July, 2014
Deut. 31:17, "Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?"
Throughout the first half of this year, 2014, we have continued to see legislation, judicial and executive orders that are directly opposite and contrary to what God has already spoken and said. They continue to legalize sin which God has called abominations. And to think that this will not impact us as a nation, and directly to our own families and way of life is foolish. This verse in Deuteronomy was to the children of Israel. It is directly related to them that if they kept the Word of the Lord and obeyed God then God would be for them. But if they forsook and disobeyed the Word of the Lord, God would forsake them. The Lord would forsake them to the point, that even lost men would say, 'Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?'
The current issues and plight in our nation, county, families and churches is directly related to our choices to obey God or forsake God. The more we justify sin and allow sin in our everyday living only worsens our situation, especially for our children and grandchildren. Allow for me to direct us to the answer to our present dilemma and seek to restore a right relationship with the Lord God in our midst.
1. Identify the Sin: God has already spoken on what is right and wrong; it is not our place or anyone else's to over-rule God. We have no authority to do that, know the Word of God. Ignorance is not bliss here. The more sin, the more we provoke and anger the Lord. When we see our loved ones and neighbors practice sin openly, willingly and gladly, they are only deepening our offence to the Lord. The multiplying of sin in our day is filling the cup of wrath to overflowing. Woe to the nation, family, church and individual when the cup overflows. Know that which is right and evil in the sight of the Lord.
2. Confess the sin: As sin is found in all of us, God has made a way through Jesus Christ our Lord to cleanse us and deliver us from sin. The full surrender of Christ as Savior and Lord compels us to thrust our hope and help in Him alone. There is nothing we can do. And as we trust in Him, we are told to confess our sins and admit our failure before His listening ears and gracious ways. Failure to confess sin only hastens on God's response.
3. Repent: Upon the soul, family, church or nation that identifies the sins, confesses these sins before the Lord, they will need to repent of these same sins. Repentance means a turning away from the very act of evil that provokes God. It is doing a 180 turn around, going in the opposite direction of the previous path that led toward sin and hell. A person that confesses but never repents does not turn away the wrath of God. Repentance of sin that has been confessed stops the filling of the cup of wrath.
The present judgments of our land is due to these 3 issues. Our nation, churches, families will not repent of their sin, therefore the wrath remains. The only hope for a future in our land is to follow the Lord's instructions in His Word by identifying, confessing and repenting of the very thing that offends and angers Him. The sooner we do it, the sooner we will find His grace and mercy upon us and with us. Woe to those that refuse to do it.
until,
dan biser
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A PERSON DIES
What Happens When a Man, Woman or Child Dies
To the atheist - they answer, 'Nothing happens, for there is nothing else out there'
To the agnostic - they answer, 'We don't know what happens, but something happens'
To the religionist - they answer, 'Everybody goes to their own utopia'
To the sinner - they answer, 'I will deal with it when it happens'
To the saint in Christ - they answer, 'To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord'
In a recent Sunday School class, this needful and pressing question was asked, 'what happens when someone dies?' I cannot tell how many times in my ministry I have had to go through this with families, churches, individuals to direct them to the Word of God about death and dying. Sometimes it has been because of recent death of a family, friend or a tragic death. Sometimes it has been that they are simply contemplating their own life and eternity. Other times it is studying Scripture and a verse of truth shatters what they thought was truth and they have to know.
I have found that although there are many in the churches that have read their Bibles, heard the teachings, and had to go through 'the valley of the shadow of death', that they still do not know Biblically what happens when a soul dies. I want to take this time to go through this and share with those that need to know and the hope that it presents for us to prepare for eternity.
"I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not anothers." Job 19: 25 - 27
It is apparent that many of the Old Testament saints had an understanding about what shall be. David, at the loss of his son, due to his sin with Bathsheba writes:
"While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore: should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." II Samuel 12: 22 - 23
Death and dying have always occupied the mind, conversation and activites of our life. Each one has had to face death of family and friends. Each one will have to face their own death, unless the Lord returns first.
DEATH
Death is when the soul leaves the body. It is not when a doctor or person pronounces them dead. There is no purpose for the body without its soul. God made us with a soul, every human being has a soul. That soul is purpose of our being and life. These choices and decisions in this life will determine our eternity with Christ or without Christ.
Just as a car cannot run without an engine, neither can the body live without the soul. (Artificial sustaining of life is not appropriate here to discuss)
The body is made up of 3 parts:
The Flesh (the body) - And God created man and made us in His image.
"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." Genesis 1:26
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Genesis 2:7
We see that we did no evolve, we did not originate from accident or chaos, we came from God. God formed us; made us in His image by structuring, sculpting, forming us. We did not choose to be born or sign-up for it; God gave us life and opportunity. God knows us thoroughly, for God is Omni-present and Omniscient. He knows all our past, present and future. Knowing this truth should teach us that God created us as we are for a reason. Just as was said to Esther, 'for such a time as this.' We were not given life in the 1600's, or ancient times, but for here and now for God's purposes. Many that are not satisfied with how they look, why they were born, or have the life that do will never be happy or content. But those that understand this truth are able to see and say, 'This is the reason I was born and given life.'
The body has an expiration date; it is finite. The moment we are born, we begin to die. WE age, function for a while, but then the body wears down. 'The wages of sin is death' Romans And it is sin in the body that causes this wretchedness of disease, sickness, trials, terrors, and decay. For Adam and Eve had no death, no termination until they sinned and ate of the tree.
"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God Who gave it." Ecclesiastes 12:7
Many take much time and energy to keep the body fit, striving for longer life. 'And we are fearfully and wonderfully made' Psalm 139 But too often men strive for the flesh, and neglect and forget the soul. The body is made of dust and returns back to it. It erodes, decays and has completed its purpose to storehouse our soul. Just as when Ezekiel prophesied to the dead bones in the valley (Ezekiel ) and bones came to bones, then muscle, nerves, veins, arteries and flesh came upon them, yet the Scripture says, they still did not live. Bone, flesh and that which constitutes our bodies is nothing but dust. Now because it houses the soul, the spirit of life from God and for those that are Christians it habitates Christ and the Holy Spirit, the body is not to be defiled but kept holy, pure and undefiled. 'Touch not, taste not and handle not the unclean' things of this world and life. Don't mar or mark up your body. 'Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy One?'
There is much more that I can teach and say about our body, but for now let it content us to say that God gives us a body to house our soul. And as the catechisms teach, our body, our life and soul is to be for His glory.
The Soul - in reference it is the conscious of a person; that makes us up to be who and what we are; It is untangible, not physical, but spirit abiding within us. You cannot put it under the microscope or handle it. But its reality is that which is not seen with the eye, but that which is eternal and shall never be destroyed. Although for a sinner, it would be an answered prayer for their soul to be destroyed that they would not have to face an eternity in hell.
One preacher at a funeral tried to invoke science and gave the illustration: 'a man was near death, his body was weighed. The weight was recorded. After his death, his body was weighed again and found to be two pounds less. Therefore the soul weighs two pounds.' such folly and mockery of men's minds are foolish. Again it is a sign of humanism that we seek to bring the infinite and spiritual into the finite and carnal. This cannot be done with the soul.
Although no physical description can be given, yet we know that it exists. The Bible conveys to us that the soul shall never perish. It is a gift from God. God did not have to give it, He chose to allow us a life. That is the reason life should precious to one and all. And recognizing that every human being has a soul that they should cherish and prepare for eternity.
In our day and time, many are trying to make animals to have human souls, emotions, and feelings. No where in Scripture or the reality of life, is this truly proven or demonstrated. The closest would be Baalam's donkey talking to him when God opened up his mouth to speak after he hit him three times. But that was God moving His creation to work His wonders to get Baalam's attention. Animals are God's creation for His glory and purposes. Animals are not entrusted with having a relationship with God in the soul. Man received the breath of God, not animals. Man is judged and rewarded or condemned, not animals. Man has to answer to God, not animals. Animals to not have the responsibility or place to have a conscience that weighs choices of good and evil. They simply function off of God given instincts, skills and functions.
But for man, the soul should be everything. Too many focus on the physical body; they fear death and dying and give very little time and effort to preserving the soul in Christ. This is a tactic of Satan to deceive us that simply 'out of sight, out of mind' about the soul for many. Do not be deceived the soul is eternal, the body, the flesh is as grass; here today and gone tomorrow.
Spirit of life - life proceeds from God, for God is life, everlasting life. Life cannot be maintained without Him. Regardless of how long we may want to live, or what doctors say, if God says, 'time is up', then who will stop Him from taking the breath of life?
"For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." Leviticus 17:11
Just as Adam was created, he did not become a living soul until God breathed into His nostrils this life of the flesh. Just as the army in Ezekiel was all re-created and made flesh were not living, until Ezekiel called for the 4 winds to blow, and the breath of life came into them and they lived. So too no man is a living soul and body unto himself, except through the gift of God in life. God imparts His living spirit of life into man, creation to exist and be. Even the atheist and agnostic who doubt and refuse to acknowledge Him, are given life and sustained because God will's it. And this spirit of life that comes from God is given and taken.
"And the God in whose hand thy breath is and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified" Daniel 5:23
"IN whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind." Job 12:10
You see? Two verses confirming the same thing, that God gives and maintains our life and being in this spirit of life. And this spirit of life is given for our set time here on this earth. And when this life is finished: the body goes back to dust from whence it was created; the soul goes to its eternal resting place of heaven or hell; and the spirit of life goes back to God, from whence it came and where all life is found in Him.
DEATH OF A SAINT
"Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Matt. 25:21, 23
"And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom" Luke 16:22
The death of a saint takes them to where Christ is. Anywhere Christ is, is called heaven.
Let us examine the steps that happen to a saint that dies in Christ. And we will examine what shall happen when the Lord returns the second time.
You have a man or woman that is living their life. They have received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and surrendered themselves to Him. They no longer live for self or this world; they are now living for the Lord. their desire to please the flesh has stopped and now they desire to please the Lord. They live to obey Him and all His ways. They give time to Him each day; they worship in the house of God with His people; they read and study His Word; they pray without ceasing; they talk to others about their eternity and Christ being the way, the truth and the life and they serve Him with each opportunity to give Him glory and honor and enlarge His kingdom. And they know,
"It is appointed unto men once to die, and then the judgment" Hebrews 9:27
Every soul that has every been born will die. There are only two people that ever died, Elijah an Enoch. All others died and was buried, except Christ. And even though Lazarus, wiows son of Nain and others died and was resurrected, they still did in the flesh. And there is coming that time when Christ returns that we know that those that are in Chris will not die as we have seen and known of the body ceasing to be but they shall be translated.
TRANSLATED --
DEATH OF A SINNER
"And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matt. 25:30
"The rich man also died, and was buried. And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments" Luke 16:22 - 23
The death of the sinner takes them away from Christ. Anywhere Christ is not, is called hell.
Just as the soul that dies and separates from this fleshly body and goes to heaven in Christ and by Christ for the saint; so the soul that dies in their sins without Christ, dies and goes to hell.
DEATH OF A CHILD
The death of a child is always traumatic. Some of the greatest sorrow for parents, and families is found in this time of death. Scriptures do not reveal a direct truth of 'they die and go to heaven'. Therefore we must understand Scripture upon Scripture for this truth to be found and discerned. We only have a few experiences in Scripture of this.
As previously mentioned, we shared of David's week old baby dying due to his sin. Not the baby's sin. The prophet had told David that the child shall die, because he gave an occasion against the Lord in adultery and murder. But it is David's statement when the child died, that helps us understand eternity:
"I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me"
All men go the way of death, yet David remarks that he will see his child again in eternity. The reality of this truth is found else where that God does not condemn children and babies to hell. Yea, the very act of condemnation, as we previously discussed, is found that God condemns those who foolishly reject Christ and embrace sin.
"At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick. . .when thy feet enter into the city the child shall die. And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam. . . and when she came to the threshold of the door, the child died" I Kings 14: 1 - 20
Here we see that the wicked father and king of Israel, Jeroboam, was being judged and sentence by the Lord. HE not only had sinned, but made Israel to sin and no doubt, caused his family to sin. Woe to the fathers and mothers that cause their children to learn and know sin. Yet, in God's mercy and grace, the Lord found some good thing in this child. Now again, although it does not tell us what that good thing was, or if this child feared the Lord and served Him. We can only discern from other Scriptures when God is pleased and takes joy when his creation serves Him. It is not clear, but there is great weight that God took this child, allowed for him to die, before God judged Jeroboam's family. The family and Jerobaom was sentenced to death and dying horribly for their sins.
Began: July 22, 2014
Edited: 7/22; 7/23; 7/24; 7/26
Finished:
To the atheist - they answer, 'Nothing happens, for there is nothing else out there'
To the agnostic - they answer, 'We don't know what happens, but something happens'
To the religionist - they answer, 'Everybody goes to their own utopia'
To the sinner - they answer, 'I will deal with it when it happens'
To the saint in Christ - they answer, 'To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord'
In a recent Sunday School class, this needful and pressing question was asked, 'what happens when someone dies?' I cannot tell how many times in my ministry I have had to go through this with families, churches, individuals to direct them to the Word of God about death and dying. Sometimes it has been because of recent death of a family, friend or a tragic death. Sometimes it has been that they are simply contemplating their own life and eternity. Other times it is studying Scripture and a verse of truth shatters what they thought was truth and they have to know.
I have found that although there are many in the churches that have read their Bibles, heard the teachings, and had to go through 'the valley of the shadow of death', that they still do not know Biblically what happens when a soul dies. I want to take this time to go through this and share with those that need to know and the hope that it presents for us to prepare for eternity.
"I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not anothers." Job 19: 25 - 27
It is apparent that many of the Old Testament saints had an understanding about what shall be. David, at the loss of his son, due to his sin with Bathsheba writes:
"While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore: should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." II Samuel 12: 22 - 23
Death and dying have always occupied the mind, conversation and activites of our life. Each one has had to face death of family and friends. Each one will have to face their own death, unless the Lord returns first.
DEATH
Death is when the soul leaves the body. It is not when a doctor or person pronounces them dead. There is no purpose for the body without its soul. God made us with a soul, every human being has a soul. That soul is purpose of our being and life. These choices and decisions in this life will determine our eternity with Christ or without Christ.
Just as a car cannot run without an engine, neither can the body live without the soul. (Artificial sustaining of life is not appropriate here to discuss)
The body is made up of 3 parts:
The Flesh (the body) - And God created man and made us in His image.
"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." Genesis 1:26
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Genesis 2:7
We see that we did no evolve, we did not originate from accident or chaos, we came from God. God formed us; made us in His image by structuring, sculpting, forming us. We did not choose to be born or sign-up for it; God gave us life and opportunity. God knows us thoroughly, for God is Omni-present and Omniscient. He knows all our past, present and future. Knowing this truth should teach us that God created us as we are for a reason. Just as was said to Esther, 'for such a time as this.' We were not given life in the 1600's, or ancient times, but for here and now for God's purposes. Many that are not satisfied with how they look, why they were born, or have the life that do will never be happy or content. But those that understand this truth are able to see and say, 'This is the reason I was born and given life.'
The body has an expiration date; it is finite. The moment we are born, we begin to die. WE age, function for a while, but then the body wears down. 'The wages of sin is death' Romans And it is sin in the body that causes this wretchedness of disease, sickness, trials, terrors, and decay. For Adam and Eve had no death, no termination until they sinned and ate of the tree.
"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God Who gave it." Ecclesiastes 12:7
Many take much time and energy to keep the body fit, striving for longer life. 'And we are fearfully and wonderfully made' Psalm 139 But too often men strive for the flesh, and neglect and forget the soul. The body is made of dust and returns back to it. It erodes, decays and has completed its purpose to storehouse our soul. Just as when Ezekiel prophesied to the dead bones in the valley (Ezekiel ) and bones came to bones, then muscle, nerves, veins, arteries and flesh came upon them, yet the Scripture says, they still did not live. Bone, flesh and that which constitutes our bodies is nothing but dust. Now because it houses the soul, the spirit of life from God and for those that are Christians it habitates Christ and the Holy Spirit, the body is not to be defiled but kept holy, pure and undefiled. 'Touch not, taste not and handle not the unclean' things of this world and life. Don't mar or mark up your body. 'Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy One?'
There is much more that I can teach and say about our body, but for now let it content us to say that God gives us a body to house our soul. And as the catechisms teach, our body, our life and soul is to be for His glory.
The Soul - in reference it is the conscious of a person; that makes us up to be who and what we are; It is untangible, not physical, but spirit abiding within us. You cannot put it under the microscope or handle it. But its reality is that which is not seen with the eye, but that which is eternal and shall never be destroyed. Although for a sinner, it would be an answered prayer for their soul to be destroyed that they would not have to face an eternity in hell.
One preacher at a funeral tried to invoke science and gave the illustration: 'a man was near death, his body was weighed. The weight was recorded. After his death, his body was weighed again and found to be two pounds less. Therefore the soul weighs two pounds.' such folly and mockery of men's minds are foolish. Again it is a sign of humanism that we seek to bring the infinite and spiritual into the finite and carnal. This cannot be done with the soul.
Although no physical description can be given, yet we know that it exists. The Bible conveys to us that the soul shall never perish. It is a gift from God. God did not have to give it, He chose to allow us a life. That is the reason life should precious to one and all. And recognizing that every human being has a soul that they should cherish and prepare for eternity.
In our day and time, many are trying to make animals to have human souls, emotions, and feelings. No where in Scripture or the reality of life, is this truly proven or demonstrated. The closest would be Baalam's donkey talking to him when God opened up his mouth to speak after he hit him three times. But that was God moving His creation to work His wonders to get Baalam's attention. Animals are God's creation for His glory and purposes. Animals are not entrusted with having a relationship with God in the soul. Man received the breath of God, not animals. Man is judged and rewarded or condemned, not animals. Man has to answer to God, not animals. Animals to not have the responsibility or place to have a conscience that weighs choices of good and evil. They simply function off of God given instincts, skills and functions.
But for man, the soul should be everything. Too many focus on the physical body; they fear death and dying and give very little time and effort to preserving the soul in Christ. This is a tactic of Satan to deceive us that simply 'out of sight, out of mind' about the soul for many. Do not be deceived the soul is eternal, the body, the flesh is as grass; here today and gone tomorrow.
Spirit of life - life proceeds from God, for God is life, everlasting life. Life cannot be maintained without Him. Regardless of how long we may want to live, or what doctors say, if God says, 'time is up', then who will stop Him from taking the breath of life?
"For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." Leviticus 17:11
Just as Adam was created, he did not become a living soul until God breathed into His nostrils this life of the flesh. Just as the army in Ezekiel was all re-created and made flesh were not living, until Ezekiel called for the 4 winds to blow, and the breath of life came into them and they lived. So too no man is a living soul and body unto himself, except through the gift of God in life. God imparts His living spirit of life into man, creation to exist and be. Even the atheist and agnostic who doubt and refuse to acknowledge Him, are given life and sustained because God will's it. And this spirit of life that comes from God is given and taken.
"And the God in whose hand thy breath is and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified" Daniel 5:23
"IN whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind." Job 12:10
You see? Two verses confirming the same thing, that God gives and maintains our life and being in this spirit of life. And this spirit of life is given for our set time here on this earth. And when this life is finished: the body goes back to dust from whence it was created; the soul goes to its eternal resting place of heaven or hell; and the spirit of life goes back to God, from whence it came and where all life is found in Him.
DEATH OF A SAINT
"Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Matt. 25:21, 23
"And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom" Luke 16:22
The death of a saint takes them to where Christ is. Anywhere Christ is, is called heaven.
Let us examine the steps that happen to a saint that dies in Christ. And we will examine what shall happen when the Lord returns the second time.
You have a man or woman that is living their life. They have received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and surrendered themselves to Him. They no longer live for self or this world; they are now living for the Lord. their desire to please the flesh has stopped and now they desire to please the Lord. They live to obey Him and all His ways. They give time to Him each day; they worship in the house of God with His people; they read and study His Word; they pray without ceasing; they talk to others about their eternity and Christ being the way, the truth and the life and they serve Him with each opportunity to give Him glory and honor and enlarge His kingdom. And they know,
"It is appointed unto men once to die, and then the judgment" Hebrews 9:27
Every soul that has every been born will die. There are only two people that ever died, Elijah an Enoch. All others died and was buried, except Christ. And even though Lazarus, wiows son of Nain and others died and was resurrected, they still did in the flesh. And there is coming that time when Christ returns that we know that those that are in Chris will not die as we have seen and known of the body ceasing to be but they shall be translated.
TRANSLATED --
DEATH OF A SINNER
"And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matt. 25:30
"The rich man also died, and was buried. And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments" Luke 16:22 - 23
The death of the sinner takes them away from Christ. Anywhere Christ is not, is called hell.
Just as the soul that dies and separates from this fleshly body and goes to heaven in Christ and by Christ for the saint; so the soul that dies in their sins without Christ, dies and goes to hell.
DEATH OF A CHILD
The death of a child is always traumatic. Some of the greatest sorrow for parents, and families is found in this time of death. Scriptures do not reveal a direct truth of 'they die and go to heaven'. Therefore we must understand Scripture upon Scripture for this truth to be found and discerned. We only have a few experiences in Scripture of this.
As previously mentioned, we shared of David's week old baby dying due to his sin. Not the baby's sin. The prophet had told David that the child shall die, because he gave an occasion against the Lord in adultery and murder. But it is David's statement when the child died, that helps us understand eternity:
"I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me"
All men go the way of death, yet David remarks that he will see his child again in eternity. The reality of this truth is found else where that God does not condemn children and babies to hell. Yea, the very act of condemnation, as we previously discussed, is found that God condemns those who foolishly reject Christ and embrace sin.
"At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick. . .when thy feet enter into the city the child shall die. And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam. . . and when she came to the threshold of the door, the child died" I Kings 14: 1 - 20
Here we see that the wicked father and king of Israel, Jeroboam, was being judged and sentence by the Lord. HE not only had sinned, but made Israel to sin and no doubt, caused his family to sin. Woe to the fathers and mothers that cause their children to learn and know sin. Yet, in God's mercy and grace, the Lord found some good thing in this child. Now again, although it does not tell us what that good thing was, or if this child feared the Lord and served Him. We can only discern from other Scriptures when God is pleased and takes joy when his creation serves Him. It is not clear, but there is great weight that God took this child, allowed for him to die, before God judged Jeroboam's family. The family and Jerobaom was sentenced to death and dying horribly for their sins.
Began: July 22, 2014
Edited: 7/22; 7/23; 7/24; 7/26
Finished:
Friday, July 18, 2014
The Need
July, 2014
Greetings Church Leaders, Pastors and Prayer Leaders,
The need of our hour is before us clearly. The world status is a continual on-slaught of evil, tragedy, death and spiritual warfare against our Lord and His people. The church in its present condition today cannot meet the spiritual need before us. Evil is rising and multiplying, while we in our spiritual advancement and growth is inching along.
One of Satan's priorities is to destroy; 'your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour (destroy).' Death and dying and destruction are ever before us across the landscape of our land, our churches, our families and in the hearts of men. For those of you that follow my ministry you know that one of my warfares is against the evil of murder-suicides in our land. Such a devastating evil is this, where not only is loss of life done, as in homicides and suicides, but multiple loss of life far impacting families, communities left behind. We have seen this great evil in the school shootings, military base shootings, and multiple family murder-suicides being affected. How many families? In the US alone, we are averaging two murder-suicides per day. If this hasn't affected your county, city or family, it is coming. Wrestling against this evil is a hard matter for me. I thank God for all those that join me in 'fighting this good fight'.
The need of our nation right now, is for the power of the Lord's Presence and glory to push back, flood out, and destroy the works of Satan. It is for Him to be glorified in us and through us. We know that this is not done, in our own merits, in our own strength; 'not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord.' It is only as we wait before the Lord, that this blessed outpouring of His mercies is granted. In the last months, there is an upsurge by many in the churches to see this happen. The cry for revival, seems to be everywhere. More prayers and direction for prayer is happening at this time. However, the majority are still void of 'studying to show themselves approved unto God' in His Word, no Bible reading, memorization, and little Bible study. Prayer meetings are still limited. Many of those that are happening are void of the tears, burden and cries of our present need. Let us seek for the Lord to help us in seeing as He sees and respond as He would have us to do. The sin of prayerlessness is still much among us in the pulpits and pews. And it is still evident that carnality and worldliness is still much in the pulpits and pews as well. We have not cast off that which has provoked the Lord in daily lives. An atmosphere of holiness is missing among us today because we have too much of flesh and world in us and around in our homes, churches and actions. Let us seek to be fully surrendered, emptied and filled with Him.
For almost a decade I have labored for this same call to prayer. So for me to see and hear of this happening, is a joy. To have Ronnie Floyd elected president of the SBC convention with a priority of calling for prayer, 'extraordinary prayer' is an answer to prayer as well. Although as that term was used so often from Jonathan Edwards sermon, I asked of Ronnie to define that for his readers and the convention. He recently wrote a blog posts addressing that. For what is extraordinary prayer for one is not for another. For example, to have one prayer meeting a month for your church may be extraordinary, but for my churches that pray each week in corporate prayer it would not be. To pray personally, one hour a day would seem extraordinary for many in our nation, but go to China or South Korea where they pray two hours each day, it would not be extraordinary. And no matter what we think we are doing is extraordinary there is always another higher level of holiness that we must strive for; 'I press toward the mark of the high calling of my Lord.' 'Set your affections on things above, not on things of this earth'.
Now as great as the increase is for prayer and revival is happening, I must share with you it is not enough yet. More prayer movements, prayer meetings, and talk of revival is not the answer directly. The sermon that I have attached is addressing of this truth. The great need is a great cry. A cry of sighing, sorrow of heart, and cries due to the burdens laid upon us. 'Praying effectively and fervently by those that are righteous is our need. Let us not assume that because some are praying that they are praying effectively. Nor let us assume that simply because some scream and cry that this is fervency that moves God. 'Let all things be done decently and in order.' When the children of Israel cried by reason of their bondage, the Lord heard. When the 400 yrs. of being in Egypt was complete, the Lord heard. In Judges when the Lord sent them into captivity and they lifted up their cry unto the Lord, He heard them. When Jehoshaphat was surrounded and lifted up his cry, 'the Lord heard and delivered him'.
There have been many illustrations in other countries that bring us to this one point: "If we don't pray out of desperation; we will pray in desperation." That saying has struck me in much conviction to my own praying. We are not desperate. And what Leonard Ravenhill said of revival in our churches is as true, 'we don't have revival, because we don't want revival.' God have mercy on us. So content, so humanistic, so proud, so at ease and lukewarm; while a world perishes, our Lord's Name is desecrated, our Lord's servants are butchered and imprisoned and we sit idle. 'Ye are idle, ye are idle', our sloth is our sin to be confessed. Our response of fervency, brokenness, contrition must match what we are facing.
Many are quoting II Chronicles 7:14 for the sake of revival and pinning on God's response. But we have not truly dealt with our response. We have not humbled ourselves, we have not prayed, we have not sought Him as we should. And it is only now in these last months that we are starting to see this happen, which I rejoice in. I was blessed to see the SBC convention get down on its knees and pray. Call 2 Fall was observed on June 26 and many churches participated in it and it was the very act of getting down in humility before our Lord and praying. Anne Graham Lotz called for prayer July 1 - 7 and many church leaders and prayer leaders joined in. There has been much more activity in the call to prayer.
But as evil has multiplied, we only add. Therefore, I am asking of you, as the Lord had laid on me to make you aware of these things to consider:
1. The Need: as I have sought in this sermon attached to address this, it is not a burden by many in the churches and pulpits. I fear that many have a delusion of our current plight on where we are heading, and just how short our time is. And without some intercession to turn back God's wrath our children and grandchildren will know the horrors of this world. The need of this hour must be presented, proclaimed, and prophetically shared.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBWvij71RCc
2. 'When the foundations are removed, what shall the righteous do?' Our foundations in this country are being removed from education, government, economy, family and lastly the church. Satan in his warfare has done much to obliterate everything that we have grown up with and assumed were safe and sound. But we know differently now, they are all fragile and eroding. We must examine and know just how fragile we are and do everything to maintain and strengthen these foundations while we have time. Time is not a luxury for us.
3. Such need and fragile condition should compel us to desperate, fervent prayer. Truly, the like of which we have never known nor seen in all of humanity. Extraordinary prayer must be a standard to promote, progress and position ourselves in. Every church must have a weekly corporate prayer meeting addressing these and crying out to God for mercy, to be glorified. Every individual, no matter what their prayer life yesterday or today, must be deeper and more burdened, filled with fervency.
4. Every effort of teaching, leading and instructing on prayer must be in unity, Spirit filled and honoring unto Him. The day of prayer meetings being more about temporal, carnal issues is over; and the day of prayer meetings being more about eternity and spiritual matters is before us.
Brethren, we are out of time, and the response of God's people is upon you and me to set the example and call them to respond rightly.
until,
dan biser
rdbiser@live.com
'Hour of Prayer' via live ustream feed and recorded sessions on prayer; Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday at 9 PM (Est)
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/dan-biser
Greetings Church Leaders, Pastors and Prayer Leaders,
The need of our hour is before us clearly. The world status is a continual on-slaught of evil, tragedy, death and spiritual warfare against our Lord and His people. The church in its present condition today cannot meet the spiritual need before us. Evil is rising and multiplying, while we in our spiritual advancement and growth is inching along.
One of Satan's priorities is to destroy; 'your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour (destroy).' Death and dying and destruction are ever before us across the landscape of our land, our churches, our families and in the hearts of men. For those of you that follow my ministry you know that one of my warfares is against the evil of murder-suicides in our land. Such a devastating evil is this, where not only is loss of life done, as in homicides and suicides, but multiple loss of life far impacting families, communities left behind. We have seen this great evil in the school shootings, military base shootings, and multiple family murder-suicides being affected. How many families? In the US alone, we are averaging two murder-suicides per day. If this hasn't affected your county, city or family, it is coming. Wrestling against this evil is a hard matter for me. I thank God for all those that join me in 'fighting this good fight'.
The need of our nation right now, is for the power of the Lord's Presence and glory to push back, flood out, and destroy the works of Satan. It is for Him to be glorified in us and through us. We know that this is not done, in our own merits, in our own strength; 'not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord.' It is only as we wait before the Lord, that this blessed outpouring of His mercies is granted. In the last months, there is an upsurge by many in the churches to see this happen. The cry for revival, seems to be everywhere. More prayers and direction for prayer is happening at this time. However, the majority are still void of 'studying to show themselves approved unto God' in His Word, no Bible reading, memorization, and little Bible study. Prayer meetings are still limited. Many of those that are happening are void of the tears, burden and cries of our present need. Let us seek for the Lord to help us in seeing as He sees and respond as He would have us to do. The sin of prayerlessness is still much among us in the pulpits and pews. And it is still evident that carnality and worldliness is still much in the pulpits and pews as well. We have not cast off that which has provoked the Lord in daily lives. An atmosphere of holiness is missing among us today because we have too much of flesh and world in us and around in our homes, churches and actions. Let us seek to be fully surrendered, emptied and filled with Him.
For almost a decade I have labored for this same call to prayer. So for me to see and hear of this happening, is a joy. To have Ronnie Floyd elected president of the SBC convention with a priority of calling for prayer, 'extraordinary prayer' is an answer to prayer as well. Although as that term was used so often from Jonathan Edwards sermon, I asked of Ronnie to define that for his readers and the convention. He recently wrote a blog posts addressing that. For what is extraordinary prayer for one is not for another. For example, to have one prayer meeting a month for your church may be extraordinary, but for my churches that pray each week in corporate prayer it would not be. To pray personally, one hour a day would seem extraordinary for many in our nation, but go to China or South Korea where they pray two hours each day, it would not be extraordinary. And no matter what we think we are doing is extraordinary there is always another higher level of holiness that we must strive for; 'I press toward the mark of the high calling of my Lord.' 'Set your affections on things above, not on things of this earth'.
Now as great as the increase is for prayer and revival is happening, I must share with you it is not enough yet. More prayer movements, prayer meetings, and talk of revival is not the answer directly. The sermon that I have attached is addressing of this truth. The great need is a great cry. A cry of sighing, sorrow of heart, and cries due to the burdens laid upon us. 'Praying effectively and fervently by those that are righteous is our need. Let us not assume that because some are praying that they are praying effectively. Nor let us assume that simply because some scream and cry that this is fervency that moves God. 'Let all things be done decently and in order.' When the children of Israel cried by reason of their bondage, the Lord heard. When the 400 yrs. of being in Egypt was complete, the Lord heard. In Judges when the Lord sent them into captivity and they lifted up their cry unto the Lord, He heard them. When Jehoshaphat was surrounded and lifted up his cry, 'the Lord heard and delivered him'.
There have been many illustrations in other countries that bring us to this one point: "If we don't pray out of desperation; we will pray in desperation." That saying has struck me in much conviction to my own praying. We are not desperate. And what Leonard Ravenhill said of revival in our churches is as true, 'we don't have revival, because we don't want revival.' God have mercy on us. So content, so humanistic, so proud, so at ease and lukewarm; while a world perishes, our Lord's Name is desecrated, our Lord's servants are butchered and imprisoned and we sit idle. 'Ye are idle, ye are idle', our sloth is our sin to be confessed. Our response of fervency, brokenness, contrition must match what we are facing.
Many are quoting II Chronicles 7:14 for the sake of revival and pinning on God's response. But we have not truly dealt with our response. We have not humbled ourselves, we have not prayed, we have not sought Him as we should. And it is only now in these last months that we are starting to see this happen, which I rejoice in. I was blessed to see the SBC convention get down on its knees and pray. Call 2 Fall was observed on June 26 and many churches participated in it and it was the very act of getting down in humility before our Lord and praying. Anne Graham Lotz called for prayer July 1 - 7 and many church leaders and prayer leaders joined in. There has been much more activity in the call to prayer.
But as evil has multiplied, we only add. Therefore, I am asking of you, as the Lord had laid on me to make you aware of these things to consider:
1. The Need: as I have sought in this sermon attached to address this, it is not a burden by many in the churches and pulpits. I fear that many have a delusion of our current plight on where we are heading, and just how short our time is. And without some intercession to turn back God's wrath our children and grandchildren will know the horrors of this world. The need of this hour must be presented, proclaimed, and prophetically shared.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBWvij71RCc
2. 'When the foundations are removed, what shall the righteous do?' Our foundations in this country are being removed from education, government, economy, family and lastly the church. Satan in his warfare has done much to obliterate everything that we have grown up with and assumed were safe and sound. But we know differently now, they are all fragile and eroding. We must examine and know just how fragile we are and do everything to maintain and strengthen these foundations while we have time. Time is not a luxury for us.
3. Such need and fragile condition should compel us to desperate, fervent prayer. Truly, the like of which we have never known nor seen in all of humanity. Extraordinary prayer must be a standard to promote, progress and position ourselves in. Every church must have a weekly corporate prayer meeting addressing these and crying out to God for mercy, to be glorified. Every individual, no matter what their prayer life yesterday or today, must be deeper and more burdened, filled with fervency.
4. Every effort of teaching, leading and instructing on prayer must be in unity, Spirit filled and honoring unto Him. The day of prayer meetings being more about temporal, carnal issues is over; and the day of prayer meetings being more about eternity and spiritual matters is before us.
Brethren, we are out of time, and the response of God's people is upon you and me to set the example and call them to respond rightly.
until,
dan biser
rdbiser@live.com
'Hour of Prayer' via live ustream feed and recorded sessions on prayer; Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday at 9 PM (Est)
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/dan-biser
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
EXDOUS - A MASS DEPARTUE OF GOD'S PEOPLE FOR GOD'S GLORY
Exodus - A Mass Departure of God's People for God' Glory
A Revival Theme
Exodus 1 - 6
I. The Need
II. What God Did
III. Results
I. The Need
Exodus 1: 8 - 14
Exodus 1:15 - 22, murder
Exodus 2:23-25, "the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage."
'And God heard their groaning'
'And God looked upon the children of Israel'
Began: July 16, 2014
Edited: 7/16
Finished:
A Revival Theme
Exodus 1 - 6
I. The Need
II. What God Did
III. Results
I. The Need
Exodus 1: 8 - 14
Exodus 1:15 - 22, murder
Exodus 2:23-25, "the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage."
'And God heard their groaning'
'And God looked upon the children of Israel'
Began: July 16, 2014
Edited: 7/16
Finished:
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