Angel of God or Christ Jesus Himself, in bodily illness, ministering and being received openly and with joy! Far fetched? Consider Isaiah 53~
"He was despised and forsaken of man,
A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief,
And like One from whom men hide their face,
He was despised and rejected of men."
Is this process of total death of all flesh for the saints of God? Is this a process He puts His special earthly treasures through before they enter into His presence?
Consider~
Isaiah 53 vs. 12
" Therefore, I will alot Him a portion with the great,
and He will divide the treasure with the strong,
BECAUSE He poured Himself out to death and was numbered
with the transgressors;
Yet He Himself bore the sin of many and interceded for the transgressors."
We must remember the prisoners and those in bonds. This may not be a structure where they are being detained but a prison of the mind and thought of being forgotten and neglected; As was Christ forgotten and neglected by the disciples, save one, who was beside His mother at His time of greatest need and when any comfort would have been welcomed.
Paul, the man who was through it all at the beginning of the Church of which we are members said as he sits in prison awaiting certain death,
" And this I pray, that your love may abound more and more in real knowledge and all discernment..."(Philippians 1:9)
We need an extra baptism of discernment and real knowledge of those who have paid the price and are in need of ministry, comfort and support as they reach the end of their ministry.
Do not be afraid of their tears, their uncertainty as they reach the end, or questionings that may arise from time to time. Encourage, support, cry, hug and pray with them. It appears, from what I have read in the word of God, to be part of the human experience.
God is there all of the time. He has said that NO FLESH will glory in His presence and it appears likely that the last vestiges of flesh do not give up easily.
By His grace, His discernment, His comfort and His Spirit we can help in the transition from earth to His glorious Presence.
It regards those who have totally dedicated themselves to living a life given to God. This covers a range from deacon, Sunday School teacher, prayer warriors known and called upon in times of crisis and pastors, Bible teachers alike.
I have noticed when these special people of God themselves fall on difficult times, those they have ministered to may become embarrassed, bewildered, or caused to doubt as to why one so used of the LORD seems to be having difficulty. My dear Mother was one of those. She was used of God during her life to minister to many; from missionaries visiting our home to family members, her sons included.
When I would go to visit her in the Nursing Home after her health took a severe turn for the worse, I would look upon her as one seemingly forsaken of God. On my way back home to prepare for my employment I would cry out and ask God, "Why?"
My Grandfather was a man of God of such a nature that I have only met maybe a handful. He languished in a hospital for almost ten weeks before he went to be with the LORD. A minister friend of mine that was married 65 years has periods where he breaks down and weeps uncontrollably for the loss of his wife, the lack of concern in the churches he ministered to, and the general lack of concern, except for two or three out of the hundreds of people he and his wife ministered to for over fifty years.
In defense of the prevailing attitude of neglect of these modern day saints of God who have paid the ultimate price, I have been led to several passages of Scripture that have given me some insight into this important issue. It is an issue that is as old as the foundation of the Church.
Christ, who is our example in all things, of whom we are to emulate, had the religious leaders of His day, the Chief Priests and Scribes cry out and mock Him in His time of distress; saying, " He saved others, He cannot save Himself. He trusts in God, let God deliver Him!" ( Matthew 27-Mark 15:31-Luke 23:35)
Is this not what we say by our actions when we question the saints of God who have their hour of trial and testing? What is the difference? How can one so used of God on behalf of others in ministry, prayer, giving or faith face such an ordeal?
The book of Hebrews tells us to remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill treated, since we are also in the Body. (Hebrews 13) Do not be ashamed of our brothers and sisters, fellow warriors of the faith, in their hour of darkness or despair. They need our support more than ever in this condition. It is the human condition and all are subject to this hour of trail as long as we inhabit this human body. We are to strengthen and encourage each other in the faith as we see the day of the coming of Jesus draw closer.
This concept is nothing new. In 2 Timothy 1, the Apostle Paul was deserted by ALL of the church in Asia except one man, one family, the house of Onesiphorus. This one family out of all refreshed Paul and was not ashamed of his chains when he was imprisoned in Rome. They actually searched for Paul before finding him. Their support may have just been word of kindness, prayer, a cup of tea or a sandwich; but support non the less. How many old saints are still around who would appreciate such kindness from someone to whom they have ministered?
A ministry can be a blessing in good times, and a great burden in difficult times. Anyone can minister when things are good; it takes a person with a gift from God to minister to one in great need. Paul, again in Galatians 4 speaks of having a bodily illness when he preached the gospel in Galatia the first time. He acknowledge that it was a trial for the people he was ministering to. He also says that his bodily illness was not despised or loathed by these people but that he was received as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself!
Imagine, an Angel of God or Christ Jesus Himself, in bodily illness, ministering and being received openly and with joy! Far fetched? Consider Isaiah 53~
"He was despised and forsaken of man,
A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief,
And like One from whom men hide their face,
He was despised and rejected of men."
Is this process of total death of all flesh for the saints of God? Is this a process He puts His special earthly treasures through before they enter into His presence?
Consider~
Isaiah 53 vs. 12
" Therefore, I will alot Him a portion with the great,
and He will divide the treasure with the strong,
BECAUSE He poured Himself out to death and was numbered
with the transgressors;
Yet He Himself bore the sin of many and interceded for the transgressors."
We must remember the prisoners and those in bonds. This may not be a structure where they are being detained but a prison of the mind and thought of being forgotten and neglected; As was Christ forgotten and neglected by the disciples, save one, who was beside His mother at His time of greatest need and when any comfort would have been welcomed.
Paul, the man who was through it all at the beginning of the Church of which we are members said as he sits in prison awaiting certain death,
" And this I pray, that your love may abound more and more in real knowledge and all discernment..."(Philippians 1:9)
We need an extra baptism of discernment and real knowledge of those who have paid the price and are in need of ministry, comfort and support as they reach the end of their ministry.
Do not be afraid of their tears, their uncertainty as they reach the end, or questionings that may arise from time to time. Encourage, support, cry, hug and pray with them. It appears, from what I have read in the word of God, to be part of the human experience.
God is there all of the time. He has said that NO FLESH will glory in His presence and it appears likely that the last vestiges of flesh do not give up easily.
By His grace, His discernment, His comfort and His Spirit we can help in the transition from earth to His glorious Presence.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Two Familiar Scenes
There are two interesting stories regarding the Children of Israel in the Book of Exodus and the Book of Isaiah. The first, in Exodus 20:18,19 is when the all of the people saw the thunderings, the lightenings, the noise of the trumpet and the mountain smoking. They saw it, and removed themselves afar off.
They told Moses, "you speak with us, and we will hear you...but do not let God speak to us or we will die..."
Hundreds of years later, possibly 600, we see Israel crying out to God, "Oh that Thou wouldest rend (tear) the heavens and come down; that the mountains might flow down at Thy presence, as when the melting fire burneth and causes waters to boil."
Why the change of heart? Consider; Israel had been defeated in battle, she suffered famines, corrupt kings, ceaseless wars, drought and a corrupt priesthood for years.
Her dire condition caused her to cry out to God for deliverance.
We can apply this to our day. It has taken an almost total economic collapse, two active wars, unemployment that is rising and families unable to feed their families and keep their homes to start crying out to God for deliverance.
As in Israel, the mercies of God are renewed daily; in judgment He always is merciful if one cries out to Him for forgiveness and salvation with a broken and contrite heart.
He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked; every human being has an eternal spirit that was given by the Heavenly Father and only He knows the full extent of the horror of an eternity cast our of His presence.
Should things continue to deteriorate, and according to scriptural writings they will if this is the end of the age, untold millions are being weighed in the balance of eternity.
We must be waiting with hearts of forgiveness, mercy and compassion; the same heart that God has for us before we became His children.
Do not become to involved in the affairs, politics, and issues of governments and men. We are instructed to not get entangled in these affairs. Ours is a heavenly kingdom; we, like Father Abraham seek a city not made with hands, a heavenly Jerusalem.
Like Israel in the days of the Exodus, I have greatly feared the presence of God. In His love and mercy He sent crisis, personal wars, financial issues, job and relationship problems until, like Israel in Isaiah 64, I cried out with all of my heart "O THAT THOU WOULDEST REND THE HEAVENS AND COME DOWN!
And according to His great mercies, He did.
They told Moses, "you speak with us, and we will hear you...but do not let God speak to us or we will die..."
Hundreds of years later, possibly 600, we see Israel crying out to God, "Oh that Thou wouldest rend (tear) the heavens and come down; that the mountains might flow down at Thy presence, as when the melting fire burneth and causes waters to boil."
Why the change of heart? Consider; Israel had been defeated in battle, she suffered famines, corrupt kings, ceaseless wars, drought and a corrupt priesthood for years.
Her dire condition caused her to cry out to God for deliverance.
We can apply this to our day. It has taken an almost total economic collapse, two active wars, unemployment that is rising and families unable to feed their families and keep their homes to start crying out to God for deliverance.
As in Israel, the mercies of God are renewed daily; in judgment He always is merciful if one cries out to Him for forgiveness and salvation with a broken and contrite heart.
He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked; every human being has an eternal spirit that was given by the Heavenly Father and only He knows the full extent of the horror of an eternity cast our of His presence.
Should things continue to deteriorate, and according to scriptural writings they will if this is the end of the age, untold millions are being weighed in the balance of eternity.
We must be waiting with hearts of forgiveness, mercy and compassion; the same heart that God has for us before we became His children.
Do not become to involved in the affairs, politics, and issues of governments and men. We are instructed to not get entangled in these affairs. Ours is a heavenly kingdom; we, like Father Abraham seek a city not made with hands, a heavenly Jerusalem.
Like Israel in the days of the Exodus, I have greatly feared the presence of God. In His love and mercy He sent crisis, personal wars, financial issues, job and relationship problems until, like Israel in Isaiah 64, I cried out with all of my heart "O THAT THOU WOULDEST REND THE HEAVENS AND COME DOWN!
And according to His great mercies, He did.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Co-sufferers With Christ?
1PETER 4:1 says "Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind; for those who have suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin; (WHY?)-
" so that they no longer should live the rest of our time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God..."
I take this to mean that suffering, in some way that I do not understand, separates us from fleshly lusts and desires and give us a mindset that is focused on the heavenly things?
A much persecuted Romanian Christian poet, Traian Dorz, said " Tears, tears, bitter hulls but with such a sweet kernel..." Another accomplished poet named Milton wrote his finest poetry after he became blind. Beethoven composed his most beautiful music only after he became deaf.
If suffering produces these lasting, life-changing effects, why do I run from, complain, avoid suffering with such vigor? Is this an exhibition of just how strong the flesh is? The desire for comfort, ease and the "easy life"...?
What of any eternal value does a life of ease produce? Apparently not much!
A philosopher who suffered from an incurable sickness wrote that he had become master of the sicknesses influences on his thoughts and actions by turning his attention away from the feelings altogether, just as if it did not at all concern him...
The founder of the VOICE OF THE MARTYRS ministry said the 14 years in communist prisons where he was tortured were the most fruitful years of his life. Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the great Russian dissident whose writings were instrumental in the exposure and downfall of Russian communism wrote "Blessed by thou, prison." The seven years he spent in Soviet jails made him into the most powerful opponent of communism.
Jesus Himself, the One whom we are to emulate, was made perfect through sufferings (HEBREWS 2:10) He was called a man of sorrows (ISAIAH 53:3) . Am I a man of sorrows? Jesus is the Lamb slain from the foundations of the world (REVELATION 13:8).
Does becoming a Christian require becoming a co-sufferer with Christ? What does Christ mean when He tells me to pick up my cross daily and follow Him? He did not say to just wear a cross on a chain around my neck or as a lapel pin, but have one that is large enough to actually carry, one that requires effort to bare.
Is it possible that to the extent we suffer, the more of His pain we are ready to share, determines the more truth and depth we receive from Him?
" Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
(WHY?) That he be no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God..." (Philippians 3:7,8)
I have never heard a sermon in this context; but it IS in the Book!
Can I, like the Apostle Paul, say, "But what things were gain to me, these I counted loss for Christ. Yes, doubtless, and I count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my LORD: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ..."
Is this the process to know Christ? To be willing to lose all things to win Christ?
Am I given a different, easier, more comfortable road to travel than the Apostles?
Can I say with Paul, "that I might know Him, and the fellowship of His suffering"?
The more of His pain we are willing to share, the more truth we will receive. I do not go looking for pain; but when it comes across my path on this journey that only lasts for a brief season, I know that He who suffered all things, and me just a portion, He will bear me up and cover me under His almighty wings as I learn of Him, trust Him and depend upon Him in all things.
One day soon we may have to actually pay a larger price for what we believe. It is time to get acquainted with this strange concept for most of us. We may be called upon to be His faithful witnesses in ways we can only imagine in these last of days.
Our success, or failure in suffering will be a strong witness to those who are lost. Our success in understanding the ways and sufficiency of our God during those seasons will influence many of our lost friends and associates to determine that, yes, Christ is the way, the truth and the light.
It will truly be worth it all, when we SEE JESUS. Life's trials will seem so small, when we see Christ. One look on His dear face, all sorrow will erase, so gladly run the race, til we see Christ!
" so that they no longer should live the rest of our time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God..."
I take this to mean that suffering, in some way that I do not understand, separates us from fleshly lusts and desires and give us a mindset that is focused on the heavenly things?
A much persecuted Romanian Christian poet, Traian Dorz, said " Tears, tears, bitter hulls but with such a sweet kernel..." Another accomplished poet named Milton wrote his finest poetry after he became blind. Beethoven composed his most beautiful music only after he became deaf.
If suffering produces these lasting, life-changing effects, why do I run from, complain, avoid suffering with such vigor? Is this an exhibition of just how strong the flesh is? The desire for comfort, ease and the "easy life"...?
What of any eternal value does a life of ease produce? Apparently not much!
A philosopher who suffered from an incurable sickness wrote that he had become master of the sicknesses influences on his thoughts and actions by turning his attention away from the feelings altogether, just as if it did not at all concern him...
The founder of the VOICE OF THE MARTYRS ministry said the 14 years in communist prisons where he was tortured were the most fruitful years of his life. Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the great Russian dissident whose writings were instrumental in the exposure and downfall of Russian communism wrote "Blessed by thou, prison." The seven years he spent in Soviet jails made him into the most powerful opponent of communism.
Jesus Himself, the One whom we are to emulate, was made perfect through sufferings (HEBREWS 2:10) He was called a man of sorrows (ISAIAH 53:3) . Am I a man of sorrows? Jesus is the Lamb slain from the foundations of the world (REVELATION 13:8).
Does becoming a Christian require becoming a co-sufferer with Christ? What does Christ mean when He tells me to pick up my cross daily and follow Him? He did not say to just wear a cross on a chain around my neck or as a lapel pin, but have one that is large enough to actually carry, one that requires effort to bare.
Is it possible that to the extent we suffer, the more of His pain we are ready to share, determines the more truth and depth we receive from Him?
" Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
(WHY?) That he be no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God..." (Philippians 3:7,8)
I have never heard a sermon in this context; but it IS in the Book!
Can I, like the Apostle Paul, say, "But what things were gain to me, these I counted loss for Christ. Yes, doubtless, and I count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my LORD: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ..."
Is this the process to know Christ? To be willing to lose all things to win Christ?
Am I given a different, easier, more comfortable road to travel than the Apostles?
Can I say with Paul, "that I might know Him, and the fellowship of His suffering"?
The more of His pain we are willing to share, the more truth we will receive. I do not go looking for pain; but when it comes across my path on this journey that only lasts for a brief season, I know that He who suffered all things, and me just a portion, He will bear me up and cover me under His almighty wings as I learn of Him, trust Him and depend upon Him in all things.
One day soon we may have to actually pay a larger price for what we believe. It is time to get acquainted with this strange concept for most of us. We may be called upon to be His faithful witnesses in ways we can only imagine in these last of days.
Our success, or failure in suffering will be a strong witness to those who are lost. Our success in understanding the ways and sufficiency of our God during those seasons will influence many of our lost friends and associates to determine that, yes, Christ is the way, the truth and the light.
It will truly be worth it all, when we SEE JESUS. Life's trials will seem so small, when we see Christ. One look on His dear face, all sorrow will erase, so gladly run the race, til we see Christ!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
THINK ON THESE!
We are admonished in Philippians 4 to think upon whatsoever is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report and upon any thing or issue that is of virtue and praise.
This is difficult to do when the world seems to be tumbling into depression, war and rebellion against anything and everything that stand for God. But, nonetheless, we are still admonished to think on these things.
When these words in Philippians were penned, the Church, the Apostles and followers of Jesus were also meeting much resistance. Years before Paul ( then Saul) was hunting down Believers and taking them before courts to face persecution and possibly death. Still, it is written, think on these things; truth, honesty,just, pure, lovely, virtuous and praise.
Many Believers today think on the evil, the government, the debt, the economy, unemployment and Islamic terrorism. The verse and lifestyle mentioned for the people of God in Philippians 4 is either cast aside outright, or at best just forgotten for a season. Hopefully the latter.
Believers have a promise from Christ Himself that the gates of Hell WILL NOT PREVAIL against His church (Matthew 16:18). Do our words, actions, writings and conversation confirm His word and promise of our victory? He has everything under control; especially when in the natural it is spinning out of control.
We must remember, He sits as King of the flood. He set the pillars of the earth. He causes the sun and moon to shine. He has numbered the hairs on our head and as Believers and as His children we must rest in Him.
I have memorized this passage of Scripture and it brings much comfort and assurance to my spirit ~
The eternal God is my refuge,
and underneath are His everlasting arms;
He will thrust out the enemy from before me,
and shall say, "Destroy them."
I will then dwell in safety alone.
The fountain of Jacob (randy) will rest upon a land of
corn and wine,
and the heaven will drop dew.
Happy art thou, O Israel (randy),
a people saved by the LORD;
the shield of thy help and the sword of thy excellency.
Your enemies shall be found liars unto you
and you will tread upon their high places.
His promises to bring us through the situations we face. If we love our life (as we know it) we will perish; if we lose our life (as we know it) we will receive eternal life. We are to be spiritually minded. Do not become attached to the things of this world. The things of this world; the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life are not of the Father but are of the world.
Set aside all encumbrances that may come between us and God.
His promises to His children are faithful and true.
THINK ON THESE THINGS!
This is difficult to do when the world seems to be tumbling into depression, war and rebellion against anything and everything that stand for God. But, nonetheless, we are still admonished to think on these things.
When these words in Philippians were penned, the Church, the Apostles and followers of Jesus were also meeting much resistance. Years before Paul ( then Saul) was hunting down Believers and taking them before courts to face persecution and possibly death. Still, it is written, think on these things; truth, honesty,just, pure, lovely, virtuous and praise.
Many Believers today think on the evil, the government, the debt, the economy, unemployment and Islamic terrorism. The verse and lifestyle mentioned for the people of God in Philippians 4 is either cast aside outright, or at best just forgotten for a season. Hopefully the latter.
Believers have a promise from Christ Himself that the gates of Hell WILL NOT PREVAIL against His church (Matthew 16:18). Do our words, actions, writings and conversation confirm His word and promise of our victory? He has everything under control; especially when in the natural it is spinning out of control.
We must remember, He sits as King of the flood. He set the pillars of the earth. He causes the sun and moon to shine. He has numbered the hairs on our head and as Believers and as His children we must rest in Him.
I have memorized this passage of Scripture and it brings much comfort and assurance to my spirit ~
The eternal God is my refuge,
and underneath are His everlasting arms;
He will thrust out the enemy from before me,
and shall say, "Destroy them."
I will then dwell in safety alone.
The fountain of Jacob (randy) will rest upon a land of
corn and wine,
and the heaven will drop dew.
Happy art thou, O Israel (randy),
a people saved by the LORD;
the shield of thy help and the sword of thy excellency.
Your enemies shall be found liars unto you
and you will tread upon their high places.
His promises to bring us through the situations we face. If we love our life (as we know it) we will perish; if we lose our life (as we know it) we will receive eternal life. We are to be spiritually minded. Do not become attached to the things of this world. The things of this world; the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life are not of the Father but are of the world.
Set aside all encumbrances that may come between us and God.
His promises to His children are faithful and true.
THINK ON THESE THINGS!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Do I Really Know Jesus?
I have read recently of several missionary's whose father was also a missionary. The father was captured and actually eaten by a tribe of cannibles to whom he was ministering. His two son's picked up the ministry of their father and had the "priviledge" of baptising the people who had cannibleized their father! What forgiveness. What mercy. What compassion for souls!
Former terrorist are being saved by the grace of God and are now witnessing to the Islamic communities from which they came. Can you imagine former terrorists who would readily murder women and children in the name of Allah, people so full of hatred and rage against anything that speaks of Christ, becoming Believers in the One they were enraged with? If they were so full of zeal for Allah, what would be their zeal for the One true God?
Ministries in Israel, who also minister to the population centers of Gaza and Judea and Samaria (West Bank), also support men and women who are Believers in the One true God in Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, the Sudan and other areas that are hostile to anything that speaks of Christ.
This forgiveness, this grace, this aspect of God's work among the children of men is beyond the comprehension of my mind that has been saturated with the "war on terror" the 9-11 attacks here in the United States, and the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
As the Apostle Paul says, oh the depths, knowledge and grace that proceeds from the throne room of God!
Paul, the one who wrote more books of the New Testament was probably considered a terrorist to Believers in the first century of the church. Jesus grabbed hold of this man who was persecuting His church and turned him around completely. He was a man present at the stoning of the first martyr of the church age, Stephen. What fear must have gripped Believers in Damascus as Paul and his band of "terrorists" headed their way to arrest, prosecute and possible inprison or martyr them.
It is all about Christ! Only He can rearainge my mind to where I see every person alive on this planet as a possible Believer in the One who saved me in my darkness and sin. His passion is souls!
Is this my passion?
* The stories can be found in these two publications from the Voice of the Martyrs
1. JESUS FRIEND TO TERRORISTS by Radu Valentin
2. THE ORACLES OF GOD by Richard Wurmbrand
They can be ordered from-
THE VOICE of the MARTYRS
PO BOX 443
BARTLESVILLE, OK 74005-8015
telephone 1-918-337-8015
Former terrorist are being saved by the grace of God and are now witnessing to the Islamic communities from which they came. Can you imagine former terrorists who would readily murder women and children in the name of Allah, people so full of hatred and rage against anything that speaks of Christ, becoming Believers in the One they were enraged with? If they were so full of zeal for Allah, what would be their zeal for the One true God?
Ministries in Israel, who also minister to the population centers of Gaza and Judea and Samaria (West Bank), also support men and women who are Believers in the One true God in Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, the Sudan and other areas that are hostile to anything that speaks of Christ.
This forgiveness, this grace, this aspect of God's work among the children of men is beyond the comprehension of my mind that has been saturated with the "war on terror" the 9-11 attacks here in the United States, and the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
As the Apostle Paul says, oh the depths, knowledge and grace that proceeds from the throne room of God!
Paul, the one who wrote more books of the New Testament was probably considered a terrorist to Believers in the first century of the church. Jesus grabbed hold of this man who was persecuting His church and turned him around completely. He was a man present at the stoning of the first martyr of the church age, Stephen. What fear must have gripped Believers in Damascus as Paul and his band of "terrorists" headed their way to arrest, prosecute and possible inprison or martyr them.
It is all about Christ! Only He can rearainge my mind to where I see every person alive on this planet as a possible Believer in the One who saved me in my darkness and sin. His passion is souls!
Is this my passion?
* The stories can be found in these two publications from the Voice of the Martyrs
1. JESUS FRIEND TO TERRORISTS by Radu Valentin
2. THE ORACLES OF GOD by Richard Wurmbrand
They can be ordered from-
THE VOICE of the MARTYRS
PO BOX 443
BARTLESVILLE, OK 74005-8015
telephone 1-918-337-8015
Friday, February 13, 2009
All About Him!
I have been reading a little book written by T. Austin Sparks entitled SCHOOL OF CHRIST. It is an out of print book but I believe it a copy can be attained through World Challenge web site. I can only read perhaps one page at a time without choking on the concepts of Christ given in this little 95 page book about the depths of a life truly lived for Christ and Him alone.
One passage to the situation today regards an incident Rev. Sparks experienced while speaking at a conference. The prior speaker had charts, diagrams and booklets regarding prophecies about the last days. Attendees were busily writing down everything the speaker was saying. "Would Germany and Russia form an alliance that would be the foundation for the New World Order..." Where does the new Roman Empire start and what states would consist of the ten horns mentioned in the book of the Revelation, and so forth.
When T. Austin Sparks spoke the next evening, his sermon was on a deeper revelation of who Christ is. How can He be more preeminent in our lives? How can we bring pleasure to Him? How do we develop a deeper relationship with the Father?
The attendees could not wait for the service to end! They did not write a single sentence. Notebooks were closed. Most could not wait for the meeting to end, and some left early!
What a boring subject! Knowing Christ?
What if we knew who the anti-christ was? What would it profit if we knew his address, even? What if we knew the day the ancient Roman Empire would arise and if we knew all of the details of how it will be formed and how it would rule?
If we do not know Christ, what have we attained?
Some want to be, and some even claim to be "prophets". Have they considered that all of the prophets called of God in the Bible, except maybe the Apostle John, died horrible deaths at the hand of their persecutors? If I were a prophet, I would have a large life insurance policy and keep the payments current!
In a nutshell, I would like to quote T. Austin Sparks. These several paragraphs opened my eyes:
" There are numerous things, subjects, themes, teachings. There is the "kingdom of God", there is "sanctification", there is "eternal life". there is the "victorious life", the overcomer or "the overcoming life", there is the "second coming of Christ". These are just a few themes, truths, as they are called, which have been taken up and developed out of the Scriptures and become things with which people have become very much occupied, and they are very interesting things...."
"Certain people hive off around sanctification teaching, and they are the "sanctificationists", and it becomes an "ism". Others hive of and are bounded by the hedge of Second Advent ism, the Lord's coming, prophecy, and all of that. So you get groups like that. I want to say that this would be utterly impossible if the Person of the Lord Jesus was dominant."
" What is the Kingdom of God? It IS JESUS CHRIST. If you get right inside the Gospels you will find out that the Kingdom of God is Jesus Christ. If you are living in Christ, you are in the kingdom and you know, as the Holy Spirit teaches you Christ, what the kingdom is in every detail. "
" The Holy Spirit is not teaching us things; not Church doctrine, not sanctification, not advent ism, not any thing, or any number of things, but teaching us Christ. 2 Thess.1:10 says, "He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believe."
"How do we know when the coming of the LORD is neigh? Not best of all by prophetical signs, but by what is going on within the hearts of the LORD'S people. But maybe you are not interested in that. You would far sooner know what is going to happen between Germany and Russia, whether these two eventually are going to become a great confederacy! How far does it get us? Where has all the talking about the revived Roman Empire got us?"
" If only we keep close to Him who is the sum of all truth, and move with Him and learn Him, we shall know the course of things. We shall know what is imminent. We shall have in our heart whisperings of preparation. I am not saying that there is nothing in prophecy; don't misunderstand me. But I do know that there are multitudes of people who are simply engrossed in prophecy as a thing whose spiritual life counts for nothing, who really have no deep inward walk with the Lord. We have seen it so often..."
For the past several years I have gone back to this little book entitled SCHOOL OF CHRIST, and I am reminded again and again about what this life is all about; it is all about HIM! Every trial, every victory, every word, every event encompasses His working in my life.
Hebrews 2 sums up the all encompassing purpose of Christ in our lives ~
"But we do see Him who has been made for a little while lower than the angels,
namely Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone."
"For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the Author of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father. For this reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying...
"I will proclaim Thy Name to My brethren in the midst of the congregation, I will sing Thy praise and again, I will put My trust in Him, and again, Behold I and the children whom God has given Me. Since the children are flesh and blood He Himself partook of the same...."
In the end, it is all about HIM!
I want to learn of Him, know Him, worship Him, love Him, adore Him, bring Him pleasure so that on that great day when I stand in His presence to give an account, He will say, well done, My good and faithful servant, enter in!
One passage to the situation today regards an incident Rev. Sparks experienced while speaking at a conference. The prior speaker had charts, diagrams and booklets regarding prophecies about the last days. Attendees were busily writing down everything the speaker was saying. "Would Germany and Russia form an alliance that would be the foundation for the New World Order..." Where does the new Roman Empire start and what states would consist of the ten horns mentioned in the book of the Revelation, and so forth.
When T. Austin Sparks spoke the next evening, his sermon was on a deeper revelation of who Christ is. How can He be more preeminent in our lives? How can we bring pleasure to Him? How do we develop a deeper relationship with the Father?
The attendees could not wait for the service to end! They did not write a single sentence. Notebooks were closed. Most could not wait for the meeting to end, and some left early!
What a boring subject! Knowing Christ?
What if we knew who the anti-christ was? What would it profit if we knew his address, even? What if we knew the day the ancient Roman Empire would arise and if we knew all of the details of how it will be formed and how it would rule?
If we do not know Christ, what have we attained?
Some want to be, and some even claim to be "prophets". Have they considered that all of the prophets called of God in the Bible, except maybe the Apostle John, died horrible deaths at the hand of their persecutors? If I were a prophet, I would have a large life insurance policy and keep the payments current!
In a nutshell, I would like to quote T. Austin Sparks. These several paragraphs opened my eyes:
" There are numerous things, subjects, themes, teachings. There is the "kingdom of God", there is "sanctification", there is "eternal life". there is the "victorious life", the overcomer or "the overcoming life", there is the "second coming of Christ". These are just a few themes, truths, as they are called, which have been taken up and developed out of the Scriptures and become things with which people have become very much occupied, and they are very interesting things...."
"Certain people hive off around sanctification teaching, and they are the "sanctificationists", and it becomes an "ism". Others hive of and are bounded by the hedge of Second Advent ism, the Lord's coming, prophecy, and all of that. So you get groups like that. I want to say that this would be utterly impossible if the Person of the Lord Jesus was dominant."
" What is the Kingdom of God? It IS JESUS CHRIST. If you get right inside the Gospels you will find out that the Kingdom of God is Jesus Christ. If you are living in Christ, you are in the kingdom and you know, as the Holy Spirit teaches you Christ, what the kingdom is in every detail. "
" The Holy Spirit is not teaching us things; not Church doctrine, not sanctification, not advent ism, not any thing, or any number of things, but teaching us Christ. 2 Thess.1:10 says, "He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believe."
"How do we know when the coming of the LORD is neigh? Not best of all by prophetical signs, but by what is going on within the hearts of the LORD'S people. But maybe you are not interested in that. You would far sooner know what is going to happen between Germany and Russia, whether these two eventually are going to become a great confederacy! How far does it get us? Where has all the talking about the revived Roman Empire got us?"
" If only we keep close to Him who is the sum of all truth, and move with Him and learn Him, we shall know the course of things. We shall know what is imminent. We shall have in our heart whisperings of preparation. I am not saying that there is nothing in prophecy; don't misunderstand me. But I do know that there are multitudes of people who are simply engrossed in prophecy as a thing whose spiritual life counts for nothing, who really have no deep inward walk with the Lord. We have seen it so often..."
For the past several years I have gone back to this little book entitled SCHOOL OF CHRIST, and I am reminded again and again about what this life is all about; it is all about HIM! Every trial, every victory, every word, every event encompasses His working in my life.
Hebrews 2 sums up the all encompassing purpose of Christ in our lives ~
"But we do see Him who has been made for a little while lower than the angels,
namely Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone."
"For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the Author of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father. For this reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying...
"I will proclaim Thy Name to My brethren in the midst of the congregation, I will sing Thy praise and again, I will put My trust in Him, and again, Behold I and the children whom God has given Me. Since the children are flesh and blood He Himself partook of the same...."
In the end, it is all about HIM!
I want to learn of Him, know Him, worship Him, love Him, adore Him, bring Him pleasure so that on that great day when I stand in His presence to give an account, He will say, well done, My good and faithful servant, enter in!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Son Of David
One of Christ's titles while here on earth with a human, physical body likened to ours was "son of David". He was sent to bring many sons to glory; through our belief in His death for our sin, and our receiving Him into our heart by faith, Believers are grafted into the vine of Israel.
We also are "sons of David" in a spiritual sense. The promises given to David are also ours. As we read and study the Psalms and the promises of Christ to His seed in the new and old testaments (new and old covenants), we can, by faith, claim the blessings, the promises, the very Spirit that rested upon Christ in its entirety.
While reading today I came upon Psalm 18:46-50. It says ~
" The LORD liveth; and blessed by my Rock;
and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me."
"He deleivereth me from mine enemies;
yea, Thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me;
Thou hast delivered me from the violent man."
"Therefore will I give thanks to Thee, O LORD,
among the heathen,
and sing praises unto Thy Name."
"Great deliverance giveth He to His king;
and showeth mercy to His anointed,
to David, and to His seed forevermore."
We can claim, and declare His deliverance against the enemy, the violence that surrounds and encompasses us today; and on any given day in the future. We are the spiritual seed of King David. If we are in Christ we are declared to be kings and priests before our God.
In the midst of our enemy, whatever or whoever it may be; debt, health issues, lust, debt, depression, lack of faith or violence, we can declare as this verse in Psalm says, IN THE MIDST OF OUR ENEMIES, that we are victorious over each and every issue that tries to defeat us as we represent Him on this planet.
The promises of God are as sure as the fact that the sun came out of its chambers this morning. As certain as we are that God will blanket the planet with darkness this evening at sundown and as the stars and moon bring forth their light, God's promises to the seed of David (THAT'S YOU AND ME!) are secured on the earth and in the heavens.
Christ, the seed of David, sitting at the right hand of the Father intercedes for us in every circumstance. He will bring us through the fire, through the valley, and we will skip over our mountains in His faith and by a full revelation of just how encompassing He is in our lives.
He who has promised is faithful and true! He is not a man that He should lie!
God, give me a daily revelation of just who You really are!!
We also are "sons of David" in a spiritual sense. The promises given to David are also ours. As we read and study the Psalms and the promises of Christ to His seed in the new and old testaments (new and old covenants), we can, by faith, claim the blessings, the promises, the very Spirit that rested upon Christ in its entirety.
While reading today I came upon Psalm 18:46-50. It says ~
" The LORD liveth; and blessed by my Rock;
and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me."
"He deleivereth me from mine enemies;
yea, Thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me;
Thou hast delivered me from the violent man."
"Therefore will I give thanks to Thee, O LORD,
among the heathen,
and sing praises unto Thy Name."
"Great deliverance giveth He to His king;
and showeth mercy to His anointed,
to David, and to His seed forevermore."
We can claim, and declare His deliverance against the enemy, the violence that surrounds and encompasses us today; and on any given day in the future. We are the spiritual seed of King David. If we are in Christ we are declared to be kings and priests before our God.
In the midst of our enemy, whatever or whoever it may be; debt, health issues, lust, debt, depression, lack of faith or violence, we can declare as this verse in Psalm says, IN THE MIDST OF OUR ENEMIES, that we are victorious over each and every issue that tries to defeat us as we represent Him on this planet.
The promises of God are as sure as the fact that the sun came out of its chambers this morning. As certain as we are that God will blanket the planet with darkness this evening at sundown and as the stars and moon bring forth their light, God's promises to the seed of David (THAT'S YOU AND ME!) are secured on the earth and in the heavens.
Christ, the seed of David, sitting at the right hand of the Father intercedes for us in every circumstance. He will bring us through the fire, through the valley, and we will skip over our mountains in His faith and by a full revelation of just how encompassing He is in our lives.
He who has promised is faithful and true! He is not a man that He should lie!
God, give me a daily revelation of just who You really are!!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Faith Like This!!
George Mueller (1805-1898) is an example of the life of a man of faith, the likes of which this world has seldom seen. He took Jesus' words to heart and lived by His Lord's assurance that His heavenly Father would provide all of his basic necessities. The following section has a few of the vignettes from the life of this humble saint of God and perhaps would whet your appetite to read his free online biography (George Mueller of Bristol: and His Witness to a Prayer-Hearing God).
Three weeks after their marriage, they decided to depend upon God alone to provide their needs as already indicated. They carried it to the extent that they would not give definite answers to inquiries as to whether or not they were in need of money at any particular moment. At the time of need, there would always seem to be funds available from some source, both in regards to their private income, and to the funds for his vast projects soon to be discussed. No matter how pressing was the need, George simply renewed his prayers, and either money or food always came in time to save the situation... A well known story about Mueller indicates the kind of life that he lived.
One morning the plates and cups and bowls on the table were empty. There was no food in the larder, and no money to buy food. The children were standing waiting for their morning meal, when Mueller said, "Children, you know we must be in time for school." Lifting his hand he said, "Dear Father, we thank Thee for what Thou art going to give us to eat." There was a knock on the door. The baker stood there, and said, "Mr. Mueller, I couldn't sleep last night. Somehow I felt you didn't have bread for breakfast and the Lord wanted me to send you some. So I got up at 2 a.m. and baked some fresh bread, and have brought it." Mueller thanked the man. No sooner had this transpired when there was a second knock at the door.
It was the milkman. He announced that his milk cart had broken down right in front of the Orphanage, and he would like to give the children his cans of fresh milk so he could empty his wagon and repair it. No wonder, years later, when Mueller was to travel the world as an evangelist, he would be heralded as "the man who gets things from God!"
WORRY:WHAT IS IT?
* worry gives a small thing a big shadow
* worry over tomorrow pulls shadows over today's sunshine.
* worry is like a rocking chair; it will give you something to do, but it won't get you anywhere.
* worry is an indication that we think God cannot look after us. (O. Chambers)
* worry is putting question marks where God has put periods. (J R Rice)
* worry is an intrusion into God's providence. (J Haggai)
* worry is a guest admitted which quickly turns to be master.
* worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its strength (A J Cronin)
* worry is practical atheism and an affront to God (R. H. Mounce)
Three weeks after their marriage, they decided to depend upon God alone to provide their needs as already indicated. They carried it to the extent that they would not give definite answers to inquiries as to whether or not they were in need of money at any particular moment. At the time of need, there would always seem to be funds available from some source, both in regards to their private income, and to the funds for his vast projects soon to be discussed. No matter how pressing was the need, George simply renewed his prayers, and either money or food always came in time to save the situation... A well known story about Mueller indicates the kind of life that he lived.
One morning the plates and cups and bowls on the table were empty. There was no food in the larder, and no money to buy food. The children were standing waiting for their morning meal, when Mueller said, "Children, you know we must be in time for school." Lifting his hand he said, "Dear Father, we thank Thee for what Thou art going to give us to eat." There was a knock on the door. The baker stood there, and said, "Mr. Mueller, I couldn't sleep last night. Somehow I felt you didn't have bread for breakfast and the Lord wanted me to send you some. So I got up at 2 a.m. and baked some fresh bread, and have brought it." Mueller thanked the man. No sooner had this transpired when there was a second knock at the door.
It was the milkman. He announced that his milk cart had broken down right in front of the Orphanage, and he would like to give the children his cans of fresh milk so he could empty his wagon and repair it. No wonder, years later, when Mueller was to travel the world as an evangelist, he would be heralded as "the man who gets things from God!"
WORRY:WHAT IS IT?
* worry gives a small thing a big shadow
* worry over tomorrow pulls shadows over today's sunshine.
* worry is like a rocking chair; it will give you something to do, but it won't get you anywhere.
* worry is an indication that we think God cannot look after us. (O. Chambers)
* worry is putting question marks where God has put periods. (J R Rice)
* worry is an intrusion into God's providence. (J Haggai)
* worry is a guest admitted which quickly turns to be master.
* worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its strength (A J Cronin)
* worry is practical atheism and an affront to God (R. H. Mounce)
Saturday, February 7, 2009
WAR IN HEAVEN-Asher Instrater
WAR IN HEAVEN - ASHER INSTRATER - REVIVE ISRAEL
Saturday, February 7, 2009
The book of Revelation describes spiritual warfare in the end times. That warfare is between angels loyal to God and angels that fight against God (demons). "There was war in the heavenlies. Michael and his angels fought with the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought." (Revelation 12:7)
Our primary battle is not with flesh and blood, but with spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:11-13; II Corinthians 10:3-5). In the recent crisis in Gaza, our war was not with the Gazans themselves but with the spirits of Jihad, terror, anti-Christ, and anti-Semitism that have taken control there.
Since the war is spiritual, it involves not only tanks and rockets, but world public opinion and media. Israel finds itself in a bizarre trap, having to fight Islamic Jihad through Hamas and Hizballah on the one side, and liberal leftist humanism in the media and the U.N. on the other side. The soldiers have to be courageous to fight the terrorists, yet have the integrity and patience to act according to the strictest principles of ethical warfare.
Every missile shot was recorded ON CAMERA from the plane or helicopter, verifying its target. No army in history has taken the kind of precautions the Israeli army took during this war. The reason that civilians were hurt is because they had been lied to by Hamas to act as human shields. The cockpit films of the Israeli army show Hamas rockets being launched from schools, homes, and mosques.
In Daniel chapter 10, the prophet prays and fasts for three weeks. The glorified Angel of the Lord (Yeshua in His pre-birth form) appears to Daniel (Daniel 10:5-6), and gives him a revelation. "I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the last days for the vision is yet for many days." (Daniel 10:14)
The revelation was about what would happen to the people of Israel in the end days, in the distant future from the time of Daniel. All revelation about the end times is connected to Israel and it is connected to war.
The revelation was about what would happen to the people of Israel in the end days, in the distant future from the time of Daniel. All revelation about the end times is connected to Israel and it is connected to war.
In this vision, the Heavenly Messenger tells him the conditions of the battle. "I will return to battle against the Prince of Persia and I will go out and behold the Prince of Greece will come." (Daniel 10:20) In modern terms, Persia is Iran. Iran today is the primary source of funding for Hamas and Hizballah. Greece was the birthplace of secular humanism, the same humanism found in the media and the U.N. today.
The Angel of the Lord was found fighting against these two powers, much in the way Israel is found fighting against them today. "I will tell you what is recorded in the Scripture of Truth, and no one is strengthening himself together with Me against these except Michael your Prince alone." (Daniel 10:21) There was no other national angel fighting together with Yeshua against these demonic forces except Michael, because no other nation other than Israel was willing to fight against them.
Only the United States consistently supports Israel in the U.N., but at a recent Security Council vote, even the U. S. abstained. Will anyone stand with Israel and the Angel of the Lord against the forces of secular humanism and Islamic Jihad in these end times?
Back in the 1980's I photocopied all the passages in the Bible about the end times and went over them again and again until they began to make sense. I came to a few simple conclusions:
The central event of the end times is the Second Coming of Yeshua.
The clearest passages describing the Second Coming are Revelation 19 and Zechariah 14.
A key to understanding the Second Coming is to compare those two passages.
Revelation 19 describes Yeshua coming out of heaven, leading an army of angels to punish the nations of the earth. Zechariah 14 describes the nations coming to battle against Israel, with the Lord coming out to fight against them.
Revelation 19 describes Yeshua coming out of heaven, leading an army of angels to punish the nations of the earth. Zechariah 14 describes the nations coming to battle against Israel, with the Lord coming out to fight against them.
This section of the book of Zechariah describes four times that all the nations of the world will attack Jerusalem.
Zechariah 12:3 - "I will place Jerusalem as a burden-some stone ... and all the nations of the earth will be gathered against her." Zechariah 12:9 - "I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem." Zechariah 14:2 - "I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to battle." Zechariah 14:12 - "This will be the plague against ... all the peoples that came against Jerusalem to battle."
Spiritual warfare is also a battle of the truth against the lie. Why is it that the nations do not want to hear the truth? Why don't they realize they are being lied to? Here is what a Hamas member of the Palestinian parliament, Dr. Yunis al Astil, said about the goals of radical Islam: "We will conquer Rome and after that all of Europe. And then we will conquer both of the Americas" (B. D. Yemini, Maariv Weekend, 9-1-2009).
Our friend "F", a high school teacher in Europe, called our staff this week to say that some of the Muslim students threatened him because he was not teaching against Israel. The principal called him to the office and told him he was in danger of losing his job if he did not teach against Israel.
In every place in the world dominated by Islam, anyone caught sharing the gospel is in danger of being murdered on the spot. The famous hadith quoted by radical Muslim preachers today says that the hour of the resurrection will not come unless the Jews are killed by Muslims and that the rocks and trees will cry out saying that there is a Jew hiding behind them.
Our heart's desire is for Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians, to find eternal life, grace, and forgiveness through Yeshua the Messiah. The only way for Gaza to be liberated, both spiritually and politically, is for Hamas to be taken out of power. Let us pray for Gaza to be liberated. Only with Hamas gone will there be any chance to freely share the gospel. Only then will there be a chance for peace.
[Betty is the mother of an army captain on active duty in the Israeli Defence Forces.]
When asked to pray for our soldiers, the natural reaction is to pray for their safety and protection. Although this is first and foremost, as a mother of soldiers I know the needs go beyond this. One is physical strength and renewal. Soldiers in combat or areas of responsibility often work long hours with very little sleep. Our son sometimes calls and says for the past three days he only slept a few hours. Another is relationships. Soldeirs live together virtually 24/7. When there are breakdowns in relationships the emotional stress can be unbearable.
An especially important prayer in time of war is right decision making. There were incidents of friendly fire in the Gaza operation which cost the lives of soldiers. Although it does not get much publicity, the guilt upon those responsible is often agonizing. There is also the need to pray against battle shock. I know personally three believing soldiers who've spent years working through the trauma of seeing others killed or wounded, often close friends. In addition, prayer is needed for the disruption in the lives of these young men. Those being called in for reserve duty are often students, husbands and fathers, young men beginning their careers. Although there is some compensation, life goes on and what is missed cannot always be retrived.
Lastly, the spiritual state of the believing soldiers is crucial. In many cases there is literally no opportunity for "quiet" time. At a recent Shabbat meeting we spontaneously devoted our entire service to prayer for the soldiers and war. One young woman whose brother served in Gaza broke down over his spiritual state and that of all the soldiers. She rightly cried out, if everything else goes well but they are broken spiritually what is it all worth? Thank you for labouring with us in prayer.
By Asher Intrater
Donate ... to the work of Revive Israel
Also in this issue of the newsletter:
Daniel Juster: Shrunken Cloth
A Father's Heart for a Soldier Son
Marty Shoub: Portrait of the Artist
HUNGRY?
I spoke with a Representative of the union I belong to here in the school system in WV and they were hopeful that employees would get a 2% raise in July.
What could I do with an extra $50 a month?
That would buy a nice evening meal for my wife and myself at the Outback or Cracker Barrel here in town!
OR
According the THE BIBLE LEAGUE, 2 billion people in the world today would gladly recieve their own copy of the Bible, if one were available to them. An estimated 200 million Christians around the world do not have a Bible of their own. There are 2,200 language communities that do not have access to a Bible because it has not been translated into their language.
There are more than 6,700 ethnic groups that have not yet been presented with the gospel message of salvation through the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf.
The possible $50 increase in my salary could buy a nice meal, which would last for an evening, or it would buy 12 Bibles for these souls across our troubled planet who have never seen a Bible!
Would I rather have a "blooming onion" at the Outback, or give 12 Bibles to 12 people that may be the deciding factor of whether they spend eternity in heaven or hell?
Not a difficult choice for me to make.....
THE BIBLE LEAGUE - Toll free telephone 1-866-825-4636
BIBLELEAGUE.ORG on line giving and web site.
What could I do with an extra $50 a month?
That would buy a nice evening meal for my wife and myself at the Outback or Cracker Barrel here in town!
OR
According the THE BIBLE LEAGUE, 2 billion people in the world today would gladly recieve their own copy of the Bible, if one were available to them. An estimated 200 million Christians around the world do not have a Bible of their own. There are 2,200 language communities that do not have access to a Bible because it has not been translated into their language.
There are more than 6,700 ethnic groups that have not yet been presented with the gospel message of salvation through the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf.
The possible $50 increase in my salary could buy a nice meal, which would last for an evening, or it would buy 12 Bibles for these souls across our troubled planet who have never seen a Bible!
Would I rather have a "blooming onion" at the Outback, or give 12 Bibles to 12 people that may be the deciding factor of whether they spend eternity in heaven or hell?
Not a difficult choice for me to make.....
THE BIBLE LEAGUE - Toll free telephone 1-866-825-4636
BIBLELEAGUE.ORG on line giving and web site.
NO FEAR
Our God is all encompassing! There is nothing hidden from His eyes. From the last planet or star at the end of His universe (if there is an end), to the small sparrow that flutters and falls out of the nest to the ground; He sees all.
" For He commands and the raises up the stormy wind which lifts up the waves...(PSALM 107:25). He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth and makes lightening for the rain. He brings the winds out of His treasuries. " (PSALM 135:7)
Fire, hail, snow and vapor; stormy wind fulfilling His word (PSALM 148:8)
He has His way among the leaders of men; He raises up and removes. The one thing that cannot be shaken is His love for His children. I am not perturbed by the change of events; Christ told us before He ascended in the clouds that things would be such; why act surprised? Surprise and worry, I believe, can be seen as lack of faith on our part. Our conversations should be in heaven; from whence we look for the Saviour the LORD Jesus Christ! (PHILIPPIANS 3:20)
I pray that God give me the heart cry of the Apostle Paul regarding the issues facing me today; as the world spins further out of control, may I be able to say, "THIS ONE THING I DO, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those THINGS WHICH ARE BEFORE, I press forward for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus!" (PHILIPPIANS 3:13,14)
For anyone who reads or listens to talk radio programs, there is fear mongering that can leap onto a person and it is only by an act of God that it can be removed. It is as if God is not big enough to handle our everyday issues; can He not prepare for His own children? A heart of fear is denying that He can, and that He will watch over us.
Governments rise, governments fall; economies prosper and economies fail; He still sits as King in the heavens. He has promised us, and He said it, (not believing this is nothing short of calling God a liar) - "The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant (contract, promise) of My peace be removed, saith the LORD that has mercy on thee..." (ISAIAH 54:10)
Do not be caught up in the spirit of fear; and it is a spiritual force. Fear causes panic, faithlessness, and doubt. It is not of God. Many times the spirit of fear comes from supposed believers who parade as spokespersons for God - do not fall into the trap!
I guard what I read. I guard what I watch. I try to remember the promises of God to His children. Why wallow in the muck, mire, and filth of societies that are in judgment; proving that there is a Righteous God in the heavens who judges sin? As sure as He judges sin, greed and disobedience, He gives peace, comfort and joy to His own. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.
The eternal God is my Refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms;
He will thrust out the enemy from before me and shall say, "Destroy them."
I will then dwell in safety along. The fountain of Jacob will be upon a land of corn and wine and the heaven will drop its dew. (Deu. 33)
True for Israel, true for us!
Concentrate on His promises! They are sure, steadfast and true. He will give His angels charge over thee to keep you in all of your ways. In the multitude of my thoughts within me His comfort delights my soul (Psalm 94:19).
" The LORD our God in the midst of us is mighty;
He will save,
He will rejoice over us with joy,
He will rest in His love,
He will joy over thee with singing!"
(ZEPHANIAH 3:17)
" For He commands and the raises up the stormy wind which lifts up the waves...(PSALM 107:25). He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth and makes lightening for the rain. He brings the winds out of His treasuries. " (PSALM 135:7)
Fire, hail, snow and vapor; stormy wind fulfilling His word (PSALM 148:8)
He has His way among the leaders of men; He raises up and removes. The one thing that cannot be shaken is His love for His children. I am not perturbed by the change of events; Christ told us before He ascended in the clouds that things would be such; why act surprised? Surprise and worry, I believe, can be seen as lack of faith on our part. Our conversations should be in heaven; from whence we look for the Saviour the LORD Jesus Christ! (PHILIPPIANS 3:20)
I pray that God give me the heart cry of the Apostle Paul regarding the issues facing me today; as the world spins further out of control, may I be able to say, "THIS ONE THING I DO, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those THINGS WHICH ARE BEFORE, I press forward for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus!" (PHILIPPIANS 3:13,14)
For anyone who reads or listens to talk radio programs, there is fear mongering that can leap onto a person and it is only by an act of God that it can be removed. It is as if God is not big enough to handle our everyday issues; can He not prepare for His own children? A heart of fear is denying that He can, and that He will watch over us.
Governments rise, governments fall; economies prosper and economies fail; He still sits as King in the heavens. He has promised us, and He said it, (not believing this is nothing short of calling God a liar) - "The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant (contract, promise) of My peace be removed, saith the LORD that has mercy on thee..." (ISAIAH 54:10)
Do not be caught up in the spirit of fear; and it is a spiritual force. Fear causes panic, faithlessness, and doubt. It is not of God. Many times the spirit of fear comes from supposed believers who parade as spokespersons for God - do not fall into the trap!
I guard what I read. I guard what I watch. I try to remember the promises of God to His children. Why wallow in the muck, mire, and filth of societies that are in judgment; proving that there is a Righteous God in the heavens who judges sin? As sure as He judges sin, greed and disobedience, He gives peace, comfort and joy to His own. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.
The eternal God is my Refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms;
He will thrust out the enemy from before me and shall say, "Destroy them."
I will then dwell in safety along. The fountain of Jacob will be upon a land of corn and wine and the heaven will drop its dew. (Deu. 33)
True for Israel, true for us!
Concentrate on His promises! They are sure, steadfast and true. He will give His angels charge over thee to keep you in all of your ways. In the multitude of my thoughts within me His comfort delights my soul (Psalm 94:19).
" The LORD our God in the midst of us is mighty;
He will save,
He will rejoice over us with joy,
He will rest in His love,
He will joy over thee with singing!"
(ZEPHANIAH 3:17)
Thursday, February 5, 2009
ISOLATION-David Wilkerson
An excellent devotional from Bro. David Wilkerson regarding a way of God that works in our lives from time to time. We must understand this concept to keep from falling prey to the lies of the enemy that God has abandoned us; or that we have grieved God beyond repentance.
I have been going through such a season of late, and this reminded from God's Word, and of His ways have reinforced something that I knew; but the reminder from Brother Wilkerson came "just in time..." Enjoy! jrpeacher
" I know what it is like to face divine silence, not to hear God’s voice for a season. I have walked through periods of total confusion with no apparent guidance, the still small voice behind me completely silent. There were times when I had no friend nearby to satisfy my heart with a word of advice. All my patterns of guidance from before had gone awry, and I was left in total darkness. I could not see my way, and I made mistake after mistake. I wanted to say, “O God, what has happened? I don’t know which way to go!”
" Does God really hide his face from those he loves? Isn’t it possible he lifts his hand for a short while to teach us trust and dependence? The Bible answers clearly: “God left him [Hezekiah], to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart” (2 Chronicles 32:31).
" You may be going through a flood of trials right now. You know what I’m talking about when I say the heavens are as brass. You know all about repeated failures. You’ve waited and waited for answers to prayer. You’ve been served a cup of affliction. Nothing and nobody can touch that need in your heart! "
" That’s the time to take your stand! You don’t have to be able to laugh or rejoice, because you may not have any happiness at the moment. In fact, you may have nothing but turmoil in your soul. But you can know God is still with you, because Scripture says, “The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever” (Psalm 29:10).
" Soon you will hear His voice: Don’t get excited, don’t panic. Just keep your eyes on me. Commit all things to me. And you will know that you remain the object of his incredible love. "
_________________________________________________________________
More devotionals visit http://davidwilkersontoday.blogspot.com/
For more sermons by David Wilkerson, please visit http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/pulpit_series_newsletters
Our audio podcasts are now available in iTunes. Receive weekly teachings from David Wilkerson, Gary Wilkerson, Carter Conlon, and the pastoral staff of Times Square Church in New York City: http://www.itunes.com/podcast?id=294033386
For comments email us at devotions@davidwilkerson.org
To subscribe, please click the following link: subscribe
To unsubscribe, please click the following link: unsubscribe
I have been going through such a season of late, and this reminded from God's Word, and of His ways have reinforced something that I knew; but the reminder from Brother Wilkerson came "just in time..." Enjoy! jrpeacher
" I know what it is like to face divine silence, not to hear God’s voice for a season. I have walked through periods of total confusion with no apparent guidance, the still small voice behind me completely silent. There were times when I had no friend nearby to satisfy my heart with a word of advice. All my patterns of guidance from before had gone awry, and I was left in total darkness. I could not see my way, and I made mistake after mistake. I wanted to say, “O God, what has happened? I don’t know which way to go!”
" Does God really hide his face from those he loves? Isn’t it possible he lifts his hand for a short while to teach us trust and dependence? The Bible answers clearly: “God left him [Hezekiah], to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart” (2 Chronicles 32:31).
" You may be going through a flood of trials right now. You know what I’m talking about when I say the heavens are as brass. You know all about repeated failures. You’ve waited and waited for answers to prayer. You’ve been served a cup of affliction. Nothing and nobody can touch that need in your heart! "
" That’s the time to take your stand! You don’t have to be able to laugh or rejoice, because you may not have any happiness at the moment. In fact, you may have nothing but turmoil in your soul. But you can know God is still with you, because Scripture says, “The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever” (Psalm 29:10).
" Soon you will hear His voice: Don’t get excited, don’t panic. Just keep your eyes on me. Commit all things to me. And you will know that you remain the object of his incredible love. "
_________________________________________________________________
More devotionals visit http://davidwilkersontoday.blogspot.com/
For more sermons by David Wilkerson, please visit http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/pulpit_series_newsletters
Our audio podcasts are now available in iTunes. Receive weekly teachings from David Wilkerson, Gary Wilkerson, Carter Conlon, and the pastoral staff of Times Square Church in New York City: http://www.itunes.com/podcast?id=294033386
For comments email us at devotions@davidwilkerson.org
To subscribe, please click the following link: subscribe
To unsubscribe, please click the following link: unsubscribe
Sunday, February 1, 2009
ECONOMY & GOD-REUVEN DORON
Subscribe Unsubscribe Change E-mail View Archive THE PROPHETIC & OUR ECONOMYReuven & Mary Lou DoronJan 31, 2009
THE PROPHETIC & OUR ECONOMY
THE TRUE PROPHETIC MINISTRY
Witnessing God’s final judgments sweeping evil off of the face of the earth while the Bride was making herself ready for the wedding feast, the angel commanded John, “...Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10. Of all the great concepts of scripture, this one verse possibly embodies the most comprehensive concept of all as it embraces the entire revelation of God to mankind through His word.
True prophetic ministry encompasses two streams. The primary meaning of biblical prophecy is the forth telling, the declarative ministry, where the prophets reveal God, His nature, purpose and priorities to His people. The secondary meaning of biblical prophecy is the foretelling, the predictive ministry that addresses the futuristic ingredients of God’s work in and through our lives. Sadly, unlike biblical Christianity, today’s Western church is infatuated with the predictive, ear tingling and more sensational feature of the prophetic, while overlooking prophecy’s primary purpose which is to reveal God, His Word and His Son to His people.
Consequently, a lot of wishful thinking and carnal infatuation are being passed on in the name of the prophetic these days, fueled by masses of Christians famished for a living word. Instead of doing the hard work of seeking the Lord, digging deep wells, and walking with Him in such a way that produces first-hand revelation and impartation, many are chasing after second-hand revelations and impartations from “spiritual superstars” and “experts” offering “shortcuts” to glory.
Rather the word says that, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” Psalm 1:1-3
Genuine New Testament prophetic ministry offers the saints what they need to know before they know they need it. Such ministry is primarily declaratory yet also predictive, revealing both the nature of the Lord and His purposes. It is a fine line of ministry, one that is not often popular since realistic foresight and divine exhortation fly in the face of mainstream acceptance. This is true concerning prophetic ministry on a personal level as well on a national scale.
A WORD ABOUT THE AMERICAN ECONOMY
The intercessors must remember that the incoming President inherited a fragile geopolitical landscape, record budget deficit and massive Treasury debt, more than half of which is held by foreigners. While efforts at job creation will result in more cash in people’s pockets in the short run, this cash will be worth less and less as the government borrows more and more. In contrast, sustainable and realistic solutions require an overall reduction of government influence as the US takes the “medicine” of time and needed adjustments to reach a genuine economic healing.
The underlying problem in the US is that the nation has no sufficient savings to support sound lending. Our addiction to credit, driven, as it were, by greed, selfishness and fear, has generated an unmanageable fiscal crisis. Debt has become a major player in our economic character, so much so that it is now tipping the scales and jeopardizing the fragile balance of our entire fiscal-based economy. While “experts” try to manage this critical imbalance by tweaking interest rates, taxes and entitlement programs, they remain ignorant of the fact that savings and debt, like gravity or seasonal climate changes, are unchangeable and inescapable universal laws that cannot be ignored without consequences.
Desperately attempting to fix the fiscal troubles and ease public concerns not only in the US but across the world (where the US dollar is still the main currency of reserve), the Federal Reserve is actually creating more imbalances, only prolonging the inevitable. At the end of the day, their only option is to print more currency, therefore inflating and weakening the dollar.
MEDICINE IS RARELY SWEET
A healthy economy, whether national or personal, needs a savings pool proportionate to its debt pool. Our national leadership should encourage people to save money while rewarding productivity in the private sector. This includes raising interest rates to reward savings, reducing government spending, and cutting taxes in order to rebuild the American economic system from the inside out. This may be a bitter pill to swallow in the short run, as most medicine is, yet it is the only sustainable way forward.
If liberal economic policies, however, will continue injecting loose money into the economy, inducing more debt rather than allowing savings and obligations to align, the US will need to brace for a potential system shock and even a monetary collapse. In other words, if the government continues to infuse “fiscal drugs” into the sick markets in order to mask the real symptoms of unchecked greed, massive debt, and widespread corruption, rather than addressing the disease, the likelihood of a major system collapse increases.
Should this play out (and we are not certain that it must), international markets and currencies will follow the US in this great shaking. As a result, the global balance of powers could fragment into four primary regions: North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, generating increasing social unrest, economic hardships, and geopolitical conflict, creating a greater occasion for a One World Government which many already espouse to.
In fact, as we write these words, high level discussions are being held regarding the formation of “global governance” (including international taxation and a global TV channel) by the World Economic Forum (WEF) that is meeting in Switzerland these very days. The WEF is not an official government group but does include more than 100 government, corporate and labor leaders in this group of “strategic global partners” who meet annually.
This is not the scenario we wish for. Yet, an honest look at the snowballing imbalances that continue to plague our economy shows that they have to be resolved one way or another. The US will either experience a fundamental correction in the very spirit and values of its socio-economic behavior, or will experience a system collapse. Herein lie the critical issues we all face as our troubled, leaderless world, gropes through this increasing darkness.
GOD’S PLAN OF SURVIVAL
“For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.’” I Kings 17:14.
The promise of the Lord to the household of faith is that oil and flour (energy and food) will be in sufficient supply even during tough times. What was it about the days of Elijah and his three years’ stay at the Sidonean widow’s home (Jezebel’s home country) that secured such a supernatural supply while the population around them struggled?
THEIR DAYS WERE AS OUR DAYS
1. The leadership was corrupt and mostly ungodly.
2. The nation was embattled between the worship of Baal (god of carnal, base and sensual obsessions) and the One True God.
3. Jezebel (comparable to our explosive porn industry and sexualized society) sat on the throne.
4. The priesthood was compromised.
5. God’s prophets were silenced while false prophets occupied the royal courts.
6. The land was under God’s (ecological) judgments.
7. A severe drought produced a prolonged famine.
8. And, the faithful remnant struggled with depression, hopelessness and fear.
WHAT WERE THE MAKINGS OF THE MIRACULOUS SUPPLY?
1. The Gentile widow, while in a desperate situation, was in fact God’s provision for His prophet. (I-Kings 17:9). You, too, are bigger than your personal circumstances as you lift up your eyes to the great I AM. Becoming the answer to another’s prayer and need will also generate the answer to your own need.
2. She recognized the God of Israel, though she could not identify herself with Him at first. Your own deliverance starts at the point of recognition and confession, long before experience sets in. It’s a process, and continued perseverance is essential.
3. Having nothing to lose, she sacrificially obeyed the prophet’s word (17:12-15). While others tend to hoard and grasp what they have when the world closes in upon them, she, genuinely knowing her need, decided instead to give. “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.” Mark 8:35. Obedience that is born of faith in God’s word is key in order for the miracle to unfold; instant, complete and wholehearted obedience, not unlike that of Mary the mother of our Lord.
4. Moreover, in providing for the prophet, the widow’s obedience saved her son’s life not only from starvation, but also from sickness unto death. (17:17-24) Both the widow and Elijah experienced a crisis of faith, questioning God’s goodness and purpose. Yet, it was God’s love and kind intention to save her son which had brought Elijah to her home in the first place!
God could have provided for Elijah in many other ways… other ravines and brooks, more ravens, different widows… but he loved THAT desperate widow, he knew HER plight, and He planned to save HER son. This is the God whom we serve; and this is the true function of the prophetic – to reveal Him to you and to show you the path through the darkness. “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me.” Micah 7:8.
WHAT IS YOUR OBEDIENCE?
The key to unlocking heaven’s wisdom, favor, and supplies during seasons of drought is sacrificial giving in obedience to God’s word. You, and you alone, will know where and how God is calling you to give. In the event that you are not sure where to give, we can recommend with confidence these following biblical principles whereby we ourselves invest our seed:
1. “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble….” James 1:27. Giving to the poor and the least of our society can take many forms. We ourselves have been called by God to work with and financially invest in drug and alcohol recovery efforts, serving mothers and their children who seek healing and restoration from the ravages of addiction. Visit http://metrohope.org/index.php?id=11 to learn more about this ministry and giving opportunities.
2. “Remember the prisoners as if chained with them; those who are mistreated...” Hebrews 13:3. Not only are prison ministries a credible reflection of God’s heart (a truly captive audience…), but serving those persecuted for the Faith is of paramount importance. Giving to the persecuted church throughout the world can be done through Voice Of the Martyrs Ministry at http://www.persecution.com/.
3. Sowing financial seed into the Jewish nation is a biblical mandate dating all the way back to Father Abraham of whom God said, “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:3.
Bragging about the Macedonian saints, Paul declares, saying, “For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things.” Romans 15:26-27.
Furthermore, not unlike the widow’s sacrificial giving during her time of need, the scripture tells us that “... in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea.” Acts 11:27-29.
Our ISRAEL FUND (anchored in Jerusalem) distributes direct financial support to Messianic Believers in Israel, helping the poor, the persecuted and the faithful workers in the harvest fields. You can sow into this fertile field by sending a check to our office, or electronically through PayPal at atm-midwest@charter.net.
Please let us know when and how much you transfer so that we can track the funds and receipt you appropriately.
ONE NEW MAN CALL ministry is supported by friends of the Ephesians 2:14-15 vision, calling Jew and Gentile to dwell as one in God’s Olive Tree. To learn more, to inquire about speaking engagements, or to support this work, please contact us at the address below. Thank you.
In His grace,
REUVEN AND MARY LOU DORON
(C) 2009 One New Man Call
One New Man Call
P O Box 164
Hayfield, MN 55940 USA
507.438.9096
Ministry Contact: OneNewManMail@aol.com
Forward, Reprint & Use Agreement: You are welcome to forward, reprint and use these messages, provided that you cite original source and contact information.
Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, taken from the New King James Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. http://www.lockman.org/
THE PROPHETIC & OUR ECONOMY
THE TRUE PROPHETIC MINISTRY
Witnessing God’s final judgments sweeping evil off of the face of the earth while the Bride was making herself ready for the wedding feast, the angel commanded John, “...Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10. Of all the great concepts of scripture, this one verse possibly embodies the most comprehensive concept of all as it embraces the entire revelation of God to mankind through His word.
True prophetic ministry encompasses two streams. The primary meaning of biblical prophecy is the forth telling, the declarative ministry, where the prophets reveal God, His nature, purpose and priorities to His people. The secondary meaning of biblical prophecy is the foretelling, the predictive ministry that addresses the futuristic ingredients of God’s work in and through our lives. Sadly, unlike biblical Christianity, today’s Western church is infatuated with the predictive, ear tingling and more sensational feature of the prophetic, while overlooking prophecy’s primary purpose which is to reveal God, His Word and His Son to His people.
Consequently, a lot of wishful thinking and carnal infatuation are being passed on in the name of the prophetic these days, fueled by masses of Christians famished for a living word. Instead of doing the hard work of seeking the Lord, digging deep wells, and walking with Him in such a way that produces first-hand revelation and impartation, many are chasing after second-hand revelations and impartations from “spiritual superstars” and “experts” offering “shortcuts” to glory.
Rather the word says that, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” Psalm 1:1-3
Genuine New Testament prophetic ministry offers the saints what they need to know before they know they need it. Such ministry is primarily declaratory yet also predictive, revealing both the nature of the Lord and His purposes. It is a fine line of ministry, one that is not often popular since realistic foresight and divine exhortation fly in the face of mainstream acceptance. This is true concerning prophetic ministry on a personal level as well on a national scale.
A WORD ABOUT THE AMERICAN ECONOMY
The intercessors must remember that the incoming President inherited a fragile geopolitical landscape, record budget deficit and massive Treasury debt, more than half of which is held by foreigners. While efforts at job creation will result in more cash in people’s pockets in the short run, this cash will be worth less and less as the government borrows more and more. In contrast, sustainable and realistic solutions require an overall reduction of government influence as the US takes the “medicine” of time and needed adjustments to reach a genuine economic healing.
The underlying problem in the US is that the nation has no sufficient savings to support sound lending. Our addiction to credit, driven, as it were, by greed, selfishness and fear, has generated an unmanageable fiscal crisis. Debt has become a major player in our economic character, so much so that it is now tipping the scales and jeopardizing the fragile balance of our entire fiscal-based economy. While “experts” try to manage this critical imbalance by tweaking interest rates, taxes and entitlement programs, they remain ignorant of the fact that savings and debt, like gravity or seasonal climate changes, are unchangeable and inescapable universal laws that cannot be ignored without consequences.
Desperately attempting to fix the fiscal troubles and ease public concerns not only in the US but across the world (where the US dollar is still the main currency of reserve), the Federal Reserve is actually creating more imbalances, only prolonging the inevitable. At the end of the day, their only option is to print more currency, therefore inflating and weakening the dollar.
MEDICINE IS RARELY SWEET
A healthy economy, whether national or personal, needs a savings pool proportionate to its debt pool. Our national leadership should encourage people to save money while rewarding productivity in the private sector. This includes raising interest rates to reward savings, reducing government spending, and cutting taxes in order to rebuild the American economic system from the inside out. This may be a bitter pill to swallow in the short run, as most medicine is, yet it is the only sustainable way forward.
If liberal economic policies, however, will continue injecting loose money into the economy, inducing more debt rather than allowing savings and obligations to align, the US will need to brace for a potential system shock and even a monetary collapse. In other words, if the government continues to infuse “fiscal drugs” into the sick markets in order to mask the real symptoms of unchecked greed, massive debt, and widespread corruption, rather than addressing the disease, the likelihood of a major system collapse increases.
Should this play out (and we are not certain that it must), international markets and currencies will follow the US in this great shaking. As a result, the global balance of powers could fragment into four primary regions: North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, generating increasing social unrest, economic hardships, and geopolitical conflict, creating a greater occasion for a One World Government which many already espouse to.
In fact, as we write these words, high level discussions are being held regarding the formation of “global governance” (including international taxation and a global TV channel) by the World Economic Forum (WEF) that is meeting in Switzerland these very days. The WEF is not an official government group but does include more than 100 government, corporate and labor leaders in this group of “strategic global partners” who meet annually.
This is not the scenario we wish for. Yet, an honest look at the snowballing imbalances that continue to plague our economy shows that they have to be resolved one way or another. The US will either experience a fundamental correction in the very spirit and values of its socio-economic behavior, or will experience a system collapse. Herein lie the critical issues we all face as our troubled, leaderless world, gropes through this increasing darkness.
GOD’S PLAN OF SURVIVAL
“For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.’” I Kings 17:14.
The promise of the Lord to the household of faith is that oil and flour (energy and food) will be in sufficient supply even during tough times. What was it about the days of Elijah and his three years’ stay at the Sidonean widow’s home (Jezebel’s home country) that secured such a supernatural supply while the population around them struggled?
THEIR DAYS WERE AS OUR DAYS
1. The leadership was corrupt and mostly ungodly.
2. The nation was embattled between the worship of Baal (god of carnal, base and sensual obsessions) and the One True God.
3. Jezebel (comparable to our explosive porn industry and sexualized society) sat on the throne.
4. The priesthood was compromised.
5. God’s prophets were silenced while false prophets occupied the royal courts.
6. The land was under God’s (ecological) judgments.
7. A severe drought produced a prolonged famine.
8. And, the faithful remnant struggled with depression, hopelessness and fear.
WHAT WERE THE MAKINGS OF THE MIRACULOUS SUPPLY?
1. The Gentile widow, while in a desperate situation, was in fact God’s provision for His prophet. (I-Kings 17:9). You, too, are bigger than your personal circumstances as you lift up your eyes to the great I AM. Becoming the answer to another’s prayer and need will also generate the answer to your own need.
2. She recognized the God of Israel, though she could not identify herself with Him at first. Your own deliverance starts at the point of recognition and confession, long before experience sets in. It’s a process, and continued perseverance is essential.
3. Having nothing to lose, she sacrificially obeyed the prophet’s word (17:12-15). While others tend to hoard and grasp what they have when the world closes in upon them, she, genuinely knowing her need, decided instead to give. “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.” Mark 8:35. Obedience that is born of faith in God’s word is key in order for the miracle to unfold; instant, complete and wholehearted obedience, not unlike that of Mary the mother of our Lord.
4. Moreover, in providing for the prophet, the widow’s obedience saved her son’s life not only from starvation, but also from sickness unto death. (17:17-24) Both the widow and Elijah experienced a crisis of faith, questioning God’s goodness and purpose. Yet, it was God’s love and kind intention to save her son which had brought Elijah to her home in the first place!
God could have provided for Elijah in many other ways… other ravines and brooks, more ravens, different widows… but he loved THAT desperate widow, he knew HER plight, and He planned to save HER son. This is the God whom we serve; and this is the true function of the prophetic – to reveal Him to you and to show you the path through the darkness. “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me.” Micah 7:8.
WHAT IS YOUR OBEDIENCE?
The key to unlocking heaven’s wisdom, favor, and supplies during seasons of drought is sacrificial giving in obedience to God’s word. You, and you alone, will know where and how God is calling you to give. In the event that you are not sure where to give, we can recommend with confidence these following biblical principles whereby we ourselves invest our seed:
1. “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble….” James 1:27. Giving to the poor and the least of our society can take many forms. We ourselves have been called by God to work with and financially invest in drug and alcohol recovery efforts, serving mothers and their children who seek healing and restoration from the ravages of addiction. Visit http://metrohope.org/index.php?id=11 to learn more about this ministry and giving opportunities.
2. “Remember the prisoners as if chained with them; those who are mistreated...” Hebrews 13:3. Not only are prison ministries a credible reflection of God’s heart (a truly captive audience…), but serving those persecuted for the Faith is of paramount importance. Giving to the persecuted church throughout the world can be done through Voice Of the Martyrs Ministry at http://www.persecution.com/.
3. Sowing financial seed into the Jewish nation is a biblical mandate dating all the way back to Father Abraham of whom God said, “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:3.
Bragging about the Macedonian saints, Paul declares, saying, “For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things.” Romans 15:26-27.
Furthermore, not unlike the widow’s sacrificial giving during her time of need, the scripture tells us that “... in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea.” Acts 11:27-29.
Our ISRAEL FUND (anchored in Jerusalem) distributes direct financial support to Messianic Believers in Israel, helping the poor, the persecuted and the faithful workers in the harvest fields. You can sow into this fertile field by sending a check to our office, or electronically through PayPal at atm-midwest@charter.net.
Please let us know when and how much you transfer so that we can track the funds and receipt you appropriately.
ONE NEW MAN CALL ministry is supported by friends of the Ephesians 2:14-15 vision, calling Jew and Gentile to dwell as one in God’s Olive Tree. To learn more, to inquire about speaking engagements, or to support this work, please contact us at the address below. Thank you.
In His grace,
REUVEN AND MARY LOU DORON
(C) 2009 One New Man Call
One New Man Call
P O Box 164
Hayfield, MN 55940 USA
507.438.9096
Ministry Contact: OneNewManMail@aol.com
Forward, Reprint & Use Agreement: You are welcome to forward, reprint and use these messages, provided that you cite original source and contact information.
Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, taken from the New King James Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. http://www.lockman.org/
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