And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say
to the children of Israel, `I AM has sent me to you.' "
Moreover
God said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: `The LORD
God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to
all generations.' "Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to
them, `The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of
Jacob, appeared to me, saying, "I have surely visited you and seen what is
done to you in Egypt; "and I have said I will bring you up out of the
affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the
Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land
flowing with milk and honey." `
"Then they will heed your voice;
and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt; and
you shall say to him, `The LORD God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now,
please, let us go three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may
sacrifice to the LORD our God.'
"But I am sure that the king of
Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. "So I will stretch
out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst;
and after that he will let you go. "And I will give this people favor in the
sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go
empty-handed. "But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who
dwells near her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and
you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder
the Egyptians." Exodus 3:14-22
Men tend to judge things
including God by their own experiences, background and understanding? But man
cannot judge God. God is God and a miracle working God no matter what men may
say or think about it. He is in the business of doing miracles for His people,
all kinds of miracles, be they spiritual, physical or financial.
Nothing surprises God or catches Him unaware. God the ruler and
possessor of heaven and earth can do anything but fail His trusting ones. His
dominion is an everlasting dominion; His kingdom is from generation to
generation and His power His unlimited. All the inhabitants of the earth are
reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and
among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to
Him, "What have You done?" No one can stand in God's way or stop His power.
His word is true:
Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder
with a voice like His? Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and
array yourself with glory and beauty. Disperse the rage of your wrath; Look on
everyone who is proud, and humble him. Look on everyone who is proud, and
bring him low; Tread down the wicked in their place. Hide them in the dust
together, Bind their faces in hidden darkness. Then I will also confess to you
that your own right hand can save you. Job 40:9-14
And at
the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my
understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised
and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting
dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the
inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will
in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can
restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?"
At the
same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor
and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was
restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me.
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of
heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk
in pride He is able to put down. Daniel 4:34-37
Yes, God can
promote or demote anyone that He chooses any time that He chooses just like He
did for Joseph, whom He delivered out of all his troubles, gave him favor and
wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt and made him governor over
Egypt and all his house. His word is true:
He sent a man before
them- Joseph-who was sold as a slave. They hurt his feet with fetters, He was
laid in irons. Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the LORD
tested him. The king sent and released him, The ruler of the people let him go
free. He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his possessions, To bind
his princes at his pleasure, And teach his elders wisdom. Psalm 105:17-22
"Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham
begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac begot Jacob, and
Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs. "And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold
Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him "and delivered him out of all his
troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of
Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. Acts 7:8-10
God can also destroy men before their time should He chooses to
do so, even in the current dispensation of grace for His word is true and
unchanging:
But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his
wife, sold a possession.And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also
being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles'
feet.
But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart
to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for
yourself? "While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was
it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart?
You have not lied to men but to God."
Then Ananias, hearing
these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all
those who heard these things. And the young men arose and wrapped him up,
carried him out, and buried him. Acts 5:1-6
Now Herod had been
very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one
accord, and having made Blastus the king's personal aide their friend, they
asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king's
country.
So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal
apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept
shouting, "The voice of a god and not of a man!"
Then
immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to
God. And he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of God grew and
multiplied. Acts 12:20-24
Men and their
foolish thoughts and ideas do not bind God or His word. His judgments or blessings are real today and men still reap
what they have sown even in the current time of life. The power and the glory,
the victory and the majesty and all that is in heaven and in earth is the
Lord's including the greatest kingdom, the kingdom of God. He, not the devil,
is exalted as head over all and reigns over all. Both riches and honor come
from Him and in Hs hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. His
word is unchanging:
Therefore David blessed the LORD
before all the assembly; and David said: "Blessed are You, LORD God of Israel,
our Father, forever and ever. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, The power and
the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth
is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, And You are exalted as head over all.
Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is
power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all.
"Now therefore, our God, We thank You And praise Your glorious name.
But who am I, and who are my people, That we should be able to
offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, And of Your own we
have given You. 1 Chronicles 29:10-14
"When I shut up heaven and
there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send
pestilence among My people, "if My people who are called by My name will
humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.2
Chronicles 7:13-14
Chapter 3
The Eyes Of The LORD Are On The Righteous
"For what great nation is there that has God so
near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon
Him? "And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous
judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?
"Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest
you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your
heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your
grandchildren, "especially concerning the day you stood before the LORD your
God in Horeb, when the LORD said to me, `Gather the people to Me, and I will
let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live
on the earth, and that they may teach their children.' Deuteronomy 4:6-10
The word of God has much to say about the righteous including
For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish. Psalm 1:6
For You, O
LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a
shield. Psalm 5:12
If the foundations
are destroyed, What can the righteous do? The LORD is in His holy temple, The
LORD'S throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.
The LORD tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence
His soul hates. Upon the wicked He will rain coals; Fire and brimstone and a
burning wind Shall be the portion of their cup. For the LORD is righteous, He
loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright. Psalm 11:3-7
Yes, the Lord, who is righteous test the righteous but the
wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates. For God's word doesn't
lie though others do.
God is with the generation of the
righteous but not with the wicked. The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
and His ears are open to their cry. When the righteous cry out, and the LORD
hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. Many are the afflictions
of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
Yes, according to the word of God the arms of the wicked shall
be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. The righteous shall inherit the
land, and dwell in it forever. Yes, the salvation of the righteous is from the
LORD; He is their strength in the time of trouble. The Lord shall sustain the
righteous and He shall never permit him or her to be moved. Hence the
righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and trust in Him and all the upright in
heart shall glory. For God's word is true:
The righteous shall
flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Psalm 92:12
Light is sown for the righteous, And gladness for the upright in
heart. Psalm 97:11
The voice of rejoicing and salvation Is
in the tents of the righteous; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
Psalm 118:15
The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD
raises those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous. Psalm 146:8
Now it is a fact that a person is not righteous except God says
He is. Most people have not asked God if they are righteous. And He will
gladly tell them if they are or if they are not! Just because a person thinks
he or she is righteous doesn't make it so.
The Lord was proud
that Job was righteous and He told Satan so. The bible records:
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present
themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. And the LORD said
to Satan, "From where do you come?" So Satan answered the LORD and said, "From
going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it."
Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant
Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man,
one who fears God and shuns evil?"
So Satan answered the LORD
and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? "Have You not made a hedge around
him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have
blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
"But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely
curse You to Your face!"
And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold,
all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person." So
Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. Job 1:6-12
For
reasons unknown to man God allows a righteous person to be tested and tempted
by Satan just like Job and Jesus were, and even Simon Peter. The bible records
for our profit and instruction:
Then Jesus was led up by the
Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted
forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.
Now when
the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that
these stones become bread." But He answered and said, "It is written, `Man
shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth
of God.' " Matthew 4:1-4
And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon!
Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. "But I have
prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to
Me, strengthen your brethren." Luke 22:31-32
God tests ever man
by fire, even when he least expects it. Unfortunately many do not past the
test when Satan comes to sift them like wheat and their faith fails. Even
Moses for all His greatness and deep relationship with the Lord did not past
the test. He failed and he did not go into the Promised Land. Yet God's word
is unchanging:
Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For
we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing
out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare,
and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and
perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which
some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves
through with many sorrows.
But you, O man of God, flee these
things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were
also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many
witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:6-12
The word of God is quite clear that
godliness with contentment is great gain. But those who desire to be rich fall
into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which
drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all
kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness,
and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But a true man of God flees
the desire to be rich and the love of money. As God's word is unchanging:
Command those who are rich in this present age not to be
haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us
richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works,
ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation
for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. 1 Timothy
6:17-19
Men walk in their self-acceptance, self-assurance and
self-awareness but they never ask God if they are acceptable in His sight and
that is the greater truth. Does He accept them? Are they right before Him?
Sadly, often the answer is no. For God's word is true:
"I know
your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are
evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and
have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have
labored for My name's sake and have not become weary. "Nevertheless I have
this against you, that you have left your first love.
"Remember
therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I
will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place-unless you
repent. Revelations 2:2-5
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you
not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore
wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you
think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns
jealously"? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the
proud, But gives grace to the humble."
Therefore submit to God.
Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw
near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you
double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to
mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord,
and He will lift you up.
Do not speak evil of one another,
brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil
of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of
the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to
destroy. Who are you to judge another? James 4:4-12
Repentance is the first step for success and prosperity
with God. This includes being humble, resisting the devil, drawing near to
God, cleansing their hands, and purifying their hearts, lamenting and mourning
and weeping! It's not just going to church on Sunday and giving tithes and
offerings for the pastor and his family members or the building fund.
Life is more than money and money is only paper to barter
commodities. What is the price for good Christian character, virtue and
values? There is no price. It is beyond pricing because it is more precious
than the most precious gold or platinum. Those who have it have the greater
possession! But it will be proven as through fire. It will be tested and
hardened and proven to see if it can withstand the test of time, hardship and
trials. Then God will say if a man is righteous before Him. For God's word is
true:
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various
trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let
patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking
nothing If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all
liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask
in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven
and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive
anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in
his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. For no
sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its
flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will
fade away in his pursuits. James 1:2-11
Those who obey God's
word, count it all joy when they fall into various trials and let patience
have its perfect work. So that they may be perfect and complete, lacking
nothing including wisdom shall be blessed richly of
God.
Chapter 10
Full Rest, Refuge, Redemption, Reward and Renown
So she fell on her face, bowed down to the
ground, and said to him, "Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should
take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?"
And Boaz answered
and said to her, "It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for
your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your
father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people
whom you did not know before. "The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be
given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for
refuge." Ruth 2:10-12
Then she said, "Sit still, my daughter,
until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until
he has concluded the matter this day." Ruth 3:18
The story of
Ruth in the bible is not just the story of two desolate and poverty stricken
widows who God Himself gave full rest, refuge, redemption, reward and renown,
but a testimony of what God wants to do for each one of His children. God
wants to make each one of His children rich and to bless them mightily in all
things. For His word is unchanging:
For you know the grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became
poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed
through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses,
but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore
come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to
help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16
God loves His own very
deeply. He is not concerned for the future because He knows the future. It is
bright and beautiful for those who are His. He is not going to allow anything
to come between them and their promised future. He is not fickle or
unreliable. He doesn't change. What He has promised is written in Gold. They
are pure like the Ten Commandments He has given to men on tablets of stone.
They are unchangeable.
The road of life might be rocky and full
of pitfalls but God Himself is on the road with them. His word is unchanging:
"Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and
to bring you into the place which I have prepared. "Beware of Him and obey His
voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My
name is in Him. "But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak,
then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.
"For My Angel will go before you and bring you in to the
Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the
Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will cut them off. "You shall not bow down to
their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but you shall
utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars.
"So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless
your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of
you. "No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; I will
fulfill the number of your days.
"I will send My fear before
you, I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come, and will
make all your enemies turn their backs to you. "And I will send hornets before
you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite from
before you. Exodus 23:20-28
God has made a covenant with His
people to be their God and a God to them. He has made a covenant to be their
provider, defender, helper and everything they need. He has promised to
abundantly bless and prosper them if they would listen to and obey His voice
and walk in His ways. For His word is true:
"Nevertheless I tell
you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go
away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to
you. "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment: "of sin, because they do not believe in Me;
"of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; "of
judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
"I still
have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. "However, when
He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He
will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and
He will tell you things to come. "He will glorify Me, for He will take of what
is Mine and declare it to you. "All things that the Father has are Mine.
Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. John 16:7-15
The Helper, the other One, whom Jesus sent in His name will
guide them into all truth. He will speak to them what He hears from the
Father. He will tell them of things to come. He will glorify Jesus by taking
of what belongs to Jesus and sharing it with and giving it God's true ones.
For all that belongs to Father now belong to Jesus and hence they belong to
God's true children.
All of heaven riches and resources are
theirs because God, Himself, is their shield, rock, refuge, strength, friend
and their exceeding great reward. They are to be of good cheer. For in the
world they have tribulation but their brother and friend Jesus Christ has
overcome the world. For God's word is true:
"These things I have
spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have
tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John 16:33
Jesus Christ overcame the worst that the world, the flesh and
the devil had thrown at Him. He is literally the Victor and the "more than a
conqueror." As a result all authority has been given to Him in heaven and on
earth including the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty. For all
that is in heaven and in earth is the Lord's including the kingdom of God and
He is exalted as head over all. As God's word is true:
For His
dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to
generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does
according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the
earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?"
Daniel 4:34-35
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, The power and
the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth
is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, And You are exalted as head over all.
Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is
power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all.
1 Chronicles 29:11-12
Grace to you and peace from Him who is and
who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His
throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the
dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and
washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to
His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Revelations 1:4-6
Jesus Christ is the ruler over the kings of
the earth and He has made His trusting ones kings and priests to His God and
Father, His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from
generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as
nothing and He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the
inhabitants of the earth.
To Jesus Christ belong the greatness,
the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty; as all that is in heaven
and in earth is His. Both riches and honor come from Him and in His hand is
power and might; to heal, deliver, make great and to give strength to all.
Hence He desires and wills and works to make His trusting ones also the
victory and more than the conquerors in all things.
As a result,
God's true ones are not to be concerned about the obstacles in their path.
They are to take each one as it comes and do what they do best—stand! They are
to take authority over it and persevere until it is out of their path by the
Spirit of the Living God. For God's word is true:
Finally, my
brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the
whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the
devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able
to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore,
having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of
righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of
peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to
quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
And take the
helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful
to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-
Ephesians 6:10-18
The answers of life are not in men's wisdom or
the world's system. It is not in the abundance of what one possess. It is in
Jesus Christ, His truth and His wisdom and person in one's spirit. This closer
walk with God and His person brings a person into a position of unity with
Heaven that is yet untapped and totally miss-understood.
God
doesn't want His teachers and preachers to point to themselves but to God. He
wants His sheep to turn to Him and He will give them their marching orders.
Then, they will find victory in battle and they will do the right kind of
service to Him. They all have a part in His great plan and purposes.
Yet, God is left with a weak and hurt people. This will not be
forever. He is coming through to strength His people and unite them in a way
unprecedented in the history of the church. He has ordained it from the
beginning. The church, His body, will learn to learn and hear His voice
and follow their true
shepherd. This day is coming and all will see it.
But His true
ones are not to be shy. They are to ask God what they will and He will do it
because He loves them so much. He has promised to do whatsoever they ask in
Jesus name. They can come to His throne boldly and He will hear their prayers
and He will deal with their concerns. For they have His promises, His person
and Him.
Hence they can now walk in the assurance of God's
Presence in their life. For as God walked with Noah, Joseph, Moses, Daniel,
Elijah, and Jesus so now He walks with them.
God in Christ Jesus
gives to His true ones His P's. The P's of His presence, promises, person,
power, protection, provision, prosperity, providence and promotion:
His Presence - God is always with His own. He has commanded them
to be strong and of good courage and not to be afraid, nor be dismayed. For
the LORD their God is with them wherever they go and His presence goes with
them to give them rest and victory.
His Promises _ Every promise
and every line in the bible is theirs including that no weapon which is formed
against them shall prosper and those who rise against them shall become a
nonexistent thing.
His Person - God is a Good God who is for
them, with them and not against them. He is on their side no matter what they
are facing. There is no searching of His understanding. His ears are open to
their prayers and His eyes are upon the righteous to bless them.
His Power _ When God's true ones have His presence, promises and
power they can trust Him to use His power for their good in all kinds of
circumstances and situations. Just like God did for Jesus on Calvary when He
raised Him from the dead, gave Him victory over all His enemies and seated Him
at His right hand.
His Protection - God is the shield and
exceeding great reward of His true ones. As well as He is their rock, refuge,
strength, tower security and inheritance. He will bless and promote His own
and He will deliver and honor them.
His Provision - God has
promised to meet and supply all their need according to His riches in glory by
Christ Jesus and He unlike others is able to keep His word.
His
Prosperity _ God is not poor or stupid and neither should His children be. He
is their security and inheritance and provision in the deserts of life. He is
their hiding place! He will move out every mountain and deal with every enemy
and dispel every lack in their life. Their prosperity will come upon them as
the dawning of a bright and new day. They will not be able to contain their
joy and ecstasy at the provision and security He is providing. He will
multiply back to them a hundred fold all they have done for Him.
His Providence - The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord
and though he fall God will not allow him to stay down but will lift him up.
His Promotion _ God has promised that for those who set their
love upon Him He will deliver them and set them on high because they have
known His name. He has promised to make them head and not tail and above and
not beneath. They shall call upon Him and He will answer them. He will be with
them in trouble and deliver and honor them. With long life He will satisfy His
true ones and show them His salvation.
As a result, the
psalmist stated it very well about those who put their trust in God alone and
not others for their deliverance:
Happy is he who has the God of
Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the LORD his God, Who made heaven and
earth, The sea, and all that is in them; Who keeps truth forever, Who executes
justice for the oppressed, Who gives food to the hungry. The LORD gives
freedom to the prisoners. The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD
raises those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous. The LORD
watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; But the way
of the wicked He turns upside down. The LORD shall reign forever- Your God, O
Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD! Psalm 146:5-10
For
after all is said and done God has not changed. He still is a miracle working
God who gives the best to those who ask Him for the best. He gives His all to
those who give Him their all and believe Him for His all. His word does not
change to His true ones:
"Moses My servant is dead. Now
therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land
which I am giving to them-the children of Israel. "Every place that the sole
of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. "From the
wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates,
all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of
the sun, shall be your territory.
"No man shall be able to stand
before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with
you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. "Be strong and of good courage, for
to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to
their fathers to give them.
"Only be strong and very courageous,
that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant
commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you
may prosper wherever you go. "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your
mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do
according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way
prosperous, and then you will have good success.
"Have I not
commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be
dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua
1:2-9
Chapter 11
The Confession Of Faith
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.
And this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith. 1 John 5:4
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word
of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
Revelations 12:11
In the darkest hour and during the time of the
fiercest storm, true faith confesses victory because the Lord of Hosts and the
King of Kings cannot be defeated. Hence victory is assured! As a result
prophet Habakkuk stated:
Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the
fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there
be no herd in the stalls- Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the
God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like
deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills. Habakkuk 3:17-19
Yes, whatever is born of God overcomes the world. and this is
the victory that has overcome the world-our faith. Faith that says that no
matter what "Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my
salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills." For God's word is unchanging:
For You will save the humble people, But will bring down haughty
looks. For You will light my lamp; The LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
For by You I can run against a troop, By my God I can leap over a wall. As for
God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all
who trust in Him. For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except
our God? It is God who arms me with strength, And makes my way perfect. He
makes my feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places. Psalm
18:27-33
Yes, the Lord is a shield to all who trust in him and
He makes their way perfect. He makes their feet like the feet of deer, and
sets them on them high places where they can call those things that do not
exist as though they did. God's trusting ones can take authority over the
negative circumstances in their lives and treat them as mountains and tell
them to move and they will move. They are at their command, as they use the
authority that God has given them.
In Jesus name God's trusting ones can
speak to their mountains and say defeat become victory, crooked be made
straight, injustice become justice, wrong become right, poverty become plenty,
lack become abundance, negative things become positive things, sickness become
health, weakness become strength, curses become blessings, loss become
restoration, bondage become redemption, despair become joy, darkness become
light, wealth and riches become a reality and mountains be moved into the sea
and be no more! For God's word is true:
So Jesus said to them,
"Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a
mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, `Move from here to there,' and it
will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew
17:20
The LORD remains always to His true ones THE
GREAT I AM! God has given them the Kingdom when He had given them His only Son
and His wonderful counselor the Holy Spirit. All of the Kingdoms great
resources and power and Persons are at their disposal because of the name,
which is above every name. The name of Jesus that is above every principality,
power, diseases, sickness, lack, shortage, mountain, lack, enemy, need and
thing under the sun or in the darkness.
Though, little they are
not small. Though, weak they are not without resources. Though, helpless they
are not without wisdom. Though, defenseless they are not without a defender.
Their answer is always their Savior. He is their source of total supply. He is
their friend and defender. They are to look to Him and not to the world, their
friends, their family or themselves. There is no other who can deliver them
but He Himself. He has not deserted them and has only begun His fight for He
is their Lord and Savior.
God will provide for His true ones as
well as all the things that the gentiles seek. That is for those who seek
first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. As their Heavenly Father He
has an obligation to provide for His true and trusting children -to those who
look to Him the author and finisher of their faith. He will provide
everything, even miraculously and give peace from the storm of lack of things.
He has already given them His beloved Rainbow Jesus and all the riches and
spiritual provisions that go along with it.
God is not limited
at all. He has all the power of the universe at His disposal and He will not
leave His anointed and true children desolate or destitute in any way. Because
they are the friends of Jesus they are His friends also and they are all
friends together. God's word is unchanging:
I will lift up my
eyes to the hills- From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who
made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps
you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor
sleep. The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand. The
sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. The LORD shall
preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The LORD shall
preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even
forevermore. Psalm 121:1-7
"LORD, it is nothing for You to help,
whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O LORD our God,
for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, You
are our God; do not let man prevail against You!" 2 Chronicles 14:11
God's true ones are to keep to their faith and belief in Him. He
will not let them down for He loves them too much. They must keep walking
faithfully in Him for He is their way-maker in the middle of the desert. He
will heal their land and bring them to a new place and renew their lease on
life. He will not leave them in defeat, despair, or lack. He is the Way-Maker
and they are not to look to anyone but Him. He is answers to all of life's
problems as they rest on Him and wait with calm assurance in Him and His Word.
The enemy would have God's people believe that He is not moving.
That He is not doing what He has promised to do - to march in the battle with
them and to defeat and destroy all their enemies. His word is
unchanging: `for the LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for
you against your enemies, to save you, to give you victory, Deuteronomy
20:3
"There is no one like the God of
Jeshurun, Who rides the heavens to help you, And in His excellency on the
clouds. The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting
arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, And will say, `Destroy!'
Then Israel shall dwell in safety, The fountain of Jacob alone,
In a land of grain and new wine; His heavens shall also drop dew. Happy are
you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, The shield of your
help And the sword of your majesty! Your enemies shall submit to you, And you
shall tread down their high places." Deuteronomy 33:26-29
`I
gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your keeping, and
gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I
also would have given you much more! 2 Samuel 12:8
God cannot
lie! His promises are irrevocable. They cannot be changed or deterred from
their purpose and intent. He is the God of integrity and Truth and The Law. He
has established the covenants He promised to Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus
and all who follow Him. He has covenant with the heirs of The Promise and He
will not break it.
So God's true ones must not be concerned
about the bleak circumstances that might lie before them. They lie about who
their God really is and the power of His name. He is the Creator, the Rainbow
Maker, the Promise Keeper, the Way Maker, the Redeemer and Friend to all who
trust in Him. He keeps His Promises! His true children can expect Him to do it
because He is doing it. The road of life for them is full of promise because
they have trusted in Him who is their Creator
As they keep
walking and trusting God and holding to His Word He will move the mountains
out and bring a new understanding about Him and how He will never leave them
or forsake them. He will not hurt them. He will not leave them empty and void.
He is their Father and friend and guide.
Let all others fail
them but He will not fail them. He is their God and their friend. In Him is
all they need or desire. He has trust, peace, rest, joy, long-suffering, hope,
love, goodness and financial provisions. He has all they need and they will
see the manifestation of these harvests because they will reap in due season.
For God's word is unchanging:
"While the earth remains, Seedtime
and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not
cease." Genesis 8:22
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for
whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will
of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit
reap everlasting life. Galatians 6:7-8
As God's beloved children
remain close to Him they shall have His blessings and prosperity on their life
all of their days. God is in their life for the duration. He is greater than
all the universes out there. He is greater than all the people out there. He
is the only God in the entire universe. He is their r great defender, redeemer
and friend. He is their defense and high tower. There is none like, nor ever
will be in the entirety of eternity like Him! He is it! His word is true:
"To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?"
says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these
things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the
greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing.
Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: "My way is
hidden from the LORD, And my just claim is passed over by my God"? Have you
not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of
the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is
unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He
increases strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the LORD Shall
renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall
run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:25-31
Chapter 12
The Lord Knows How To Deliver The Godly
For if God did not spare the angels who sinned,
but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be
reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah,
one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the
world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes,
condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward
would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the
filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them,
tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their
lawless deeds)- then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of
temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of
judgment, and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of
uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They
are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, whereas angels, who are greater
in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the
Lord. 2 Peter 2:4-11
No one gets away with anything. Judgment
comes to all who deserve it For if God did not spare the angels who sinned,
but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be
reserved for judgment and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one
of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the
world of the ungodly then all will have their day of judgment unless they
repent. For some the judgment might be sooner than they think.
But for the righteous such as Noah and Lot go will provide
deliverances just like He turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes,
condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward
would live ungodly and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the
filthy conduct of the wicked. Yet God's word is unchanging:
But
these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil
of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own
corruption, and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count
it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing
in their own deceptions while they feast with you, having eyes full of
adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a
heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. They have
forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of
Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he was rebuked for his
iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of
the prophet.
These are wells without water, clouds carried by a
tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. For when they
speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the
flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who
live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of
corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into
bondage.
For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the
world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are
again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than
the beginning.
For it would have been better for them
not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from
the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according
to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit," and, "a sow, having
washed, to her wallowing in the mire." 2 Peter 2:12-22
The ways
of men are not God's ways. He is a jealous and angry God. They have not done
as He commanded them to do. His word states:
"Wash yourselves,
make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.
Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend
the fatherless, Plead for the widow. "Come now, and let us reason together,"
Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as
snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. If you are
willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse
and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword"; For the mouth of the LORD has
spoken.
How the faithful city has become a harlot! It was full
of justice; Righteousness lodged in it, But now murderers. Your silver has
become dross, Your wine mixed with water. Your princes are rebellious, And
companions of thieves; Everyone loves bribes, And follows after rewards. They
do not defend the fatherless, Nor does the cause of the widow come before
them. Isaiah 1:16-23
They have done unwise things and provoked
God to much displeasure with them. They are a desolate people, full of
themselves and their own doings. He has turned His face from them. He has
turned from them because they don't do His perfect will. They do their own
selfish wills and ways. As a result God is furious with them. He will not be
appeased until they are annihilated. He is extremely wrath with them.
All those who desire to escape God's judgments must turn and do
His perfect will. They must do justice, righteousness and truth. They must
desire to bend their knee and back to help the hurting, lonely, dying around
them. They must help the widow and fatherless and poor among them. They must
stop thinking more highly of themselves than they should think. He has not
elevated them. They have promoted themselves. So He will bring them low. He
will demote them. He will destroy their empires. He will destroy their
financial empires. They have been robbed and they will be robbed even more. He
has allowed it and promoted it and He will continue to do it.
God's sheep must be warned and be wise in where they place their
funds, or they won't get much fruit from their plantings. They had better take
heed who they worship and who they give their loyalty to. It must be first to
God, then to others if they have earned it due to right behavior and right
teachings.
Total surrender and imitation of Christ's character
is the only way to do what needs to be done. Surrender all to Him and walk in
total dedication and trust in Him. He is the only way to true servant hood and
true life. Purity in the things of God is very important to a changed life.
The answer is to walk in humility in the knowledge of the Bible and the Person
of the in the Presence of the Holy Spirit in their life will change truly
come. Then the harmony of the Heavenly host will descend on the earth and the
Shekinah Glory will come down on earth again.
God's true sheep
will know His Voice. They will hear His Voice in the voice of their teachers
and preachers or they will not. If they don't then they should leave. So He
will do to them who disobey Him! He will cut them off from His prosperity,
promotions, and provisions. He will make their land a desert and remove the
rains from their fields. He will do what He promised to Moses all the "curses"
shall come upon them. God will curse and not bless. He has done it and He will
do and He is doing it.
So all who practice iniquity must beware.
God will not be mocked what a man sows he will also reap. Let no man deceive
himself in his heart or think more highly of himself than he ought. God is not
fooled. He knows what's in the depths of each person's heart. So let them walk
in Him and His Word and not their ways. He will not defend them any longer.
They have not defended Him.
For God is changing the
circumstances and landscape of the United States. He is making the land
different. He is changing it from the traditions and foolishness of men. They
are no longer going to place their rules and ways upon His sheep. They will no
longer be able to rob and destroy the lives of His sheep. The church will be
totally of God or not at all of God but there will be no fence sitting.
He is rising up a new generation of His children who will serve Him and not
themselves or their passions. He is rising up children to honor Him and pay
homage only to Him and not bow their knee to Baal. The previous generation has
bowed for the last time. God is accepting it no more. They are destroyed and
those who have chosen their own evil corrupt ways.
God will not
stand for it anymore. The end is near. He has said it and He is doing it. Let
no man stand in His way. He has held off long enough. The season for change is
upon us and it cannot be reversed. The hurricane is coming and will blow all
of man's institutions and comfortable plans away. All the stubble and hay will
be blown away. The tornadoes will destroy those who have chosen their own way
and not trusted God or waited quietly on Him to hear what He had to say.
No, they have chosen their own plans and followed their own good
intentions. Who ever asked them to run ahead and do what He never desired them
to do - to call materialism, prosperity. No, they will all pay for their use
of His good Name. He will not be mocked. He will not be mocked. He will not be
mocked. What they have sown, now they will reap. The whirlwind is coming. Let
no false prophet lie to God's people any more. Their good stand is not so
good. Their Father is angry with them. Their position is not so pure or clean.
They better look to their ways because He is coming and the judgment will not
be pleasant.
Chapter 13
God Is No Respecter Of Persons
`You shall do no injustice in judgment. You
shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In
righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. Leviticus 19:15
Blessed is that man who makes the LORD his trust, And does not
respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Psalm 40:4
One of the cornerstones of God's character besides His love for
justice, righteousness and truth is that He is not a respecter of persons and
does not show partiality. Well if this is part of God's nature so should it be
part of those who are called by His name no matter if the person is the
president of United States or window washer?
Apostle James
really bring this point home when he wrote to the twelve tribes which are
scattered abroad and said
My brethren, do not hold the faith of
our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. For if there should
come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there
should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the
one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place,"
and say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "Sit here at my footstool,"
have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil
thoughts?
Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the
poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He
promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not
the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme that
noble name by which you are called?
If you really fulfill the
royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as
yourself," you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are
convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever shall keep the whole law,
and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. James 2:1-10
The bottom line is those who show partiality and are a respecter
of person commit sin, Those who do not repent of this sin are judged and
chastised by God. for not fulfilling the royal law of loving their neighbor as
themselves. No some do not appreciate the severity of this kind of punishment
and have ignored the words of Jesus who stated:
"For I say to
you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes
and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. "You have
heard that it was said to those of old, `You shall not murder, and whoever
murders will be in danger of the judgment.'
"But I say to you
that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of
the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, `Raca!' shall be in danger of
the council. But whoever says, `You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.
"Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there
remember that your brother has some thing against you, "leave your gift there
before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and
then come and offer your gift.
"Agree with your adversary
quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to
the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into
prison. "Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till
you have paid the last penny. Matthew 5:20-26
Hedonistic
humanistic religious ones have made Jesus in a great benevolent king who does
not get angry and does not deal with people harshly. But this is all a lie.
For God `s word tell us of what Jesus truly is like and what He does::
Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who
sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and
makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many
crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed
with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the
armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on
white horses.
Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with
it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of
iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty
God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS. Revelation. 19:11-16
He is the Faithful and True
One who in righteousness judges and makes war. He strikes nations, and rules
them with a rod of iron. He treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath
of Almighty God.
Since Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today
and forever, He has not changed His character or His ways even in the current
time of life. He still is the same Jesus who chased out moneychangers out of
the House of God. He is still the same Jesus who warned others and said:
"For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name,
because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means
lose his reward. "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in
Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his
neck, and he were thrown into the sea. "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it
off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two
hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched-"where `Their
worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.'
"And if your
foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame,
rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall
never be quenched- "where `Their worm does not die, And the fire is not
quenched.' "And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for
you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to
be cast into hell fire- "where `Their worm does not die, And the fire is not
quenched.' "For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will
be seasoned with salt. "Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how
will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."
Mark 9:41-50
Let no man say he has gone unrewarded by God for
the good he has done. This is never true. God always reward goodness and the
upholding of righteousness, justice and truth. He is defending His own
and He never turns His back on them. They may turn away from Him but God is
patient and longsuffering, baring long with them until they return to Him or
remain far away. Then, God pours out His judgments and they cry for the
consequences of their behavior. This does not change! God is dealing with
everyone always. It is a sure constant that is both loving and dealing out
judgment. He is a fair judge and those who deserve it receive their negative
and just reward.
Man must serve God with all of his heart or
else he will pay a terrible price and many have already done so. Many more
will receive their due reward! But all along God desires their faith and trust
in Him rather than judgment.
However, man does not desire the
truth many times and pays the price for it. If all men paid for the many wrong
things they have done there would be judgment on the earth continually. As it
is, God is merciful and compassionate. He does not deal with Men according to
all the wrong he does.
We must not mistake God's true remnant
people as our enemy. This will only lead to God's judgment and destruction. He
will not tolerate the abuse, mistreatment and misinformation concerning His
true people. They are the apples of His eye and He will do everything to
protect and vindicate them even against religionists who call themselves as
His own.
They had better be careful when they call the Holy
Spirit's work the devil's work. They should remember even Moses didn't enter
into the Promised Land because of his disobedience and quick anger. He struck
the Rock, who was Jesus, and incurred God's wrath. He alone is the One we
should ever seek to please, never ourselves and never others if it contradicts
God's written or spoken Words to us.
Not everyone who prophesies
is of the devil. There are some true children of God who really do hear His
voice. What then? Are suddenly all of them to be called false prophets? God
forbid! All are not wrong because they bring news that is not desirable. So
did Isaiah, Jeremiah, Elijah, Elisha, Daniel, Joseph and Noah among many
others. They were true to the Word God gave them. They obeyed to the point of
death. They were true to the dream and Word God had placed in their heart.
Can it be said they were wrong because the news was not all
good? No. This is not true. They had to remain true to God first and
themselves second. They had to place God above their own concerns and personal
safety. How many of us today are that sacrificial and obedient?
The harmony of life is based on One's understanding of who your
Creator is. He is not a thing out there, He is a Person and He has feelings.
Your relationship with Him is not like any other relationship you have
experienced in this Universe. He is both sensitive and rational. He is warm
and tender, yet wise and full of judgment. He is both caring and ready to do
justice. He loves to love and compassionate but if He must He will be
judgmental and assertive.
He is all things to all men that some
may be won to His Kingdom, but He will not compromise His values and position
to avoid doing what is an unpleasant thing. He does not try to avoid the
unpleasant. If you arouse His anger enough He can become very angry. If you do
what is wrong you will be punished, in this He is unflinching. He is the great
Creator and He will not be moved by men's moods, attitudes or blackmail. He
will only be moved by faith and a deep trust in Him.
Yes, God
does have His timing and His choosing and His ways. He does not necessarily
fit into people's perception of Him. They think He is only a God of love,
mercy and grace but He is also a God of judgment. He forgives but He also
brings the consequences of people's behavior upon themselves. He even brings it upon their children to the third
and fourth generation.
Many think that He is a liberal God but
He is not a liberal. Some think He is a republican God but He is not a
republican. He is the LORD of this universe and what He says goes! Men can
think as they please, they can do as they please and they can go where they
please. But if what they think and do, does not please Him they have missed
Him and the consequences of their actions will be exacted from them. For He is
a person of great price! He demands their all! He demands their hearts! He
demands their souls raised to Him! No, He doesn't ask little He asks all for
He is the Great I AM!
Those who persist in doing things their
own way will eventually pay a terrible price for it. Though it may appear that
no price has been paid, looks can be deceiving. We as men, love to deceive
ourselves that all is well with us and wrong with everyone else while we
betray God and is calling for our lives. We forget that we have to have an
intimate relationship with Him that transcends all our desires, plans,
purposes and goals in life.
If our goals and plans are totally
submitted to Him, we can expect He will probably change them for the better if
we just trust Him. He is in a far better position to guide us into a deeper
more meaningful life than we could ever think up on our own. He is able to do
what we could never think out or dream of. He is able to deal with our out of
control inner man who only wants things for self. He is able to set our
compass straight and chart the right kind of course for our life. He is just
the kind of God. He loves us so much.
But, we must give Him a
chance. Not for a week or a year but for a lifetime. If we don't we're the
losers and so is He because He loves us so much He will lose the love He
desired from us. Our place in the Kingdom will be empty because only we can
fill that place. His is able to lead us to the special place just for us in
the Kingdom but we have to follow Him with great fidelity and respect. He is
able, not because we say so in words, but because in His own strength and
power He is truly able to lead us out of our Armageddon into the Promised
Land! The choice is ours. Do we really want Him at all costs, or do we want
our own way and our own desires because without Him we are not going to make
it no matter what the world says.
The world is not making it
without Him despite how they act and what they say. They may appear to be very
successful in terms of worldly success but that has nothing to do with real
spiritual success. It doesn't mean we should not try to be financially
accountable and successful in the world, but it should not be our priority.
The Lord should be our priority. As we lean on Him and do what He has called
us to do we will be both spiritually and carnally successful.
If
we are not successful we have to look to the Lord to show us why, so we can
turn it over to Him to change with the understanding we can't change ourselves
only He can. Our relationship with Him is based on a mutual trust. We trust
Him to change us, He trusts us to remain faithful and true to Him. This cycle
of success breeds more success until we begin to see one victory after another
in our life.
Then, this cycle of success breeds a lifestyle of
success until we are truly more than conquerors through Christ Jesus and can
now lead others into this right kind of lifestyle in Him. This is true
success! What more can you ask except to know you are in harmony with your
Lord and Savior and the world around you. There can be no greater satisfaction
than this. That we have helped others toward the right kind of life that will
bring them health and freedom to be themselves and in turn love those around
them. A world set free from sin and death there can be no better victory!
Imagine a world walking in the victory
Jesus Christ provides. People free from emotional upheavals, depression,
despair and grief. People genuinely happy to see each other and love one
another helping one another when needed. Open to the Commandments God has
given them to follow. Doing it out of the gladness of their yielded hearts.
Doing the will of the Father with all of their soul and very being. Avoiding
backbiting, gossip, slander, evil speaking and all other forms of nasty
qualities such as envy, jealousy, cowardice, selfishness, anger, rage, strife,
rejection, pride, arrogance and many other such evil behavior. All of it is
not of Him. He is the author and finisher of our faith and we need to take all
of our faults, flaws and problems to Him and He will give the power to
overcome because He is able.
How often we have come across
carnal Christians who have not given their sinful nature over to God and
witnessed the devastating results in churches and para-organizations world
over. We need Jesus. We need the Spirit of Jesus in Christians today. We need
to get on our knees and stop looking to our neighbor. Yes, they have their
problems but so do you. Look not on the speck in your brother's eye before you
care for the beam in your own eye.
Take care of that beam first
then gently remove the speck in you brother's eye. Gently, beloved! Not
roughly, cruelly or without regard for the destruction of your manner. Love is
the rule. We all respond to love even when we don't appear to. We all need it.
We'd rather scrape and fight for it than admit we need it, so we scrape and
fight and wonder why no one loves us.
It's because we are going
about it the wrong way. If we knew we were loved unconditionally we would
yield if we're smart. If that is our true goal. If not, even our wrong motives
will be revealed and we will be exposed to God and man. No one gets away with
their behavior and wrong motivations. God is no fool. He knows us intimately.
He loves us purely. He defends His own when they surrender and become humble
before Him and others. He is the greatest forgiver on this entire planet. No
one escapes His piercing glaze. It is we who must swallow our pride and admit
we are wrong! Ouch! That hurts! Wrong! Ouch! But once the thorns are removed
what sweet relief?
It's even better if we can walk with Him in
personal fellowship and watch Him guide us through life with the wisdom from
above. Those who chose to follow us can do so. Those who chose not to are
equally free. But, I know from personal experience that only those who humble
themselves and yield to the Heaven Father are the truly successful on this
planet. The Lord marks a man's success by the purity and motives of His heart
and He alone knows what's in the human heart!
Chapter 14
The Devil Is A Thief, and So Are We
"The thief does not come except to steal, and to
kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may
have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)
Unfortunately not only is
the devil is a thief, but we as God's people are thieves also. God wants to
manifest Himself through us in great power and great glory. But He cannot
because we will take the glory for ourselves and say "I did it."
When men will praise us for what God has done or is doing in our
lives, hypocritically we will say it was God. But in our hearts, we will say
it was our faithfulness, perseverance, abilities and a whole range of things.
Pride in man has a way of stealing glory from God. But God will not share His
glory with any one and we will get into trouble with Him.
However when everything fails around us and falls apart we do
not say "I did it," we say "It was the devil." The poor devil he gets blamed
for many things that are a result of our carnality, hidden agenda's, selfish
motives, foolishness and lack of discernment. For what is in us comes out.
Our house only falls when it is not built upon a rock but on the
sand; other wise it will stand the storms and testing of life. For Jesus said
about us, our ministry, our works and deeds:
"Every tree that
does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (Matthew 7:19)
"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice
will be seasoned with salt. (Mark 9:49)
"He is like a man
building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when
the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not
shake it, for it was founded on the rock. 49: "But he who heard and did
nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation,
against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the
ruin of that house was great. (Luke 6:48-49)
If our house falls
its because we did not do a good job of building it and digging deep and good
foundations based on the solid rock. We listened to the words of God but we
did not act on them nor apply them. As a result our house fell. It's not the
storms, demons nor others who are responsible that the house was built poorly;
it is we ourselves.
Primarily this happens because of our
arrogance and pride. We refuse to acknowledge the truth of the matter in our
hearts that all is from and because of God. That nothing came from our
abilities or us. As a result we suffer the consequences of our choices and
deeds just like King Nebuchadnezzar did: The word of God states:
The king spoke, saying, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have
built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my
majesty?" : While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice fell from
heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed
from you! And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with
the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven
times shall pass over you,
until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to
whomever He chooses."
That very hour the word was fulfilled
concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his
body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles'
feathers and his nails like birds' claws. And at the end of the time I,
Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me;
and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever:
(Daniel 4:30-34)
We walk with and serve God it's not of
ourselves for He has called us and brought us to this place. He has held us
uplifted and encouraged us. He taught us and has put in us His deep word. He
is the One who will change bless, heal and make us totally whole. It is all
His gifts—financial, physical, spiritual, emotional, social and relational—all
are from Him Nothing is from us!
Thus says the LORD, your
Redeemer, And He who formed you from the womb: "I am the LORD, who makes all
things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth
by Myself; (Isaiah 44:24)
We are not to become blotted with
self-importance. If we understand this, we will stay in perfect humility and
we will not steal the glory and praise that belongs to God and not to us. We
will run the race and win and will be free from your own self-centered
ambitions, pride, and high-mindedness. For all we have received since we were
born was and is from Him and will always come from Him.
God
receives our good intentions and our trust and faith in Him. He receives our
acceptance of Him and all His power in our life. He receives our love, joy and
worship. He receives our goodness and returned affections. He receives our
expectations and peace in Him. He receives all of us and our ways and
integrity and assurance of what He can do and will do on our behalf. He
receives all of it! He accepts from us as we accept and receive from Him.
The Glory belongs to God and we must give Him the credit that is
due for we are to owe own no man and especially God nothing.
We
have a two-way relationship with God. As we receive He receives. As we give He
gives. As we remain open He remains open. As we exercise our faith He
exercises His trust in us. As long as pride doesn't come into the picture, we
will remain fully attached to Him. He will be able to keep us and glorify
Himself through us, because we are yielded and open and receiving His goodness
from us.
God will protect even the more tender parts of His
person and they do His bidding. If we touch His glory there will be real
consequences in our lives and those around us. God will not have His Glory
touched by no one! He also will not allow man to get away with anything he has
done just or unjust. He will pay all. Such is His temperament. He will not be
mocked. He will not accept idol worship. He is the great I AM!
God does not teach His children half-truths as so many do. God
desires people's good and happiness and healing! This is always on His heart!
Our Heavenly Bank account is open and we can draw on it, anytime, for
finances, healings, peace of mind and body, wisdom, understandings,
discernment, prophesy, faith, courage, peace, joy, tolerance, love of the
Father, endurance, and so on. All the good things of Heaven are ours here on
earth. We are to draw on them. As we draw on them, we will have them. We are
to ask Him and they are ours.
Sometimes, life's
past comes back to us over and over because of deep, deep hurts. But they are
healable. God is the healer as He promised us and He does not lie.
"If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do
what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His
statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the
Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you." (Exodus 15:26)
Others have lied to us and about us. But God will not do that.
He will not betray us. He will not say one thing to our face and something
different to someone else or even in His own mind. God is not a double-minded
person. He never was and never will be. We should not think of Him in two ways
either. We are to think of Him as He is: true, full of integrity, never lying,
straight with us and always for us.
God is our friend. True
friends can say anything to each other and they will not take it wrong because
love and the spirit of unity binds them together in true acceptance and true
love. We have to trust His integrity. His Word is a unit of life and it brings
life to our family, our bodies, our minds, our souls, our spirits, and us.
Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: "I am
the LORD your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you
should go. (Isaiah 48:17)
We are to walk in God's presence,
peace and promises and even His spoken prophetic words to us. We are to walk
in His person minute by minute! He has much more for us. He has had much He
wants to share with us. He loves us deeply to the point of hurt in His very
spirit! He has much for us, as we just trust Him. We can have His Kingdom!
It's ours! He has given it to us!
All the silver and good and
diamonds are ours! All the beauty of the knowledge of Him is ours! We are to
ask and we shall receive! We are to ask that our joy may be full!
Kings shall be your foster fathers, And their queens your
nursing mothers; They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, And
lick up the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD, For they
shall not be ashamed who wait for Me." (Isaiah 49:23)
We are to
ask for He is the one who has opened the windows of heaven and is pouring out
a great and deep blessings upon us and our loved ones! He has given us His
Mercy, Grace , Protection and Provision. We can deposit that in our spiritual
bank account. We have it always with us and for us. We are not to let the
devil come and steal our peace, healing, provision and promises. They are ours
and we are to keep them on deposit and draw on the bank account in heaven as
we need them.
The only true change comes from walking very
closely to God and coupled with the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. It brings
about amazing changes. As we stay filled with His Spirit and His Word we will
be amazed at the changes we will see in ourselves.
We are not to
look back but are to trust God and hang on until we see our manifested
promises. All of them! They are ours and they are all coming. We are to look
with anticipation to them for God's word is true:
by which have
been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these
you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that
is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:4)
and what is
the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the
working of His mighty power. (Ephesians 1:19)
People live their
life by the consequences of their choices. We live by consequences of our
choices of putting our faith and God and putting Him first above all. As a
result we are right in Him and they are not. In this lies the great
difference. Heaven is open to our prayers. We are moving the mountains and
casting them down in our lives and the lives of those around us. We are doing
all God has called us to do right now. For we live for this moment and hour.
We keep our faith strong in Him by praying in the Spirit and
staying in His word and resist the things the devil would throw up to us such
as poverty, lack, unbelief, fear, and circumstances. We can and are able to
resist and walk in His strength, peace, wisdom and love. For we have His
Grace, Mercy, Protection, Provisions, Person, Word and Power.
We
have it all when we gave Him our all, without reservation and no hidden
agendas or selfish motives and made Him the Lord of our hearts and lives as
well as circumstances. However God wants in integrity and desires for peace
and harmony among His people!
`Therefore you shall not oppress
one another, but you shall fear your God; for I am the LORD your God.
(Leviticus 25:17)
He doesn't don't allow lack in our life. Lack
comes from fear and the enemy. Lack is not God's intention for His children.
It may be allowed for a season but it not His perfect will for them. We are
not to accept it and don't believe it will carry on. We are not to receive
anything but God's absolute total provision —financial, spiritual, social,
emotional, total provision! God has given us His word and authority.
We will all be very happy because our trust is in Him, not in
riches nor in others but in Him! Our happiness stems from Him and His person
in our life. Happiness is the result of a right relationship with Him. It is
His gift to His children who stick to Him as Abraham did and Noah did and
Joshua did.
God is holding us in His hands and He will not let
us go. We are to let nothing stand between Him and us. We are not to let worry
for money, or health or strength or weakness or anything stand between us. He
is with us and He will provide. He, the God of all power and might, is on our
side! We are on the same team.
We are to keep going, keep
expecting, and keep walking and not to give up! We are to look with our
spiritual eyes and see that God is God, that He is our friend and advocate. He
will defend us against all who come against us. Be it demons, people and
circumstances and many others.
Indeed they shall surely
assemble, but not because of Me. Whoever assembles against you shall fall for
your sake. "Behold, I have created the blacksmith Who blows the coals in the
fire, Who brings forth an instrument for his work; And I have created the
spoiler to destroy. No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every
tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the
heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,"
Says the LORD. (Isaiah 54:15-17 )
We are to walk in God's
Spirit, in the power of His presence and wisdom and so that we will be
approved God and man. Our faith should is not in the wisdom of men but
in the power of God. We were bought at a price; and are not the slaves of men.
We are to provide honorable things, not only in the sight of the
Lord, but also in the sight of men. We are no longer be children, tossed to
and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men,
in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting but mighty men and women of
God filled with the Spirit of God.
We hold the wholesome words
of Jesus above man made teachers of the word who are proud, knowing nothing.
Above men who are obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which
come envy, strife, reviling, and evil suspicions. Useless of men of corrupt
minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of
gain for themselves. We withdraw ourselves from such men amongst us and even
pastors and evangelists.
We do not allow anyone to cheat us
through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men,
according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
Since we died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, we do not
subject ourselves to regulations- "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,"
which all concern things which perish with the using-according to the
commandments and doctrines of men?
For these man made and man
thought religious ideas have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion,
false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the
indulgence of the flesh which only the Spirit of the Lord can deal with.
We are to continue to pray-in-the-Spirit and let Him cover us
with His shield of protection. It is like a clear bulletproof vest of
protection. It is far more than that because it is all around us, above and
beneath us.
We walk in God's Spirit that is: We pray in the
Spirit, praise Him and walk in faith, peace, and joy. We even ignore, turn
away from what people have to say about us. Be it our parents, brother,
relatives, husband, mother-in-law, and strangers or neighbors. They have no
right to judge us because God is our Judge, Friend, advocate, protector, our
King and Jury.
God is going continue to heal and change us and
make us whole. He is the one who is dealing with all our demonic and other
enemies and we can trust Him and expect many miracles. Trusting God means
never entertaining thoughts that it is impossible. All things are possible
with Him! He is the God of the Impossible! We walk in trust, rest and faith in
Him! Not in ourselves, others nor circumstances, but only in Him! He loves us
always and we are His children and He is our Heavenly Father!
God's promises are inherited through faith and patience. We have
to be persistent and patient. Earth and Heaven work in different intervals of
time and space. What we see as long God sees as minute. He sees from His great
vantage point, we see from our finite, limited view point.
By
faith we are saved, healed, delivered and should walk that way. We are to put
up our shield of faith for it's not as hard as we think it is. We are to put
it in place the way the car has its shield in front of our eyes.
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my
strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my
stronghold. (Psalm 18:2)
God is our shield in front, in back, on
the sides, above us and below us.
There is no side left
for attack when our faith and shield is in proper position. His armor, like
His cross is light. And it's not heavy. We are to just trust Him and pick up
our trust in him and hold it up. It will automatically protect every aspect of
our being and life and those of our family and true friends. We are to depend
on Him and He will not let us down! His word states:
Fear not,
for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Behold,
all those who were incensed against you Shall be ashamed and disgraced; They
shall be as nothing, And those who strive with you shall perish. You shall
seek them and not find them-
Those who contended with you. Those
who war against you Shall be as nothing, As a nonexistent thing.: For I, the
LORD your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, `Fear not, I will
help you.' "Fear not, you worm Jacob, You men of Israel! I will help you,"
says the LORD And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 41:10-14)
But Israel shall be saved by the LORD With an everlasting
salvation; You shall not be ashamed or disgraced Forever and ever. (Isaiah
45:17)
Sometimes, we have to take a long step of faith! We have
to step out in big faith in God! But we can do it! We can command the
mountains to go and it will go. We have all the faith we need for He has made
the mountains to be feather light too.
We are to depend on God
and walk in trust in Him. We are to look to Him the author and finisher of our
faith and not others. He can make us at peace with God and man. He can make us
whole.
"Therefore say to the children of Israel: `I am the LORD;
I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue
you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and
with great judgments. `I will take you as My people, and I will be your God.
Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God who brings you out from under
the burdens of the Egyptians. `And I will bring you into the land which I
swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a
heritage: I am the LORD.' " (Exodus 6:6-8)
God can part the
waters as He did at the Red Sea for Moses and His people. We are His people.
He will part the waters. We are to lift our staff to the heavens and watch His
salvation. As a pillar of fire and smoke He will lead us. As a shepherd gently
leads his lambs He will direct us. He will not leave us. He will hold us with
His righteous right hand as we depend totally on Him, and rest and walk in
Him. We are to Him all our burdens and lay them down at His feet and watch
what He will do.
"Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the
earth! For I am God, and there is no other. (Isaiah 45:22)
Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no
other; I am God, and there is none like Me, (Isaiah 36:9)
Chapter 15
Salvation Belongs To The LORD
LORD, how they have increased who trouble me!
Many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say of me, "There is
no help for him in God." Selah But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, My glory
and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the LORD with my voice, And He
heard me from His holy hill. Selah I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD
sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set
themselves against me all around.
Arise, O LORD; Save me, O my
God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the
teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongs to the LORD. Your blessing is upon
Your people. Selah Psalm 3:1-8
The word of God warns men not to
put their trust in men or in the systems of the world be it knowledge,
education, politics, etc. but to put their trust in the Lord for salvation
belongs to the Lord. The Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly and
has put his trust in Him. He makes him to dwell in safety and delivers him
from all his enemies.
The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a
refuge in times of trouble. And those who know His name will put their trust
in Him. The helpless commits himself to Him for the Lord is the helper of the
fatherless. He deals bountifully with those who put their trust in Him. His
word is unchanging:
LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who
may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness,
And speaks the truth in his heart; He who does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his
friend; In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear
the LORD; He who swears to his own hurt and does not change; He who does not
put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He
who does these things shall never be moved. Psalm 15:1-5
I will
bless the LORD who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the
night seasons. I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right
hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor
will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of
life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures
forevermore. Psalm 16:7-11
To trust in the Lord doesn't mean to
be religious and a faithful church goer! But it does mean to walk uprightly,
and work righteousness, and speaks the truth in ones heart. It means not to
backbite with ones tongue, nor does evil to ones neighbor, nor take up a
reproach against ones friend. It does mean to swear to ones own hurt and not
change. It means not to take a bribe against the innocent. It means to take
counsel and instruction from the Lord especially in the night seasons. It
means to keep the ways of the LORD, and not wickedly depart from God. It means
to be blameless before Him and keep oneself from iniquity. It means being
merciful, pure and blameless by the power and person of the Holy Spirit.
To trust in the Lord doesn't mean to be haughty and proud and
unteachable.
It doesn't mean to be devious and
conniving. It doesn't mean being evil and wicked. It doesn't mean being
perverted and corrupt. It doesn't mean being selfish and self-centered. It
doesn't mean ignoring the fear of the Lord and being ignorant of His word. It
doesn't mean to reject or despise His anointing. It doesn't mean to be hard of
heart and dull of hearing God's Spirit. It doesn't mean to forget the name of
the Lord and the saving strength of His right hand. For God's word is
unchanging:
May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble; May
the name of the God of Jacob defend you; May He send you help from the
sanctuary, And strengthen you out of Zion; May He remember all your offerings,
And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah May He grant you according to your
heart's desire, And fulfill all your purpose. We will rejoice in your
salvation, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners! May the LORD
fulfill all your petitions.
Now I know that the LORD saves His
anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of
His right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will
remember the name of the LORD our God. Psalm 20:1-7
The name of
the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs
18:10
Yes, for the righteous the name of the Lord is a strong
tower and the righteous run to it and are safe. Safe from what? Safe from all
enemies including poverty, lack, sickness and disease! As God's word is
unchanging:
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes
me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He
restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's
sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will
fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my
head with oil; My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall
follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever. Psalm 23:1-6
Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is
within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all
His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and
tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth
is renewed like the eagle's.
The LORD executes righteousness And
justice for all who are oppressed. Psalm 103:1-6
Yes, the Lord
provides a full and great salvation, including forgiving all our iniquities,
healing all our diseases, redeeming our life from destruction, crowning us
with lovingkindness and tender mercies, satisfying our mouth with good things,
so that our youth is renewed like the eagle's. The LORD even executes
righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed as His word is unchanging:
Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray
and not lose heart, saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not
fear God nor regard man. "Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to
him, saying, `Get justice for me from my adversary.' "And he would not for a
while; but afterward he said within himself, `Though I do not fear God
nor regard man, `yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her,
lest by her continual coming she weary me.' "
Then the Lord
said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. "And shall God not avenge His own
elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? "I
tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man
comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:1-8
No,
it doesn't pay to be unrighteous, proud and arrogant for everyone who exalts
himself will be humbled. But he who humbles himself will be exalted. As God's
word is unchanging:
Also He spoke this parable to some who
trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: "Two men
went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, `God, I thank
You that I am not like other men- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as
this tax collector. `I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I
possess.'
"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not
so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, `God, be
merciful to me a sinner!'
"I tell you, this man went down to his
house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be
humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 18:9-14
Chapter 16
They Walked With Him No More!
From that time many of His disciples went back
and walked with Him no more. John 6:66
for Demas has forsaken
me, having loved this present world, and has departed for
Thessalonica-Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. 2 Timothy 4:10
God's true ones do not depart from God and He never departs from
them. But others who never were truly His leave Him at the first sign of
trouble and difficulty. They are not like Abraham who gave up all to follow
God to a new land and when He arrived in the land there was a famine there.
God's word records:
Abram passed through the land to the place
of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were
then in the land. Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your
descendants I will give this land." And there he built an altar to the LORD,
who had appeared to him. And he moved from there to the mountain east of
Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east;
there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. So
Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South.
Now there was
a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the
famine was severe in the land. Genesis 12:6-10
Abraham stood on
the promises of God even when circumstances said it was impossible and not
true and his wife was in danger of being stolen by others. God's word records:
And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that
he said to Sarai his wife, "Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful
countenance. "Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they
will say, `This is his wife'; and they will kill me, but they will let you
live. "Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your
sake, and that I may live because of you."
So it was, when Abram
came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very
beautiful. The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh.
And the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house. He treated Abram well for her
sake. He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female
donkeys, and camels.
But the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house
with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.
And Pharaoh
called Abram and said, "What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell
me that she was your wife? "Why did you say, `She is my sister'? I might have
taken her as my wife. Now therefore, here is your wife; take her and go your
way." So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away,
with his wife and all that he had. Genesis 12:11-20
The Lord
Himself always protects His own even when they are in the deserts of life or
in the midst of their enemies. . Those who are truly His. He is here with
them, right now, in the present time of life. He will not forsake or deny or
judge them. But He will bless and have upheld them among their enemies. For
His word is true:
But the wicked shall perish; And
the enemies of the LORD, Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into
smoke they shall vanish away. The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the
righteous shows mercy and gives. For those blessed by Him shall inherit the
earth, But those cursed by Him shall be cut off. The steps of a good man are
ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not
be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand.
I
have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lends; And his
descendants are blessed.
Depart from evil, and do good; And
dwell forevermore. For the LORD loves justice, And does not forsake His
saints; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked shall be
cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell in it forever. The
mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, And his tongue talks of justice. Psalm
37:20-30
Now Jesus was never shocked nor dismayed at the fact
that there would be those who would say they are His and do many things as
though they were His own but would not be His. God's word records:
"Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the
kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
"Many will say to Me in that day, `Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders
in Your name?' "And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart
from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' Matthew 7:21-23
As a
matter of fact this happened even in Jesus ministry when He told the truth,
there were those who could not stand the truth. Those who had selfish and
hidden agenda's of their own which Jesus would not fulfill.
What
attracted many followers was the miracles that Jesus performed like feeding
thousands with five barley loaves and two small fish. They even wanted make
Him King. God's word records:
Therefore when Jesus perceived
that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He
departed again to the mountain by Himself alone John 6:15
On the
following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea
saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples
had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but
His disciples had gone away alone-however, other boats came from Tiberias,
near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks- when the
people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also
got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. And when they found Him
on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come
here?"
Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to
you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the
loaves and were filled. "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the
food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you,
because God the Father has set His seal on Him."
Then they said
to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" John
6:22-28
The people sought Jesus because He fed them
and they wanted to do the works of God. They like many others of this
generation did not want God but only want for selfish reasons His blessings or
to do the works of God. So when Jesus told them the truth about Himself and
His father they could not understand nor accept His words that:
"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the
Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. "Whoever eats My
flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the
last day. "For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. "He who
eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. "As the living
Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will
live because of Me. "This is the bread which came down from heaven-not as your
fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live
forever."
These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in
Capernaum. Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, "This
is a hard saying; who can understand it?" John 6:53-61
Many of
the disciples of Jesus complained and were offended at the words of Jesus
because it conflicted with the material realm that they lived in - the realm
of prominence, riches and fame with its lust for money and power. They wanted
Jesus for their physical world and He was talking about the spiritual world.
Little did they know the Spiritual world was more real and lasting than their
present world.
But they could not accept this idea or the words
of Jesus and did not understand the importance of the Holy Spirit. God's word
records:
When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples
complained about this, He said to them, "Does this offend you? "What then if
you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? "It is the Spirit
who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are
spirit, and they are life. "But there are some of you who do not believe." For
Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would
betray Him.
And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no
one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father."
From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with
Him no more. John 6:61—66
Now those who seek primarily after
material and worldly things, especially riches, wealth and power, miss the
realm of the Spirit. They miss the words of Jesus who said:
"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and
the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. "That which is born of the
flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. "Do not marvel
that I said to you, `You must be born again.' "The wind blows where it wishes,
and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it
goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." John 3:5-9
Thosee who are born of the Spirit follow the
things of the Spirit. They live and walk in the Spirit. While those who are
born of the flesh live and talk in the flesh. Those of the flesh are carnal,
sensual and devilish and God's word of them is true:
Does a
spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig
tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring
yields both salt water and fresh. Who is wise and understanding among you? Let
him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.
But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do
not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above,
but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist,
confusion and every evil thing are there.
But the wisdom that is
from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of
mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. John 3:11-17
Partiality, hypocrisy, envy, boastfulness, arrogance, pride self
seeking and lying are the fruits and by products of those who walk in the
flesh and not in the Spirit. What is in them and what controls them comes out
in the conduct and deeds no matter what they say with their words? Such as
these have strayed from the faith even thought they say the love the Lord and
are called by His name. But in their foolishness and pride they miss the word
of God which states:
Now godliness with contentment is great
gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry
nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But
those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many
foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For
the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed
from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many
sorrows.
But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue
righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good
fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and
have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1
Timothy 6:6-12
The false ones who call themselves Christians and
live just pagans are like the poor soil that Jesus talked about who fall when
tribulation or persecution arises because of the word or are choked by the
cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches:
"When
anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the
wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who
received seed by the wayside.
"But he who received the seed on
stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with
joy; "yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when
tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he
stumbles.
"Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who
hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches
choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
"But he who received
seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who
indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."
Mathew 13:19-23
Life is more than being born, growing up,
having an education, getting a job, being married, raising a family and then
dying at a ripe old age. For if that is all there is to life we might as well
drink our self out of our minds and dance till the cows to come? After a while
all of this gets to be quite boring, dull and repetitive. There must be more
life than just wine and songs and pleasure and entertainment. There must be a
master plan, a noble purpose, a great goal, an exciting challenge and some one
to coach, lead, guide, and sustain us through all of this.
Man
on his own is limited is limited. His wisdom and understanding is flawed and
restricted. He is not able to heal himself of Cancer or other diseases and
sickness and needs another source such as the Master Creator and God of the
entire universe. A God who is a mystery but wants to be an intimate mystery to
His creation. Who desires to teach and lead man into a much, much greater
knowledge of Himself and all the things that He desires for man. A good God
who wants more for His creation than they desire for themselves; including
health, prosperity, abundance, kingdoms, power and dominion both here on earth
and in heaven.
Just for the asking and total surrender of those
with humble hearts to the rule and kingdom of the King of Kings brings about
unlimited riches and blessing both in this life and in the life to come. For
God's word is true:
For I know the thoughts that I think toward
you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future
and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will
listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with
all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you
back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all
the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the
place from which I cause you to be carried away captive. Jeremiah 29:11-14
God will be found by those who will see Him with all their
heart. He will bring them back from their captivity and do great things for
them and bless them beyond deepest desires and dreams. All of this starts and
comes about from an intimate pure relationship with the Creator God who guides
those who are easily lead by Him. His word is true:
Therefore he
said to Judah, "Let us build these cities and make walls around them, and
towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us, because we have
sought the LORD our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every
side." So they built and prospered. 2 Chronicles 14:7
For the
shepherds have become dull-hearted, And have not sought the LORD; Therefore
they shall not prosper, And all their flocks shall be scattered. Jeremiah
10:21
Those who run their own show and are led by what men have
to say rather than what God's really has to say to them, will miss the boat of
the best of everything that God has to offer. They don't have anything and
they never will until they humble themselves and surrender totally to Him.
Such individuals must return to God and humble themselves and
ask for forgiveness, grace, mercy and change. God forgives only the truly
humble individual. If a person is not humble from His heart God already knows
that so the exercise of talking to God and being religious is a waste of time.
For God gives grace to the humble and resists the proud. Men make their
choices and suffer the resulting consequences both good and bad.
Chapter 17
What Shall I Do To Inherit Eternal Life?
Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good
Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
So Jesus said
to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. "You
know the commandments: `Do not commit adultery,' `Do not murder,' `Do not
steal,' `Do not bear false witness,' `Honor your father and your mother.' "
And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth."
So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still
lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you
will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
But when he
heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.
And
when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for
those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! "For it is easier for a
camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the
kingdom of God."
And those who heard it said, "Who then can be
saved?"
But He said, "The things which are impossible with men
are possible with God."
Then Peter said, "See, we have left all
and followed You."
So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you,
there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children,
for the sake of the kingdom of God, "who shall not receive many times more in
this present time, and in the age to come eternal life." Luke 18:16-30
Jesus Christ, not apostle Paul or others, is the author and
founder of the Christian faith? Hence it's very important to heed what He says
on the matter of how to inherit eternal life and obtaining healing or
financial prosperity, including the fact that "The things which are impossible
with men are possible with God."
Salvation, be it spiritual,
physical or financial, is a gift of God. No man by his works earns salvation?
It is something that God does miraculous in response to an open, honest and
humble heart that by faith looks to and follows Him! God's word is unchanging:
And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His
disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you
may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you
may have life in His name. John 20:30-31
"Men of Israel, hear
these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles,
wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves
also know- Acts 2:22
Christianity is a religion of miracles! The
birth, life, ministry, and resurrection of Jesus Christ were miracles. The
birth of the New Testament Church with by an outpouring of the Holy Spirit
from heaven was a miracle. Being "born again," healed, delivered; blessed,
prospered, and filled with the Spirit are miracles? Man cannot do this for
himself but needs to ask and trust the Lord to do it for him - for there is
life and miracles in Jesus name.
Take miracles out of
Christianity and you have a dead impotent form of godliness that denies His
power? For God's word is unchanging:
But know this, that in the
last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves,
lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control,
brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure
rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.
And from such people turn away!
For of this sort are those who
creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with
sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the
knowledge of the truth.
Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted
Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved
concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will
be manifest to all, as theirs also was. 2 Timothy 3:1-8
Yes,
that in the last days perilous times will come: and there will be those who
always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. There
will be men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith who will also
resist the truth just as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses. But these men will
progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also
was. Nevertheless God's word is unchanging:
When evening had
come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the
spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "He Himself took our
infirmities And bore our sicknesses." Matthew 8:16-17
Now it
happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His
disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. And when He came near the gate of
the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his
mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her,
"Do not weep."
Then He came and touched the open coffin, and
those who carried him stood still. And He said, "Young man, I say to you,
arise."
So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He
presented him to his mother.
Then fear came upon all, and they
glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has risen up among us"; and, "God has
visited His people." Luke 7:11-16
When God visits His people
then the impossible becomes possible and miracles become a reality. The sick
get healed, the possessed get delivered and even the dead are raised up.
Because God loves people and He wants to see them saved, healed, delivered,
set free and prospered and He sent Jesus to destroy the works of the devil.
God's word is true:
Then Jesus went about all the cities
and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the
kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
Matthew 9:35
"The thief does not come except to steal, and to
kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may
have it more abundantly. John 10:10
Little children, let no one
deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is
righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the
beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might
destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:7-8
Now to get
salvation including healing, deliverance or financial prosperity men must
follow and look to Jesus, not others! He alone does what others cannot do. His
word is true:
But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there.
And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. Matthew 12:15
Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and
mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.
Matthew 12:22
And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude;
and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. Matthew
14:14
Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the
lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus'
feet, and He healed them. Matthew 15:30
Jesus Christ, not men or
religion, is the Savior, Healer, Deliverer and Friend of men, He is the
Miracle Worker, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He is the
answer and total solution of all of life's problems. There is nothing that He
cannot do, change or heal. God's word is true:
Now there was a
man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, "Let
us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to
destroy us? I know who You are-the Holy One of God!"
But Jesus
rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!"
And when
the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came
out of him.
Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned
among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with
authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." And
immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.
Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered
the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon's wife's mother
lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once.
So
He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever
left her. And she served them.
At evening, when the sun
had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were
demon-possessed. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. Then He
healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and
He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him. Mark 1:23-34
Chapter 18
The Devil Is A Liar
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, Whom He has
redeemed from the hand of the enemy, And gathered out of the lands, from the
east and from the west, From the north and from the south. (Psalm 107:2-3)
The devil, he is a liar and he is our enemy, not God! We are
saved, healed, redeemed, delivered and set free by God. We are to confess it,
expect it, believe it, trust it and get excited about it. What we confess will
come soon and in due season it will be upon us!
As we confess
and release the truths of the Word of God they are missiles sent out to bring
destruction to all our enemies, spiritual, physical, financial and every kind.
For Jesus said:
And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of
heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever
you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Matthew
16:19)
"Because of your unbelief; for
assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to
this mountain, `Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will
be impossible for you. (Matthew 17:20),
No matter what situation
or circumstance that we find ourselves in, God is for us and not against us.
He the God of all power and all might is on our side and loves and cares for
us very much. The devil would say to us that God does not love us, that our
transgressions and sins are too great for His mercy and grace to forgive, our
mountains too high to overcome, our valleys too deep to get out off, and our
needs are too many for God to meet. But the devil is a liar and the father of
all lies and he cannot tell the truth but only lies.
However our
God does not lie and He says that we are redeemed, healed, saved, set free and
victorious as we put our trust in Him, commit everything into His hands and
walk first with Him.
The storms may be fierce and the nights may
be dark but our God is true and He shall bring us through. He will give us one
hundred percent and total victory for that is what He has promised to do.
Nothing more and nothing less will do to those who walk with Him and are His
friends. God word, which is established in heaven and will not return void,
states about His people who are the apples of His eyes
They
wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; They found no city to dwell in
Hungry and thirsty, Their soul fainted in them. Then they cried out to the
LORD in their trouble, And He delivered them out of their distresses. And He
led them forth by the right way, That they might go to a city for a dwelling
place. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for
His wonderful works to the children of men! (Psalm 107:4-8)
No
matter what circumstance and situation that we find ourselves in, when we cry
to Him in our troubles He hears our cries and He will deliver us. He will lead
us by the right way and bring us out of the wilderness of desolation into a
city of refuge where we may dwell in; which is Himself. He will meet our needs
and most of all He will give us Himself. He loves to satisfy the longing and
hungry souls with goodness which is Himself.
It does not
matter what is the cause of the darkness, afflictions or irons, even if it is
because we have rebelled against His words and despised Him and got in trouble
and there was none to help us. But when we cry to God in our trouble, and put
ourselves on His mercies, He will save us out of our distresses, bring us out
of darkness and the shadow of death, and break our chains into pieces.
He is the Lion of Judah who shall break every chain and give the
Victory again and again. Then we will give Him praise and thanks for His
goodness, and for His wonderful works to us. He has given His favorite word "I
will" for this is what He delights to do for us. For God's word is true:
Therefore the Lord says, The LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of
Israel, "Ah, I will rid Myself of My adversaries, And take vengeance on My
enemies. I will turn My hand against you, And thoroughly purge away your
dross, And take away all your alloy. I will restore your judges as at the
first, And your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called
the city of righteousness, the faithful city." (Isaiah 1:24-27)
"I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their
iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, And will lay low the
haughtiness of the terrible. I will make a mortal more rare than fine gold, A
man more than the golden wedge of Ophir. Therefore I will shake the heavens,
And the earth will move out of her place, In the wrath of the LORD of hosts
And in the day of His fierce anger. (Isaiah 13:11-13)
`I will go
before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the
gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of
darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the
LORD, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel. (Isaiah 45:2-3)
We, who are not of the world but are on God's side and have
surrendered and committed our all to Him, will come out of the shaking that is
upon us. We will be tried and purified as gold by fire to shine brightly for
and to be used by our great and mighty God.
In this hour when
God, not man nor the devil, is moving in an unprecedented manner and way to
accomplish His plans and purposes in America. For even the American dollar
bill says In God we trust and God will shake it and make it so to be a reality
in our lives and nations. For His words states
For He has broken
the gates of bronze, And cut the bars of iron in two. Fools, because of their
transgression, And because of their iniquities, were afflicted. Their soul
abhorred all manner of food, And they drew near to the gates of death.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He saved
them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, And delivered
them from their destructions. (Psalms 107:16-20)
Unlike the
sayings of false prophets and soothsayers of our days, God has not come to
destroy us or America but to save and deliver us from our ways and
destructions that we have brought by our deeds, actions and sins upon
ourselves.
As a matter of fact God is sending the mightiest
revival that we have every seen of magnitude ten on the Richter scale that
will bring out righteous, justice, truth, holiness and integrity in our lives,
churches and nation. For He is a good God and loves us very much and He wants
the best for all of us, our churches and our nations.
Hence we should thanks to the LORD for His goodness and for His
wonderful works to the children of men! We must sacrifice the sacrifices of
thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing. For it is He alone, not
others, who commands and raises the stormy wind which lifts up the waves of
the sea that seem to mount up to the heavens, and go down again to the depths.
It is He alone that cause to soul to melt because of trouble and for us to
reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man and be at our wits end.
But when we cry out to the LORD in our trouble, He alone, not
others, brings us out of their distresses and calms the storm, so that its
waves are still and quiet and we are glad. Then He Alone, not others, guides
us to our desired haven which is Himself, and all His beauty majesty and
power. As God's word is unchanging:
For we do not want you to be
ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were
burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.
Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in
ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a
death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, (2
Corinthians 1:8-10)
God by His power for the wicked turns rivers
into a wilderness, the water springs into dry ground and a fruitful land into
barrenness. But for the righteous He turns a wilderness into pools of water,
and dry land into water springs. There He makes the hungry dwell, that they
may establish a city for a dwelling place, and sow fields and plant vineyards,
that they may yield a fruitful harvest. For our God is a great, fair and just
God. His word clearly states about us
He also blesses them, and
they multiply greatly; And He does not let their cattle decrease. When they
are diminished and brought low Through oppression, affliction and sorrow, He
pours contempt on princes, And causes them to wander in the wilderness where
there is no way; Yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction, And makes
their families like a flock. The righteous see it and rejoice, And all
iniquity stops its mouth. Whoever is wise will observe these things, And they
will understand the lovingkindness of the LORD. (Psalm 107:38-42)
God has promised to His true ones to be an enemy to our enemy
and an adversary to our adversary. He has promised that no man shall stand
before us all the days of our life, that no weapon formed against us shall
prosper, and every place that the sole of our foot will tread He has given to
us. He is the One who goes to fight for us against our enemies to give us
victory and make us more than conquerors over them.
As result,
God, who is a God of Justices, righteousness, and truth, has stated
I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will
find me. (Proverbs 8:17)
"For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate
robbery for burnt offering; I will direct their work in truth, And will make
with them an everlasting covenant. Their descendants shall be known among the
Gentiles, And their offspring among the people. All who see them shall
acknowledge them, That they are the posterity whom the LORD has blessed."
(Isaiah 61:8-9)
God, not others, will bring about in our land,
churches and nation justice, righteousness and truth. He has given His word
which He has fulfilled in Isaiah's time and will fulfill in our time also
that:
The destruction of transgressors and of sinners
shall be together, And those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed. For they
shall be ashamed of the terebinth trees Which you have desired; And you shall
be embarrassed because of the gardens (Isaiah 1:28-29)
Behold,
the day of the LORD comes, Cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger, To lay the
land desolate; And He will destroy its sinners from it. For the stars of
heaven and their constellations Will not give their light; The sun will be
darkened in its going forth, And the moon will not cause its light to shine.
"I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their
iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, And will lay low the
haughtiness of the terrible. I will make a mortal more rare than fine gold, A
man more than the golden wedge of Ophir. Therefore I will shake the heavens,
And the earth will move out of her place, In the wrath of the LORD of hosts
And in the day of His fierce anger. (Isaiah 13:9-13)
God's
shaking is upon us and it has begun. Everything that could be shaken will be
shaken in order that which cannot be shaken may remain. For our God is a
consuming fire that will devour everything in His path. The writer of Hebrews
wrote to us to take note:
See that you do not refuse Him who
speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much
more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, :
whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once
more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven." :
Now this,
"Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken,
as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us
have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly
fear. For our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:25-29)
For to
some the shaking will be a terrible and awful thing but to God's remnant they
will rejoice in the LORD and be joyful in their God who has clothed them with
the garments of salvation, has covered them with the robe of righteousness and
has done great things for them. For His word states:
As a
bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with
her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its bud, As the garden causes the
things that are sown in it to spring forth, the Lord GOD will cause
righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. (Isaiah
61:10-11)
Truth, honesty, justice and integrity will be restored
to our lives, churches, land and nation. Evil and wickedness will not have the
upper hand in America but God will. Hence we, with others, will say what the
Psalmist said
I love the LORD, because He has heard My voice and
my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call
upon Him as long as I live. (Psalm 116:1-2)
Chapter 19
The Devil Is Defeated
For with the heart one believes unto
righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans
10:10)
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life,
to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the
presence of many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:12)
In the fight of
faith in order to be victorious and truly successful through putting our trust
and faith in God, a key element is the power of confession. For God, who has
already given us everything including Himself, His Son and the Holy Spirit,
has given us the same power and authority by which He has made all things. God
in creation spoke everything into existence and the Holy Spirit made it so.
God word states very clearly:
So shall My word be that goes
forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish
what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah
55:11)
As God cleanses our divided hearts of all things and we
replace them with the Word of God, which He is, we can then speak out the Word
of God and speak things into existence. One of first things that we should
speak and confess is that ". Greater is He who is in me than he that is in the
world; for the devil is defeated and we are successes through Christ Jesus
whose He is."
This confession will not only erase all the
negative images and ideas that have been placed in our minds and lives by
others, but it will make it so through the power of the spoken word.
We are to confess with our mouths, the truths of God's word that
we are saved, healed, redeemed, delivered, blessed, set free and made whole
from all that our enemy the devil has done to us. God words states:
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, Whom He has redeemed from
the hand of the enemy. (Psalm 107:2)
We, who have sought the
Lord with all our hearts, are to state that we are delivered out of the
circumstances that we have found ourselves to be in. We are to say it over and
over and over again. We are to say it out loud, say it to ourselves, say it to
our friends, and say it to each other. We are to say it and say it and say it.
For what you say is what you get. King David understood the truths and power
of his confession and made it into songs and psalms and He confessed to
others:
I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me
from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were
not ashamed. This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him
out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who
fear Him, And delivers them. (Psalm 34:4-7)
If we want
deliverance, healing, salvation or any good thing we must put it into our
spirit and say it, pray it, speak it, confess it, and trust always for it. We
are to say it in the shower, say it in the kitchen, say it in the office, and
say it in the car. We are to say the good, right and pure things of life and
they are ours. It sounds strange doesn't it? But it works. It really and truly
works for it invokes God's power. We are to honestly confess the truth of
God's word that:
No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And
every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is
the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,"
Says the LORD. (Isaiah 54:17)
We are to say it over and over and
over until it becomes part of our Spirit and then stand on it for it is true.
Heaven and earth shall pass away but God's word shall not. Hence we are to
confess the truth of God's word that we will not be fearful of anything
because God is our shield and exceeding great reward. He is our refuge and a
very present help in trouble. He shall help us and right early.
"Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly
great reward." (Genesis 15:1)
God is our refuge and strength, A
very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the
earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the
sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with
its swelling. Selah There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of
God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of
her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
(Psalm 46:1-)5
We are to confess because we have God's anointing
and God Spirit has us. We are to confess that every place our foot has trodden
upon and where we go, God has given that place to us. For as He was with Moses
so is He with no man and us shall stand before us all the days of our lives:
"Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have
given you, as I said to Moses. "From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as
the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the
Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. "No man
shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with
Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. (Joshua
1:3-5)
We are to confess that God who Victory and is victorious
over everything will give us total just and complete one hundred percent
victory over all our enemies:
`for the LORD your God is He who
goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.' [ to give
you Victory, KJV] (Deuteronmy 20:4)
"Do not fear, for those who
are with us are more than those who are with them." And Elisha prayed, and
said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the LORD opened the
eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses
and chariots of fire all around Elisha (2 Kings 6:16-17)
"Be
strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of
Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more
with us than with him. "With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD
our God, to help us and to fight our battles." And the people were
strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. (2 Chronicles 32"7-8)
We are a people of God who not only love the word of God but we
confess it. We confess God's Word at home, at the job, in the car and
everywhere and over each other. As God's true people, we need not be fearful
or frightened by sudden events. We shall see them but they will not effect us
for we are to confess the truth of God's word, which states:
I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God,
in Him I will trust. Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, And
under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and
buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that
flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the
destruction that lays waste at noonday.
A thousand may fall at
your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near
you. Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked. :
Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your
dwelling place, No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your
dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all
your ways. (Psalm 91:1-11)
We are to confess that the storms and
testing of life will not affect us for as Jesus said every one will be
seasoned by fire to remove the dross and impurities in our faith. But God's
word is unchanging:
When you pass through the waters, I will be
with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk
through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.
(Isaiah 43:2)
We are to confess that God will make a way where
there is no way out of our messes, problems, needs, lacks and difficulties.
Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea And a path
through the mighty waters, Who brings forth the chariot and horse, The army
and the power (They shall lie down together, they shall not rise; They are
extinguished, they are quenched like a wick): "Do not remember the former
things, Nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I will do a new
thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a
road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. The beast of the field will
honor Me, The jackals and the ostriches, Because I give waters in the
wilderness And rivers in the desert, To give drink to My people, My chosen.
This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise. (Isaiah
43:16-21)
God because of His person has made provisions and
promises in His word for our every need. As we live, abide and walk in the
word and in Him, who is the Word, we will find the Word to confess for each
applicable need to be met or the mountain to be moved.
For as we
confess and speak this Word, we draw upon the riches and resources of heaven
to make the Word come true; even with signs and wonders manifested by the Holy
Spirit. For Jesus said to you and I who are His disciples::
"For
by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
(Matthew 12:37)
"If you abide in My word, you are My disciples
indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John
8:31-32
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear
fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you
abide in Me. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who
abides in Me,
and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. "If anyone
does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they
gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. "If you abide
in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall
be done for you. (John 15:4-7)
God's word also states about real
men and women of God who are full of the Holy Spirit and faith including you
and I:
So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of
his words fall to the ground. (1 Samuel 3:19)
Who confirms the
word of His servant, And performs the counsel of His messengers; Who says to
Jerusalem, `You shall be inhabited,' To the cities of Judah, `You shall be
built,' And I will raise up her waste places; (Isaiah 44:26)
But
there is always two sides to a coin and to the truths of God. For if we are
disobedient, proud, arrogant and rebellious people, the confession of God's
word will not do us any good. On the contrary, the word of God says something
awful about the two edged sword of the word of God:
But the word
of the LORD was to them, "Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, Line
upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little," That they might go
and fall backward, and be broken And snared and caught. (Isaiah 28:13)
The same Word could give us life or death, blessing or cursing,
wealth or poverty, honor or shame, joy or sorrow, sickness or health. For
God's word also says to His people:
That this is a rebellious
people, Lying children, Children who will not hear the law of the LORD; Who
say to the seers, "Do not see," And to the prophets, "Do not prophesy to us
right things; Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. : Get out of the
way, Turn aside from the path, Cause the Holy One of Israel To cease from
before us."
Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel: "Because
you despise this word, And trust in oppression and perversity, And rely on
them, Therefore this iniquity shall be to you Like a breach ready to fall, A
bulge in a high wall, Whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant. And He
shall break it like the breaking of the potter's vessel, Which is broken in
pieces; He shall not spare. So there shall not be found among its fragments A
shard to take fire from the hearth, Or to take water from the cistern."
For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: "In
returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be
your strength." But you would not, And you said, "No, for we will flee on
horses"- Therefore you shall flee! and, "We will ride on swift horses"-
Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift! I(saiah 30:9-16)
"For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me,
the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns-broken cisterns
that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:13)
If in our hearts, lives,
actions and deeds, we have forsaken God and do only lips service, all the
confessions of the word of God will not do us any good, but will only bring
more judgment upon us. For to whom much is given much is required. God word
states about some of His people:
`This evil people, who refuse
to hear My words, who follow the dictates of their hearts, and walk
after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be just like this sash
which is profitable for nothing. (Jeremiah 13:10)
"Is not My
word like a fire?" says the LORD, "And like a hammer that breaks the rock in
pieces? "Therefore behold, I am against the prophets," says the LORD, "who
steal My words every one from his neighbor. "Behold, I am against the
prophets," says the LORD, "who use their tongues and say, `He says.' "Behold,
I am against those who prophesy false dreams," says the LORD, "and tell them,
and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did
not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at
all," says the LORD. (Jeremiah 23:29-32)
For to those who are
false and phony in their hearts, lives, faith, deeds and actions God words
will be a sign and a wonder of judgment and not a blessing and will bring them
no profit:
`And this shall be a sign to you,' says the LORD,
`that I will punish you in this place, that you may know that My words will
surely stand against you for adversity.' (Jeremiah 44:29)
The
real choices and decisions are ours we can be blessed and made whole by God's
word or we can be destroyed and made as nothing by it, an non existent thing.
For to those who love and serve Him with all their hearts God says:
"As for Me," says the LORD, "this is My covenant with them: My
Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not
depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the
mouth of your descendants' descendants," says the LORD, "from this time and
forevermore (Isaiah 59:21)
But to the goats, the evil workers,
the covetous ones, the liars, the stealers, the hypocrites, the false ones,
the Pharisees and the religionists God word says:
"Therefore say
to them, `Thus says the Lord GOD: "None of My words will be postponed any
more, but the word which I speak will be done," says the Lord GOD.' (Ezekiel
12:28)
"Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they
live forever? Yet surely My words and My statutes, Which I commanded My
servants the prophets, Did they not overtake your fathers? (Zechariah 1:5-6)
So instead of saying that the Devil did this and that or even
talking about the enemy, we are to confess and speak what God is doing as a
result of our confession and spoken words. We are to speak life not death,
health not sickness, riches not poverty, strength and not weakness, victories
and not defeats, His boundless supplies and not lack, fullness and not
emptiness and God's word and not the devils words.
And of His
fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given
through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:16-17)
But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness
of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. )Romans 15:29)
for "the
earth is the LORD'S, and all its fullness." (1 Corinthians 10:26)
We are to be full of God and His word and not other things and
then we will have real victories over all our giants, enemies and
everything.
And my God shall supply all your need according to
His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)
that you
may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.
(1 Thessalonians :4:12)
But let patience have its perfect work,
that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:4)
Chapter 20
Giants Of Consequences
For I indeed, as absent in body but present in
spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done
this deed. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered
together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit
may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. (1 Corinthians 5:3-5)
"Say to them: `Whoever of all your descendants throughout your
generations, who goes near the holy things which the children of Israel
dedicate to the LORD, while he has uncleanness upon him, that person shall be
cut off from My presence: I am the LORD. (Leviticus 22:3)
Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth and stated that is
was actually reported that there was sexual immorality among them, and such
sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles-that a man has his
father's wife! Rather than mourning about it, they were puffed up and arrogant
and proud about it rather than dealing with the person who did this sinful
deed.
As a result Paul did something drastic about it with his
mountain moving faith and the power and authority that God gave Him Paul. He
delivered that man to Satan for the destruction of his body. So we see that
there are real consequences to the things that we do!
The truth
of the matter is that God is in charge of all of human endeavor, even though
everyone thinks they are in charge of their own ways. God is in charge! God
allows many unexplainable things in our thinking because God is the sovereign
Lord of this Universe.
He created everything we see and
understand. He created us and all that we love and know. He created our
environment and He is able to control the circumstances of Billions and
Trillions of people's lives all at once without a problem. So if God can do
that can't God solve our minor financial, physical, spiritual, emotional and
other problems and concerns? ABSOLUTELY! God is able to control and deal with
everything.
Why, does God let all the mess happen as it does?
Why does God allow people to die and go to jail and kill and experience
violence or accidents or physical emergencies? Because in those moments man
turns to Him and says "I need you God."
Some simply suffer the
consequences of their violent natures and decisions. God has to give them the
right to make those decisions and suffer for them. He can't stop man from all
of his intents and ways. He has shown the better way. He has given His Son who
died for them and took it all on his shoulders for them. But man has made a
choice against God and His laws.
Can God can turn man around?
Yes! But then man didn't make the decision? God did! Man has to make the right
decisions and learn the meaning of the consequences if he doesn't. This
includes Christians. We all learn at our pace and ways. Some learn more
totally because they have opened themselves more completely to Him. Some are
sure of answers and they still don't have them. Some have answers and are not
sure they have them. And some have answers and are sure they have them and
more than capable to giving them to others.
No one can do
anything without God! He allows all things good and bad until the hour of His
judgment day! Then all will pay! But that hour is only His and no one knows
it! Though foolishly so may so that they do.
As the song goes "
with Christ in the vessel I can smile at the storm." but the other side of the
coin is that "I can also command the storms to be still in Jesus name and the
winds and waves must obey." However the seas may yet get rough but even a
typhoon will not keep God from caring for us. He cares for us and is able to
make a way of escape so that we can bear it.
No temptation has
overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will
not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation
will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. (1
Corinthians 10:13)
God is doing just that for us and we are to
keep hanging on. The waves could be high, the lightning bright, the rumbling
loud, and the waters cold, the sky dark and foreboding but God can calm the
storms as He allows the storms. He can do whatever He desires as our King and
friend.
However storms are good for us. They will make us
stronger and stronger and stronger. It will cause us to use our faith. It will
bring courage we thought we never had. It will hold us in good stead in the
future. For God's word states:
"and they have no root in
themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or
persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble. Now these
are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, "and the
cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other
things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But these are
the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear
fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred." (Mark 4:17-20)
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have
peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have
overcome the world." (John 16:33)
strengthening the souls of the
disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must
through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22)
It is our choice whether we can be good ground or poor ground
for the Word of God. We can endure and persevere or quit and run away and
hide. But the God of all comfort is on our side and He will comforts us in all
our tribulation so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any
trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. We are
more than conquerors, we are victorious and overcomers as we put our trust not
in ourselves, our understanding or ways but in Him who rules over all.
We are not to be afraid of men. They are foolish and corrupt and
self-centered. They care only for self. They are cynical, unkind, unloving and
cruel. They will say and do the unthinkable because they are totally flesh.
They are sometimes disgusting to us but they are God's creation
and He loves these disgusting, dirty, ugly and selfish heaps of flesh. He will
work a heart of flesh out of the heart of stone. He will work a new heart. He
will change them of night to day, from darkness to light. Some will come
suddenly! Some will come slowly! But we are not to give up on them, as God
hasn't. Only death can separate them from Him. While they live there is hope.
We are to pray for them. Forgive them. Do well to them
where it is possible. Continue to love and forgive when wrong is suffered.
That is true love at work. For God honors this kind of love and behavior. He
loves us the same way and expects it from us. We are His children and His word
commands us
"Therefore be imitators of God as dear Children. And
walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an
offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." (Ephesians 5:1-2)
However, as is fitting for all saints and those who call
themselves Christians, fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, is not
to be among us, neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting,
but rather the giving of thanks. For we know from the Word of God that no
fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any
inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Therefore no one,
not even prominent religionists, are to deceive us with empty words, for
because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience,
even on some of them. We as children of light, who once were in darkness, do
not live nor walk in half truth therefore we are not partakers with them For
God's word states:
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful
works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of
those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed
are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.
Therefore He says: " Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ
will give you light." See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but
as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be
unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5::12-17)
We are not to be drunk with wine including the wine of
self-importance and self-sufficiency. But we are to be filled with the Holy
Spirit, speaking to one another the word of God and spiritual songs, singing
and making melody in our heart to the Lord, We are to giving thanks always for
all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and to
submit to one another in the fear of God.
We are to follow God's
commandments and keep the Spiritual blinders on and the bit in our mouths, His
Bit. When He commands us we are to do what He tells us and say the words He,
not others, puts in our mouth.
"Behold, I have put My words in
your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the
kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build
and to plant." (Jeremiah 1:9-10)
"Therefore prepare yourself and
arise, And speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed before
their faces, Lest I dismay you before them. For behold, I have made you this
day A fortified city and an iron pillar, And bronze walls against the whole
land- Against the kings of Judah, Against its princes, Against its priests,
And against the people of the land. They will fight against you, But they
shall not prevail against you. For I am with you," says the LORD, "to deliver
you." (Jeremiah 1:17-19)
We are to walk in total dependency on
God -as a crutch! Lean on Him. He has called us and He will sustain us.
Our sustenance is the Lord. He is our assurance! He is
our confidence! We are to look only to Him with eyes, mind, soul, and spirit!
Only Him! As we speak He is speaking. As we write He is writing! As we teach
He is teaching! As we preach He is preaching! As we prophesy He is
prophesying! As we pray He is praying! As we sleep He is working! As we rest
He is moving! As we trust He is changing!
There is much change
required! But God is the shifter, changer and shaker! He is the earthquake
under people's feet. He is shaking His people! He is changing the landscape!
He is moving the mountains! He is building greater mountains! He is doing all
He needs to do to change human lives and makes them whole!
We
are to walk with Him in hope, trust and patience. He is moving the mountains
out. He is healing the land. He will not go away or change in His purposes!
What He has purposed will come to pass! We are to keep praying for the
brethren! It is not hopeless! And we are not to be a cynic! Man is selfish but
if there was not hope God would not be trying! There is hope for man!
Yes, some of them are dead, other sick and others lost. But we
have been command by Jesus to raise the dead, heal the sick, and find the
lost. We are to keep on keeping on! For God word states:
Now to
Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that works in us to Him be glory in the church by
Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to
present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To
God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power,
Both now and forever. )Amen. Jude 1:24-25)
Years ago, foolish
men in America came up in the religious world with a theory that God is dead.
The theory proposed was that God was alive but dead and not involved in the
world where you and I live.
Unfortunately many of the Lord's
people had even expounded this theory that God had gone away to heaven and one
day He was coming back. But He was not alive or active any more in the affairs
of men. Fortunately nothing is further from the truth than this lie. But the
word of God states something that even a mighty King Nebuchadnezzar, learned
the hard way through signs and wonders:
I thought it good to
declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me. How
great are His signs, And how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting
kingdom, And His dominion is from generation to generation. (Daniel 4:2-3)
`This decision is by the decree of the watchers, And the
sentence by the word of the holy ones, In order that the living may know That
the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, Gives it to whomever He will, And
sets over it the lowest of men.' (Daniel 4:17)
God is very alive
and well and moving by His Spirit on planet earth especially in response to
the faith, prayers and cries of His people. It is His people who have been
dead and not alive in Him. Our sins and wickedness have brought God's
judgments upon us and have caused Him to turn His face from us, as a God's
people and as a nation. God's word states;
"Son of man,
when a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out
My hand against it; I will cut off its supply of bread, send famine on it, and
cut off man and beast from I "Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job,
were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness," says
the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 14:14)
God who is a God of love, mercy,
kindness and graciousness is also at the same time a God of anger, wrath,
judgment, terror, and justice. We have been feed and taught about a gentle,
mild meek, harmless Jesus who would not hurt a fly. But we have not been told
about the Angry Jesus who cursed a fig tree not bearing fruit out of season
causing it to die and overthrowing the tables of the money changers and
thieves in the house of God.
We seem to forget that Jesus is God
and God delivered His people out of Egypt with force and power and destroyed
all their enemies into the sea and has promised to do the same even today
where we live. To those who walk in faith and believe and accept His promises
and His word:
"But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that
I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your
adversaries. (Exodus 23:22)
We forget that Jesus is sitting at
the right hand waiting for all his enemies to be His footstools and has given
the Church the power to make it so. God is not a democratic nor does He rule
by the whims and opinions of men. He is the king of the earth and He does rein
Supreme as King Nebuchadnezzar learned the hard way and painful way.
God will have His day with Religionists and Hypocrites in
America even in this generation. For though He patiently waits for them to
change He will not wait forever but in anger move in Judgment. His word
states:
The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And will
not at all acquit the wicked. The LORD has His way In the whirlwind and in the
storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet. (Nahum 1:3)
Moreover the LORD says: "Because the daughters of Zion are
haughty, And walk with outstretched necks And wanton eyes, Walking and mincing
as they go, Making a jingling with their feet, Therefore the Lord will strike
with a scab The crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, And the LORD will
uncover their secret parts."
In that day the Lord will take away
the finery: he jingling anklets, the scarves, and the crescents; : The
pendants, the bracelets, and the veils; The headdresses, the leg ornaments,
and the headbands; The perfume boxes, the charms, and the rings; The nose
jewels, the festal apparel, and the mantles; The outer garments, the purses,
and the mirrors; The fine linen, the turbans, and the robes. (Isaiah 3:16-21)
That day is upon us and although many cannot and do not want to
see it. God is dealing and judging with the proud and arrogant religionists
with their wanton eyes and jingling feet.
For "God by His Spirit
was and is moving on and shaking everything: our churches, denominations,
institutions, understanding and way of doing things." The wind that is now
blowing is shaking the Christian church "until only that which can not be
shaken- the good, real and true will be left." As Evangelist Morris Cerullo
stated in 1980:
"That along with the Apostasy,
lukewarmness, corruption and compromise in the Church there will be a great
moving of the Holy Spirit. God is a God of purpose, plan, design, and
objectivity. He has a definite purpose for the shaking, out of this turmoil is
going to come maturity and true spiritual growth. God is shaking the Church
and will continue to shake it until Satan and his counterfeits Christians are
exposed; until there will be a clear line drawn between those carnal,
compromising Christians who have been deceived and are part of Satan's
counterfeit system and those Christians who make up the pure righteous Bride
of Christ.
A Remnant of holy consecrated people are going to
emerge from this shaking who have their eyes fixed only on Jesus Christ; whose
faith is fixed in the unshakable, immovable word of God, who possess a love
and a great hunger for the truth; who hate sin and are not compromising the
Word of God. The true will be separated from the false. God is speaking
through the shaking to His people. The days when Christians have followed
after men and their teachings, instead of fixing their eyes upon God and His
word is over!" [Praise the Lord!]
We are all part of the shaking process,
shaking "the Church until Satan and his counterfeits Christians are exposed."
We are to remember the words of Jesus who said:
"And behold, I
am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to
his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First
and the Last." Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have
the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
(Revelations 22:12-14)
Chapter 21
Divided Heart
"Also the children of Israel secretly did
against the LORD their God things that were not right," ( 2 Chronicles 17:9)
"Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria
came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD. " (2
Chronicles 17:28)
And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take
heed that no one deceives you. (Matthew 24:4)
"and the cares of
this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things
entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But these are the ones
sown on good ground, those who hear the Word, accept it, and bear fruit: some
thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred." (Mark 4: 19-20)
People throughout out the ages do not change except for the
power of God and neither does the Bible, for it is full of stories of the
Lord's people and King's of Israel and Judah who did their own thing. Just
because we live in a modern age where there are churches practically on every
corner and the gospel is preached on the airwaves and by satellite does not
mean that the Lord's people have arrived or are perfect, and especially their
leaders.
Man, even religious man, has not changed much since the
days of Noah. In recent years in America, there have been quite unusual
scandals and revelations about prominent religious people like Jim Bakker,
Jimmy Swaggart, and Dr. Henry J. Lyons. All though all this has shocked and
distressed many people, we fail to remember that this sort of thing has been
going on since Adam and Eve; where man has a divided heart; especially
concerning his relationship with God.
There were many King's in
Israel who did evil and wicked things pursuing their selfish interests and
agendas while they were serving God and others. Jesus said
"No
servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the
other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot
serve God and mammon." (Luke 16:13)
And He knew about the cares
of this world, deceitfulness of riches and the desires for others things and
what it will do to some of us.
But many of the Lord's people are
serving two Gods, the God of heaven and the God of this world. Openly in
church on a Sunday morning, they profess how much they love the Lord and
worship Him and secretly on the weekdays they do others things. They never
imagined that God would turn against them. It never entered their thinking
that He would deal with all of their iniquities and sins. They were sure they
were covered from facing all consequences and shame.
However,
God has not accepted their self-centered excuses. Their hidden agenda was put
one foot in the heavenly realm and the other over in the worldly realm and
they hoped He would not notice their betrayal. They thought He was a fool and
would forgive everything they have done. They are so sure they are right in
their actions they can't understand why God has turned away from them and they
don't have the power they used to.
They think
they are still in good standing with Him, that's how deluded they are.
However, He has not accepted their excuses or whining. He has determined their
fate and it is unchangable. They have made it impossible for Him to take any
other course of action because they have walked in their set pre-determined
paths. They don't really care for God or His people. They only care for
themselves and their agendas.
For this practice of deceitfulness
and a divided heart was practiced many times by the children of Israel for we
read
"They feared the LORD, yet served their own gods-according
to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away." (2
Chronicles 17:38)
In others words rituals of nations are things
that the world does. But they and we fail to see that the results of this
divided heart caused God `s judgment and anger to come upon the Lord's people.
Many of us think that we will get away with serving two God's, but we are only
fooling ourselves for God's word teaches
"For there is nothing
hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that
it should come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear." Then He
said to them, "Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will
be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. For whoever has,
to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be
taken away from him." (Mark 4: 22-25)
Apostle John wrote these
words
"And this is the condemnation, that the light has come
into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds
were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to
the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes
to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in
God." ( John 3:18-21)
One of the real dangers that causes and
will cause many of the Lord's people to fall away is the area of deceivment
and it is not necessarily in nor from the area of church doctrines. This might
become a shock to many religious leaders and teachers but the devil knows the
scriptures as well as they do, if not better. So he knows that deceivement by
doctrine is not the only weapon in his arsenal; for there is also deceivement
by self-will and hidden agendas.
Now deceivement by itself does
not come with neon signs and flashing lights, it comes upon us unaware. It
comes from practicing little sins, it comes from relationships and it even
comes from religious leaders. It's never overnight but always over a period of
time. it is so smooth that we do not even notice it for it is a gradual
process but the end result could be and usually are disastrous.
This is why the Lord instructed us to watch and pray. We are to
watch that it does not happen to us for a once of prevention is worth more
than a pound of cure. We are to pray that it does not overtake others for
Jesus also said that the sick need the physician. The problem about
deceivement is that the sick do not know that they are sick and will not
accept a physician's help.
We start by practicing certain sins
that are small things. Such as stealing a little money here and there, then a
bit more here and there and then it becomes a live style, because we are so
good at it and our hearts has become insensitive to the Spirit of God about
it.
In general, we, as dust mites, do not love to accept
correction, advice nor rebuke! However we all love to give it? So when others
notice things especially little sins, we lie to them and to ourselves. However
we keep on serving the Lord and become deceived. Now the enemy has a foot hold
in us and we have given room to the devil. From there on it is confusion, evil
works, hypocrisy and problems for us and those associated with us..
Another area where deceivement comes in is in the area of
relationship with our children, with our boyfriend and girl friend, with our
business partner and with other people. We all know of people who refuse to
see and accept that there is something wrong with their sons or daughters and
become deceived by it. Which in a way is natural.
For to admit
that there is something wrong with us is to admit that we failed, that we
missed something and we have to change. But we do not want to do that. We do
not want to admit or confess that we failed, that we are wrong and have sinned
and especially that we need to change. So we deceive ourselves and then we
deceive others. It a simple! It is a little thing at first but down the road
it has devastating results even to us.
Similarly we see this in
a love relationship with a young Christian person and another person who is
not a Christian. They become deceived and say he will change after the
marriage I will change him. Many of us become deceived as a result of a
relationship that is not good for us or is wrong; such as a wrong business
partner or even marriage partner. We sow webs of lies and deceit and get
entangled in them.
There is a real danger in being deceived by
anything, as it affects our hearts and our will. Thereby it distorts our
vision to see the truth and we cannot clearly see on other matters that we see
or face. So we hide and shy away from truth and truth does not become a
reality to us any more; but however the consequences of the deception still
remains and it will destroy us. For God's word says
"Do not be
deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap."
(Galatians 6:7)
We are admonished to be careful that we are not
deceived. Unfortunately very few sermons in our churches ever preach on this
subject. Maybe it becomes some of the preachers are deceived and are deceiving
others. Deceivement if practiced and continued will ultimately bring our
downfall spiritually; and we will pay a price that we never believed possible.
So we have to be aware of it.
God's word is clear on the subject
of what deceivement will do to us, for it will cause us to fall away even from
Him who has created us and made all things.
" For it is
impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly
gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good
word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew
them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of
God, and put Him to an open shame. For the earth which drinks in the rain that
often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is
cultivated, receives blessing from God; but if it bears thorns and briars, it
is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned
But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you,
yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. (Hebrews
6:4-9)
The problem of a deceived heart is that it also
leads to the hardening of the hearts that we ourselves can not see; that we
are hardened and deceived. Then danger comes because we become like Pharaoh of
Egypt who hardened his heart and then God hardened Pharaohs heart. For God's
word states:
They do not know nor understand; For He has shut
their eyes, so that they cannot see, And their hearts, so that they cannot
understand. A deceived heart has turned him aside; And he cannot deliver his
soul, Nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
Remember
these, O Jacob, And Israel, for you are My servant; I have formed you, you are
My servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me! I have blotted out,
like a thick cloud, your transgressions, And like a cloud, your sins. Return
to Me, for I have redeemed you (Isaiah 44:18-19)
This is a giant
that we do not need to have overcome us and defeats us. For if we will stay in
the word, open to the Holy Spirit, heart His voice and do what ever He
commands us we will not be deceived. We especially need to listen to Mary the
mother of Jesus who says to us:
"Whatever He says to you, do
it." (John 2:1)
Chapter 22
Seasoned With Fire
"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and
every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. "Salt is good, but if the salt
loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have
peace with one another (Mark 9:49-50)
For no other foundation
can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. : Now if anyone
builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay,
straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because
it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what
sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive
a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will
be saved, yet so as through fire. )1 Corinthians 3:11-14)
Jesus
told us that we are the salt of the earth and if we lose our flavor how shall
the earth be salted? We will be good for nothing but to be thrown out into the
streets and be trampled by men. Unfortunately some of us due to hypocrisy,
evil, wicked and divided hearts, cowardice, a form of godliness, selfish and
greedy motives and hidden agendas, as demonstrated by the Strader Affair, have
become the salt that is useless to men except to scorn and mock us.
Jesus also said we are the lights of the world. A city that is
set on a hill which cannot be hidden for people do not light lamp and hide it
but put it on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. We
are to let our light so shine before men, that they may see our good works and
glorify your Father in heaven.
But the other side of the coin of
this true if we let our dark side shine they will see our evil works and
blaspheme God's name. Then as Apostle Peter stated we will suffer and be
persecuted for our evil deeds:
For what credit is it if, when
you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good
and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God (1 Peter
2:20)
For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for
doing good than for doing evil. (1 Peter 3:17)
Jesus also said
that He did not come to destroy the Law or the Prophets. He did not come to
destroy but to fulfill .
"For assuredly, I say to you, till
heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from
the law till all is fulfilled. "Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of
these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom
of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the
kingdom of heaven. "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds
the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the
kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:18-20)
For while we do not live
under the law but under grace, we are a greater responsibility to keep the
word of God otherwise we will be in danger of judgment. For Jesus said:
"You have heard that it was said to those of old, `You shall not
murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' "But I say to
you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in
danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, `Raca!' shall be in
danger of the council. But whoever says, `You fool!' shall be in danger of
hell fire.
"Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and
there remember that your brother has something against you, "leave your gift
there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother,
and then come and offer your gift. "Agree with your adversary quickly, while
you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the
judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. "Assuredly,
I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the
last penny. (Matthew 5:21-26)
Some of us foolish ones have
really missed the boat on this one and do not think that we are not going to
be accountable in the present where we live for our real deeds and actions as
well as words.
Jesus, the author and finisher our faith, the
Judge of all Judges and the Authority of all authorities, has given us God' s
word that if a brother has something against us we are not to bring our
sacrificial gifts of praise and worship to God. Instead we are to leave them
there and be reconciled with out brother and then offer the gifts.
Otherwise our gifts will not be accepted. And in addition we
will be delivered to the judge, who will hand us over to the officer and we
will be thrown into prisons to bear the consequences of our crimes and
actions. Now this is not the word of man but of God who does not lie and does
not break nor bend His word on the matter; and before whom there are no
appeals can be made to circumvent His word.
However some of us
try to disqualify the messenger of the word of God with our words and
understanding; but our actions do not change the message and its validity. The
word of God gives us a very good illustration about giving sacrifices and
doing wrong to others in the story of Korah and Moses in Numbers 16.
Korah with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty
leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of
renown. rose up against the man chosen by God to deliver God' s people from
oppression by their enemies. Korah and others said to Moses what make you so
special that we need to listen and follow you? What makes you better than us
mighty anointed prominent ones? Moses angrily told his accusers that they will
see who is right when they worship and sacrifice to God. Moses said to Korah:
"Hear now, you sons of Levi: "Is it a small thing to you that
the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring
you near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to
stand before the congregation to serve them; "and that He has brought you near
to Himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? And are you
seeking the priesthood also? "Therefore you and all your company are gathered
together against the LORD. And what is Aaron that you complain against him?"
(Numbers 16:8-11)
Moses also called Dathan and Abiram the sons
of Eliab to come up and discuss this matter openly with him but they did not
and accused Moses of acting like a prince over them and being evil in his
actions.
So Moses became angry and told the Lord not to respect
their offering either for he was innocent of their words and did not hurt one
of them. God gladly heard the cries and words of His friend and servant Moses.
The word of God states:
And Korah gathered all the
congregation against them at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then the
glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation. And the LORD spoke to
Moses and Aaron, saying, "Separate yourselves from among this congregation,
that I may consume them in a moment." Then they fell on their faces, and said,
"O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be
angry with all the congregation?" So the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak
to the congregation, saying, `Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and
Abiram.' " Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of
Israel followed him. : And he spoke to the congregation, saying, "Depart now
from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be
consumed in all their sins."
So they got away from around the
tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood
at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little
children. And Moses said: "By this you shall know that the LORD has sent me to
do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. "If these men die
naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men,
then the LORD has not sent me. "But if the LORD creates a new thing, and the
earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and
they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have
rejected the LORD."
Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking
all these words, that the ground split apart under them, and the earth opened
its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with
Korah, with all their goods. So they and all those with them went down alive
into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the
assembly. Then all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they
said, "Lest the earth swallow us up also!" And a fire came out from the LORD
and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense. (Numbers
16:19-35)
Korah and all his friends were seasoned by fire but
not in the way they expected or anticipated would happen. But God rules in the
affairs of men and He does things not according to our understandings and ways
but according to His Words. He has commanded us in His word to walk
blamelessly before Him, to do justice and righteousness, not to show
partiality nor be respecter of persons, not to sin and leave it unconfessed,
and not to be arrogant and pride.
Otherwise we will face the
consequences of out deeds. For Jesus said it if we offend one of His little
ones we shall not only be in danger of judgment, we shall be judged, thrown
into prison and seasoned with fire.
As a result Jesus said to
you and I some important words about this matter which concern sin and the
requirements of God:
"You have heard that it was said to those
of old, `You shall not commit adultery.' "But I say to you that whoever looks
at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his
heart. "If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from
you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than
for your whole body to be cast into hell. "And if your right hand causes you
to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you
that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into
hell.
"Furthermore it has been said, `Whoever divorces his wife,
let him give her a certificate of divorce.' "But I say to you that whoever
divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit
adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. "Again
you have heard that it was said to those of old, `You shall not swear falsely,
but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.' "But I say to you, do not swear at
all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; "nor by the earth, for it is
His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. "Nor
shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.
"But let your `Yes' be `Yes,' and your `No,' `No.' For whatever is more than
these is from the evil one. (Matthew 5:27-37)
Jesus and not man
is using the four letter word Hell to describe where some of those with a bad
eye or right hand cause them to sin. He went on to say that the earth is the
footstool of God and Jerusalem, which is now in our hearts, is the habitation
of the great King.
The world does not belong to the devil and he
does not reign supreme. Jesus in His words has also pointed out that we can
not change one thing in God's words. Any idea to the contrary is from the evil
one who has deceived us and has come into our hearts and he did to Peter: For
the word of God records
But He turned and said to Peter, "Get
behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the
things of God, but the things of men."(Matthew 16:23)
Under the
law of grace, we are to show more grace and when some ones sues us and takes
away our tunic we are to let him have our cloak also; according to the words
of Jesus. Whoever compels us to go one mile, under grace and not the law we
are to go with him two miles. We are give to him who asks us, and from him who
wants to borrow from us we are not to turn away.
Because God,
Himself, in the power of the Holy Spirit lives in us and through us, we are
also to love your enemies, bless those who curse us do good to those who hate
us. We are to pray for those who spitefully use us and persecute us that we
may truly be seen as the sons of our Father in heaven. Who rules over all and
makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and
on the unjust. We shall be judged by grace and not by the law because in
Christ Jesus He has and gives us the grace to be, do and have all things. For
as Jesus said:
"For if you love those who love you, what reward
have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? "And if you greet your
brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors
do so? "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is
perfect. (Matthew 5:46-48)
"And that servant who knew his
master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall
be beaten with many stripes. "But he who did not know, yet committed things
deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is
given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of
him they will ask the more. (Luke 12:47-48)
While our Father God
is good, kind, loving and gracious, He is not blind, stupid nor neutral to the
injustices and wrongs around us. He has commanded us to do something about
them and has made us Kings, Priests and Judges to deal with the situations.
However some of us, as Jesus has pointed out, will be beaten
with stripes for not doing the master's will especially the prominent ones.
Korah and His friends did not get away with their rebellion and arrogant words
and neither will many of us for God rules from generation to generation.
God's words do not have options or escape clauses in them,
they are to be obeyed and done in the power of His Spirit and there are not
ifs and what's about them. Even though some of us think we are above the law
of grace or any other law and we are so special in our own eyes. But that only
proves that we are deceived and God's word states:
Do not be
deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
(Galatians 6:7)
"Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its
flavor, how shall it be seasoned?" It is neither fit for the land nor for the
dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" (Luke
14:34-35)
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says
to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of
life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God." ` (Revelation 2:7)
If anyone has an ear, let him hear. (Revelation 13:9)
He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their
destructions. )Psalms 107:20)
We literally have the option of
having God's fire or hell's fire or both by our choices, actions and
decisions. If we knowingly and presumptuously disobey the word of God spoken
by prophets or His Spirit and do evil and sin, we will pay with judgment and
possibly be cast into hell. These are not the words of a man but of Jesus and
the God who is God and there is no other. God's word is clear on the matter:
For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of
the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful
expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the
adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the
testimony of two or three witnesses.
Of how much worse
punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son
of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified
a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? :For we know Him who said,
"Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will
judge His people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
God. (Hebrews 10:11-26)
No matter who were are God is not a
respecter of persons and if we sin willfully under grace there is no
forgiveness but a certain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery
indignation. God will repay those who hurt and touch one of His little ones
and He will judge His people. As Korah and others have found out it will not
be a pleasant thing and the fire might get very
hot.
Victory Series Walter Mail to:
eaglewings10@yahoo.com