GOD IS NOT AMONG US!
How do you know when God is not here? How does a person exists if God is not there? The evidence of a persons life reveals whether God be for them or against them. The evidence of the church reveals God's nearness or absence from their midst. One thing is for certain that we must understand, none of us can exist or go on without God. Too long has this nation and the church sought to 'go on' without God. We must stop and wait upon the Lord until He comes in power and fullness; lest we be consume in our own iniquity!
Deuteronomy 31:17 - 18, "Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us? v. 18 And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods."
In these last chapters of Deuteronomy, Moses time is clicking away. God has called him and Joshua to come into the tabernacle so that Joshua can receive a charge of encouragement and directon. And after this God will take Moses up on the mount and let him see the promised land and then gather him unto his fathers in death. Now as the Lord brings MOses and Joshua into the tabernacle, His presence is there and He speaks to Moses.
This begins in chapter 31, verse 16. He tells Moses that he is going to die. He then proceeds to tell Moses about the future state of the children of Israel. Now for those that have read the Old Testament they know the truth of what God is going to say. But imagine for a moment being in Moses shoes. You have seen the glory of God; you have worked the 10 plauges of Egypt, unseen or unknown in all of earth's histroy; you have seen God speak and give the law and commandments; you have seen God's wrath poured out in a visible way; you have seen God's mercy poured out in a visible way throughout the 40 years in the wildreness. Now God says, 'this people will rise up, and go a whoring arter the gods of the strangers of the land. . .and will forsake me, and break My covenant which I have made with them.'
Can you imagine after spending all these years, and seeing all these things done by God to know that it was all for nought? Oh, how often I have thought on this! I have seen pastors, teachers, missionaries labor all of their life, all of their energy only to see the work quickly undone after their departure and death. It is much like Solomon's, Ecclesiastes conclusion, that all is vanity. Why labor? Why spend and be spent if no good is to come out of it and maintain? These are definitely deeper question than what we can answer. For who can answer these things but God. But let us consider the point to be made for us that we may not be doomed to repeat Israels failure with God.
The first point to be made here is, that God has given to His people, the children of Israel in the Old Testament and the church today, the right way to go. What is the good and right way? It is always found in obedience of God's Word. In chapter 28 of Deuteronomy, God gave to Moses one of the most clear cut understanding to what obedience can do, and what disobedience can do. In that chapter, the first 14 verses deal with the soul and the people that obey the voice of the Lord. He will bless every aspect of their life. IN verses 15 - 68, 3x's as many curses are pronounced to the soul that will not obey the voice of the Lord. Every easy to understand and very simple to apply - obey and be blessed of the Lord; disobey and receive the curse of the Lord.
Now having understood all this, we see that God already knows the future choices of Israel. He is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. There is no secrets or mysteries to the Lord. He knows all things of past, present and future. He declares the future state of Israel to Moses, 'the evils have come'. These evils that are mentioned are the curses that directly tell us they have disobeyed the word of the Lord.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
WHY PRAY AND SEEK FOR REVIVAL? IS THERE ANY HOPE?
WHY PRAY FOR REVIVAL?
IS THERE ANY HOPE?
There are some things in answer to these two questions that I moved to answer and explain. This is, perhaps, in answer to my accusers of why I promote prevailing prayer and revival. Many have quoted to me the Scriptures, 'in the last days there will be a great falling away'. And they declare that we are in this time now. Leonard Ravenhill answered these critics with this answer: 'Was it any different in the day of Jonathan Edwards?' 'Does God love the world less now than He did years ago?'
God is immutable, He changes not in all His Divine ways. His Divine love for lost men remains the same. 'I would, that none perish'. His desire is always that His glory would be manifest. He remains jealous for His Name's sake. Since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eve, God has made a way to redeem lost mankind. His Son paying the price for an atonement for those that would receive it; His Word for instruction to those that would beleive it; and His Spirit to draw the hearts of His elect unto Himself.
Deuteronomy 4:29, 'But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. v. 30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto His voice; v. 31 (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) He will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which He sware unto them.'
And even though, so many will be quick to jump on this portion of Scripture to say that it is to the Jews, not to the church or the people of today; can we not say that this same hope and message is found throughout all of Scripture? Is God not merciful throughout all His ways? and in all times? Is grace and mercy not apart of His Divine nature? Yes it is!! Is God's promise that, if men seek Him with all their heart they will find Him, not found throughout all Scripture? Yes it is !! And is God's promise not to all that He has promised to not forsake nor forget His Own? Yes it is !!
If then, this covenant keeping, immutable God is still the same in all these ways for the Israelites as for the chruch today, then can we not turn to Him for His mercy? Absolutely we can and should! But the defeated, comprimising, carnal Christian will not attain to the power of God but to the power of humanism. Relying more on the circumstances of the world around them than the power of God within them. It may be as simple as this: in all honesty, what is the chruch looking at for help and and what is the church doing to secure it? ARe we "looking unto Jesus"? Are we resting and trusting in His mighty hand? Or are we looking to the hand of man?
IS THERE ANY HOPE?
There are some things in answer to these two questions that I moved to answer and explain. This is, perhaps, in answer to my accusers of why I promote prevailing prayer and revival. Many have quoted to me the Scriptures, 'in the last days there will be a great falling away'. And they declare that we are in this time now. Leonard Ravenhill answered these critics with this answer: 'Was it any different in the day of Jonathan Edwards?' 'Does God love the world less now than He did years ago?'
God is immutable, He changes not in all His Divine ways. His Divine love for lost men remains the same. 'I would, that none perish'. His desire is always that His glory would be manifest. He remains jealous for His Name's sake. Since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eve, God has made a way to redeem lost mankind. His Son paying the price for an atonement for those that would receive it; His Word for instruction to those that would beleive it; and His Spirit to draw the hearts of His elect unto Himself.
Deuteronomy 4:29, 'But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. v. 30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto His voice; v. 31 (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) He will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which He sware unto them.'
And even though, so many will be quick to jump on this portion of Scripture to say that it is to the Jews, not to the church or the people of today; can we not say that this same hope and message is found throughout all of Scripture? Is God not merciful throughout all His ways? and in all times? Is grace and mercy not apart of His Divine nature? Yes it is!! Is God's promise that, if men seek Him with all their heart they will find Him, not found throughout all Scripture? Yes it is !! And is God's promise not to all that He has promised to not forsake nor forget His Own? Yes it is !!
If then, this covenant keeping, immutable God is still the same in all these ways for the Israelites as for the chruch today, then can we not turn to Him for His mercy? Absolutely we can and should! But the defeated, comprimising, carnal Christian will not attain to the power of God but to the power of humanism. Relying more on the circumstances of the world around them than the power of God within them. It may be as simple as this: in all honesty, what is the chruch looking at for help and and what is the church doing to secure it? ARe we "looking unto Jesus"? Are we resting and trusting in His mighty hand? Or are we looking to the hand of man?
Thursday, January 12, 2012
SPIRITUAL WARFARE
"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." I John 2:1
"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." I John 3:9
"All unrighteouness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness." I John 5:17 - 19
In the life of the church today we do not see such edicts, practices or mandates. In the life of the church today and in individual Christian lives today we see almost a brazen attempt of dismissing such verses and giving excuses to sin. Satan is filling the mindset of the church today with acceptance of sin and tolerance of sin in the personal life, the family, the church life and the world. But God is never accepting of sin, any sin. All sin will be judged and condemned. Is not our FAther's ways to be our ways? Is not our Lord's ways to be our ways?
In this writing I desire to look at why Christians continue in sin; why we sin; and why there seems to be little victory over sin, hell and Satan.
I believe Satan works to keep the Christian and the church from addressing this spiritual warfare. I believe God desires for His church to see this. Everything of this spritiual conflict is opposite between God and the Devil. God points us to eternity. The cross is determining of a souls' eternity in heaven or hell; embrace the cross and receive eternal life in heaven, reject the cross and receive eternal life in hell. Satan keeps us from eternity by making us see and live and in the here and now of today. 'Tomorrow will take care of itself. Live for today.' God is holy and hates sin. Satan promotes sin and hates holiness. A saved soul loves God and hates sin. A lost soul loves sin and hates God.
In all these opposites we see the conflict between good and evil. We are found in the middle and to the right we see God and His holiness; on the left we see Satan and his darkness. And at that point of seeing, we are left to make a choice, to God or to Satan. 'The soul that sinneth it shall die.' And sin is death, 'the wages of sin is death'. Those dead in trespasses and sin go to eternal hell. And there is no deliverance from sin but Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The soul that embraces Christ, confesses Jesus as their Lord and SAvior, confesses that they are a sinner and in need of saving finds salvation from hell and their sin.
Christ came as a man to overcome sin. He paid the price for the sins of the world on Calvary. And taught that there is no other way for any human to be delivered from sin that 'deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Him.' Death to self is death to sin; life in Christ, is life within. ''He that abideth in Me, though HE were dead, yet shall he live. And he that liveth and abideth in Me shall never die." LIfe is in Christ; victory over sin is in Christ.
Many profess Christ as their Lord and Savior. Many have done that which is declared by the church to 'be born again.' We rejoice in every soul that is born again. For the angels rejocie over one soul that come to Christ. Yet, we see a problem among many Christians today; we see the problem in the church today -- they continue in sin. We must see the answer to this and address it so that there might be victory and deliverance from those caught by lies and deceptions about what God wants and intended for any that would come follow Him.
"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." I John 3:9
"All unrighteouness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness." I John 5:17 - 19
In the life of the church today we do not see such edicts, practices or mandates. In the life of the church today and in individual Christian lives today we see almost a brazen attempt of dismissing such verses and giving excuses to sin. Satan is filling the mindset of the church today with acceptance of sin and tolerance of sin in the personal life, the family, the church life and the world. But God is never accepting of sin, any sin. All sin will be judged and condemned. Is not our FAther's ways to be our ways? Is not our Lord's ways to be our ways?
In this writing I desire to look at why Christians continue in sin; why we sin; and why there seems to be little victory over sin, hell and Satan.
I believe Satan works to keep the Christian and the church from addressing this spiritual warfare. I believe God desires for His church to see this. Everything of this spritiual conflict is opposite between God and the Devil. God points us to eternity. The cross is determining of a souls' eternity in heaven or hell; embrace the cross and receive eternal life in heaven, reject the cross and receive eternal life in hell. Satan keeps us from eternity by making us see and live and in the here and now of today. 'Tomorrow will take care of itself. Live for today.' God is holy and hates sin. Satan promotes sin and hates holiness. A saved soul loves God and hates sin. A lost soul loves sin and hates God.
In all these opposites we see the conflict between good and evil. We are found in the middle and to the right we see God and His holiness; on the left we see Satan and his darkness. And at that point of seeing, we are left to make a choice, to God or to Satan. 'The soul that sinneth it shall die.' And sin is death, 'the wages of sin is death'. Those dead in trespasses and sin go to eternal hell. And there is no deliverance from sin but Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The soul that embraces Christ, confesses Jesus as their Lord and SAvior, confesses that they are a sinner and in need of saving finds salvation from hell and their sin.
Christ came as a man to overcome sin. He paid the price for the sins of the world on Calvary. And taught that there is no other way for any human to be delivered from sin that 'deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Him.' Death to self is death to sin; life in Christ, is life within. ''He that abideth in Me, though HE were dead, yet shall he live. And he that liveth and abideth in Me shall never die." LIfe is in Christ; victory over sin is in Christ.
Many profess Christ as their Lord and Savior. Many have done that which is declared by the church to 'be born again.' We rejoice in every soul that is born again. For the angels rejocie over one soul that come to Christ. Yet, we see a problem among many Christians today; we see the problem in the church today -- they continue in sin. We must see the answer to this and address it so that there might be victory and deliverance from those caught by lies and deceptions about what God wants and intended for any that would come follow Him.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
THE WORK AGAINST SATAN
'Resist the devil and he will flee from you'
'Deliver them from evil (evil one)'
There are numerous words that start with 'r' that came to my mind in attacking Satan. Far too many Christians await for Satan and his cohorts, demons, to attack them. What can he do if God puts him away from our plane of being.
resist, refrain, retard, refuse, retreat, remove, reject,
Let us examine, through Scriptures, our responsbility of the 'r's against Satan and his devices.
RESIST
'Resist not the Holy Ghost'; but, 'Resist the Devil'
The definition of resist - to exert oneself so as to counteract or defeat; to withstand the force or effect of. And in both of these example it is our desire to learn how to do this against Satan. For if more Christians learned how to resist the devil, they would not fall prey to his devices, suggestions or ways. His ways is always sin and lies. That which is in direct conflict with God's ways.
'Deliver them from evil (evil one)'
There are numerous words that start with 'r' that came to my mind in attacking Satan. Far too many Christians await for Satan and his cohorts, demons, to attack them. What can he do if God puts him away from our plane of being.
resist, refrain, retard, refuse, retreat, remove, reject,
Let us examine, through Scriptures, our responsbility of the 'r's against Satan and his devices.
RESIST
'Resist not the Holy Ghost'; but, 'Resist the Devil'
The definition of resist - to exert oneself so as to counteract or defeat; to withstand the force or effect of. And in both of these example it is our desire to learn how to do this against Satan. For if more Christians learned how to resist the devil, they would not fall prey to his devices, suggestions or ways. His ways is always sin and lies. That which is in direct conflict with God's ways.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)