December, 2013
Psalm 109:4, "I give myself unto prayer"
Colossians 4:2, "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving"
At the close of a year and then upon the beginning of a New Year it is an opportunity to evaluate. We should ponder what we was able to do and what we left undone. No greater words of regret for a wasted life than, 'what might have been'. So this gives us a moment to answer the question about where we are and where we are going. Circumstances of life are always happening around us in our homes, churches and county. We have seen times of rejoicing, and times of sorrow; times of victory and times of defeat; times of advancement and times of losing ground. What does this past year say about you? What will the next year say about you?
At the heart of all this for the church and each personal Christian is our prayer life. The prayer life is what enables us to walk in Spirit and prevail over the circumstances of our life. The failure in our prayer life is what allows for defeats, greater tragedies and for Satan to advance in our homes, county and nation. At the heart of this spiritual battle is Satan coming against the church and our own personal walk with Christ. Show me the church getting on fire for the cause of Christ, and I will show you where the devil will douse a bucket of water on that fire. Show me a Christian that resolves in a New Year to do better and be better in service for their Lord and I will show you the devil putting up road blocks and stumbling obstacles to keep them and trip them up from their holy vow. It is the prayer life that suffers the most because of Satan's attacks. We lose heart, we lose focus, we have weak faith.
With all the tragedies that befall our county, our families, and our own life, one would think we would be the most active in prayer for God's help and mercy. But the truth is, that most only think of prayer and are active in prayer when tragedy really hits. When the doctor gives the news, 'that's its cancer' - we give ourselves to prayer; when our families are in strife and trouble - 'I need to pray'; when our churches are weak and at odds - 'we need to pray'. The truth is, that it is trials and troubles that force God's Own people to consider their prayer life. It will be revealed in heaven how many strife's, trials and assaults of our enemy we could have prevented had we been in prayer all along.
It is a sad statement for our own county, that too many of our churches go week after week with no hour of prayer. Simply doing what we have always done, because that's what we do is not sufficient. We sing 'Sweet Hour of Prayer' and in honesty, we couldn't answer when the last time we prayed an hour. Out of 52 weeks last year, how much corporate praying did your church do each week? How much prayer did you do for Your Lord's Kingdom? And with no prayer, there is no power by God's hand. Now many will immediately answer with, 'but we have the numbers'. The ball games have numbers; the bars have numbers; the concerts and suppers have numbers. So what about numbers? Is there Spiritual life and power within?
"The Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save; neither His ear is heavy that He cannot hear; But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear." Brethren, we can't go on like this! Drugs are ravaging our loved ones; almost an entire younger generation is being raised in our county without any knowledge of God or His Word; too many homes are dealing with tragedies of death and dying without hope and the presence of Christ. Out of a population of 24,000 (rounded off estimate) we only have 2,500 people in church on any given Sunday morning. Barely 10% are active in church and faithful in serving; and yet we wonder why God is absent from our schools, our homes and our county? Is it not because our sins have hid His face from us and He will not hear our prayers?
Then what shall we do? Let us repent and cry out to Him for mercy. He is merciful and longsuffering; He is willing that none should perish. Let us go to His throne together and seek His face for help.
Brethren, we have kept weekly prayer meetings at Zoar and Fox's Hollow beseeching you to join us on behalf of our county. During times of death and dying, cancer, tragedies, calamities, drug and alcohol usage, physical and emotional abuse in homes and to our kids we have prayed; praying for the 90 churches in our county, praying for revival to come to Christ's churches here; praying against the sin, the lostness, the blindness of men's souls, we have continued. 'When evil comes in like a flood' and evil has come to our county, then 'God raises a standard against it', this standard is the prayer meeting. Brethren let's return to where our power in God is at, let's return to prayer - corporately, individually and let us be obedient as we have been instructed, 'continue in prayer'.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Friday, December 6, 2013
8 SPIRITUAL ASSUALTS BY SATAN THAT THE CHURCH MUST DEAL WITH
Novemer, 2013
8 Passages to Consider in the assualt by Satan, our enemy, that the church should recognize and deal with in the power of prayer. Failure to understand these things allows for the enemy to continue to prevail and gain victory over the church.
1. Hebrews 2:1, 'Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip."
--the things which we have heard is instructions by Christ and the Holy Ghost; Have we given more earnest heed to the things which we have heard? Have we let them slip? Have we had ears but cannot hear? Have we been listening to the wrong voice of instruction? Have we been preoccupied by the things of this world and let slip the things of eternity? It is most needful to keep before us the key priorities of Christ teachings through His Word.
The attack of Satan here is a common one mentioned in Scripture, 'which we have heard'; Satan closes the ears. How often is it presented, 'having ears to hear but cannot hear'. And a responsiblity upon us is that we would counter this deafness by crying out to Him that made the ears to hear and is able to open the ears of the deaf. "They are not hearing Your Word O Lord. Satan has blocked their ability, open the ears to hear Lord."
The other area of interest is 'lest at any time we should let them slip'. Is it not Satan's objective to take away from us the passion, the love, the zeal in serving, doing and obeying our Lord? Yet, is it nt our own testimony, the churches and the proof of our nation, that because Satan distracted and robbed us of our priorities we have let slip that which never should have slipped away. It is a wrestling match to hold on to that which is right and good and faithful unto our Lord.
2. Luke 11:42, "But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."
--things done and not done; A voice of warning to the Pharisees from Christ, 'Woe unto you'. When God pronounces woe, we should immediately set up and take notice of the charge being brought. they tithed mint and rue and all manner of herbs; yet this was not what God wanted. Yet, men will justify what they deem worthy, rather than worry if God is pleased or accepting. The rejected and neglected the important things of judgment and the love of God. and then the words, 'these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.' Done the right and rejected the wrong.
3. II Corinthians 10:4 - 5, "(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds:) v. 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"
--capturing every thought of one's own self and praying for the thoughts of others unto the perfect obedience of Christ; I am more and more prone to believe that this is the real battle, a battle for the thoughts and minds; for in this lays the very crux of where a soul determins its eternity. We have Paul stating to Christians, 'let this mind be in you which was in Christ'. And we have Paul warning us of Satans control over the minds in II Cor.4, 'Satan has blinded the minds of those who believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should sine unto them.'
4. II Timothy 3:5, "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."
--the practice of religous actions denies the true Presence of the Holy One in heart, mind and soul;
Having a form of godliness is religion. Religion in centuries ago, was the term for Christianity. Jonathan Edward and many others of his day even up til the mid 1800's could use that term religion and it was known and accepted that it was in regards to Chrsitianity. But not today. Today religion is not pure and undefiled; religion is lies, half-truths, cults and falsehoods. Religion is anti-Christian; it is anti-Christ. Old Oliver B. Greene, an old Independent Baptist, who died in the 1970's used to say, in which I agree, 'Religion has sent more people to hell than anything else.' It is a form of godliness, not a heart transfomration which is required for 'old things to pass away and all things to become new.'
5. I Timothy 5:14, ". . .give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully"
--Satan accuses the brethren continaully; we are not to give him ammunition to charge us and speak against us, the body of Christ and our Lord with reproach; OUr labor is to maintain in our personal walk of holiness with and for the Lord. In this, we keep ourselves from reproach by our enemy. No greater shame, than for Satan to boast against us and our failing flesh. the image here is that of zechariah 3, 'Joshua the high preist standing before the angel fo the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. . .' For our enemy is always attacking the servants of the Lord. He already possesses and owns the souls of sin and lostness, he targets the beloved of the Lord. And when we are un-Christlike, Satan is able to speak reproachfully against us.
'give none occasion' - that means not one; we are so prone in this day and age to compromise, to think that sin is permissible or okay. The argument goes, 'Well, we are all sinners. Everyone sins and its okay to sin every now and then.' What an argument and thought from hell!
6. Revelation 2:20 - 24, "Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce My servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. v. 21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. v. 22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. v. 23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am He which seareth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. v. 24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden."
--we have here the warning, 'which have not known the depths of Satan'; seduced by a false prophetess Jezebel, they commit fornication/adutlery; allow her to continue to preach and teach false doctrine, continuing to bring harm to the body by her lies and deception;
7. I John 5:18, "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."
--the wicked one to touch us not; it is one thing for him to talk with us, as he did with Satan; but how much worse, when he stretches forth his hand to touch us like he did with Job;
8. I Peter 1:13 - 15, "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end fo the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ: v. 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: v. 15 But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of converstaion;"
--'not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance'; why is it that today within the church body there is so many that are following, practicing and returning to 'former lusts'? It is a wide epidemic of those who were raised in the church to fall away and do great sin and harm to their lives and the witness of the church.
Began: November 28, 2013
UPdated: December 3
December 4
December 6
December 7
December 8
Finished:
PREVAILING PRAYER
Prevailing Prayer
December, 2013
Genesis 32:28, "And He said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God, and with men, and hast prevailed."
A two fold issue faces the church in North America today. The first issue is to get the church to understand the clear command, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer'. Far too long evangelical Christianity has been remiss in this most holy work of prayer. Prayer is not an option. Prayer is not haphazard. Prayer is not just for those who have time. Prayer is for all the body of Christ to be engaged in. Our dilema in the United States, in our homes, in our churches, yea in our own hearts is due directly to our lack of prayer. Yea, due to lack of prevailing prayer!
The second issue at hand that deals with prayer is that if we are doing it, if we are praying, then are we prevailing? Jacob wrestled with the angel and he was not to be denied. He could not afford to simply know that God had heard his prayer. Thus, as so often we defend ourselves by saysing, 'but we are praying'. Wonderful, glad you are; but is it enough? Jacob received the word from the Lord, 'you have prevailed with God and man.' Brethren, is this not the place we are to be in this most desperate hour. We must prevail in the heavens, before the holy throne of our Lord. And we must prevail through prayer in the hearts, minds and souls of men. Anything less than this confirms a defeated position that surrenders the day and soul to hell and Satan. We must prevail!
the prayer of faith confirms this prevailing spirit of prayer. The prayer of faith is taken from James 5:15, "And the prayer of faith. . . ." and it accomplishes the very thing prayed for. Two examples of this in regards to revival:
1.) in the 1949 Hebrides revival, Duncan Campbell tells this account of 'when God came down'; two elderly sisters praying for God to move upn their community; a deacon organizing a prayer meeting in the barn for revival upon their church and families. Church attendance was shrinking, young people had forsaken the church and embraced the world, countless were lost, or religious and without any assurance of knowing that they was God's Own children. God's Spirit of prayer moved them to that same desperation as Jacob, they would not be denied. And with assurance came their answer that God not only heard their prayer but would answer it. The two sisters immediately sent word to their local parrish priest and told him that he was to call for a church meeting. The local deacon had receive the same assurance as they prayed in the barn. They made preparations for Duncan Campbell to be there, unbeknownst to Duncan campbell. And then in the middle of a conference, God's Holy spirit spoke to him and told him to leave the conference and go to the Isaland. After doubting what was happening, he knew he must obey and did so. Upon arriving by boat to the Island, a lad was at the docks and said, 'we have been expecting you'. And after that service that lasted that night from 9 pm til 11 pm, upon the benediction, the deacon turnign his face to the heavens and said, 'Lord, did you no say You would pour water on the dry and thirsty'? And with that word and prayer of faith, 'God came down' and the revival began. duncan Campbell said years later of this revival, 'we know nothing of backsliding on these isles'. Brethren, is that not prevailing? Is this not God? Is this not where we must strive to be?
2.) the biography of JO Fraser, 'Beyond the Ranges' confirms that when he arrived among the area of Burma that Christianity was almost next to nothing. There was much ancestor worship and much demonic work in the false religions. But on one paticular day of praying, God granted him the confidence that he would see 1,000's of tribesman coming to Christ in that land. And within 5 years he saw that very thing. He claimed and held onto that by faith that the God Who cannot lie had promised and He would make it happen.
Brethren it is our obedience to Christ to pray for His kingdom to come and His will to be done. OUr labors are strengthened by being much alone with Him. Andrew Murray, 'Alone with God, will make one wholly for God.' And as we pray alone with Him, He is more than desiring and willing to accomplish all that we are asking.
So let us ponder and consider these two great issues at hand - are we praying? and if we are praying are we prevailing?
Are we praying?
It is a needful question to ask. It is an imperative question to ask. And if we answer honestly, 'No. I know I should be; I know I should be praying more than I am.' Then let us realize the importance of confessing our sin of praylessness and repent of this and make our love of the Lord to be much in prayer with Him.
December, 2013
Genesis 32:28, "And He said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God, and with men, and hast prevailed."
A two fold issue faces the church in North America today. The first issue is to get the church to understand the clear command, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer'. Far too long evangelical Christianity has been remiss in this most holy work of prayer. Prayer is not an option. Prayer is not haphazard. Prayer is not just for those who have time. Prayer is for all the body of Christ to be engaged in. Our dilema in the United States, in our homes, in our churches, yea in our own hearts is due directly to our lack of prayer. Yea, due to lack of prevailing prayer!
The second issue at hand that deals with prayer is that if we are doing it, if we are praying, then are we prevailing? Jacob wrestled with the angel and he was not to be denied. He could not afford to simply know that God had heard his prayer. Thus, as so often we defend ourselves by saysing, 'but we are praying'. Wonderful, glad you are; but is it enough? Jacob received the word from the Lord, 'you have prevailed with God and man.' Brethren, is this not the place we are to be in this most desperate hour. We must prevail in the heavens, before the holy throne of our Lord. And we must prevail through prayer in the hearts, minds and souls of men. Anything less than this confirms a defeated position that surrenders the day and soul to hell and Satan. We must prevail!
the prayer of faith confirms this prevailing spirit of prayer. The prayer of faith is taken from James 5:15, "And the prayer of faith. . . ." and it accomplishes the very thing prayed for. Two examples of this in regards to revival:
1.) in the 1949 Hebrides revival, Duncan Campbell tells this account of 'when God came down'; two elderly sisters praying for God to move upn their community; a deacon organizing a prayer meeting in the barn for revival upon their church and families. Church attendance was shrinking, young people had forsaken the church and embraced the world, countless were lost, or religious and without any assurance of knowing that they was God's Own children. God's Spirit of prayer moved them to that same desperation as Jacob, they would not be denied. And with assurance came their answer that God not only heard their prayer but would answer it. The two sisters immediately sent word to their local parrish priest and told him that he was to call for a church meeting. The local deacon had receive the same assurance as they prayed in the barn. They made preparations for Duncan Campbell to be there, unbeknownst to Duncan campbell. And then in the middle of a conference, God's Holy spirit spoke to him and told him to leave the conference and go to the Isaland. After doubting what was happening, he knew he must obey and did so. Upon arriving by boat to the Island, a lad was at the docks and said, 'we have been expecting you'. And after that service that lasted that night from 9 pm til 11 pm, upon the benediction, the deacon turnign his face to the heavens and said, 'Lord, did you no say You would pour water on the dry and thirsty'? And with that word and prayer of faith, 'God came down' and the revival began. duncan Campbell said years later of this revival, 'we know nothing of backsliding on these isles'. Brethren, is that not prevailing? Is this not God? Is this not where we must strive to be?
2.) the biography of JO Fraser, 'Beyond the Ranges' confirms that when he arrived among the area of Burma that Christianity was almost next to nothing. There was much ancestor worship and much demonic work in the false religions. But on one paticular day of praying, God granted him the confidence that he would see 1,000's of tribesman coming to Christ in that land. And within 5 years he saw that very thing. He claimed and held onto that by faith that the God Who cannot lie had promised and He would make it happen.
Brethren it is our obedience to Christ to pray for His kingdom to come and His will to be done. OUr labors are strengthened by being much alone with Him. Andrew Murray, 'Alone with God, will make one wholly for God.' And as we pray alone with Him, He is more than desiring and willing to accomplish all that we are asking.
So let us ponder and consider these two great issues at hand - are we praying? and if we are praying are we prevailing?
Are we praying?
It is a needful question to ask. It is an imperative question to ask. And if we answer honestly, 'No. I know I should be; I know I should be praying more than I am.' Then let us realize the importance of confessing our sin of praylessness and repent of this and make our love of the Lord to be much in prayer with Him.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
YOU SHOULD NOT LEAVE THE OTHER UNDONE
November, 2013
Greetings,
On the heels of writing and sharing, 'When Evil Comes in Like a Flood' which addressed the rise of evil in our nation, and the response needed by the church, this word comes forth. It will be revealed in eternity of how many times God warned us, gave us wake up calls, for what was coming, but we missed the warning signals. I believe our nation, and paitcularly the church is at this cross road right now. God has sent alarming signs to show us the path we are on and what is coming. And unless a proper response is done by the church, we will go down in the history books as, 'having eyes to see, but could not see; having ears to hear, but could not hear'. Brethren I beseech you take notice of these words and let us respond now, while there is still time, before the 'night cometh when no man can work'.
Luke 11:42, "But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."
Hebrews 2:1, "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip."
1. What is the problem? It seems necessary to once again list, and make mention of what is all this alarm that I am sounding off about. It has been building for some time, with crisises, events and troubles always happening and being reported across our nation in the news headlines and reported in our communities and churches. But for some reason, it is apparent that all this building up is now at a crisis point of eruption. Evil has been happening this month alone locally and nationallly, that seems to me to be unparalled to anything that I can remember or have seen documented. When evil flares up like this, something is happening and the church should be discerning enough to find out the answers.
--murder-suicides are rising at an alarming risks; Reports are showing all over the country, grisly happenings that demonstrates the restraints of evil are happening. Most of these murder-suicides is generally adults in relationships of family or acquaintances. But this month there has been a spike in babies and children being pulled in to this evil. Failed attempts have kept the numbers down, but the rise in its activity should provoke us to see and discern something is happening.
--drugs and alcohol affects have been active for decades across our land; but in recent weeks death and destruction have been reported due directly to these two vices of hell; It never is alarming, it seems to the church, until it hits in our backyard. The affects of this upon our young people and families is alarmingly rising. The question for the church is, how far are we willing to let the enemy occupy our land and loved ones?
--legalislation of sin in our land is one of the building planks for hell; Supreme Court ruling, state legislations of same sex marriage; US congressional pushing ENDA, which leads one step to outlawing any voice against sin in our land; legalizing of the very things that are killing us as abortion, prescription drugs and state laws allowing drug use; All these are examples of our nation which was built upon, 'One nation under God' to becoming 'One nation destroyed by God'. Each passage of legislation, judicial, or executive decisions against God's Word and ways are an affront to Him and provokes Him to wrath to consume us.
There are of course, more issues specifically targeting our Christianity and way of life. These mentioned are only a few of the deatils that have surfaced to reveal, convince and make us aware that evil is forwarding its progression at a rapid rate that has not been seen for quite some time. Our history of advancing evil:
--Prohibition was ruled upon in 1933; it was almost another 30 yrs. before another step was taken by our nation that would take us away from God;
--Supreme court ruling on removal of Bible reading from public school (1963) by one contrary, lost woman made the nation begin an onslaught of evil to offend and provoke God; then in the next 10 yrs. the next step was taken;
--Abortion was ruled in 1973 as legal; allowing for the sancity of life to be lessened and undervalued; creating a huge flow of innocent blood upon this nation which will be required upon this generation and those to come;
--Same sex marriage was all but ruled 'ok' by the Supremem Court this past July, 2013 that is allowing for the rise in abominations to have God consume us and remove us from the earth;
These events are major decisions over 80 yrs, that has all but taken us from God's mercy and protection to God's anger and destruction. The signs of this destruction are on the horizon and left unattended will lead us to its ultimate conclusion of annhilation. And the verses mentioned earlier are warning that things left unattended by God's people, the church will hasten evil bringing us to the end. But a proper response by the church may find the Lord's favor, forgiveness and faithfulness to glorfiy His Name in our midst.
2. Secondly,what has the church been doing while this evil has been advancing? Or what should she have been doing?
There are several issues at my heart that sounds off here. The earlier verses warn us, 'take heed to the things which we have heard and don't let them slip'. And, 'you shouldn't have let the more important things undone.' It was preached and declared by Leonard Ravenhill throughout the 1960's and '70's and then picked up by Henry Blackaby in the 1990's into the new century that the state of the church has revealed it to probably be 'one of the most Biblically ignorant generations of all time'. I know other saints may have said it, but these are the ones that I heard it. Meaning that we have had more opporuntity to read, memorize, share, and fully appreciate the Word of God than most other nations and generations. However, due to our lack of 'taking heed' we have let it slip. Rather than making it a priority we have left it undone to other vain priorities and objects.
Our most offensive weapon, according to Ephesians 6, is our sword, which is the Word of God, has been reduced from a 3 ft. two edged sword to a 3 inch pocket knife dull on both sides. All because of unfaithfulness to 'study to show ourselves approved unto God'. Men gave their lives for the furtherance of the Bible to be printed, shared and proclaimed. Many North Koreans were just last week executed for owning, possessing a bible.
And even though prayer and Bible reading as spiritual discplines seems to have risen in most recent time; still the church as a whole are desperately ignorant of the value of these two needful weapons of our warfare. Satan has lulled us to sleep, caused us to be busy about less important things, and we have missed the time in prayer and the Word that would have kept us sharp, Spirit filled and ready for use as 'a vessel unto honor' by our Master. The recent rise of interest and awareness is helpful and needful but a more urgent plea must be sounded. War is on our threshold and souls are being ushered out into eternity without Christ. There is no more alarming sound than eternity.
Our schedules, plans, activites must all be priortized to the sitaution that is even now upon us. If this current trend is not met with an assualt of prayer, fasting, tears and declaration of God's promsies from God's Word I fear what 6 months may look like, what a year will look like. Evil is multiplying while we are adding.
'We should not have left the other things undone' - while we have been busy about our activites, we should never have left the things of God undone. We lived for self, for money, for matieralism, for plans, programs and have spent whole lives for self instead of the Savior. The old song tells us the truth, 'Wasted years O how foolish'; for we can never reclaim that which has been lost. The time should have been spent on prayer, Bible and intimacy with God. The things of which can neve be replaced or restored. This has created a void in us, as the church, that has been filled with earthly, carnal things rather than spiritual, eternal things. AW Tozer, Vance Havner and Leonard Ravenhill are respected and admired as 'men of God' among us. They are those 'very men of God' due that they kept the main thing the main thing - prayer, Bible and alone with God. We have heard these truths and know them to be right. Then 'take heed to the things which you have heard and don't let them slip'.
What leaving these things 'undone' has caused us? A recognition in our hearts that we have filled this void with pride, humanism, entertainment, advancement, comfort, and has caused us shame before our Lord. This is a great need of confession, repentance and restoration among us to to do the 'things of God' for His glory.
Until,
Dan Biser
rdbiser@live.com
Began:
Nov. 21, 2013
edited:
Nov. 22
Greetings,
On the heels of writing and sharing, 'When Evil Comes in Like a Flood' which addressed the rise of evil in our nation, and the response needed by the church, this word comes forth. It will be revealed in eternity of how many times God warned us, gave us wake up calls, for what was coming, but we missed the warning signals. I believe our nation, and paitcularly the church is at this cross road right now. God has sent alarming signs to show us the path we are on and what is coming. And unless a proper response is done by the church, we will go down in the history books as, 'having eyes to see, but could not see; having ears to hear, but could not hear'. Brethren I beseech you take notice of these words and let us respond now, while there is still time, before the 'night cometh when no man can work'.
Luke 11:42, "But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."
Hebrews 2:1, "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip."
1. What is the problem? It seems necessary to once again list, and make mention of what is all this alarm that I am sounding off about. It has been building for some time, with crisises, events and troubles always happening and being reported across our nation in the news headlines and reported in our communities and churches. But for some reason, it is apparent that all this building up is now at a crisis point of eruption. Evil has been happening this month alone locally and nationallly, that seems to me to be unparalled to anything that I can remember or have seen documented. When evil flares up like this, something is happening and the church should be discerning enough to find out the answers.
--murder-suicides are rising at an alarming risks; Reports are showing all over the country, grisly happenings that demonstrates the restraints of evil are happening. Most of these murder-suicides is generally adults in relationships of family or acquaintances. But this month there has been a spike in babies and children being pulled in to this evil. Failed attempts have kept the numbers down, but the rise in its activity should provoke us to see and discern something is happening.
--drugs and alcohol affects have been active for decades across our land; but in recent weeks death and destruction have been reported due directly to these two vices of hell; It never is alarming, it seems to the church, until it hits in our backyard. The affects of this upon our young people and families is alarmingly rising. The question for the church is, how far are we willing to let the enemy occupy our land and loved ones?
--legalislation of sin in our land is one of the building planks for hell; Supreme Court ruling, state legislations of same sex marriage; US congressional pushing ENDA, which leads one step to outlawing any voice against sin in our land; legalizing of the very things that are killing us as abortion, prescription drugs and state laws allowing drug use; All these are examples of our nation which was built upon, 'One nation under God' to becoming 'One nation destroyed by God'. Each passage of legislation, judicial, or executive decisions against God's Word and ways are an affront to Him and provokes Him to wrath to consume us.
There are of course, more issues specifically targeting our Christianity and way of life. These mentioned are only a few of the deatils that have surfaced to reveal, convince and make us aware that evil is forwarding its progression at a rapid rate that has not been seen for quite some time. Our history of advancing evil:
--Prohibition was ruled upon in 1933; it was almost another 30 yrs. before another step was taken by our nation that would take us away from God;
--Supreme court ruling on removal of Bible reading from public school (1963) by one contrary, lost woman made the nation begin an onslaught of evil to offend and provoke God; then in the next 10 yrs. the next step was taken;
--Abortion was ruled in 1973 as legal; allowing for the sancity of life to be lessened and undervalued; creating a huge flow of innocent blood upon this nation which will be required upon this generation and those to come;
--Same sex marriage was all but ruled 'ok' by the Supremem Court this past July, 2013 that is allowing for the rise in abominations to have God consume us and remove us from the earth;
These events are major decisions over 80 yrs, that has all but taken us from God's mercy and protection to God's anger and destruction. The signs of this destruction are on the horizon and left unattended will lead us to its ultimate conclusion of annhilation. And the verses mentioned earlier are warning that things left unattended by God's people, the church will hasten evil bringing us to the end. But a proper response by the church may find the Lord's favor, forgiveness and faithfulness to glorfiy His Name in our midst.
2. Secondly,what has the church been doing while this evil has been advancing? Or what should she have been doing?
There are several issues at my heart that sounds off here. The earlier verses warn us, 'take heed to the things which we have heard and don't let them slip'. And, 'you shouldn't have let the more important things undone.' It was preached and declared by Leonard Ravenhill throughout the 1960's and '70's and then picked up by Henry Blackaby in the 1990's into the new century that the state of the church has revealed it to probably be 'one of the most Biblically ignorant generations of all time'. I know other saints may have said it, but these are the ones that I heard it. Meaning that we have had more opporuntity to read, memorize, share, and fully appreciate the Word of God than most other nations and generations. However, due to our lack of 'taking heed' we have let it slip. Rather than making it a priority we have left it undone to other vain priorities and objects.
Our most offensive weapon, according to Ephesians 6, is our sword, which is the Word of God, has been reduced from a 3 ft. two edged sword to a 3 inch pocket knife dull on both sides. All because of unfaithfulness to 'study to show ourselves approved unto God'. Men gave their lives for the furtherance of the Bible to be printed, shared and proclaimed. Many North Koreans were just last week executed for owning, possessing a bible.
And even though prayer and Bible reading as spiritual discplines seems to have risen in most recent time; still the church as a whole are desperately ignorant of the value of these two needful weapons of our warfare. Satan has lulled us to sleep, caused us to be busy about less important things, and we have missed the time in prayer and the Word that would have kept us sharp, Spirit filled and ready for use as 'a vessel unto honor' by our Master. The recent rise of interest and awareness is helpful and needful but a more urgent plea must be sounded. War is on our threshold and souls are being ushered out into eternity without Christ. There is no more alarming sound than eternity.
Our schedules, plans, activites must all be priortized to the sitaution that is even now upon us. If this current trend is not met with an assualt of prayer, fasting, tears and declaration of God's promsies from God's Word I fear what 6 months may look like, what a year will look like. Evil is multiplying while we are adding.
'We should not have left the other things undone' - while we have been busy about our activites, we should never have left the things of God undone. We lived for self, for money, for matieralism, for plans, programs and have spent whole lives for self instead of the Savior. The old song tells us the truth, 'Wasted years O how foolish'; for we can never reclaim that which has been lost. The time should have been spent on prayer, Bible and intimacy with God. The things of which can neve be replaced or restored. This has created a void in us, as the church, that has been filled with earthly, carnal things rather than spiritual, eternal things. AW Tozer, Vance Havner and Leonard Ravenhill are respected and admired as 'men of God' among us. They are those 'very men of God' due that they kept the main thing the main thing - prayer, Bible and alone with God. We have heard these truths and know them to be right. Then 'take heed to the things which you have heard and don't let them slip'.
What leaving these things 'undone' has caused us? A recognition in our hearts that we have filled this void with pride, humanism, entertainment, advancement, comfort, and has caused us shame before our Lord. This is a great need of confession, repentance and restoration among us to to do the 'things of God' for His glory.
Until,
Dan Biser
rdbiser@live.com
Began:
Nov. 21, 2013
edited:
Nov. 22
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
WHEN EVIL COMES IN LIKE A FLOOD
November, 2013
"When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." Isaiah 59:19
In this day and age, we are seeing more evil of the worst kind happening than we ever have before. All around us, across our nation, in our homes, in our churches, it is all around us. This verse is for our direction and admonishment as the church and servants of our Lord. Far too often, many develop a great fear that isolates and removes them from the conflict. Others lose hope when they see the swelling of the flood waters of evil. But this verse is a promise for us, that when such times come, and we are in these times, that God will raise up a standard to counter and contend with the forces of hell and the flood of evil.
1. What is this flood of evil?
--Let me give you an example from just this month of November, 2013; Murder-suicides have triple to their normal pace in our country. Grisly, evil murders of multiple family and friends at one time. Just in the last week: 4 dead in Phoenix; 4 dead in Boston (including two babies); 4 dead in New York City; VA state senator's son stabs his father, critically wounding him and then shoots himself (a failed attempt of murder-suicide); These are all recent cases of that which has been much before me for two years. This is an increased evil apart from but similar to the rise of suicides and homicides in our land. The enemy comes to destroy, and he is destroying the fabric of our land in the homes through this tragedy of murder-suicide.
--younger generation being swept out into darkness; their choices, lifestyles all products of evil damage and impact them for the rest of their days; From drugs, alcohol, sexual sins, music and materialism all impacting them for years to come. It has been a literal evil cancer eating away at what should be our next generation of hope. Hope is being diminished by so many being destroyed before they have the opportunity to make a difference in homes, our nation and our churches.
--drugs and alcohol is an evil of convenience; It is amazing to see and study how Satan over the decades has made these two sins to be so prevalent in the lives of the majority of our younger generation. From high school to college there is a constant state of health, emotional and long-lasting affects upon them for their usage of these sins. Death, nervous system, mental capacity, abuse and other affects are detrimental to our young ones. All passed down and access granted by the previous generation. The access to these things in each city and location is so easy and accommodating to this younger generation. Money is not an object, access is no problem, limit is uncontrolled but the damage is unseen in the moment. Each week at our local college there is a report of 1 to 2 alcohol poisoning calls, on a campus around 2000 students.. Last week a 25 yr. old drug overdose death, and multiple more affects left unreported are happening each day. This reflection of our local area is only multiplied by bigger cities and other areas in our nation. It is destroying us from the inside out.
--Lust, sexual sins and flesh are another evil ravaging through homes, our nation, churches and families; I have said often over the last several months, that with all the legalizing of same sex marriage, a nation working to promote sexual sins as normal that I do not know of a family that is not affected with adultery, divorce, homosexuality, fornication and other sexual sins of abuse. Again, where God is absent from the hearts, homes and heads of a people, sin, self and Satan comes barrelling right in as a flood to sweep them away to destruction.
--Family - we have seen the erosion of 'family' in our nation over these last several decades; I can remember as a teenager hearing James Dobson, lead Focus on the Family, making the church awarre of the reality we are not living in. Marriages being torn by adultery, divorce, abuse. Relationships of children to parents all victims of a society of self and sin, causing great rifts between that which was meant to be love. Money, time and routines tearing away from family time, creating those that live in the same home to be as strangers. Satan seeking to destroy the Christian homes more violently and viciously than it seems ever before.
2. Where is this battle really at?
The above example of this flood of evil are only the symptoms of the root of the problem. Much energy, thoughts, discussions, prayers are all focused on the symptoms and are forgetful that without cutting away the roots of the problems there will be no solution nor remedy to this flood. Just as when an actual river floods from a dam breaking or a downpour of rain; until those water sources are stopped or cease, the flood will not subside. So it is with the source that keeps the symptoms occurring. The sources of the flood of evil are sin, self and Satan.
Sin - 'all have sinned and come short of the glory of God'; It is this recognition that men know and understand that they are not good, they are not 'okay'. But born into this world we are given to sin, our flesh fails us. Our hearts are evil and follow after sin easily enough. It is only when sin is revealed and that men understand they need help to be delivered from sin, that they can find a shut off valve to the source of the flood of evil. The remedy for sin is the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. So long as men do not receive Christ as their Savior and Lord, sin has a root that continues to feed every lust, desire, thought and word that is anti-God.
Self - men are more lovers of self than God; it is that nature of sin with self that compels us to continue to seek for selfish desires, fulfillment and direction. Self always leads away from God. When one comes to Christ, he must die to self; must die to sin in order that the source of evil might be cut off so that roots of righteousness, holiness and faith might grow. But it is quite evident that many that proclaim that they are Christians, have not died to self, and therefore the flood of evil is still continuing. This failure to die to self allows for the water to continue to flow.
Satan- that old crafty enemy is always preying upon God's people; he is not worried about the lost, he already controls them. 'But as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour,' Satan is pursuing the Christian. And because he knows man so well he uses sin and self to tempt them, to try them and to persuade them to give in. But as Christ put down Satan all three attacks, so we must defeat him in the same way. Satan cannot have a foot hold lest the flood of evil continue. He is the one that breaks the dam wide open to cause the flooding.
3. What is the response of the church?
God promised that when evil would raise its ugly head, that God would raise up a standard against it. The question for us to answer or examine is what is this standard and what does it look like.
First, we must recognize the source of this flood, which we have identified in the previous section. Granted, there is far more details and descriptions that can be addressed and spelled out, but it is enough for our purpose here. The understanding of this is crucial for we are aware by Scripture, 'we are not wrestling flesh and blood, but against priniciplaties, against pwoer, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places'. This is where the conflict is fought and won. I repeat, it is not against the symptons of the flood of evil; but rather, at its source.
Christ demonstrated His victory over Satan's temptations as a means for us. On all three occasions of temptation, Christ quoted the Word and refuted and refused Satan. So our weapon of warfare is the Word of God, it is a Sword. It is an offensive weapon to combat and defeat the enemy. Christ had been days in prayer to be dead to flesh but powerful in Spirit. Prayer is what saturates the Word with power from on high. I feel that many invoke the Word without power in prevailing prayer and it fails to accomplish God's intended purposes of victory. Many a solider claims a promise from the Word, but does not prevail due to lack of prayer.
We are to tear down the strongholds that are rooted in these evils of our day. They are in multiple places to be found. Thoughts, intents, words, deeds/actions, in society, traditions, religion, are some of the places that show forth as strongholds in the hearts, souls and lives of many. And only there when the strongholds are torn down and removed will there be victory.
There is a lesson here to be taught and learned by the church. God is willing to show us what is going on and hwo to deal with it. Not all the church is aware or alarmed at what is going on. It seems to often they are never alarmed until it hits home. But it is happening in rapid form and it does require for the church to recognize it and teach it to their flocks to be aware. A warning of this threat should be admonished to the brethren for what is happening and its consequences if it continues. Satans activities, plans and ways should be made aware to the body fo Christ to stand against him. 'We are not ignorant of his devices', but I would say the church of today is very ignorant of Satan's activities.
When Satan has his minions holding a soul, holding a region, a place by their evil power, and prayer is made against this evil and no victory is seen or had; then we know that 'this kind can come forth by nothing but prayer and fasting'. Oftern our failure is in not understanding nor knowing what we are dealing with nor how to deal with it. We must discern and know and be obedient to the 'heavenly calling' that God puts upon us to stop this flood of evil.
Failure by the church to do these things, allows for the flood to continue. It permits the evil to grow, taking more souls with it than it should have. Satan is not stupid. He knows if the church, if families are not praying, then he has free access. He has an inroad on the unprotected souls. Herein is our failure to a great extent. We have lost enough ground, enough souls, enough time. We must return to the 'old paths' and stop this flood of evil before our entire nation is swept away into destruction. Time is eveything with this truth. We have sqaundered enough, and now we are in crisis mode for the souls of our loved ones, and the soul of our nation and future.
"Arise my beloved and be doing'
until,
dan
Began:
11/19/13
Edited: 11/20/13
11/21/13
"When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." Isaiah 59:19
In this day and age, we are seeing more evil of the worst kind happening than we ever have before. All around us, across our nation, in our homes, in our churches, it is all around us. This verse is for our direction and admonishment as the church and servants of our Lord. Far too often, many develop a great fear that isolates and removes them from the conflict. Others lose hope when they see the swelling of the flood waters of evil. But this verse is a promise for us, that when such times come, and we are in these times, that God will raise up a standard to counter and contend with the forces of hell and the flood of evil.
1. What is this flood of evil?
--Let me give you an example from just this month of November, 2013; Murder-suicides have triple to their normal pace in our country. Grisly, evil murders of multiple family and friends at one time. Just in the last week: 4 dead in Phoenix; 4 dead in Boston (including two babies); 4 dead in New York City; VA state senator's son stabs his father, critically wounding him and then shoots himself (a failed attempt of murder-suicide); These are all recent cases of that which has been much before me for two years. This is an increased evil apart from but similar to the rise of suicides and homicides in our land. The enemy comes to destroy, and he is destroying the fabric of our land in the homes through this tragedy of murder-suicide.
--younger generation being swept out into darkness; their choices, lifestyles all products of evil damage and impact them for the rest of their days; From drugs, alcohol, sexual sins, music and materialism all impacting them for years to come. It has been a literal evil cancer eating away at what should be our next generation of hope. Hope is being diminished by so many being destroyed before they have the opportunity to make a difference in homes, our nation and our churches.
--drugs and alcohol is an evil of convenience; It is amazing to see and study how Satan over the decades has made these two sins to be so prevalent in the lives of the majority of our younger generation. From high school to college there is a constant state of health, emotional and long-lasting affects upon them for their usage of these sins. Death, nervous system, mental capacity, abuse and other affects are detrimental to our young ones. All passed down and access granted by the previous generation. The access to these things in each city and location is so easy and accommodating to this younger generation. Money is not an object, access is no problem, limit is uncontrolled but the damage is unseen in the moment. Each week at our local college there is a report of 1 to 2 alcohol poisoning calls, on a campus around 2000 students.. Last week a 25 yr. old drug overdose death, and multiple more affects left unreported are happening each day. This reflection of our local area is only multiplied by bigger cities and other areas in our nation. It is destroying us from the inside out.
--Lust, sexual sins and flesh are another evil ravaging through homes, our nation, churches and families; I have said often over the last several months, that with all the legalizing of same sex marriage, a nation working to promote sexual sins as normal that I do not know of a family that is not affected with adultery, divorce, homosexuality, fornication and other sexual sins of abuse. Again, where God is absent from the hearts, homes and heads of a people, sin, self and Satan comes barrelling right in as a flood to sweep them away to destruction.
--Family - we have seen the erosion of 'family' in our nation over these last several decades; I can remember as a teenager hearing James Dobson, lead Focus on the Family, making the church awarre of the reality we are not living in. Marriages being torn by adultery, divorce, abuse. Relationships of children to parents all victims of a society of self and sin, causing great rifts between that which was meant to be love. Money, time and routines tearing away from family time, creating those that live in the same home to be as strangers. Satan seeking to destroy the Christian homes more violently and viciously than it seems ever before.
2. Where is this battle really at?
The above example of this flood of evil are only the symptoms of the root of the problem. Much energy, thoughts, discussions, prayers are all focused on the symptoms and are forgetful that without cutting away the roots of the problems there will be no solution nor remedy to this flood. Just as when an actual river floods from a dam breaking or a downpour of rain; until those water sources are stopped or cease, the flood will not subside. So it is with the source that keeps the symptoms occurring. The sources of the flood of evil are sin, self and Satan.
Sin - 'all have sinned and come short of the glory of God'; It is this recognition that men know and understand that they are not good, they are not 'okay'. But born into this world we are given to sin, our flesh fails us. Our hearts are evil and follow after sin easily enough. It is only when sin is revealed and that men understand they need help to be delivered from sin, that they can find a shut off valve to the source of the flood of evil. The remedy for sin is the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. So long as men do not receive Christ as their Savior and Lord, sin has a root that continues to feed every lust, desire, thought and word that is anti-God.
Self - men are more lovers of self than God; it is that nature of sin with self that compels us to continue to seek for selfish desires, fulfillment and direction. Self always leads away from God. When one comes to Christ, he must die to self; must die to sin in order that the source of evil might be cut off so that roots of righteousness, holiness and faith might grow. But it is quite evident that many that proclaim that they are Christians, have not died to self, and therefore the flood of evil is still continuing. This failure to die to self allows for the water to continue to flow.
Satan- that old crafty enemy is always preying upon God's people; he is not worried about the lost, he already controls them. 'But as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour,' Satan is pursuing the Christian. And because he knows man so well he uses sin and self to tempt them, to try them and to persuade them to give in. But as Christ put down Satan all three attacks, so we must defeat him in the same way. Satan cannot have a foot hold lest the flood of evil continue. He is the one that breaks the dam wide open to cause the flooding.
3. What is the response of the church?
God promised that when evil would raise its ugly head, that God would raise up a standard against it. The question for us to answer or examine is what is this standard and what does it look like.
First, we must recognize the source of this flood, which we have identified in the previous section. Granted, there is far more details and descriptions that can be addressed and spelled out, but it is enough for our purpose here. The understanding of this is crucial for we are aware by Scripture, 'we are not wrestling flesh and blood, but against priniciplaties, against pwoer, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places'. This is where the conflict is fought and won. I repeat, it is not against the symptons of the flood of evil; but rather, at its source.
Christ demonstrated His victory over Satan's temptations as a means for us. On all three occasions of temptation, Christ quoted the Word and refuted and refused Satan. So our weapon of warfare is the Word of God, it is a Sword. It is an offensive weapon to combat and defeat the enemy. Christ had been days in prayer to be dead to flesh but powerful in Spirit. Prayer is what saturates the Word with power from on high. I feel that many invoke the Word without power in prevailing prayer and it fails to accomplish God's intended purposes of victory. Many a solider claims a promise from the Word, but does not prevail due to lack of prayer.
We are to tear down the strongholds that are rooted in these evils of our day. They are in multiple places to be found. Thoughts, intents, words, deeds/actions, in society, traditions, religion, are some of the places that show forth as strongholds in the hearts, souls and lives of many. And only there when the strongholds are torn down and removed will there be victory.
There is a lesson here to be taught and learned by the church. God is willing to show us what is going on and hwo to deal with it. Not all the church is aware or alarmed at what is going on. It seems to often they are never alarmed until it hits home. But it is happening in rapid form and it does require for the church to recognize it and teach it to their flocks to be aware. A warning of this threat should be admonished to the brethren for what is happening and its consequences if it continues. Satans activities, plans and ways should be made aware to the body fo Christ to stand against him. 'We are not ignorant of his devices', but I would say the church of today is very ignorant of Satan's activities.
When Satan has his minions holding a soul, holding a region, a place by their evil power, and prayer is made against this evil and no victory is seen or had; then we know that 'this kind can come forth by nothing but prayer and fasting'. Oftern our failure is in not understanding nor knowing what we are dealing with nor how to deal with it. We must discern and know and be obedient to the 'heavenly calling' that God puts upon us to stop this flood of evil.
Failure by the church to do these things, allows for the flood to continue. It permits the evil to grow, taking more souls with it than it should have. Satan is not stupid. He knows if the church, if families are not praying, then he has free access. He has an inroad on the unprotected souls. Herein is our failure to a great extent. We have lost enough ground, enough souls, enough time. We must return to the 'old paths' and stop this flood of evil before our entire nation is swept away into destruction. Time is eveything with this truth. We have sqaundered enough, and now we are in crisis mode for the souls of our loved ones, and the soul of our nation and future.
"Arise my beloved and be doing'
until,
dan
Began:
11/19/13
Edited: 11/20/13
11/21/13
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
A CALL TO PRAYER - my observation
This is a rough draft of my observation of what took place. It is also my thoughts on what needs to be done following this time. I will proof read and update as time permits
Greetings,
SBC - A CALL TO PRAYER FOR SEPTEMBER 30 - OCTOBER 1; AT DALLAS, TX
I am going to attempt to share what happeneed during this time of prayer, what needed to happen and what may be the product from this time. My observation of prayer times is definitely not the same as others. And my definitions are more critical of our approach, participation and results of such said prayer times.
1. The Overall coniditons of what took place;
I believe the final registration of this was at 177 SBC pastors. Ronnie Floyd was the over-all pastor that was led to set this up and implement such a time of prayer. This came from 5 pastors who met and visited the Billy Grahams' the Cove and upon seeing the crusade pictures and history in that place were generally moved of our great need of a revival for our day. All these pastors know that prayer is the only way in which this is to happen. And out of that moment came this event. (An event - a given place, time and happening to accomplish a direct purpose) (A Divine moment - orchestrated by God for His purposes) It is unclear yet whether this was an event or a Divine moment. I believe this will depend on our response. No doubt, God is willing and able to work out of such an event to accomplish His purposes. And it will be revealed in time whether this was a Divine moment or not. I believe we have had many an event, and missed the Divine One in His fullness for what He was wanting and longing to do.
It is an historic moment that is without question. I have issued 'A Call to Pray' for 6 years among my brethren. The Broken Before the Throne conferences, although touted by spiritual giants as 'exactly what we need' was never embraced nor implemented among the churches, assocations, states or convention. I have issued 3 motions on the SBC floor for such moments to be embraced where we cried out to God. Only to be told through legalities that my motion was out of order, or voted down. I sat there thinking Monday night as the prayer times were happening, 'what if they would have gave heed 5 years ago? How much difference would that have made for our churches, nation, families?' But, alas, it was not heeded. But alas, how much more shame to me, for not giving heed sooner in my life to be all to Him as well. Ah, the endless torrment of regrets. But to see this come to pass and so many with the same desire and burden it was a joy to know that God is able. TW Hunt always reminded me, 'Dan, there is always a remnant.' This was the remnant present here. And not just here, we heard and knew of others that were praying with us and for us. This was a wide spread happening across our nation for this 'call to pray'.
2. I have been in, led, and participated in numerous prayer conferences, meetings, telephone conference calls, and corporate settings. So for me, the structure of what happens is important. I told Ronnie Floyd in an email when learning about this call to prayer that I was not willing to pay for a flight, hotel to come and do worship, and hear messagees and pray very little, if at all. He assured me that we would be praying and giving our time to prayer.
Breakdown of time:
Monday night - time was set for 6:30 to 10 PM - 3 and 1/2 hours for prayer;
Tuesday morning was time from 8:30 AM to Noon - again 3 and 1/2 hours; Total 7 hours to pray
Here is the general break down of how things went:
Monday night - Singing - 40 minutes Messages - 7(?) speakers, 88 minutes Prayer - 61 minutes ( 15 minutes at the very end of the evning over two with cancer - Dave and Josh Smith's wife were prayed for healing)
Tuesday morning - no singing;(thank the Lord) Messages - 5 speakers, 52 minutes; Prayer - 42 minutes;
Conclusion given to prayer for the nations and following a time giving to share what the Lord had said to them during this time.
(As you can see in the math, I don't have every minute accounted for. And again that was not my purpose, it was to gauge how much time was spent on prayer)
Out of 7 and 1/2 hours, roughly 2 hours was given to prayer;
3. How was the praying?
--there was humilty; men got down on their knees and some prostrate; a very refreshing time;
--the praying was correct, praying rightly; it was not humanistic, or religious, but urgent, desperate and with passion;
--everybody there was participating, unity was experienced in this; WE all sensed and knew why we was there.
--there was worship, confession, pleading, supplications, petitions and thanksgiving;
--coverage of the prayers topics included - pastors, churches, nation, nations, and pleading for revival;
--there was tears, sorrow and great longing of desire; Tears, not fostered, or emotinoal, but pure heart of spiritual are great revealer of God in the midst.
4. What was missing that I was looking for?
--a 'crying out' - I have been in those prayer times, and there was a fullness of those gathered they everyone knew their high offense against God and pleaded for His mercy; weeping and sorrow for our failures; a labor of travilaing in prayer was in essence of what I was looking for; And it seemed everytime prayer was offered and there was a ' spirit of prayer' from the one praying, that it ws immediately broken by the music and they went to singing. I believe that in a spirit of prevailing prayer needs to be maintained and continous til we 'punch' through to His glory. I believe that the start/stop method does not allow for a 'pray withou ceasing'. Actually it such start/stop praying 'restrains' the Spirit of God.
--'we are here til it comes' attitude; 'Go into Jerusalem and wait until you be enuded' no one asked how long, they just did it. We have the 'fighting up stream' problem of being too busy, and schedules. This time was so needed and the call for it was great. But our time restraint hurts us in pursuing. We have all faced the task of how to deal with this.
The word that is often removed from prayer meetings or prayer time is 'protracted prayer times'. Which is extended periods of time before the Lord. How short, how quick, how faint are most prayer times today. They are little, therefore they accomplish little. And we just can't or won't do it. And with our predicament upon us, it may be the needed time to finally get to that place - "Lord, I'm not leaving till you come'. Soemone quoted Jonathan Edwards 'call to pray' book title, and in that title is the key, 'extraordinary'.
Such protracted and extraordianry prayer times is the Divine answer for prevailing in prayer.
5. What did I take away from this time of prayer?
Ronnie asked several to share what God was saying to them during this time. Most of those was good to hear.
AS many of you know, I keep a notebook with me at all times to write down what the Lord is saying, so I don't forget or miss it. Too many times I have missed it and later forgotten because I didn't write it down.
1. At 9 pm last night Steve Gaines was leading in prayer and he was confessing sins of pastors - pride, identity, discontent jealousy, envy and unbelief; During this prayer time as I was searching the Lord spoke to me on my own heart, my own self, my own sins - 'I will not protect you anymore' - a stark rebuke for me to quit playing games and no the high costs of any and all sins in my thoughts, ways, actions, words and deeds
2. The second time of prayer at 9:33 following James Merritt;
I think the one biggest struggle I have in my own personal walk, prayer and spiritual understanding is 'Time'; And again, the one thing I know I need to do more of but have not done, is 'ONe thing to die too - Time'; it is not my time, but Yours O Lord.
I thought much about this throughout the rest of the night - Time! How it stung over and over like a snake bit, a bee sting - wasted time, foolish time, gesturing on time but all of it lost for vanity and self. I thought of the man in Zion, Illinois that Ravenhill mentioned Rex Andrews that prayed for 30 years from 10 Pm to 5 am interceding for the united States and died Feb. 1 1976 when Jimmy Carter took over. WE have been in free fall ever since then. OH, I know things were going down since the 1950's, but we released the emergency break in 1976 and started to free fall then. I'm not going to argue it, its just a fact. And probably more so, it is becasue it is my lifetime. I can't answer for the 50's because i wasn't born yet. But I can answer for the 80's to present. And I will answer before the Lord. 'What did you do with what time I gave you, while you was there?' Woe is me!!
If none pleads, I will plead. I will not allow for the Lord to speak His truth, 'I sought for a man but could not find one'. while I have breath. This is my greatest passion and longing.
What needs to happen now?
This spirit of prayer needs to continue in greater opporutnities and settings.
It was said several times this is what the SBC convention needs to look like. Did I not make a motion the last 3 out o fthe last 5 years? Did I not work with presidnets, executive committee and parlimentarian to do it right? Did I not appeal that it needed done after the convention business hours were done at 9 PM? There are numerous ways this could be done. But are they talking? or are they serious about it being done?
Pastor's Conferece - time can be built within the conference for not only sound, Spirit filled preaching, but also time of corporate prayer; and if that is not enough to really devleop a time to pray then proceed at 9 PM on Sunday and Monday night to 'cry out'. Especially on Monday night before the convention begins. If we prevail Monday night, the convention will be different all the way around.
SBC Convention - business and parlimentary procedures must be done; however, I believe it to be foolish to have that many pastors and convention leaders together and not pray. What a waste of time and opporutnity! Excuses - 'we have meetings', 'we have fellowship time' Hey folks, the nation is sinking, the church is imploding and families are exploding - its time to make the main thing the main thing. Pray while we are together. This is why they call it 'extraordianry prayer' for such seasons and such a time as this!
And as I have said before the SBC wants to seek and get God's blessing on our agendas. But how can the Lord be glorified and bless sin. Yes we need to confess before the Lord. We have not been the people God wanted us to be. We need to acknoweldge this, repent, confess and plead with the Lord for all our pride, humanism and selishness. Many a pastor, leader, and memeber do not know what it is to be specific in confession. This time together allows for it to be so.
Conclusion - This was a great time. A Needed time. It accomplished a good format to present a need before us. We all knew why we was there. There was no lack of clarity of our situation in this day and time. That same passion in all of us is needed for more to join.
until,
dan
Greetings,
SBC - A CALL TO PRAYER FOR SEPTEMBER 30 - OCTOBER 1; AT DALLAS, TX
I am going to attempt to share what happeneed during this time of prayer, what needed to happen and what may be the product from this time. My observation of prayer times is definitely not the same as others. And my definitions are more critical of our approach, participation and results of such said prayer times.
1. The Overall coniditons of what took place;
I believe the final registration of this was at 177 SBC pastors. Ronnie Floyd was the over-all pastor that was led to set this up and implement such a time of prayer. This came from 5 pastors who met and visited the Billy Grahams' the Cove and upon seeing the crusade pictures and history in that place were generally moved of our great need of a revival for our day. All these pastors know that prayer is the only way in which this is to happen. And out of that moment came this event. (An event - a given place, time and happening to accomplish a direct purpose) (A Divine moment - orchestrated by God for His purposes) It is unclear yet whether this was an event or a Divine moment. I believe this will depend on our response. No doubt, God is willing and able to work out of such an event to accomplish His purposes. And it will be revealed in time whether this was a Divine moment or not. I believe we have had many an event, and missed the Divine One in His fullness for what He was wanting and longing to do.
It is an historic moment that is without question. I have issued 'A Call to Pray' for 6 years among my brethren. The Broken Before the Throne conferences, although touted by spiritual giants as 'exactly what we need' was never embraced nor implemented among the churches, assocations, states or convention. I have issued 3 motions on the SBC floor for such moments to be embraced where we cried out to God. Only to be told through legalities that my motion was out of order, or voted down. I sat there thinking Monday night as the prayer times were happening, 'what if they would have gave heed 5 years ago? How much difference would that have made for our churches, nation, families?' But, alas, it was not heeded. But alas, how much more shame to me, for not giving heed sooner in my life to be all to Him as well. Ah, the endless torrment of regrets. But to see this come to pass and so many with the same desire and burden it was a joy to know that God is able. TW Hunt always reminded me, 'Dan, there is always a remnant.' This was the remnant present here. And not just here, we heard and knew of others that were praying with us and for us. This was a wide spread happening across our nation for this 'call to pray'.
2. I have been in, led, and participated in numerous prayer conferences, meetings, telephone conference calls, and corporate settings. So for me, the structure of what happens is important. I told Ronnie Floyd in an email when learning about this call to prayer that I was not willing to pay for a flight, hotel to come and do worship, and hear messagees and pray very little, if at all. He assured me that we would be praying and giving our time to prayer.
Breakdown of time:
Monday night - time was set for 6:30 to 10 PM - 3 and 1/2 hours for prayer;
Tuesday morning was time from 8:30 AM to Noon - again 3 and 1/2 hours; Total 7 hours to pray
Here is the general break down of how things went:
Monday night - Singing - 40 minutes Messages - 7(?) speakers, 88 minutes Prayer - 61 minutes ( 15 minutes at the very end of the evning over two with cancer - Dave and Josh Smith's wife were prayed for healing)
Tuesday morning - no singing;(thank the Lord) Messages - 5 speakers, 52 minutes; Prayer - 42 minutes;
Conclusion given to prayer for the nations and following a time giving to share what the Lord had said to them during this time.
(As you can see in the math, I don't have every minute accounted for. And again that was not my purpose, it was to gauge how much time was spent on prayer)
Out of 7 and 1/2 hours, roughly 2 hours was given to prayer;
3. How was the praying?
--there was humilty; men got down on their knees and some prostrate; a very refreshing time;
--the praying was correct, praying rightly; it was not humanistic, or religious, but urgent, desperate and with passion;
--everybody there was participating, unity was experienced in this; WE all sensed and knew why we was there.
--there was worship, confession, pleading, supplications, petitions and thanksgiving;
--coverage of the prayers topics included - pastors, churches, nation, nations, and pleading for revival;
--there was tears, sorrow and great longing of desire; Tears, not fostered, or emotinoal, but pure heart of spiritual are great revealer of God in the midst.
4. What was missing that I was looking for?
--a 'crying out' - I have been in those prayer times, and there was a fullness of those gathered they everyone knew their high offense against God and pleaded for His mercy; weeping and sorrow for our failures; a labor of travilaing in prayer was in essence of what I was looking for; And it seemed everytime prayer was offered and there was a ' spirit of prayer' from the one praying, that it ws immediately broken by the music and they went to singing. I believe that in a spirit of prevailing prayer needs to be maintained and continous til we 'punch' through to His glory. I believe that the start/stop method does not allow for a 'pray withou ceasing'. Actually it such start/stop praying 'restrains' the Spirit of God.
--'we are here til it comes' attitude; 'Go into Jerusalem and wait until you be enuded' no one asked how long, they just did it. We have the 'fighting up stream' problem of being too busy, and schedules. This time was so needed and the call for it was great. But our time restraint hurts us in pursuing. We have all faced the task of how to deal with this.
The word that is often removed from prayer meetings or prayer time is 'protracted prayer times'. Which is extended periods of time before the Lord. How short, how quick, how faint are most prayer times today. They are little, therefore they accomplish little. And we just can't or won't do it. And with our predicament upon us, it may be the needed time to finally get to that place - "Lord, I'm not leaving till you come'. Soemone quoted Jonathan Edwards 'call to pray' book title, and in that title is the key, 'extraordinary'.
Such protracted and extraordianry prayer times is the Divine answer for prevailing in prayer.
5. What did I take away from this time of prayer?
Ronnie asked several to share what God was saying to them during this time. Most of those was good to hear.
AS many of you know, I keep a notebook with me at all times to write down what the Lord is saying, so I don't forget or miss it. Too many times I have missed it and later forgotten because I didn't write it down.
1. At 9 pm last night Steve Gaines was leading in prayer and he was confessing sins of pastors - pride, identity, discontent jealousy, envy and unbelief; During this prayer time as I was searching the Lord spoke to me on my own heart, my own self, my own sins - 'I will not protect you anymore' - a stark rebuke for me to quit playing games and no the high costs of any and all sins in my thoughts, ways, actions, words and deeds
2. The second time of prayer at 9:33 following James Merritt;
I think the one biggest struggle I have in my own personal walk, prayer and spiritual understanding is 'Time'; And again, the one thing I know I need to do more of but have not done, is 'ONe thing to die too - Time'; it is not my time, but Yours O Lord.
I thought much about this throughout the rest of the night - Time! How it stung over and over like a snake bit, a bee sting - wasted time, foolish time, gesturing on time but all of it lost for vanity and self. I thought of the man in Zion, Illinois that Ravenhill mentioned Rex Andrews that prayed for 30 years from 10 Pm to 5 am interceding for the united States and died Feb. 1 1976 when Jimmy Carter took over. WE have been in free fall ever since then. OH, I know things were going down since the 1950's, but we released the emergency break in 1976 and started to free fall then. I'm not going to argue it, its just a fact. And probably more so, it is becasue it is my lifetime. I can't answer for the 50's because i wasn't born yet. But I can answer for the 80's to present. And I will answer before the Lord. 'What did you do with what time I gave you, while you was there?' Woe is me!!
If none pleads, I will plead. I will not allow for the Lord to speak His truth, 'I sought for a man but could not find one'. while I have breath. This is my greatest passion and longing.
What needs to happen now?
This spirit of prayer needs to continue in greater opporutnities and settings.
It was said several times this is what the SBC convention needs to look like. Did I not make a motion the last 3 out o fthe last 5 years? Did I not work with presidnets, executive committee and parlimentarian to do it right? Did I not appeal that it needed done after the convention business hours were done at 9 PM? There are numerous ways this could be done. But are they talking? or are they serious about it being done?
Pastor's Conferece - time can be built within the conference for not only sound, Spirit filled preaching, but also time of corporate prayer; and if that is not enough to really devleop a time to pray then proceed at 9 PM on Sunday and Monday night to 'cry out'. Especially on Monday night before the convention begins. If we prevail Monday night, the convention will be different all the way around.
SBC Convention - business and parlimentary procedures must be done; however, I believe it to be foolish to have that many pastors and convention leaders together and not pray. What a waste of time and opporutnity! Excuses - 'we have meetings', 'we have fellowship time' Hey folks, the nation is sinking, the church is imploding and families are exploding - its time to make the main thing the main thing. Pray while we are together. This is why they call it 'extraordianry prayer' for such seasons and such a time as this!
And as I have said before the SBC wants to seek and get God's blessing on our agendas. But how can the Lord be glorified and bless sin. Yes we need to confess before the Lord. We have not been the people God wanted us to be. We need to acknoweldge this, repent, confess and plead with the Lord for all our pride, humanism and selishness. Many a pastor, leader, and memeber do not know what it is to be specific in confession. This time together allows for it to be so.
Conclusion - This was a great time. A Needed time. It accomplished a good format to present a need before us. We all knew why we was there. There was no lack of clarity of our situation in this day and time. That same passion in all of us is needed for more to join.
until,
dan
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
A LETTER TO THE TASK FORCE ON EVANGELISTIC IMPACT & DECLINING BAPTISMS
An Open Letter to the Task Force assembled by NAMB for studying the recent report of declining baptisms in the SBC:
September 25, 2013
Greetings,
The recent baptism numbers from the SBC 2012 ACP reports continue to show the decline of our impact on our nation. A continued state of decline has been in the reflection of these numbers for some time. The church in North America, as a whole Christian body, from many different denominations are experiencing the same thing. Yet at the heart of our interest I know this task force is set to discuss and examine these issues and problem solve for answers. There must be a need to ask some hard questions and face the truth of hard answers in such matters that are eternal for over 300 million souls under our watchcare.
Allow me to share this word with you on several passages that answer this for us and their relationship to our present church and Christian living today. The conclusion will offer the proper response from Scripture that will allow for us to not delay any further time in reaching the lost before it is eternally too late for them.
Here are 3 Scripture references:
1. I Samuel 4:20 - 22: "And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it. v. 21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. v. 22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel; for the ark of God is taken."
The glory is departed! One of the worst things in recent days is the elevation of humanism to answer for what only God can do. We have been notorious for coming up with and trying to implement humanistic ways for Divine redemption. We have been deluded for a long time on numbers answering our spiritual questions. What good does it do to have high baptismal rates, so long as the church is carnal? What good is baptisms when huge numbers of these being counted are those being re-baptized? What happened the first time we baptized them? was they saved or not?
Duncan Campbell said of the 1949 Hebrides Revival and those that were born again in that mighty revival: "We know nothing of back-slidiing". Isn't that what we want? For a soul that has been baptized, our desire is that they live for, and even willing to die for the Lord. And that they are to be exactly what the Scripture says, 'Old things are past away and behold, all things become new'. But we do not see this way of life in many of these that have been 'baptized'. We see false conversions, false repentance, if any repentance is at all demonstrated or spoken of. Most of these issues are happening because of one thing 'the glory of the Lord has departed'.
Note in verse 20 her response, 'she answered not' and 'she regarded it not'. This shows a defeated and apathy. The sadness of our apathy is that for many church members, pastors and leaders this is their response to our current dilemma in our nation. Many have forgotten that we will be called into question before the Lord on whether 'we sounded the trumpet or not and warned them'. Many will have blood on their hands before the judgment seat of Christ. Numerous reasons have plagued the body of Christ over these things, none of which should be a mystery to us:
--we have settled down in our respective ministries;
--we have lost the great weapon of prevailing prayer;
--we have neglected to study to show ourselves approved unto God;
--we are ashamed and do not witness daily for our Lord;
All these points are issues in regards to proper Christian discipline. But it is revealed over and over that these privileges, responsibilities and disciplines are not done by many in the pulpits, and pews of our churches. And because we have 'left our first love' we have done the 4 things Scripture commanded us not to do to His Holy Spirit:
1. grieve not the Holy Spirit; Eph. 4:30
2. limit not the Holy One; Psalm 78:41
3. quench not the Holy Spirit; I Thess. 5:19
4. resist not the Holy Spirit; Acts 7:51
Herein is our greatest problem, 'the glory of the Lord is departed'. Removed all together? Of course not, we still see God's merciful and gracious hand in our midst. We still know His voice in worship services and our preparation in service to Him. He is still beckoning and calling, praise His Name. But with the rise of evil and advancement of the darkness in our land, homes and hearts we need the fullness of the Holy Spirit, and it is not evident in our midst as in seasons of revival and refreshing. We desperately need the glory of the Lord to come in power and redemption.
2. Isaiah 59:1, 2: "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. v. 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear."
To simply blame the Lord, that it is not His desire nor willingness to 'seek and save the lost' will not do. WE know fully by His Word that His desire is greater than anything we have ever known to see the lost be saved. We must be honest that the Lord's desire to see the lost rescued has not diminished nor ever will diminish. The fault of the lostness is not on the Lord, it is on us. And in these verses it is declared that God's power stays the same as it has always been. But something else has changed - us. The root of the problem is found in our sins and our iniquities.
In leading prayer meetings in many SBC churches and dealing with pastors and prayer groups, I find this to be a critical issue. Most of the time it is not dealt with - the 'confession of sin'. WE are vague, proud, self-righteous and blind to the root of the problem. We still believe we can fix it. This pride and arrogance prohibits us from humbling ourselves and being broken before the Lord. It is the devil's ploy to keep us such, lest we come to Calvary and their lay our sins. Some of you may have been under Bertha Smith's teaching and leading of prayer meetings. And as she and the other missionaries dealt with their sin in China, then they found the Lord's power and Presence flowing again. She brought that home to the United States and for the last years of her ministry served by telling so many to lists their sins and confess and repent of them before the Lord. It is very rare and hard to find these days for the church to deal with specific sins. But as the verses says, this is what has separated us from the Lord.
Are we truly willing to move forward? Are we really willing to see God break forth upon us, as His Church? Then we need to go down and humble ourselves. We really need to stop quoting II Chronicles 7:14 until we get the first objective done, 'if My people humble themselves. . . .' Then we are going to have to let the Lord reveal our iniquities to us so that we might be rid of them in His blood and mercy.
3. Luke 24:49, "And, behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high."
And here again we see the need to understand our labor and work for the kingdom of heaven is not found in the arm of flesh, it is in Him and Him alone.
--'I can do all things through Christ Jesus which strengthens me';
--'that which is impossible with men, is possible with God';
--'But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, that He is a rewarder of them that seek Him.'
--'and when the Holy Ghost is come. . . '
All these references point us back to the truth of our power - it is in the Lord alone.
Now I must address this here and I do it so that we might rid ourselves of it. VP Gilbert's quote for the Baptist Press:
"we must pray and think through what we can and should do to turn around this decline"
What 'we can and should do'? to often when listening to prayers and declarations among leaders I hear this humanism streaming forth. It is affecting us to greater lengths than I have time to address here. But simply to point it out to this group, 'we can do nothing' but He can do all things. Now I know that some are thinking or saying, 'but God uses human agents for His kingdoms' business.' Granted! I will agree 100% with that. But will you agree that the human agent is only as useful and blessed in his labors as he has given and surrendered himself to the Lord's will and way? Meaning that we can put a Bible in every North American hand; we can talk to them about their eternity and prevail nothing. But the soul that is endued with power on high can go and do wonderful things for the kingdom. It matters about waiting and being endued with power from on high.
DL Moody was angered at the two women that said they were praying for him to be endued with power. He thought he was! But when he humbled himself and got alone with God, the Holy Spirit came upon him in fulness and changed his ministry. He went to England and revival broke out and saw 1000's enter the kingdom of heaven.
This is power of enduement is missing from many a pulpit, many a home, many a church and it is exactly what we need today to push back the darkness and bring forth abundant Light to our nation. 'He must increase, and we must decrease'. Our pronouns have got to change - 'I, me, my, we, us' must cease and 'You, O Lord; He Who is above; the Lord God; the Mighty One; Father' must be our reference.
RESPONSE:
It is not too late for our nation. We have been under judgment for a while now and it will continue and deepen in its impact to our nation. All this judgment is because we left our first love. We must get back to Biblical principles and lifestyles. We must cut out the carnal, repent of the superficial Christianity and surrender whole-heartedly unto the Lord while there is still time. There must be a unified statement and approach from this task force and SBC leadership to humble themselves before the Lord; we must not only recognize and confess the sins that has been legalized in this land, but also in our ways of worship, duties, ministry and daily lifestyles. We must present ourselves before the Lord that we have thought we could do what only He can do in a vessel that is emptied and 'meet for the Master's use'. WE must die to self and live for Him as He desires us to, no matter what the costs.
Our sins have costs us so much! Our time is short before His hand is outstretched upon this nation to humble it for its arrogance and pride. We can stay that wrath by remembering the great prayer, 'in wrath remember mercy, O Lord'. If we truly desire to 330 million souls reached, we need God. We need Him to come down in fullness upon His church and revive us again.
'Revive us again, fill each heart with Thy love; May each soul be rekindled with fire from above'
'If God be for us, who can be against us'?
until,
dan biser
rdbiser@live.com
September 25, 2013
Greetings,
The recent baptism numbers from the SBC 2012 ACP reports continue to show the decline of our impact on our nation. A continued state of decline has been in the reflection of these numbers for some time. The church in North America, as a whole Christian body, from many different denominations are experiencing the same thing. Yet at the heart of our interest I know this task force is set to discuss and examine these issues and problem solve for answers. There must be a need to ask some hard questions and face the truth of hard answers in such matters that are eternal for over 300 million souls under our watchcare.
Allow me to share this word with you on several passages that answer this for us and their relationship to our present church and Christian living today. The conclusion will offer the proper response from Scripture that will allow for us to not delay any further time in reaching the lost before it is eternally too late for them.
Here are 3 Scripture references:
1. I Samuel 4:20 - 22: "And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it. v. 21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. v. 22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel; for the ark of God is taken."
The glory is departed! One of the worst things in recent days is the elevation of humanism to answer for what only God can do. We have been notorious for coming up with and trying to implement humanistic ways for Divine redemption. We have been deluded for a long time on numbers answering our spiritual questions. What good does it do to have high baptismal rates, so long as the church is carnal? What good is baptisms when huge numbers of these being counted are those being re-baptized? What happened the first time we baptized them? was they saved or not?
Duncan Campbell said of the 1949 Hebrides Revival and those that were born again in that mighty revival: "We know nothing of back-slidiing". Isn't that what we want? For a soul that has been baptized, our desire is that they live for, and even willing to die for the Lord. And that they are to be exactly what the Scripture says, 'Old things are past away and behold, all things become new'. But we do not see this way of life in many of these that have been 'baptized'. We see false conversions, false repentance, if any repentance is at all demonstrated or spoken of. Most of these issues are happening because of one thing 'the glory of the Lord has departed'.
Note in verse 20 her response, 'she answered not' and 'she regarded it not'. This shows a defeated and apathy. The sadness of our apathy is that for many church members, pastors and leaders this is their response to our current dilemma in our nation. Many have forgotten that we will be called into question before the Lord on whether 'we sounded the trumpet or not and warned them'. Many will have blood on their hands before the judgment seat of Christ. Numerous reasons have plagued the body of Christ over these things, none of which should be a mystery to us:
--we have settled down in our respective ministries;
--we have lost the great weapon of prevailing prayer;
--we have neglected to study to show ourselves approved unto God;
--we are ashamed and do not witness daily for our Lord;
All these points are issues in regards to proper Christian discipline. But it is revealed over and over that these privileges, responsibilities and disciplines are not done by many in the pulpits, and pews of our churches. And because we have 'left our first love' we have done the 4 things Scripture commanded us not to do to His Holy Spirit:
1. grieve not the Holy Spirit; Eph. 4:30
2. limit not the Holy One; Psalm 78:41
3. quench not the Holy Spirit; I Thess. 5:19
4. resist not the Holy Spirit; Acts 7:51
Herein is our greatest problem, 'the glory of the Lord is departed'. Removed all together? Of course not, we still see God's merciful and gracious hand in our midst. We still know His voice in worship services and our preparation in service to Him. He is still beckoning and calling, praise His Name. But with the rise of evil and advancement of the darkness in our land, homes and hearts we need the fullness of the Holy Spirit, and it is not evident in our midst as in seasons of revival and refreshing. We desperately need the glory of the Lord to come in power and redemption.
2. Isaiah 59:1, 2: "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. v. 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear."
To simply blame the Lord, that it is not His desire nor willingness to 'seek and save the lost' will not do. WE know fully by His Word that His desire is greater than anything we have ever known to see the lost be saved. We must be honest that the Lord's desire to see the lost rescued has not diminished nor ever will diminish. The fault of the lostness is not on the Lord, it is on us. And in these verses it is declared that God's power stays the same as it has always been. But something else has changed - us. The root of the problem is found in our sins and our iniquities.
In leading prayer meetings in many SBC churches and dealing with pastors and prayer groups, I find this to be a critical issue. Most of the time it is not dealt with - the 'confession of sin'. WE are vague, proud, self-righteous and blind to the root of the problem. We still believe we can fix it. This pride and arrogance prohibits us from humbling ourselves and being broken before the Lord. It is the devil's ploy to keep us such, lest we come to Calvary and their lay our sins. Some of you may have been under Bertha Smith's teaching and leading of prayer meetings. And as she and the other missionaries dealt with their sin in China, then they found the Lord's power and Presence flowing again. She brought that home to the United States and for the last years of her ministry served by telling so many to lists their sins and confess and repent of them before the Lord. It is very rare and hard to find these days for the church to deal with specific sins. But as the verses says, this is what has separated us from the Lord.
Are we truly willing to move forward? Are we really willing to see God break forth upon us, as His Church? Then we need to go down and humble ourselves. We really need to stop quoting II Chronicles 7:14 until we get the first objective done, 'if My people humble themselves. . . .' Then we are going to have to let the Lord reveal our iniquities to us so that we might be rid of them in His blood and mercy.
3. Luke 24:49, "And, behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high."
And here again we see the need to understand our labor and work for the kingdom of heaven is not found in the arm of flesh, it is in Him and Him alone.
--'I can do all things through Christ Jesus which strengthens me';
--'that which is impossible with men, is possible with God';
--'But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, that He is a rewarder of them that seek Him.'
--'and when the Holy Ghost is come. . . '
All these references point us back to the truth of our power - it is in the Lord alone.
Now I must address this here and I do it so that we might rid ourselves of it. VP Gilbert's quote for the Baptist Press:
"we must pray and think through what we can and should do to turn around this decline"
What 'we can and should do'? to often when listening to prayers and declarations among leaders I hear this humanism streaming forth. It is affecting us to greater lengths than I have time to address here. But simply to point it out to this group, 'we can do nothing' but He can do all things. Now I know that some are thinking or saying, 'but God uses human agents for His kingdoms' business.' Granted! I will agree 100% with that. But will you agree that the human agent is only as useful and blessed in his labors as he has given and surrendered himself to the Lord's will and way? Meaning that we can put a Bible in every North American hand; we can talk to them about their eternity and prevail nothing. But the soul that is endued with power on high can go and do wonderful things for the kingdom. It matters about waiting and being endued with power from on high.
DL Moody was angered at the two women that said they were praying for him to be endued with power. He thought he was! But when he humbled himself and got alone with God, the Holy Spirit came upon him in fulness and changed his ministry. He went to England and revival broke out and saw 1000's enter the kingdom of heaven.
This is power of enduement is missing from many a pulpit, many a home, many a church and it is exactly what we need today to push back the darkness and bring forth abundant Light to our nation. 'He must increase, and we must decrease'. Our pronouns have got to change - 'I, me, my, we, us' must cease and 'You, O Lord; He Who is above; the Lord God; the Mighty One; Father' must be our reference.
RESPONSE:
It is not too late for our nation. We have been under judgment for a while now and it will continue and deepen in its impact to our nation. All this judgment is because we left our first love. We must get back to Biblical principles and lifestyles. We must cut out the carnal, repent of the superficial Christianity and surrender whole-heartedly unto the Lord while there is still time. There must be a unified statement and approach from this task force and SBC leadership to humble themselves before the Lord; we must not only recognize and confess the sins that has been legalized in this land, but also in our ways of worship, duties, ministry and daily lifestyles. We must present ourselves before the Lord that we have thought we could do what only He can do in a vessel that is emptied and 'meet for the Master's use'. WE must die to self and live for Him as He desires us to, no matter what the costs.
Our sins have costs us so much! Our time is short before His hand is outstretched upon this nation to humble it for its arrogance and pride. We can stay that wrath by remembering the great prayer, 'in wrath remember mercy, O Lord'. If we truly desire to 330 million souls reached, we need God. We need Him to come down in fullness upon His church and revive us again.
'Revive us again, fill each heart with Thy love; May each soul be rekindled with fire from above'
'If God be for us, who can be against us'?
until,
dan biser
rdbiser
Friday, August 23, 2013
DESPISING THE THINGS OF GOD
Despising the things of God due to a wicked heart
"And it came to pass as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michal, the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playhing: and she despised him in her heart." I Chronicles 15:29
David has had a desire to bring up the ark of the covenant into the city. Their first attempt of bringing up the ark failed miserably, and Uzza died. there are several sins in this first attempt that we must recognize. One, the ark of the covenant had been forsaking for years. David even said, 'we did not seek to it during the days of Saul'. It is even worse than that. The last reference to the ark was during the days of Eli, when he and his sons walked contrary to the Lord. And the Lord poured out His wrath on Elig and his two sons died in the battle with the Philistines. The ark was captured, and Eli upon hearing of the news of the ark being captured on top of his sons dying, fell over backwards, broke his neck and died.
Now when the ark returned to Israel due to God plaguing the Philisintes, it came to the city of Bethshemesh. And upon its arrival the people of the city looked into the ark and scores died on that day. On another occasion the ark is being transported, moved in a wrong way, and Uzza puts forth his hand to touch it and God strikes him dead.
Why was She Not with Them in Worship?
Why was one of the queen's not with their king in worship? What does this say about her? about family worship? David is dancing and playing before the Lord with all his heart; and one of his wives are glaring from the windwo with disdain about his actions. Or more probably suited she disdianed him and this was simple a cause to resent him more. But needless to say, her heart was not about God, but about self. She did not honor the Lord, nor her husband, nor herself. But this one act described tells us volumes about her heart and soul, it was not the Lord's but satan's. 'For from the heart proceedeth these things. . .'
And is this not what Jesus said in prophecy and warning to us, 'I came not to bring peace but a sword. And in the house shall be division; two against three and three against two.' And is there not evidence of this all around in the church? Here is a lonely mother, sitting in church all by herself. Where is her husband and children? they do not want to be there, they have no desire for the things of God. They have forsaken the God of their mother.
Why Did She Despise Him in her Heart?
Out of the heart proceeds these things. It is her reaction that we must look at to understand what took place. she is a reflection of responses today all around us. And for some it is the same response that you have toward the things of God, you despise them. It used to be a hard thing to find those who would openly hate, fume and spit at God; but they are becoming more prolific around us. But the things of God are greatly abhorred today. Let us consider as she despised David in her heart, so she was demonstrating her despising of the things of God and Go Himself. This is what David was doing, he was worshipping the Lord before the ark of the covenant, the mercy seat. And she out of the sin of her heart was not out there with him nor worshipping the Lord with him as a faithful wife should have. Yet, she was from her window gazing and observing the worship scene with despising in her heart.
Two things to consider from people today - Despising God and despising the things of God.
1. Despising God -
2. Despising the things of God - the 'things' of God are His ordiances for the church; and the things that proceed from Him to benefit and help us draw night unto Him, learn of Him and know Him. Here are a few of these things of God and there benefits:
--reading the bible; a great advantage to many of us who are able to read and who do have the traslations to glean from; when you consider that 3/4 of the world do not have opporutunity or ability to read the Word, howmuch more precious and responsible should we be; It is a great resource of the Spirit to speak and aid us in our daily walk with Him;
Thus, we can see why Satan would work to make men hate the Word, despise its instructions, because he despise its Author, the HOly ONe. And men who love darkness rather than light demonstrate that same despising for the Word of God. Just watch them agonize, revolt, and refuse on word from the Bible.
--prayer; thousands pray in almost every religion, but it is only Christiantiy that prevails or prospers from praying to a real God for His hand, mercy and power. Prayer is the intimacy of men with God. God reveals so much in the times of prayer. Leading, guiding, instructing, providing, forgiving, healing, etc is all due to powerful times of prayer. And so, Satan, our enemy knows this truth, he fights that much more against such a powerful, God glorifying weapon as prayer. HE turns men's heart away from it and causes them to despise the very nature of real prayer.
--church; the body of Christ is the very bride of Christ and it has become so evident to be despised by the lost men of this world. They have killed, burned, maimed, destroyed, set against in so many ways of governments, lands, nations and areas. This assualt is again only proof that Satan hates anything of God and sets himself against the church body. And as their father hates the church, so does the children of Satan hate and despise the church. Christ said of the Phraisees and is the same true of those that despise the church, 'you are of your father, the devil'. Christ died for the church, started the church and is coming back for His church. And those that despise it shall not enter in, but will have their eternity in the lake of fire, with their father, the father of lies, Satan.
--the good and right way; 'This is the way, saith the Spirit, walk in it'. And do we not see such a blantant attack
What is the Despising today in Men's Heart?
And as we see her heart protraying and reflecting its evil, so in the hearts of men today it is the same. Oh, how wicked, dark, vile, sinful and evil is the hearts of men today. And how do we know this depth of evil? Paul goes through those sinful actions and then says, '. . .and were not some of you?' YEa, we were, wicked ot the core; born in sin; rebels against the God Who gave us life and a soul. Ignorant of eternity and its full considerations. But, oh, then that day; that day unlike any other when 'Jesus come passing my way. . .' And old things were put away and all things became new in Him. That day when Christ said, 'live' and dead sins and transgressions passed away. But it is that needful reminder, 'and such were some of you'. A Christian cannot ever forget where they came from.
And remembering what we was and where we were helps us to answer this question for today, 'what is it that men despise in their hearts today? For should we not remember that which we did in our hearts and minds toward despising God and the things of God?
Begun: August 23, 2013
Update: 8/26, 8/27, 8/28, 8/29
Finished:
"And it came to pass as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michal, the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playhing: and she despised him in her heart." I Chronicles 15:29
David has had a desire to bring up the ark of the covenant into the city. Their first attempt of bringing up the ark failed miserably, and Uzza died. there are several sins in this first attempt that we must recognize. One, the ark of the covenant had been forsaking for years. David even said, 'we did not seek to it during the days of Saul'. It is even worse than that. The last reference to the ark was during the days of Eli, when he and his sons walked contrary to the Lord. And the Lord poured out His wrath on Elig and his two sons died in the battle with the Philistines. The ark was captured, and Eli upon hearing of the news of the ark being captured on top of his sons dying, fell over backwards, broke his neck and died.
Now when the ark returned to Israel due to God plaguing the Philisintes, it came to the city of Bethshemesh. And upon its arrival the people of the city looked into the ark and scores died on that day. On another occasion the ark is being transported, moved in a wrong way, and Uzza puts forth his hand to touch it and God strikes him dead.
Why was She Not with Them in Worship?
Why was one of the queen's not with their king in worship? What does this say about her? about family worship? David is dancing and playing before the Lord with all his heart; and one of his wives are glaring from the windwo with disdain about his actions. Or more probably suited she disdianed him and this was simple a cause to resent him more. But needless to say, her heart was not about God, but about self. She did not honor the Lord, nor her husband, nor herself. But this one act described tells us volumes about her heart and soul, it was not the Lord's but satan's. 'For from the heart proceedeth these things. . .'
And is this not what Jesus said in prophecy and warning to us, 'I came not to bring peace but a sword. And in the house shall be division; two against three and three against two.' And is there not evidence of this all around in the church? Here is a lonely mother, sitting in church all by herself. Where is her husband and children? they do not want to be there, they have no desire for the things of God. They have forsaken the God of their mother.
Why Did She Despise Him in her Heart?
Out of the heart proceeds these things. It is her reaction that we must look at to understand what took place. she is a reflection of responses today all around us. And for some it is the same response that you have toward the things of God, you despise them. It used to be a hard thing to find those who would openly hate, fume and spit at God; but they are becoming more prolific around us. But the things of God are greatly abhorred today. Let us consider as she despised David in her heart, so she was demonstrating her despising of the things of God and Go Himself. This is what David was doing, he was worshipping the Lord before the ark of the covenant, the mercy seat. And she out of the sin of her heart was not out there with him nor worshipping the Lord with him as a faithful wife should have. Yet, she was from her window gazing and observing the worship scene with despising in her heart.
Two things to consider from people today - Despising God and despising the things of God.
1. Despising God -
2. Despising the things of God - the 'things' of God are His ordiances for the church; and the things that proceed from Him to benefit and help us draw night unto Him, learn of Him and know Him. Here are a few of these things of God and there benefits:
--reading the bible; a great advantage to many of us who are able to read and who do have the traslations to glean from; when you consider that 3/4 of the world do not have opporutunity or ability to read the Word, howmuch more precious and responsible should we be; It is a great resource of the Spirit to speak and aid us in our daily walk with Him;
Thus, we can see why Satan would work to make men hate the Word, despise its instructions, because he despise its Author, the HOly ONe. And men who love darkness rather than light demonstrate that same despising for the Word of God. Just watch them agonize, revolt, and refuse on word from the Bible.
--prayer; thousands pray in almost every religion, but it is only Christiantiy that prevails or prospers from praying to a real God for His hand, mercy and power. Prayer is the intimacy of men with God. God reveals so much in the times of prayer. Leading, guiding, instructing, providing, forgiving, healing, etc is all due to powerful times of prayer. And so, Satan, our enemy knows this truth, he fights that much more against such a powerful, God glorifying weapon as prayer. HE turns men's heart away from it and causes them to despise the very nature of real prayer.
--church; the body of Christ is the very bride of Christ and it has become so evident to be despised by the lost men of this world. They have killed, burned, maimed, destroyed, set against in so many ways of governments, lands, nations and areas. This assualt is again only proof that Satan hates anything of God and sets himself against the church body. And as their father hates the church, so does the children of Satan hate and despise the church. Christ said of the Phraisees and is the same true of those that despise the church, 'you are of your father, the devil'. Christ died for the church, started the church and is coming back for His church. And those that despise it shall not enter in, but will have their eternity in the lake of fire, with their father, the father of lies, Satan.
--the good and right way; 'This is the way, saith the Spirit, walk in it'. And do we not see such a blantant attack
What is the Despising today in Men's Heart?
And as we see her heart protraying and reflecting its evil, so in the hearts of men today it is the same. Oh, how wicked, dark, vile, sinful and evil is the hearts of men today. And how do we know this depth of evil? Paul goes through those sinful actions and then says, '. . .and were not some of you?' YEa, we were, wicked ot the core; born in sin; rebels against the God Who gave us life and a soul. Ignorant of eternity and its full considerations. But, oh, then that day; that day unlike any other when 'Jesus come passing my way. . .' And old things were put away and all things became new in Him. That day when Christ said, 'live' and dead sins and transgressions passed away. But it is that needful reminder, 'and such were some of you'. A Christian cannot ever forget where they came from.
And remembering what we was and where we were helps us to answer this question for today, 'what is it that men despise in their hearts today? For should we not remember that which we did in our hearts and minds toward despising God and the things of God?
Begun: August 23, 2013
Update: 8/26, 8/27, 8/28, 8/29
Finished:
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
HELL HATH ENLARGED HERSELF AND OPENED HER MOUTH TO ACCOMMADATE THE PEOPLE GOING IN
Hell hath enlarged herself and opened her mouth to accommodate the people going therein.
Isaiah 5:14, "Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure; and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth shall descend into it."
July, 2013
It was reported last week that the Syrian civil war had reached another milestone, in its two year warfare. The number of deaths is estimated to have gone over 100,000 deaths in the last two years. And there are over 2 million displaced and in refuge camps, struggling for life. When such devastation occurs it is the responsiblity of the church to respond. When so many deaths occur in such a short time, eternity must be set before us. WE must contemplate and consider the truth of this matter. And simply because it is not our nation, or our family or our people does not remove the cry from our heart for God to intervene and help.
So often prayer meetings and our own personal prayer needs are expressed from those things which are simply in our own backyard. Very few would venture in their prayers beyond their own remote life. Their family, their work, their friends, their city, their church is the predominate prayer requests. How isolated, remote and selfish is this type of praying. It is not that these things do not hold a legitimate need of prayer concern. They are important, and it is relevant and needy. And it is good to bring such things before the Lord for Him to work wondrously. But there is so much more!
I was asked most recently about the 'third heaven' that Paul talks of in Corinthians. Paul declares that he knew a man that went up to the third heaven and saw things to wonderful to describe and speak of. Oh, does not such a statement wet the appetite of every Christian for our heavenly home and such moments. But do we have to wait until we die? There is opportunity to experience deeper and greater things right now that are 'right in front of us'. And we don't have to wait 'until then'. And just as there are higher planes describing the 3 levels of heaven, so there are higher planes in prayer to reach.
The 3 levels of heaven:
1. Level of the heavens above us, the place where birds fly and we see with our eyes. It is above us that we call 'looking up to the sky'. WE see it with our physical eye and it contains the sun, moon and stars. Yet these powers of creation from God are in the second level of the universe.
2. Level of the heavens beyond us, the place where God's universe is. It is vast, and through man's inventions and God's help in revealing the stars, planets, moons, galaxies are extended beyond our comprehension. We know it to be a reality, it has been and is being. It is still considered the physical realm. For it is has been proven by study and sight.
3. Level of the heavens - God's realm. The third heaven where the Lord of heaven and earth is. God's throne in the heavens, 'where He that is holy sits on His throne'. The revelation revealed in Scripture that tells us of heaven, where God abides. It has not been seen by most and without sight remains by faith. Yet, Paul describes and tells that he saw it, therefore it is no longer faith. 'Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.'
The 3 levels of prayeris much the same definition:
1. Level of prayer around us. That which we see and is a majority of our senses and daily lives. It is our family, our work, our social interactions of people and needs. WE are constant to have our minds and hearts for that which we can literally reach and touch.
2. Level of prayer beyond us. It is that the needs are still the same, but on such a much larger scale. It is beyond our comprehension of 7 billion souls on the earth and the nations which are in need, yet we are not able to simply engage them by our personal lives. But we can engage them by our prayer lives. We pray in our secret closet, yet we impact those half way around the world.
3. Level of prayer - spiritual realm. Jesus prayed, "nevertheless, not My will be done, but Thy will be done.' And it is the same need today for God is eternal; being past, present and future. He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. And because God is overall, He directs, leads and guides the ways of men for His Divine will. He moves men to pray in agreement with these things for the advancement of His kingdom here on earth. It takes us beyond the 'here and now' and moves us to eternal purposes and moments.
Let us look at the 3 levels of prayer needed for this situation in Syria; and other chaotic places of the world. Let us remind ourselves that the Lord's purpose and ways are much higher than ours. 'As high as the clouds in the sky so are Thy ways higher than our ways; and Thy thoughts higher than ours.' God desires that none should perish, none should go away from Him. He has made the way and given everything needful for lost men to be saved. He has established the church, implemented opportunities and birthed a desire to pray within us for the furtherance and completion of His Divine will for the souls of men.
And not just for this age, but for all ages, God has set it into motion. The truth of Scripture is our prayer, 'that Your Name be glorified in all the earth.'
What is this life? It is only a staging ground for the next life in eternity. This life impacts and determines our next life. With Christ we abide with Him in heaven; without Christ we abide without Him in hell. This is the reality of our Christian message. We are made in God's image, created male and female, given life. IN this shell of human physique is a soul, a eternal embodiment that shall never die. The flesh may return to the dust as it was, but the soul goes to its determined place of heaven or hell, depending on what the man/woman did about the issue of salvation in Christ. None of us knows how long we shall be here on this earth. So while we have time (today) the choice must be made 'to receive' Christ as Lord and Savior. And if the life of a person refuses to do this, then they have made their choice to reject God's great gift of love and redemption. This act of choice for Christ or against Christ determines their eternity.
Throughout the world their are 7 billion souls living. Here, in the United States we have so many opportunities to hear, know and receive Christ. There are countless venues of invitation and acknowledgment of Christ as Lord and Savior. But in other parts of the world such invitations are limited and few. Within a mission field of nations and people called the 10/40 window it contains over 3 billion souls. Most of these souls are found in darkness and have heard lies about the truth all their life. Rare and few are the ones that have received the truth of the Gospel and the Light of Christ into their hearts and souls for salvation. It is predominate with the lies of religion by Satan. Religion holds men in darkness and rejects the Light of Christ. The religions of Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism holds billions of souls captive and headed toward hell.
Syria is mentioned long ago in the Old Testament. It holds a specific place of fighting with King David. The Assyrians were the ones that God used to carry away captive the children of Israel when they sinned against Him. They have always been at conflict with Israel. They are predominately Muslim in their religious faith today and follow the forces of darkness into hell. Most recently their has been a revolution against their president and the country has spiralled into civil war.
When war happens in such nations and among such people, death is at hand. This nation reports to have around 22 million people in their population. Death is raging in that land since the conflict broke out over two years ago. The death count has topped 100,000 people. These are children whose parents have been killed; theses are parents who have lost their children; these are spouses who are now widows; death has come in a great volume. What a mass exdous of people who have died in such a short time frame.
Now with what we have just said about darkness going out into eternity, can you see the vast majority of these 100,000 dying and going out into hell forever? There has been Christians killed in this conflict as Muslim vigilante groups have seized the unrest as an opportunity to attack and kill Christans. It is unclear how many Christians have been martyred for their faith at this time. But the vast majority, the higher percentage of this 100,000 have been lost, sinful men who died without Christ. and the truth of Christ's words comes clear to us, 'many there be on the broad and wide path; few there be on the straight and narrow.'
Such an eternal picture is set before us. Does it compel you to respond? Do you see the great atrocity to these people who have had so little opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel? How great the need for these now living who fight for water, food and life itself. Over 2 million people are in these refugee camps who have lost their homes, possessions, family members, jobs and way of life. They struggle day to day. The need is constant.
And as Christ wept and prayed over Jerusalem for rejecting and missing their day of invitation. How much more when so many die and go to hell, that it would not compel us to tremble and fear and weep to see that hell had to enlarge itself to accomadate so many going therein? Never was it Hsi desire that this should be, and nor should we be content with it. Arise and fight this battle! Let us prevail for nations, for souls; let us push back the forces of hell for all of its influence and power over this dark region.
Drafted:
July 31, 2013
Updated:
August 1, 2013
August 5, 2013
Isaiah 5:14, "Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure; and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth shall descend into it."
July, 2013
It was reported last week that the Syrian civil war had reached another milestone, in its two year warfare. The number of deaths is estimated to have gone over 100,000 deaths in the last two years. And there are over 2 million displaced and in refuge camps, struggling for life. When such devastation occurs it is the responsiblity of the church to respond. When so many deaths occur in such a short time, eternity must be set before us. WE must contemplate and consider the truth of this matter. And simply because it is not our nation, or our family or our people does not remove the cry from our heart for God to intervene and help.
So often prayer meetings and our own personal prayer needs are expressed from those things which are simply in our own backyard. Very few would venture in their prayers beyond their own remote life. Their family, their work, their friends, their city, their church is the predominate prayer requests. How isolated, remote and selfish is this type of praying. It is not that these things do not hold a legitimate need of prayer concern. They are important, and it is relevant and needy. And it is good to bring such things before the Lord for Him to work wondrously. But there is so much more!
I was asked most recently about the 'third heaven' that Paul talks of in Corinthians. Paul declares that he knew a man that went up to the third heaven and saw things to wonderful to describe and speak of. Oh, does not such a statement wet the appetite of every Christian for our heavenly home and such moments. But do we have to wait until we die? There is opportunity to experience deeper and greater things right now that are 'right in front of us'. And we don't have to wait 'until then'. And just as there are higher planes describing the 3 levels of heaven, so there are higher planes in prayer to reach.
The 3 levels of heaven:
1. Level of the heavens above us, the place where birds fly and we see with our eyes. It is above us that we call 'looking up to the sky'. WE see it with our physical eye and it contains the sun, moon and stars. Yet these powers of creation from God are in the second level of the universe.
2. Level of the heavens beyond us, the place where God's universe is. It is vast, and through man's inventions and God's help in revealing the stars, planets, moons, galaxies are extended beyond our comprehension. We know it to be a reality, it has been and is being. It is still considered the physical realm. For it is has been proven by study and sight.
3. Level of the heavens - God's realm. The third heaven where the Lord of heaven and earth is. God's throne in the heavens, 'where He that is holy sits on His throne'. The revelation revealed in Scripture that tells us of heaven, where God abides. It has not been seen by most and without sight remains by faith. Yet, Paul describes and tells that he saw it, therefore it is no longer faith. 'Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.'
The 3 levels of prayeris much the same definition:
1. Level of prayer around us. That which we see and is a majority of our senses and daily lives. It is our family, our work, our social interactions of people and needs. WE are constant to have our minds and hearts for that which we can literally reach and touch.
2. Level of prayer beyond us. It is that the needs are still the same, but on such a much larger scale. It is beyond our comprehension of 7 billion souls on the earth and the nations which are in need, yet we are not able to simply engage them by our personal lives. But we can engage them by our prayer lives. We pray in our secret closet, yet we impact those half way around the world.
3. Level of prayer - spiritual realm. Jesus prayed, "nevertheless, not My will be done, but Thy will be done.' And it is the same need today for God is eternal; being past, present and future. He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. And because God is overall, He directs, leads and guides the ways of men for His Divine will. He moves men to pray in agreement with these things for the advancement of His kingdom here on earth. It takes us beyond the 'here and now' and moves us to eternal purposes and moments.
Let us look at the 3 levels of prayer needed for this situation in Syria; and other chaotic places of the world. Let us remind ourselves that the Lord's purpose and ways are much higher than ours. 'As high as the clouds in the sky so are Thy ways higher than our ways; and Thy thoughts higher than ours.' God desires that none should perish, none should go away from Him. He has made the way and given everything needful for lost men to be saved. He has established the church, implemented opportunities and birthed a desire to pray within us for the furtherance and completion of His Divine will for the souls of men.
And not just for this age, but for all ages, God has set it into motion. The truth of Scripture is our prayer, 'that Your Name be glorified in all the earth.'
What is this life? It is only a staging ground for the next life in eternity. This life impacts and determines our next life. With Christ we abide with Him in heaven; without Christ we abide without Him in hell. This is the reality of our Christian message. We are made in God's image, created male and female, given life. IN this shell of human physique is a soul, a eternal embodiment that shall never die. The flesh may return to the dust as it was, but the soul goes to its determined place of heaven or hell, depending on what the man/woman did about the issue of salvation in Christ. None of us knows how long we shall be here on this earth. So while we have time (today) the choice must be made 'to receive' Christ as Lord and Savior. And if the life of a person refuses to do this, then they have made their choice to reject God's great gift of love and redemption. This act of choice for Christ or against Christ determines their eternity.
Throughout the world their are 7 billion souls living. Here, in the United States we have so many opportunities to hear, know and receive Christ. There are countless venues of invitation and acknowledgment of Christ as Lord and Savior. But in other parts of the world such invitations are limited and few. Within a mission field of nations and people called the 10/40 window it contains over 3 billion souls. Most of these souls are found in darkness and have heard lies about the truth all their life. Rare and few are the ones that have received the truth of the Gospel and the Light of Christ into their hearts and souls for salvation. It is predominate with the lies of religion by Satan. Religion holds men in darkness and rejects the Light of Christ. The religions of Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism holds billions of souls captive and headed toward hell.
Syria is mentioned long ago in the Old Testament. It holds a specific place of fighting with King David. The Assyrians were the ones that God used to carry away captive the children of Israel when they sinned against Him. They have always been at conflict with Israel. They are predominately Muslim in their religious faith today and follow the forces of darkness into hell. Most recently their has been a revolution against their president and the country has spiralled into civil war.
When war happens in such nations and among such people, death is at hand. This nation reports to have around 22 million people in their population. Death is raging in that land since the conflict broke out over two years ago. The death count has topped 100,000 people. These are children whose parents have been killed; theses are parents who have lost their children; these are spouses who are now widows; death has come in a great volume. What a mass exdous of people who have died in such a short time frame.
Now with what we have just said about darkness going out into eternity, can you see the vast majority of these 100,000 dying and going out into hell forever? There has been Christians killed in this conflict as Muslim vigilante groups have seized the unrest as an opportunity to attack and kill Christans. It is unclear how many Christians have been martyred for their faith at this time. But the vast majority, the higher percentage of this 100,000 have been lost, sinful men who died without Christ. and the truth of Christ's words comes clear to us, 'many there be on the broad and wide path; few there be on the straight and narrow.'
Such an eternal picture is set before us. Does it compel you to respond? Do you see the great atrocity to these people who have had so little opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel? How great the need for these now living who fight for water, food and life itself. Over 2 million people are in these refugee camps who have lost their homes, possessions, family members, jobs and way of life. They struggle day to day. The need is constant.
And as Christ wept and prayed over Jerusalem for rejecting and missing their day of invitation. How much more when so many die and go to hell, that it would not compel us to tremble and fear and weep to see that hell had to enlarge itself to accomadate so many going therein? Never was it Hsi desire that this should be, and nor should we be content with it. Arise and fight this battle! Let us prevail for nations, for souls; let us push back the forces of hell for all of its influence and power over this dark region.
Drafted:
July 31, 2013
Updated:
August 1, 2013
August 5, 2013
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
BEHOLD AND SEE IF THERE BE ANY SORROW LIKE UNTO MY SORROW, WHICH IS DONE UNTO ME, WHEREWITH THE LORD HATH AFFLICTED ME IN THE DAY OF HIS FIERCE ANGER
"Is it nothing to you all ye that pass by? Behold, and see, if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of His fierce anger." Lamentations 1:12
I am truly able to say that none of my sorrow compares to Jeremiah's sorrow. He not only stood alone and proclaimed the word of the Lord to numerous kings, warning them of judgment to come; but he also saw it all happen. Now, I don't know that there is anything worse than telling people what is going to happen unless they repent, confess and turn to the Lord, and then to have that plea rejected and dismissed. The Bible tells us in Titus 2, that the 'Gospel hath appeared to all men'. Those in hell today had someone tell them the Gospel truth of Christ great love and redemption, and they rejected it. Is there any sorrow like their's?
And what shall we shall of how great was Christ's sorrow here on earth. 'He behold the city and wept over it', for they did not receive Him and they did not know the day of their visitation. The city was destroyed because the rulers rejected the compassion and healing (physical and spiritual) of Christ for all men. And then on the cross, how great was His sorrow. 'My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me' was His horrible cry. None of us can ever say that prayer, for He hath said, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you." And to say that in times of difficulties, troubles and trials is to call God a liar, which surely none of us would be so foolish to do. But there was no sorrow like that of bearing the sins of the world, that Christ endured and died for.
In comparison to these two great examples of bearing sorrow, my sorrow is weak, little and frail compared to the depths of what they faced, experienced and saw. And surely I know that there are others who have hazarded their lives for Christ, endured great afflictions and assualts, known evil abounding all around them throughout many places and times of history.
And yet, I come at this time seeing the 'cloud the size of man's hand' coming in the horizon for that which is ready to unfold and happen in our lifetime. An event, yea, a series of events that leave us to mirror what happened to Jeruslaem during the days of Jeremiah and during the prophecy of Christ of 70 AD for Jerusalem. And it is all due to the same 'cause and effect': Cause - they which rejcted God, His atonement, His redemption, His grace and mercy; Effect - you reap what you sow and we must now reap the whirlwind for our folly. 'He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall reap life everlasting'.
In studying this and the impact it will hold on us let us simply answer the questions in relationship to this verse in Lamentations: the questions of who; what; where; when and why
Who
Who is to be affected by this? Who is responsbile for this? Who will reap the whirlwind of this?
These are very personal and direct references for each that would give thought and place to it.
First, it is a very personal sorrow. "My sorrow. . .which is done to me . . .the Lord hath afflicted me. . ." Three references of personal relationship in dealing with this tragedy and sorrow.
--My sorrow - my pain, my tears, my anguish, my broken heart; What causes such things to me?
1. My own wretchedness. It is foolish for those that view everyone else's faults and sins and do not see who 'the chiefest of sinners is'. It is I, who takes that title away from Paul, who declared that he 'was the chiefest of sinners.' Paul lanquished because of his old self who attacked, killed and warred against the church. But oh, how much more I to be the chiefest for having been raised since a baby in a Christian home, a Christian church, having been taught the 'good and right way' only to cast it aside for self, sin and the world. And how much my sins, my transgressions go in knowing the wrong of my choices at that moment. It is not an avenue of ignorance or not knowing what is right and wrong. I ate of the tree of good and evil a long time ago. 'For he that knoweth to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.' And oh, much time and effort went in me knowing these truths; and yet, still choosing against them. Is it not enough that before I view others sorrows, I view what my sin cost my Lord. I view what the Lord could have and should have done to this wretched sinner; I should have died, I should have drank the cup of wrath and been burned and cast out into outer darkness where there is weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. But oh, brethren, look to the cross - 'at the cross where I first saw the light and the burden of my sin rolled away; it was there I received my sight and now I am happy all the day.' But oh, each day filled with new opportunities to fail my Lord; filled with moments of wrestling this old flesh, the old self, and knowing that at any moment I would think I stand, forgetting the words of solemn protest, 'take heed, lest you fall'.
My sin, my sorrow; my choices, my grief; my wretchedness, me. . . me. . . me
This is the beginning of sorrows!
2. And because I am able to see my own folly and sin, which makes me sorrow over such failure to Him Who loved me and gave Himself for me; I see the folly of other men. For the truth that pierces me, for not keeping it, pierces me also for others who will not keep it. Just as when Stephen preached truth and declared to them their wicked ways of their heart, they closed their ears and ran upon him to silence him. So today, men when they hear these truths of good and evil; practices that ought not to be done; words that ought not to be spoken, deeds done that are evil; and when they are reproved by the truth from which He has decalred to us all through His Word, where it breaks my heart and causes sorrow, they revel in it and refuse to hear and go in the good and right way. Sorrow fills any Christians heart for we know the truth, and that truth has set us free. But to these that we love, and earnestly desire to see them forsake the ways of sin and self, they refuse and add to our sorrow, for they will not enter the striaght and narrow way, but chose and have openly decided to go the broad and wide path. And we know where this path leads, it leads to eternal hell, to destruction of the soul. And once there never more to return or escape.
Did Jeremiah not exhort this same truth when gazing upon the souls of men, women and children in Jerusalem being killed, dying of pestilence and famine all because they would not hear and obey his words from the Lord? They died for their disobedience and choice to sin over giving heed to the words of the Lord. And he warned them, told them, beggged them and still they would not hear.
And how much more Christ revealing Himself to the children of Abraham that He was come. He showed them power, taught them, 'as no other man spake'; healed them, raised them from the dead, fed them and still they would not believe. But they crucified Him and put Him to an open shame, so that the plans of God for redemption might be done. He saw their wicked ways, He knows their hearts and He knows their future state of being in hell and forewarned them. But tears flowed because they would not receive Him. Crying out, 'Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered you unto Me, but you would not'. And such is the ways of man today, 'they would not'.
Our way of life does not, nor did it have to be this way. But how hard are the hearts, how hard the minds that are turned against Him. so that it is true of this generation as well, 'having eyes to see, they cannot see; having ears to hear they cannot hear'. They 'profess Him with their mouths, but their hearts are far from Him.' And they openly embrace sin and everything that He has declared evil, and opposite of Him.
Is there any sorrow like unto my sorrow?
WHAT
What shall be for these that refuse and reject the words of the Lord? Oh, what a price is being paid, and shall be paid. Although we have already addressed eternal rewards and punishments, let us look more to the here and now on the earth. As I have already somewhat shared what Jeremiah watched right in front of his eyes. Men dying by the sword, all because Zedekiah wouldn't hear and obey the Word of the Lord. Jeremiah went to King Zedekiah and pleaded with him to go out and surrender to the king of Babylon, and his family, and the city and the temple would be spared and saved. But the hardness of his heart was there and he would not obey. And because of that, they took him and him family. They slew his sons in front of his eyes. They burned and torched the city. They burned and destroyed the temple of God, where the glory of God had descended and abode. The walls were knocked down. And after all this, they put out his eyes and carried him away to captivity.
Jeremiah watched all this unfold and saw the after affects upon the city after the Babylonian army removed itself. Death and destruction was upon the city and the people. He preached and declared for them to repent and turn back to God. They would not, and so it came to pass.
What shall come to pass for us?
It is happening even now. Lift up your eyes and see across the land what is happening.
--Do you know of a family that is intact? that has not had the horrors of divorce and division. How rare is it to find what is termed a traditional family. Do you see whole families in church and serving the Lord? How hard is it to see whole families in the house of the Lord. Family is being destroyed. The recent Supreme Court rulings only continues to fraction it. It is crumbling. The devourer has come, the devil, has come to destroy and he is destroying the family.
--abortions have ravaged the land and whole lives; over 50 million it is estimated have died and filled the land with blood; An entire generation removed from the earth by the whims of men legalizing it, and women selfishly giving place to it; how deep is this pain and sorrow on the land;
--excess of resources and money have filled the land with indulgences and addictions of every wicked way; from drugs to alcohol, to gamling to sex to porn to filling our entire mind and time with pleasures of self and sin; I wondered at this paticular point of how many homes have not been ravaged by drug addiction or damage. I wonder how many homes have not been hit by the effects of drinking and drunkness and its fall out. I wonder how many marriages affected by pornography and sexual sins. And an entire younger generation being brought up with no limitiations and de-sensitized to any thing of modesty and blushing at sin. All because of our increase in technology, money and availability to such things."And when they were increased with good and had need of nothing, then they forgot the Lord God."
How much money is wasted on our love of self in a week? in a month? in a year?
Certainly enough that could feed a nation; provide Bibles to multitudes and send missionaries to many places within a year. But we would not, we did not, now we reap of a generation exited into hell due to our neglience.
--the land is filled with violence and death; murder-suicides are ravaging the land from east to west and north to south; so many homes and families affected by this tragedy. On a monthly basis there are average of 30 reported. This affects more than just the one who commits suicide. It affects the ones they murdered before they took their own life. These numbers are two to three that die at a time, impacting any and all places across the nation. Death by homicides are still rampaging in the bigger city but dangersouly affecting rural America. Chicago alone in July, 2013 is on pace to break last years count of 47.
--weather destruction and impact from coast to coast; last years drought was 3/4 of the nation in severe to exceptional drought; And although it still lingers, the effects are still upon them. The other weather so far this year has been the destruction of tornadoes, floods have been numerous up and down the east coast. Fires continue in the west among the dry lands, many homes, land and a tragedy of 19 firefighters losing their lives. And all this before hurricane season starts to heat up. Upon the land weather disasters cause such sorrow to loss of property and life.
--disease is a quiet sorrow; Yet, it impacts so many with cancer, diabetes, and other rare things that seem to crop up from time to time. And it almost seems at any moment another plague could be upon the land to remind us once again how much we need the Lord. "He is able to send the plagues of Egypt and He is able to remove them"
What is happening that declares such sorrow? Right in front of us on a day to day basis across our land is death and dying. Men, women and children ushered out of this world into eternity. And oh, so many of them are not ready to meet the Lord, and there eternity will be in hell forever. Is there any sorrow like unto my sorrow?
WHERE
Is there not a place in the United States that is not affected by such sorrow of sin? Every venue of life is corrupted and void. Government is filled with men and women in search of power, money and fame. The education system is eroding from the inside out. School shootings occuring, something that was never heard of, is now several times a year across the land. The education is contorted and configured for lost mens agenda to defame and denounce our Christian principles. Destroying history and truth for conjured half truths to further their own principles. And all the while the children lay in harm's way from other children and those we trust to watch over and protect them. How many cases in the last 10 years has there been of sexual relationships between teacher and students? Unheard of years ago, now a common thing. And what shall we say of the explicit actiivty on school ground of drugs, sexual tabloids, and all kinds of sin to affect our children. The age of being naive and innocent is all but gone.
The home is a disaster area. From relationships between parents (as previously mentioned) to parent - children relationship, it is destroyed. I don't know of the stats, but it seems that children are raising children. Multiple teen pregancies are happening local high schools at record rates. Unseen in days gone by, but now a common thing. And for those that can't raise them, grandparents in so many cases have had to fill the void.
Even the church, a supposed sound structure, is so desperate for acceptance by the culture, that they have watered down, cheated on the truths, and coerced the ways of the world into the church. All this done to say, 'we are winning them'. Winning them with what? the Gospel? the truth? No, winning them with their own ways and means, all of which is vanity.
Every fabric of life is filled with debauchery, detestable, defiling ways of sin and evil. And you dare ask, 'Is therre any sorrow like unto my sorrow? Wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me'
And even worse than the physical locations of our daily lives, the Lord hath afflicted me in my heart and mind. For I know the truth, yet the truth is not received. And as they cry out, 'let us alone'. This is where my sorrow and affliction is found. For there is nothing worse, than to have the keys to open a door, and never open it. To have the ways of eternal life in Christ, and for them to never receive. 'For to as many as would receive Christ, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name.' But they would not. See wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me!
Where? in all the world. How abusive are the followers of Satan. So many of our brothers and sisters in Christ have been killed, homes burnt, threatened, deprived, removed and assualted. In all the world, the 10/40 window is so dark and dreary with false relgions, governemnts oppressive to Christianity. Filled with lies, and half truths and so many of the billions are without Christ, and little opporutnity for salvation. Is there any sorrow like unto my sorrow? over the lostness of the nations and the world.
WHEN
Even now it is upon us, day to day activites of all this that I have shared. Yet, the worst is yet to come. For soon, these trickles of evil shall mount in more succession of numbers and become a raging river of wickedness upon the land, upon the people., and they shall be consumed. Wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of His fierce anger.
For all the rejection, all the sinfulness, all the masses participating in it, all the evil occuring in one fell night, or during the broad daylight provokes the Holy ONe to anger and wrath. And each act of sin, puts one more drop in the cup of wrath. And this multitude of sin fills the cup so that when it is full, it overflows and pours out the wrath and vengeance of the Lord upon those that have sought how they might provoke and anger Him.
And that knwoing the attributes of the Lord, that He is the same, yesterday, today and forever; that HIs wrath in the Old TEstament and New Testament and history has shown His consistency in pouring out wrath on a people that would not obey and follow Him. Oh, soon and very soon it shall be upon us; yea, even now it is upon us.
WHY
Why does such destruction, sorrow, affliction and pain have to happen? It doesnt'. But the heart of men fail to understand the ramifications of their sinful, selfish choices over God's holiness.
And it is stated and reveealed that all this sorrow of JEremiah was not on his part, but on the people and the kings of Judah. They heard the word of the Lord, but rejected it.
the same is as true for Christ day. The children of Israel, Romans and other Greeks heard and saw all that Christ did and taught. And they rejected it.
And in this present day with all the blessings and mercies of God upon our land and the church, we have less holiness, less power of the Holy Spirit and less souls being saved. Yet, we do have more evil, more lost souls, more sin and a future that on this present course will mirror the sorrow of JEremiah and Christ. It is the doom of repeating death and dying of a nation and a people that forsook the Lord and turned away from the good and right way and embraced a sinful and evil way. Oh, what folly; what destruction awaits such foolish choices. Why would men ever chose such a way or path? It is the folly of their hearts that makes me do this. Satan lies, betrays, blinds and deceives them so that they hold no regards for God, but only for self. Self is god to them, and they will not be ruled by any other. Woe to the people that follow such a way of living, no, not a way of living, but a way of dying. 'For the wages of sin is death'.
"All ye that pass by, behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto mine sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of His fierce anger."
I am truly able to say that none of my sorrow compares to Jeremiah's sorrow. He not only stood alone and proclaimed the word of the Lord to numerous kings, warning them of judgment to come; but he also saw it all happen. Now, I don't know that there is anything worse than telling people what is going to happen unless they repent, confess and turn to the Lord, and then to have that plea rejected and dismissed. The Bible tells us in Titus 2, that the 'Gospel hath appeared to all men'. Those in hell today had someone tell them the Gospel truth of Christ great love and redemption, and they rejected it. Is there any sorrow like their's?
And what shall we shall of how great was Christ's sorrow here on earth. 'He behold the city and wept over it', for they did not receive Him and they did not know the day of their visitation. The city was destroyed because the rulers rejected the compassion and healing (physical and spiritual) of Christ for all men. And then on the cross, how great was His sorrow. 'My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me' was His horrible cry. None of us can ever say that prayer, for He hath said, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you." And to say that in times of difficulties, troubles and trials is to call God a liar, which surely none of us would be so foolish to do. But there was no sorrow like that of bearing the sins of the world, that Christ endured and died for.
In comparison to these two great examples of bearing sorrow, my sorrow is weak, little and frail compared to the depths of what they faced, experienced and saw. And surely I know that there are others who have hazarded their lives for Christ, endured great afflictions and assualts, known evil abounding all around them throughout many places and times of history.
And yet, I come at this time seeing the 'cloud the size of man's hand' coming in the horizon for that which is ready to unfold and happen in our lifetime. An event, yea, a series of events that leave us to mirror what happened to Jeruslaem during the days of Jeremiah and during the prophecy of Christ of 70 AD for Jerusalem. And it is all due to the same 'cause and effect': Cause - they which rejcted God, His atonement, His redemption, His grace and mercy; Effect - you reap what you sow and we must now reap the whirlwind for our folly. 'He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall reap life everlasting'.
In studying this and the impact it will hold on us let us simply answer the questions in relationship to this verse in Lamentations: the questions of who; what; where; when and why
Who
Who is to be affected by this? Who is responsbile for this? Who will reap the whirlwind of this?
These are very personal and direct references for each that would give thought and place to it.
First, it is a very personal sorrow. "My sorrow. . .which is done to me . . .the Lord hath afflicted me. . ." Three references of personal relationship in dealing with this tragedy and sorrow.
--My sorrow - my pain, my tears, my anguish, my broken heart; What causes such things to me?
1. My own wretchedness. It is foolish for those that view everyone else's faults and sins and do not see who 'the chiefest of sinners is'. It is I, who takes that title away from Paul, who declared that he 'was the chiefest of sinners.' Paul lanquished because of his old self who attacked, killed and warred against the church. But oh, how much more I to be the chiefest for having been raised since a baby in a Christian home, a Christian church, having been taught the 'good and right way' only to cast it aside for self, sin and the world. And how much my sins, my transgressions go in knowing the wrong of my choices at that moment. It is not an avenue of ignorance or not knowing what is right and wrong. I ate of the tree of good and evil a long time ago. 'For he that knoweth to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.' And oh, much time and effort went in me knowing these truths; and yet, still choosing against them. Is it not enough that before I view others sorrows, I view what my sin cost my Lord. I view what the Lord could have and should have done to this wretched sinner; I should have died, I should have drank the cup of wrath and been burned and cast out into outer darkness where there is weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. But oh, brethren, look to the cross - 'at the cross where I first saw the light and the burden of my sin rolled away; it was there I received my sight and now I am happy all the day.' But oh, each day filled with new opportunities to fail my Lord; filled with moments of wrestling this old flesh, the old self, and knowing that at any moment I would think I stand, forgetting the words of solemn protest, 'take heed, lest you fall'.
My sin, my sorrow; my choices, my grief; my wretchedness, me. . . me. . . me
This is the beginning of sorrows!
2. And because I am able to see my own folly and sin, which makes me sorrow over such failure to Him Who loved me and gave Himself for me; I see the folly of other men. For the truth that pierces me, for not keeping it, pierces me also for others who will not keep it. Just as when Stephen preached truth and declared to them their wicked ways of their heart, they closed their ears and ran upon him to silence him. So today, men when they hear these truths of good and evil; practices that ought not to be done; words that ought not to be spoken, deeds done that are evil; and when they are reproved by the truth from which He has decalred to us all through His Word, where it breaks my heart and causes sorrow, they revel in it and refuse to hear and go in the good and right way. Sorrow fills any Christians heart for we know the truth, and that truth has set us free. But to these that we love, and earnestly desire to see them forsake the ways of sin and self, they refuse and add to our sorrow, for they will not enter the striaght and narrow way, but chose and have openly decided to go the broad and wide path. And we know where this path leads, it leads to eternal hell, to destruction of the soul. And once there never more to return or escape.
Did Jeremiah not exhort this same truth when gazing upon the souls of men, women and children in Jerusalem being killed, dying of pestilence and famine all because they would not hear and obey his words from the Lord? They died for their disobedience and choice to sin over giving heed to the words of the Lord. And he warned them, told them, beggged them and still they would not hear.
And how much more Christ revealing Himself to the children of Abraham that He was come. He showed them power, taught them, 'as no other man spake'; healed them, raised them from the dead, fed them and still they would not believe. But they crucified Him and put Him to an open shame, so that the plans of God for redemption might be done. He saw their wicked ways, He knows their hearts and He knows their future state of being in hell and forewarned them. But tears flowed because they would not receive Him. Crying out, 'Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered you unto Me, but you would not'. And such is the ways of man today, 'they would not'.
Our way of life does not, nor did it have to be this way. But how hard are the hearts, how hard the minds that are turned against Him. so that it is true of this generation as well, 'having eyes to see, they cannot see; having ears to hear they cannot hear'. They 'profess Him with their mouths, but their hearts are far from Him.' And they openly embrace sin and everything that He has declared evil, and opposite of Him.
Is there any sorrow like unto my sorrow?
WHAT
What shall be for these that refuse and reject the words of the Lord? Oh, what a price is being paid, and shall be paid. Although we have already addressed eternal rewards and punishments, let us look more to the here and now on the earth. As I have already somewhat shared what Jeremiah watched right in front of his eyes. Men dying by the sword, all because Zedekiah wouldn't hear and obey the Word of the Lord. Jeremiah went to King Zedekiah and pleaded with him to go out and surrender to the king of Babylon, and his family, and the city and the temple would be spared and saved. But the hardness of his heart was there and he would not obey. And because of that, they took him and him family. They slew his sons in front of his eyes. They burned and torched the city. They burned and destroyed the temple of God, where the glory of God had descended and abode. The walls were knocked down. And after all this, they put out his eyes and carried him away to captivity.
Jeremiah watched all this unfold and saw the after affects upon the city after the Babylonian army removed itself. Death and destruction was upon the city and the people. He preached and declared for them to repent and turn back to God. They would not, and so it came to pass.
What shall come to pass for us?
It is happening even now. Lift up your eyes and see across the land what is happening.
--Do you know of a family that is intact? that has not had the horrors of divorce and division. How rare is it to find what is termed a traditional family. Do you see whole families in church and serving the Lord? How hard is it to see whole families in the house of the Lord. Family is being destroyed. The recent Supreme Court rulings only continues to fraction it. It is crumbling. The devourer has come, the devil, has come to destroy and he is destroying the family.
--abortions have ravaged the land and whole lives; over 50 million it is estimated have died and filled the land with blood; An entire generation removed from the earth by the whims of men legalizing it, and women selfishly giving place to it; how deep is this pain and sorrow on the land;
--excess of resources and money have filled the land with indulgences and addictions of every wicked way; from drugs to alcohol, to gamling to sex to porn to filling our entire mind and time with pleasures of self and sin; I wondered at this paticular point of how many homes have not been ravaged by drug addiction or damage. I wonder how many homes have not been hit by the effects of drinking and drunkness and its fall out. I wonder how many marriages affected by pornography and sexual sins. And an entire younger generation being brought up with no limitiations and de-sensitized to any thing of modesty and blushing at sin. All because of our increase in technology, money and availability to such things."And when they were increased with good and had need of nothing, then they forgot the Lord God."
How much money is wasted on our love of self in a week? in a month? in a year?
Certainly enough that could feed a nation; provide Bibles to multitudes and send missionaries to many places within a year. But we would not, we did not, now we reap of a generation exited into hell due to our neglience.
--the land is filled with violence and death; murder-suicides are ravaging the land from east to west and north to south; so many homes and families affected by this tragedy. On a monthly basis there are average of 30 reported. This affects more than just the one who commits suicide. It affects the ones they murdered before they took their own life. These numbers are two to three that die at a time, impacting any and all places across the nation. Death by homicides are still rampaging in the bigger city but dangersouly affecting rural America. Chicago alone in July, 2013 is on pace to break last years count of 47.
--weather destruction and impact from coast to coast; last years drought was 3/4 of the nation in severe to exceptional drought; And although it still lingers, the effects are still upon them. The other weather so far this year has been the destruction of tornadoes, floods have been numerous up and down the east coast. Fires continue in the west among the dry lands, many homes, land and a tragedy of 19 firefighters losing their lives. And all this before hurricane season starts to heat up. Upon the land weather disasters cause such sorrow to loss of property and life.
--disease is a quiet sorrow; Yet, it impacts so many with cancer, diabetes, and other rare things that seem to crop up from time to time. And it almost seems at any moment another plague could be upon the land to remind us once again how much we need the Lord. "He is able to send the plagues of Egypt and He is able to remove them"
What is happening that declares such sorrow? Right in front of us on a day to day basis across our land is death and dying. Men, women and children ushered out of this world into eternity. And oh, so many of them are not ready to meet the Lord, and there eternity will be in hell forever. Is there any sorrow like unto my sorrow?
WHERE
Is there not a place in the United States that is not affected by such sorrow of sin? Every venue of life is corrupted and void. Government is filled with men and women in search of power, money and fame. The education system is eroding from the inside out. School shootings occuring, something that was never heard of, is now several times a year across the land. The education is contorted and configured for lost mens agenda to defame and denounce our Christian principles. Destroying history and truth for conjured half truths to further their own principles. And all the while the children lay in harm's way from other children and those we trust to watch over and protect them. How many cases in the last 10 years has there been of sexual relationships between teacher and students? Unheard of years ago, now a common thing. And what shall we say of the explicit actiivty on school ground of drugs, sexual tabloids, and all kinds of sin to affect our children. The age of being naive and innocent is all but gone.
The home is a disaster area. From relationships between parents (as previously mentioned) to parent - children relationship, it is destroyed. I don't know of the stats, but it seems that children are raising children. Multiple teen pregancies are happening local high schools at record rates. Unseen in days gone by, but now a common thing. And for those that can't raise them, grandparents in so many cases have had to fill the void.
Even the church, a supposed sound structure, is so desperate for acceptance by the culture, that they have watered down, cheated on the truths, and coerced the ways of the world into the church. All this done to say, 'we are winning them'. Winning them with what? the Gospel? the truth? No, winning them with their own ways and means, all of which is vanity.
Every fabric of life is filled with debauchery, detestable, defiling ways of sin and evil. And you dare ask, 'Is therre any sorrow like unto my sorrow? Wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me'
And even worse than the physical locations of our daily lives, the Lord hath afflicted me in my heart and mind. For I know the truth, yet the truth is not received. And as they cry out, 'let us alone'. This is where my sorrow and affliction is found. For there is nothing worse, than to have the keys to open a door, and never open it. To have the ways of eternal life in Christ, and for them to never receive. 'For to as many as would receive Christ, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name.' But they would not. See wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me!
Where? in all the world. How abusive are the followers of Satan. So many of our brothers and sisters in Christ have been killed, homes burnt, threatened, deprived, removed and assualted. In all the world, the 10/40 window is so dark and dreary with false relgions, governemnts oppressive to Christianity. Filled with lies, and half truths and so many of the billions are without Christ, and little opporutnity for salvation. Is there any sorrow like unto my sorrow? over the lostness of the nations and the world.
WHEN
Even now it is upon us, day to day activites of all this that I have shared. Yet, the worst is yet to come. For soon, these trickles of evil shall mount in more succession of numbers and become a raging river of wickedness upon the land, upon the people., and they shall be consumed. Wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of His fierce anger.
For all the rejection, all the sinfulness, all the masses participating in it, all the evil occuring in one fell night, or during the broad daylight provokes the Holy ONe to anger and wrath. And each act of sin, puts one more drop in the cup of wrath. And this multitude of sin fills the cup so that when it is full, it overflows and pours out the wrath and vengeance of the Lord upon those that have sought how they might provoke and anger Him.
And that knwoing the attributes of the Lord, that He is the same, yesterday, today and forever; that HIs wrath in the Old TEstament and New Testament and history has shown His consistency in pouring out wrath on a people that would not obey and follow Him. Oh, soon and very soon it shall be upon us; yea, even now it is upon us.
WHY
Why does such destruction, sorrow, affliction and pain have to happen? It doesnt'. But the heart of men fail to understand the ramifications of their sinful, selfish choices over God's holiness.
And it is stated and reveealed that all this sorrow of JEremiah was not on his part, but on the people and the kings of Judah. They heard the word of the Lord, but rejected it.
the same is as true for Christ day. The children of Israel, Romans and other Greeks heard and saw all that Christ did and taught. And they rejected it.
And in this present day with all the blessings and mercies of God upon our land and the church, we have less holiness, less power of the Holy Spirit and less souls being saved. Yet, we do have more evil, more lost souls, more sin and a future that on this present course will mirror the sorrow of JEremiah and Christ. It is the doom of repeating death and dying of a nation and a people that forsook the Lord and turned away from the good and right way and embraced a sinful and evil way. Oh, what folly; what destruction awaits such foolish choices. Why would men ever chose such a way or path? It is the folly of their hearts that makes me do this. Satan lies, betrays, blinds and deceives them so that they hold no regards for God, but only for self. Self is god to them, and they will not be ruled by any other. Woe to the people that follow such a way of living, no, not a way of living, but a way of dying. 'For the wages of sin is death'.
"All ye that pass by, behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto mine sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of His fierce anger."
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