By My Spirit Says The Lord!   

 Victory Ministries

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Walter Kambulow, is a man like King David, "after God's own heart." I encourage you to read his books. It will fill your souls with hearty spiritual food and give you new strength to live your faith in Jesus. He is Jesus centered and saturated with the Word of God and strong in the Spirit of the Holy Ghost. He is a great fighter for His King and an encourager of the true Saints.

- Dr. Pat Holiday, Jacksonville, Florida

 

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Content

Content

Introduction

Chapter 1

Until The Spirit Is Poured Upon Us

Chapter 2

The Spirit Of The Lord GOD Is Upon Me

Chapter 3

The Gifts of the Spirit

Chapter 4

The Warrior And The Spirit of Justice

Chapter 5

The Teacher and Helper

Chapter 6

The Rains Are Coming And The River Is Flowing

Chapter 7

The Lord is Good To Those Who Seek Him

Chapter 8

Arise O Lord Let Your Enemies Be Scattered

Chapter 9

The Mighty Deliverer And Redeemer

Chapter 10

If Anyone Hears My Voice?

Chapter 11

The Spirit of Faith

Chapter 12

Exceedingly Abundantly From The Spirit Of Grace

Chapter 13

God Is A Miracle Working God

Chapter 14

Whatever He Hears The Holy Spirit Will Speak

Chapter 15

In That Hour Jesus Rejoiced In The Spirit

Chapter 16

But God Raised Him From The Dead

Chapter 17

As They Were Moved By The Holy Spirit

Chapter 18

God Is Moving By His Spirit

Chapter 19

Your Enemies Shall Submit To You

Chapter 20

In All Your Ways Acknowledge Him

Chapter 21

Is The Baptism of the Holy Spirit Scriptural?

Chapter 1

Because They Trust in Him?

Chapter 2

Worship The Father In Spirit And Truth

Chapter 3

Faith Is Evidence of Things Not Seen

Chapter 4

He Rebuked Their Unbelief And Hardness Of Heart

Chapter 5

Once Saved Always Saved?

Chapter 6

"Do You Not See All These Things?

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Whatever You Bind On Earth Will Be Bound In Heaven

Chapter 9

He Will Not Be Afraid Of Evil Tidings

Chapter 10

There Is No God Besides Me

Chapter 11

He Will Come And Save You

Chapter 12

The Lord Loves Justice, Truth And Righteousness

Chapter 13

Return To Me, And I Will Return To You

Chapter 14

With The Lord There is Mercy and Abundant Redemption

Chapter 15

The Lord Does All Things, Even Now!

Chapter 16

Having Done All, Stand

Chapter 17

The LORD Has His Way In The Storm

Chapter 18

'Why Has The LORD Done This?

Chapter 19

Woe To You, Scribes And Pharisees, Hypocrites

Chapter 20

Take Heed That No One Deceives You

Chapter 21

Looking Unto Jesus, The Author And Finisher Of Our Faith

Chapter 22

How Then Can I Do This?

Chapter 23

He Has Shown You, O Man, What Is Good

 

 

 


Introduction

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. John 14:26

          Since everything that God does is by His Spirit including making heaven and earth and raising Jesus Christ from the dead, it would seem like an excellent idea  to get to know and trust the Holy Spirit, the other Helper whom Jesus sent in His name.

 

Jesus totally trusted and depended on the Holy Spirit for doing the work of God in destroying the works of the devil and restoring health to men and setting the captives free and for giving Him the words to speak.  So should every child of God!

 

All the Scripture verses presently quoted are from the New King James Version of the Bible.


Chapter 1

Until The Spirit Is Poured Upon Us

So he answered and said to me:  "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel:  'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,'  Says the LORD of hosts.  'Who are you, O great mountain?  Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain!  And he shall bring forth the capstone  With shouts of "Grace, grace to it!" ' "  Zechariah 4:6-7

          The Holy Spirit has been treated as the mysterious silent part of the Trinity that is more Ghost like than a real person and part of the God head that she is. The Holy Spirit in nature and character is more feminine than masculine. She is extremely sensitive, gentle and can be grieved easily.  The bible refers to the Holy Spirit  as female gender. When God created heaven and earth He relied on His counselor, the Holy Spirit, to do it and work out the details. The bible records:

Happy is the man who finds wisdom,  And the man who gains understanding;  For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,  And her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies,  And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.  Length of days is in her right hand,  In her left hand riches and honor.  Her ways are ways of pleasantness,  And all her paths are peace.  She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,  And happy are all who retain her.

  The LORD by wisdom founded the earth;  By understanding He established the heavens;  By His knowledge the depths were broken up,  And clouds drop down the dew.  Proverbs 3:13-20

The Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,  the Spirit of counsel and might,  and the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord played a very integral part in founding the earth, establishing the heavens, established the clouds above,  strengthening the fountains of the deep,  and  assigning  to the sea its limit. So She is not someone to be taken lightly, ignored or used at will.  For She is a real person with emotions of likes and dislikes and pleasures who has existed forever. The bible records:

"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way,  Before His works of old. I have been established from everlasting,  From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.  When there were no depths I was brought forth,  When there were no fountains abounding with water.  Before the mountains were settled,  Before the hills, I was brought forth;

While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields,  Or the primeval dust of the world.  When He prepared the heavens, I was there,  When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,

 When He established the clouds above,  When He strengthened the fountains of the deep, When He assigned to the sea its limit,  So that the waters would not transgress His command,  When He marked out the foundations of the earth, Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman;  And I was daily His delight,  Rejoicing always before Him,  Rejoicing in His inhabited world,  And my delight was with the sons of men. Proverbs 8:22-31

The Holy Spirit is also the Spirit of truth, Her mouth  speaks only  truth. Wickedness is an abomination to Her lips. All the words of Her mouth are with righteousness and there is nothing crooked or perverse is in them. Her  wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with Her.  God’s word records:

"I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,  And find out knowledge and discretion.  The fear of the LORD is to hate evil;  Pride and arrogance and the evil way  And the perverse mouth I hate. Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom;  I am understanding, I have strength.

By me kings reign,  And rulers decree justice.  By me princes rule, and nobles, All the judges of the earth.   I love those who love me,  And those who seek me diligently will find me.

Riches and honor are with me,  Enduring riches and righteousness.  My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,  And my revenue than choice silver.

I traverse the way of righteousness,  In the midst of the paths of justice,  That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth,  That I may fill their treasuries. Proverbs 8:12-21

For the record let set something straight about the Holy Spirit.  She hates evil, pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth. She loves those who love her and those who seek her diligently will find her. She gives enduring riches and honor and righteousness. Her fruit is better than gold and her revenue than choice silver. 

 

The Holy Spirit traverses the ways of righteousness in the midst of the path of justice, that She  may cause those who love her to inherit wealth.  By her kings reign, rulers decree justice. By her princes, nobles and judges rule.  So who ever has the Holy Spirit or better still the Holy Spirit has them has a great wealth and treasure? But wise ones will also know of her love for justice and righteousness, which is an intrinsic part of God.

 

The Holy Spirit is also a person who brings about change on the land, institutions, nations and governments and sometimes catastrophic ones.  As in the case of  king Belshazzar the to whom prophet Daniel stated:

"O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor. "And because of the majesty that He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down.

 "But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. "Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.

"But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this.  "And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified.

"Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written.   "And this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.  "This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it;  "TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting;  "PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians."

 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.  That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain.  And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old. Daniel 5:18-22

The Lord of heaven holds the breath in His hand and owns all the ways of each person on earth including a king. The Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses. But He also removes at will whomever He chooses. Especially those whose kingdom  has been  numbered and finished.  Those who have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting and hence their kingdom has been given to others. 

 

For God’s dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. His word is unchanging:

All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;  He does according to His will in the army of heaven  And among the inhabitants of the earth.  No one can restrain His hand  Or say to Him, "What have You done?" Daniel 4:35

"When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:13-14

So God who rules in heaven and earth does His will in earth as in heaven. As a result on occasion He brings judgment upon the land be by  war, pestilence, famine or disaster to the land. If His people who are called by His name humble themselves, pray and seek His face and turn from their wicked ways then He hears from heaven, forgives their sin and heal their land. 

 

God also brings real changes to the land by the outpouring of His Holy Spirit. The bible records:

Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high,  And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, And the fruitful field is counted as a forest.   Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,  And righteousness remain in the fruitful field.  The work of righteousness will be peace,  And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. 

My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation,  In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places,  Though hail comes down on the forest,  And the city is brought low in humiliation.  Blessed are you who sow beside all waters,  Who send out freely the feet of the ox and the donkey. Isaiah 32:15-20

"And it shall come to pass afterward  That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;  Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,  Your old men shall dream dreams,  Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants  I will pour out My Spirit in those days. 

"And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:  Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness,  And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.

And it shall come to pass  That whoever calls on the name of the LORD  Shall be saved.  For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,  As the LORD has said,  Among the remnant whom the LORD calls. Joel 2:28-32

So when the Holy Spirit is poured out on the land, then changes come to the land even personal ones. But it is the Holy Spirit who brings about the changes and God’s word is unchanging:

God is jealous, and the LORD avenges;  The LORD avenges and is furious.  The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries,  And He reserves wrath for His enemies;  The LORD is slow to anger and great in power,  And will not at all acquit the wicked.  The LORD has His way  In the whirlwind and in the storm,  And the clouds are the dust of His feet.

He rebukes the sea and makes it dry,  And dries up all the rivers.  Bashan and Carmel wither,  And the flower of Lebanon wilts.  The mountains quake before Him,  The hills melt,  And the earth heaves at His presence,  Yes, the world and all who dwell in it. Who can stand before His indignation?  And who can endure the fierceness of His anger?  His fury is poured out like fire,  And the rocks are thrown down by Him. 

The LORD is good,  A stronghold in the day of trouble;  And He knows those who trust in Him. But with an overflowing flood  He will make an utter end of its place,  And darkness will pursue His enemies. Nahum 1:2-8

 

 


Chapter 2

The Spirit Of The Lord GOD Is Upon Me

"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,  Because the LORD has anointed Me  To preach good tidings to the poor;  He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,  To proclaim liberty to the captives,  And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,  And the day of vengeance of our God;  To comfort all who mourn,  To console those who mourn in Zion,  To give them beauty for ashes,  The oil of joy for mourning,  The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;  That they may be called trees of righteousness,  The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."

And they shall rebuild the old ruins,  They shall raise up the former desolations,  And they shall repair the ruined cities,  The desolations of many generations.  Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks,  And the sons of the foreigner  Shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. Isaiah 61:1-5

          Most Christian live in the flesh and do things by the flesh and know nothing or very little of the power of the Holy Spirit. As a matter of fact most Christians have rejected the Baptism of the Spirit that Jesus taught and the gifts of the Spirit. Even though Jesus clearly told them:

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; "for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:4-8

Now the Holy Spirit coming upon a person of the promise of the Spirit is something that many great men of God in the bible knew about and experienced. The bible records of Moses:

Then the LORD came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, although they never did so again.

But two men had remained in the camp: the name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them. Now they were among those listed, but who had not gone out to the tabernacle; yet they prophesied in the camp.

 And a young man ran and told Moses, and said, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp."

So Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, one of his choice men, answered and said, "Moses my lord, forbid them!"

Then Moses said to him, "Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the LORD'S people were prophets and that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!"  Numbers 11:25-29

All the early disciples experienced having the Holy Spirit come upon them and prophesying. The bible records:

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.  

And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.  And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.

Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? "And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Acts 2:1-8

The first gentile Christians of the Roman Centurion named Cornelius and his family and friends also experienced having the Holy Spirit come upon them. The bible records:

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.  For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

Then Peter answered, "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"  And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days. Acts 10:44-48

The gentiles received the Holy Spirit in the same manner that the Jews did and then were baptized in water. 

 

Having the Holy Spirit come upon a person and prophesying was standard practice for Apostle Paul. The bible records:

And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples  he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit."  And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism."

 Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus."  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.  Now the men were about twelve in all. Acts 19:1-7

Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.  For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.  But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.  He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.  Acts 14:1-5

So pursuing love and spiritual gifts  of speaking with tongues and prophesying is more that just biblical and scriptural for it’s a commandment of God. For God’s word states:

If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.  But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.

Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.  Let all things be done decently and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:37-40

Those who reject the Baptism of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit including tongues, prophesy and miracles will not find any other power when they need it. They just leave themselves wide open to the enemy of their souls to create havoc in their lives.

 

If they continue to resist God’s commandments they will find themselves fighting with God. Yet God’s word is unchanging of His true ones including David and Jesus:

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,  And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.  The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him,  The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,  The Spirit of counsel and might,  The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. 

His delight is in the fear of the LORD,  And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes,  Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;  But with righteousness He shall judge the poor,  And decide with equity for the meek of the earth;  He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,  And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.  Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist. Isaiah 11:1-5

"The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ-He is Lord of all-  "that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached:  "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:36-38

 


Chapter 3

The Gifts of the Spirit

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.  And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,  to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

           The gifts of the Spirit come from the Baptism of the Spirit which Jesus who was born of the Spirit received also at the river Jordan and then He began His miracle ministry. The bible records:

 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, "There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.  "I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.

Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

 Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.  And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.  Mark 1:6-13

The word of God clearly tells us that Jesus Christ is the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit and when Jesus was baptized in the river Jordan the Holy Spirit descended upon Him like a dove. Then the Father Himself spoke and said “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

 

Then the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness for forty days where He was tempted by Satan and angels ministered to Him.  The bible records:

Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.

And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread."

But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.' "

Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.  And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.  "Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours."

And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.' "

Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here.  "For it is written:  'He shall give His angels charge over you,  To keep you,'  "and,  'In their hands they shall bear you up,  Lest you dash your foot against a stone.' "

And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.' "

 Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.   Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. Luke 4:1-15

Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness where He brought out three important truths:

1) "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' "

2)  "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.' "

3) "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.' "

Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Nazareth  where He had been brought up. As His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,  Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor;  He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,   To proclaim liberty to the captives  And recovery of sight to the blind,  To set at liberty those who are oppressed;  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."  Luke 4:18-19

So Jesus Christ did not deny the Baptism of the Spirit but stated that the Lord had anointed him to preach the gospel to the poor. He had has sent Him  to heal the brokenhearted,   to proclaim liberty to the captives  And recovery of sight to the blind,  to set at liberty those who are oppressed and to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.

 

Afterwards in another city all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Jesus and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them.

 

So we see from the word of God that the Holy Spirit gives the gifts of the Spirit to His anointed ones so that they may give to others  the word of wisdom through the Spirit, the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, faith by the same Spirit, gifts of healings by the same Spirit,  the working of miracles, prophecy,  discerning of spirits, different kinds of tongues, to and the interpretation of tongues.  For God’s word is unchanging:

And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:28

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,  for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,  till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,  but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head-Christ-  from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:11-16

 


Chapter 4

The Warrior And The Spirit of Justice

And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy-everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem.  When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning,  then the LORD will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering.  And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain.  Isaiah 4:3-6

          The Holy Spirit has been portrayed as a gentle dove who will not harm anyone just like Jesus who has been portrayed as the good shepherd who carries a lamb in His arms. But these are  half truths for both Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are men of war and can be and are many times quite adversarial.  As a matter of fact God’s word records:

In that day the LORD of hosts will be  For a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty  To the remnant of His people,  For a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment,  And for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate. Isaiah 28:5-6

Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD,  Or as His counselor has taught Him?  With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him,  And taught Him in the path of justice?  Who taught Him knowledge,  And showed Him the way of understanding? Isaiah 40:13-14

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. "For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; "and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' 

"He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.  "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. Matthew 10:34-39

The sword, the spirit of justice and the spirit of judgment are not something that men associate with the Holy Spirit or Jesus Christ. But one thing for sure the Holy Spirit is quite divisive and adversarial and does not put up with certain things. He does deal  very harshly with His adversaries, even to the point of taking their life.

 

We have a few  good examples of this in the bible  in the life of Moses, Elijah, Stephen and Paul. The bible records:

 So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing. So Moses' anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain.  Then he took the calf which they had made, burned it in the fire, and ground it to powder; and he scattered it on the water and made the children of Israel drink it.

And Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?"

So Aaron said, "Do not let the anger of my lord become hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.  "For they said to me, 'Make us gods that shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'  "And I said to them, 'Whoever has any gold, let them break it off.' So they gave it to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out."

 Now when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained (for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies),  then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, "Whoever is on the LORD'S side-come to me." And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.  And he said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.' "

So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day.

Then Moses said, "Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother." Exodus 32:19-21

Moses when He saw that the people made a gold calf and worshipped it and that the people were unrestrained (said, "Whoever is on the LORD'S side-come to me." Then he instructed the sons of Levi  'Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.'  So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses.

 

Now killing the false rebellious people of God and being blessed by God for it is something that few Christian leaders ever talk about even though Elijah, Jesus and Peter have done it.  For the bible records:

And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, "LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word.  "Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again."

Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.

 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!"

And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!" So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon and executed them there.

Then Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain." 1 Kings 18:36-41

As a result of the anointing that was on him, Elijah ordered the prophets of Baal to be executed. Few religious leaders ever talk about the fact that Elijah’s anointing of the Holy Spirit was one to kill the enemies of God. Even though God’s word records:

Then the LORD said to him: "Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. "Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.

It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. "Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him. 1 Kings 19:15-18

The sword of the Spirit is the word of God and is an offensive weapon and Jesus used it very effectively on the lawyers, scribes and Pharisees of His day. He truthful told them that they were liars, thieves, rapists, murderers, bind guides, hypocrites, brood of vipers, sons of hell, among other things who would not escape the condemnation of hell. Jesus did not bless them but cursed them and said to them:

"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. Matthew 23:13-15

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

"Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.  "Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.  "Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Matthew 23:23-28

Jesus told them their converts were twice as much as son of hell as themselves and that they had neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. They appeared beautiful outwardly, but inside were full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. They outwardly appeared righteous to men, but inside were full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.  They never escaped the judgment at the hands of God’s other ministers, the Roman soldiers in 70 AD, and paid with their lives and possession for ignoring the words of Jesus.

 

Stephen the first martyr of the New testament church expressed the same sentiments in his words about the Pharisaical ones who  have always fought with the Holy Spirit:

"You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.  "Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers,  "who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it."

 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.

 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,  and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"

Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;  and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. Acts 7:51-58

Of course Pharisaical ones cannot stand to hear the truth and be convicted by the Holy Spirit as a result so they murder the messengers and later pay for their foolishness in the judgments of God that follow. For judgments of God always follow. God’s word records:

Justice is turned back,  And righteousness stands afar off;  For truth is fallen in the street,  And equity cannot enter.  So truth fails,  And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.

Then the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him  That there was no justice.  He saw that there was no man,  And wondered that there was no intercessor; Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him;  And His own righteousness, it sustained Him. For He put on righteousness as a breastplate,  And a helmet of salvation on His head;  He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing,  And was clad with zeal as a cloak. 

According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay,  Fury to His adversaries,  Recompense to His enemies;  The coastlands He will fully repay.  So shall they fear  The name of the LORD from the west,  And His glory from the rising of the sun;  When the enemy comes in like a flood,  The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him. Isaiah 59:14-19

According to their deeds, the Lord by the Spirit of the Lord fully repays fury to His adversaries, and recompense to His enemies. He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, so  shall they fear the name of the Lord.

 

Yes God fights even with His own people. The bible records:

For He said, "Surely they are My people,  Children who will not lie."  So He became their Savior.  In all their affliction He was afflicted,  And the Angel of His Presence saved them;  In His love and in His pity He redeemed them;  And He bore them and carried them  All the days of old.

But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit;  So He turned Himself against them as an enemy,  And He fought against them. Isaiah 63:8-10

Now some foolish ones do not believe that God judges harshly His people under the New Testament dispensation of Grace. But nothing is further from the truth. For God’s word records for our profit and instruction:

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession.  And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet.

But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? "While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God."

 Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.  And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. Acts 5:1-6

What God has done once before He can and will do again. For He is the God who kills and makes alive.  He brings down to the grave and brings up.  He  makes poor and makes rich. He brings low and lifts up.  He guards the feet of His saints, and  breaks into pieces His adversaries.  From heaven He  thunders against them when  He judges the ends of the earth.  He give strength to His king, and exalts the horn of His anointed. His word is unchanging:

For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.

Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 

For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people."  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:26-31

 


Chapter 5

The Teacher and Helper

"But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. Mark 13:11

But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. 1 John 2:27

          The Holy Spirit that was on Jesus not only worked miracles for Him but gave Him the words to say to people. The bible records about Jesus:

And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak." Mark 7:37

"For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. "The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand.  "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."  John 3:34-36

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63

"I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him." John 8:26

Jesus walked the earth as a Son of Man and the Son of God and the words He spoke He spoke by the Spirit of God. The things He did He did by the Spirit and authority of God and there is life and death in His words. Life for those who will receive them and death to those who ignore them.  For God’s word is unchanging:

Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. John 8:28

"I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father."  John 8:38

"You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. John 8:44

"For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. John 12:49

Now foolish  carnal men do not appreciate the authority and anointing that God by His Spirit gives to His anointed ones. Even though God’s word states:

Then the LORD put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me:  Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.   See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms,  To root out and to pull down,  To destroy and to throw down,  To build and to plant."  Jeremiah 1:9-10

Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. Luke 4:14

Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, "What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come

"Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10:19

God gives His anointed ones  authority and power over nations and over the kingdoms,  to root out and to pull down,  to destroy and to throw down,  to build and to plant. He gives them authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt them.

 

Now all of this is quite some power and authority that when used brings major changes to nations and kingdoms. But this is what God wants and He taught His people to pray accordingly:

Our Father in heaven,  Hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come.  Your will be done  On earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts,  As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation,  But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Matthew 6:9-13

For the kingdom and power and glory belongs to God and it’s His kingdom that is important and must come and not those of men. Men do not understand the value and purpose of prayer and the power God has given them even though Jesus clearly told them:

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,  saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.  "Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.'  "And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man,  'yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.' "

Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. "And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?  "I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:1-8

God has promised to bring changes on earth and even avenge His true ones speedily when they pray for justice, righteousness and equity. For justice and righteousness are always on the heart of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. For God’s word is unchanging:

And the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing,  "since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?  "For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him."

And the LORD said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave,  "I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know."

Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD.  Genesis 18:17-22

Yes the job of the Holy Spirit is to tell His true ones of things to come. For God does nothing  unless He speaks to the prophets such as Abraham. The bible records for our instruction and profit:

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:  "of sin, because they do not believe in Me; "of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;  "of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.  "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

"However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.  "He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. "All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. John 16:7-15

God cannot fully bless many of His Children because they are full of impurities that will distort the blessings He has given them and they will go astray. So He gives them only what they can handle without corrupting it too much. If they want great things and He  knows they do, they must trust Him greatly. They must cleanse themselves before Him first and then they will receive great things. Then these great things will become greater and brighter and stronger if they will totally surrender their filthy, selfish, ambitious ways to God. He will cleanse their opinions and ways and turn them on the right path and then bless them beyond their wildest dreams. This is God’s  way!

 

God has  called many of His Children to receive all of Himself in the Power of the Holy Spirit and they have corrupted it. They have stolen money for themselves from the sheep whom He has given into their hands to protect and comfort. They have taken from the widow and placed it in their own pockets. They have dressed themselves marvelously and drive great big magnificent cars and forgotten the widow they took the money from. They have pushed her aside and strut about as beautifully plumbed peacock—proud of their “accomplishments.” If they could only look inside they would see what God sees they would  cover their shame and “nakedness!”

 

Yet, God has mercy on His unfaithful Children and have travailed long with them putting them in positions of authority. Yet they have so often failed God not recognizing their shameful ways before Him. It is by grace that anyone is saved and it is by grace that anyone continues to live by faith. This is each person’s choice each day of their lives.

 

God  has  not turned from His children as long as they don’t commit sin that hurts others such as sexual or financial sins. But one of the greatest sins God’s  church continues in, almost freely, is the sin of deceiving others with false teachings. Something which Apostle Paul prophesied and warned:

"Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. "For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.  "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

"For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. "Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.

"Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

"So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.  "I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. "Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me.

"I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' " Acts 20:26-35

Men have learnt something and teach it to others making them more sons of hell than themselves.  For this will be punished and dealt with.  For God is still in control and this is the Age of miracles. The time for change has come and His word is unchanging:

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. Indeed, we put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.

Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!

And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. or every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.  But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. James 3:1-8

 


Chapter 6

The Rains Are Coming And The River Is Flowing

And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.   They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.  There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

Then he said to me, "These words are faithful and true." And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.  "Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book." Revelations 22:1-7

          The Lord the Creator of heaven and earth is the One who is the River and who created the terminology the former and latter rain.  For His word is unchanging:

 'And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul,  'then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. 'And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled.'  Deuteronomy 11:13-15.

In the light of the king's face is life, And his favor is like a cloud of the latter rain. Proverbs 16:15

Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the LORD your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you-The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month. Joel 2:23

Ask the LORD for rain In the time of the latter rain. The LORD will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, Grass in the field for everyone. For the idols speak delusion;  The diviners envision lies,  And tell false dreams;  They comfort in vain.  Therefore the people wend their way like sheep;  They are in trouble because there is no shepherd.  Zechariah 10:1-2

It’s the Lord desire to give His people rain for their  land in its season, the early rain and the latter. He has told them to ask for the rain in the time of the latter rain and He would give them showers of rain. Especially when they are in trouble because their prophets and preachers and shepherds are false, speak delusion, envision lies, tell false dreams and have led the people astray. God’s word’s records:

"They say, 'If a man divorces his wife,  And she goes from him  And becomes another man's,  May he return to her again?'  Would not that land be greatly polluted?  But you have played the harlot with many lovers;  Yet return to Me," says the LORD.  "Lift up your eyes to the desolate heights and see:  Where have you not lain with men?  By the road you have sat for them  Like an Arabian in the wilderness;  And you have polluted the land  With your harlotries and your wickedness.  Therefore the showers have been withheld,  And there has been no latter rain.  You have had a harlot's forehead;  You refuse to be ashamed.

Will you not from this time cry to Me,  'My father, You are the guide of my youth?  Will He remain angry forever?  Will He keep it to the end?'  Behold, you have spoken and done evil things,  As you were able." Jeremiah 3:1-5

God, who is a God of mercy and of Justice, when He pours out judgment on the land for their wickedness, stands ready to pour out the showers of the latter rain to revive and restore them and to heal and deliver them.

 

Because of the prayers of God’s true ones, the River is flowing from the throne above all over the land. It is bringing great deliverance and great changes to the hearts of men. The Lord has ordained that the River flows from the north to the south and then back again. This is the Lord’s  decree and command that everyone who comes to the River drinks of Him  and is filled to well full if they so desire. For He desires that they walk in peace and joy in the Lord   wherever they go, so they can be filled with peace and joy and bring many others to drink from the River of Life.

 

For the Lord is that River and He descends like a great with Hawk from the heights of Heaven and cover the land with His Wings and heals the scared and broken land. He heals the people and He heals the place and He heals the land. He is the great Healer and His  middle Name is Justice.

 

But, if men would rather have His Peace, Joy and Holy Ghost rather than justice,  then they must do what He  has commanded them  in His Word and walk by His  Inner Voice. Then they will avoid the rigors of God’s Justice, because He will set them free from their ways and teach them His  ways. His word is unchanging:

Now it shall come to pass in the latter days  That the mountain of the LORD'S house  Shall be established on the top of the mountains,  And shall be exalted above the hills;  And all nations shall flow to it.  Many people shall come and say,  "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,  To the house of the God of Jacob;  He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." Isaiah 2:2-3

There is no peace like the Lord’s  peace. There is no joy like His joy. There is no river quite like His River! It is time for the road to end at God’s Presence. It is time for the church to arise as in one accord and sing His praises! It is time for the wounds to be healed and the people to be set free. It is time to open wide the door and let the Son come in! It is time!

 

Perfect is not what men have to be to please the Lord but simply totally surrendered. Many have incorrect doctrines and half understandings about the Lord yet they are loved by Him  and are useable in His  service.  For the Lord is always with and never against His true children. Their enemy is the devil and his legions but they are defeatable for their  Commander-in-Chief is with them and the battle is the Lords!

 

But the river is flowing deep within the hearts of certain men. It is flowing and bringing victory with it. It is running freeing in some and not so freely in others. It is running and bringing healing and blessings with it. The river is moving in the lives of men and bringing the changes they desire.

 

It is flowing and miracles are part of this great outpouring of the river. It is growing this river in their lives and it is coming right from their very bellies. It is changing them forever like the cucumber becomes a pickle when cured in brine. This river is salt water. It cures all who enters it and they are never the same again because of the chemical action it has on them.

 

Now, they have become cleansed in the brine. They are healed by the salt in their wounds. They are touched by the compassion of the person of the river. They are never the same again. Never the same again. Never the same again. They are moved to do what the river tells them do. They can never be what they once were. They are changed forever by the might and power of the river.

 

Just being next to the river brings shivers down their spins but even more they are moved to walk in it and then to flow in it and finally to become apart of it and imbibe it so they are intoxicated by it’s very presence. They can’t help themselves they are apart of the mighty river now. They can never be the same again. They can never be the same again. They can never be the same again. They are a part of the river. 

 

The weapons of our warfare are many and varied but the greatest weapon is the river of life. It brings true deliverance, miracles and healings. It brings balance and perspective and wisdom. It brings shrewdness, discretion and discernment. It brings all subtleties into play and teaches the student how to use the delicate tools with grace and deep wisdom.

 

Then the marching orders are given and the battle carries on. It rages from one end of the earth to the other. It never stops, not even for a moment. It never stops even though many think it non-existent. It is always raging on.

 

But, God has His brave warriors ready for battle and His wounded are brought back behind the lines and cared for but just one touch of the river and the wounded are ready for battle again. It just takes a touch but better an entire ocean.

 

Then those who have learned to take the river with them teach others to take it with them as well. They learn, grow and mature and because mighty rivers themselves until all around them flow in the river and are sustained for the many battles to come.

 


Chapter 7

The Lord is Good To Those Who Seek Him

"For indeed I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and sown.  "I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the cities shall be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. "I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bear young; I will make you inhabited as in former times, and do better for you than at your beginnings. Then you shall know that I am the LORD. Ezekiel 36:9-11

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

          Now the world, which has self-centered, selfish and greedy attitudes and hearts, foolishly advocates that the individual puts his own interests first, even above God. To look after themselves and ones needs above everything. They do not understand seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and especially doing to the best of one’s ability and great sacrifice God’s will concerning the needy, helpless, unfortunate, abused, afflicted, homeless, hungry, lonely, defenseless and despairing. They do not hear their cries and are not the lifter of their head.

 

They do not smile on them and give them encouragement nor take up their cause when no one would do it. They do not hear their heart’s cry and heed God’s Word which says to help the widowed, orphaned and naked. To visit those in the prison. To enlighten human hearts to set them free. To laud God praises rather than their own. To glorify God rather than themselves. To walk in His Spirit rather than their own. To lay aside their own needs and desires for the greater good.

 

The world does not understand God’s Kingdom and His righteousness, commands and ways. So it reaps what it has sowed misery, pain, suffering and death. But God trues ones do and they do great things on His behalf. Though they are not perfect the desire His ways purely but their hearts are pure before Him. Though they are not perfect always before Him, they can ask His forgiveness and He will give it freely to those who hearts are pure and perfect.  As a result they can walk in their 100% victory to receive a hundred folds for their Savior, Father and King remains always to them THE GREAT I AM!

 

All the promises of God and faith have an important ingredient in the  formula of true health, wealth and prosperity. If it is missing from the hearts and lives of the person, it will not work—the Holy Spirit! He is the presence we need to spend time with. The Word clearly teaches us that He is our Comforter and guide. He teaches us all things that no man need teach us.

 

The answer for a true Christian for everything is the Holy Spirit. Not just a slight mental assent of Him and His Presence and Power, but a deep determination to know the real Person of the Holy Spirit. Without Him we are nothing and there is no real change in a  life. He is the source of our power and motivation to change.

 

Those who dangerously resist the gifts of the Holy Spirit are resisting the Person and Presence of the Holy Spirit and have cut off the very source of God’s Power in their lives. There are something’s God’s people must never do as a Christian and this is one of them. They  need to spend time in the Presence of the Holy Spirit open to all of His ministrations, teachings and desires so they can grow in the spiritual realm becoming mature in the Spirit and not remaining babes and carnal Christians. They must not deny in the dark what they have seen in the light. They have seen the Holy Presence.

 

Now, they must give Him time to change, heal and rearrange their priorities. They are commanded to submit to Him and do their service humbly. It is only apart of a good Christian’s true service. They should not be proud of themselves but simply gratified that they are doing what they were commanded along time ago.

 

The Holy Spirit is able to cast their all their fear and unbelief by the very breath of His mouth. With the Presence of the Living God in ones life through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit the Power of the Holy Spirit  a person can see real miraculous wonderful changes in his or her life and receive true prosperity, salvation, healing, deliverance and every good and needed things. .

 

The answer lies in the heart of each person. To receive the Holy Spirit totally and completely with out reservations and restrictions. To invite Him, yield to Him and His love will fill them and make them whole—that’s  a promise from a God who does not lie, never fails and always loves. Only if a person turn his or her back on Him and the truth that they know could they ever again be separated from Him.

 

God’s true ones must stay close to Him and remember that their victory rests within their choices based on faith in God and the presence and person of the Holy Spirit to lead, guide and counsel them. Then  they  will have the kind of success, riches and prosperity  that will last for an eternity!  They  can loose all the good things they desire  in Jesus  name because it is all and always was theirs. They can stand and call it forth. It is all theirs. The opportunities, the friendships, the ministry, the gifts, the victory, the harmony, the finances, the prosperity and much, much, much more. All that is wonderful and good is theirs in Christ.

 

The joy, peace, compassion, harmony, wisdom, discretion, discernment, justice, righteousness, truth and abundance. It is all within them. Innately it is already theirs. They can walk in their abundance because God in Christ Jesus has given them the Kingdom as His beloved children. It is all theirs and they can walk in it with Love.

 

All of God’s children can walk in His presence and peace and promises and spoken prophetic words. Walk in His  person minute by minute! He has  much more for them. He has much He wants to share with them. He loves them deeply to the point of hurt in His very spirit! He has much for them, as they just trust Him! And they can have His Kingdom! It’s theirs! He gives it to them! All the silver and gold and diamonds are theirs! All the beauty of the knowledge of His is theirs!

 

They are to ask and they shall receive! Ask that their joy may be full! Ask for He is the one who will open the windows of heaven and pour out a great and deep blessing to them and their loved ones! As they trust and walk in Him, He bless them in grandchildren and finances and riches of heaven and earth! He is not afraid to give them  the Kingdom for after all they are His  children, chosen and called out ones.

 

God true ones can walk in the joy of their salvation for their Savior is here. He will deliver them from the noisome pestilence and the cankerworm must cease. They have commanded it many times and God will make it true. As they continue to walk in faith in Him they will see all their true  desires manifested.

 

God will not let them go without reward for He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek an serve Him as His humble servants. They  will be paid back for their  faithfulness. They are to ask all they  desire because it is all theirs as all the Word is theirs for God’s word says it:

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:31-32)

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their own craftiness"; and again, "The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile." Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come-all are yours. And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's. (1 Corinthians 3:10-23)

 

 


Chapter 8

Arise O Lord Let Your Enemies Be Scattered

"For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy,  Now I will arise," says the LORD;  "I will set him in the safety for which he yearns." Psalm 12:5

I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God;  Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech.  Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand,  O You who save those who trust in You  From those who rise up against them.  Keep me as the apple of Your eye;  Hide me under the shadow of Your wings, From the wicked who oppress me,  From my deadly enemies who surround me. Psalm 17:6-9

God always has and always will be the burden-bearer for His people, as well as their rock, shield, high tower, defense, defender, friend, Lord and everything they need.  For He has promised to be a God unto them and an enemy to their enemy and an adversary to their adversaries. He unlike others keeps His word. For after it is His word and He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end and the author and finisher of the Christian faith.

 

The Lord, Himself is the only Trustworthy in the Universe! He sets His true ones free because He loves them and only His grace can deliver them just as they are. His true children are prosperous and joyful because He has given them the Holy Spirit to lead and guide them  into all truth and deliver them from their selfish ways.

 

The Lord remains always to His true ones THE GREAT I AM! He has given them the Kingdom when He had given them His only Son and His wonderful counselor the Holy Spirit. All of the Kingdoms great resources and power and Persons are at their disposal because of the name, which is above every name. Above every principality, power, diseases, sickness, lack, shortage, mountain, lack, enemy, need and thing under the sun or in the darkness.

 

Though, little they are not small. Though, weak they  are not without resources. Though, helpless they are not without wisdom. Though, defenseless they are not without a defender. Their answer is always their Savior. He is their source of total supply. He is their friend and defender.  They are to look to Him and not to the world, their friends, their family or themselves. There is no other who can deliver them but He Himself. He has not deserted them and has only begun His fight for He is their Lord and Savior. His word is unchanging:

"When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.

"So it shall be, when you are on the verge of battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people. "And he shall say to them, 'Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them;  'for the LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.' Deuteronomy 20:1-4

"Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him.  "With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles." And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. 2 Chronicles 32:7-9

There is no determining factor like this one—that Jesus Christ laid down His life for them and has placed His army at their disposal.  His true ones may command them at will and they will do all of  their  bidding. Healing is theirs. Power is theirs. Miracles are theirs. Deliverance is theirs. Prosperity is theirs. Love of the Father is theirs. Wisdom is theirs. The Holy Spirit in Power and Glory is theirs. All is theirs because they have desired the very best, God Himself.

 

God is with them and He loves them. He will bless uplift and uphold them as well. He is their loving and marvelous Heavenly Father. He will not forsake them but will bless them to all eternity. They will become all they were called to become. They will see great victory and miracles.  They will manifest Him and all His Power and Presence. They will walk in His ways and follow His paths He gives them to follow. They will be a great force of change in His timing, choosing, and ways. He will see many people healed because of their love for them and Him

 

For God will never leave them, fail them or forsake them. As He was with Abraham, Moses, Joseph and Jesus so He will be with them. The wealth of the heathen is stored up just for them His beloved. They are to reach out and take by faith what is rightfully theirs. They are His beloved and success is their middle name.

 

The sky was the limit. They could jump as high as they desire and far as they desire. For God is with them all the way. They have His unlimited resources at their disposal. Nothing need ever move them again. For God will establish them and prosper them and they will be unmoved by what they see. Their strength will come totally from Him who is their Lord, King and Mighty One. For His word is true”

Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, But righteousness delivers from death. Proverbs 10:2

The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; The heart of the wicked is worth little.  The lips of the righteous feed many,  But fools die for lack of wisdom.  The blessing of the LORD makes one rich,  And He adds no sorrow with it. To do evil is like sport to a fool,  But a man of understanding has wisdom.

The fear of the wicked will come upon him, And the desire of the righteous will be granted.  When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more,  But the righteous has an everlasting foundation. Proverbs 10:20-25

For winnowing fork and sheave have not done their full work but when they have done it all those who fought against God’s true ones shall be no more. For the Lord is the grime reaper. He winnows His winnowing floor and separates the chaff from the wheat. When it is all over, He will have completed His  task and been satisfied that a proper job has been done.

 

The wind of the Spirit is blowing a great and mighty gale. It is churning up the bulrushes and lily pads together. There is not one who will escape God’s wrath though they cry to Him with many tears. There are many who are already crying bitter tears but they forgot their first love and chose their own way, thinking it was the acceptable thing to do. But, it was never acceptable to God. They should have consulted Lord  first, before they went on their selfish quest. They forgot, it is the real truth that sets men free, not one of their own making.

 

You see, truth is not relative or subject to men's opinions or ideas. It is steadfast, unchanging and faithful. It is eternal and never will cease. It is not the infallibility of some words but the Person who spoke them that makes it eternal. Men worship even words, unfortunately, forgetting who spoke them. They worship each other, subject matter, their intellect, their beauty, and so much more but they forgot one thing-the one who gave it all to them-they forgot Me-the LORD!

 

For the wayward man is a froward man, he desires to place himself in the best seats in the house, the foremost positions in the office or the most beautiful house on the block. He is sure he is right about most things and has advice to offer everyone without thought or regard for their position or importance both on earth or in heaven.

 

He is always looking out for number one and never considers the needs of others. He is sure of what he does not really understand and wisdom is not in his mouth. He elevates himself rather than waiting to be elevated by others. He runs to see what he could glean for himself rather than what others may need.

 

He is always whispering in someone's ear because he is sure he is very important and his advice worthy of receiving. He never cares totally for others but always reserves something in everything he does for himself. He cares for self most of the time unless by caring for another he glorifies himself. Even in this he is out to glorify himself.

 

The road to Mars Hill is dusty and hot and dank. It reeks of blood, guts and dead carcasses. These are those who died attaining their personal goals for wealth and fame. They climb over each other's form never considering how the others got there or how they died. They only know to climb like zombies over the putrefying bodies to their seeming goals.

 

Men  look down the road and up the road but when they think they have arrived there is nothing and no one for miles all around them. The place they find themselves in is barren and desolate. Even cactus and other desert creatures cannot survive where  they have placed themselves in.

 

Men forget the truth that he who truly desires to survive does not travel alone but in companionship with others and their lives are tied to them. They can't live alone, unto themselves, and expect to survive. This place is reserved only for the purely selfish, brothers and sisters, who believe in no other than themselves. This is the other side of heaven.

 

Whatever the name, there is more to life than living in an empty house, with an empty life, surrounded by empty inanimate things. Yes, they might be priceless and of great value but to God they are as worthless as the life that has buried it's talent in the sand and walked away. It is of no value at all; and, after all, if God places no worth in such a life it has no place in the Kingdom or price. Therefore, a priceless live, is not worthy to be purchased and will be left to drift through life and death, without purpose or direction. 

 


Chapter 9

The Mighty Deliverer And Redeemer

Moreover He said, "I am the God of your father-the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.  And the LORD said: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.

"So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.

"Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. "Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt." Exodus 3:6-10

          Those who do not believe that God can redeem and deliver  His people from any kind of circumstance and situation do not know God’s word or His mighty catastrophic power. They just have to look at Egypt today and what it once was before God send His plagues and judgments on it  to deliver His people. The bible records:

How often they provoked Him in the wilderness,  And grieved Him in the desert!   Yes, again and again they tempted God,  And limited the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember His power:  The day when He redeemed them from the enemy,  When He worked His signs in Egypt,  And His wonders in the field of Zoan;  Turned their rivers into blood, And their streams, that they could not drink. 

He sent swarms of flies among them, which devoured them,  And frogs, which destroyed them. He also gave their crops to the caterpillar,  And their labor to the locust. He destroyed their vines with hail,  And their sycamore trees with frost.  He also gave up their cattle to the hail, And their flocks to fiery lightning. 

He cast on them the fierceness of His anger,  Wrath, indignation, and trouble,  By sending angels of destruction among them. He made a path for His anger;  He did not spare their soul from death,  But gave their life over to the plague,  And destroyed all the firstborn in Egypt,  The first of their strength in the tents of Ham. 

But He made His own people go forth like sheep,  And guided them in the wilderness like a flock;  And He led them on safely, so that they did not fear;  But the sea overwhelmed their enemies.  And He brought them to His holy border,  This mountain which His right hand had acquired.

He also drove out the nations before them,  Allotted them an inheritance by survey,  And made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents. Psalm 78:40-55

God is not someone you can tempt,  provoke or ignore with out paying a severe price, even in the current time of life.  When Pharaoh and Egypt resisted the Lord, He turned their rivers into blood,  and their streams, that they could not drink.  He sent swarms of flies among them, which devoured them,  and frogs, which destroyed them.  He also gave their crops to the caterpillar,  and their labor to the locust.  He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamore trees with frost. He also gave up their cattle to the hail, and their flocks to fiery lightning.

 

He cast on them the fierceness of His anger, wrath, indignation, and trouble, by sending angels of destruction among them.  He made a path for His anger. He did not spare their soul from death, but gave their life over to the plague, and destroyed all the firstborn in Egypt.  But He made His own people go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.  He led them on safely, so that they did not fear, but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. All of  Pharaoh’s chariots and army were drowned in the sea and not one of them was left alive. 

 

But the Lord, the might Deliverer and Redeemer brought His own  to His holy border to the mountain which His right acquired. He would have taken them into the promised land had not they listened to the bad reports given by the cowardly and fearful spies and had they not taken up stones to kill Joshua and Caleb. 

 

So God, who kept His word till that time and delivered His people,  made  a whole generation of His people to die in the wilderness with out going into the promised land.  The bible records:

"And now, I pray, let the power of my LORD be great, just as You have spoken, saying,  'The LORD is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.'  "Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray, according to the greatness of Your mercy, just as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now."

Then the LORD said: "I have pardoned, according to your word;  "but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD-  "because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, "they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it.

"But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.  "Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valley; tomorrow turn and move out into the wilderness by the Way of the Red Sea." Numbers 14:17-25

The children of Israel were at the border of the promised land but never went in to posses and enjoy it. But God’s servants Joshua and  Caleb, because they had a different spirit in them  and had followed the Lord fully, He brought them into the land where they went, and their descendants  inherited it. 

 

But God does deliver His true ones even in the current time of life.  He delivers them the deceptions of men. He delivers them from the enemies that press in all around them. He delivers them from sickness and disease. He delivers them from corruption and judgment. He delivers them from correction and abuse. He delivers them from perversion and death. He delivers them from self-righteousness and pride. He gives them real deliverance and redemption for He is their God.

 

Unfortunately man does not change and history continues to repeat itself. In spite of all what God continue to do for them, even miraculously, God’s people do stupid things such as believing false teachers or hurting and touching God’s anointed servants.  Then they wonder why they have to live out their lives in the deserts of the wilderness instead of the blessings of the promised land. But God’s word is unchanging:

These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. 

For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.

For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire." 2 Peter 2:17-22

Yes for some who had escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, and the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.

 

For the mighty Whirlwind stirs up  even today trouble for all who have disobeyed God’s Voice! The pastors, administrators, coordinators, editors, publishers and others who refused to hear and obey the clarion call to justice, righteousness and true! O, they thought they knew better. They thought they were so right and sure of their way. They thought they were superior in their knowledge and their understanding. They were so sure they were right. But they weren’t. They were wrong. They were deceived. So they pay the price for their deceivement,

 

It is to sad, man is so deceived that he thinks he can carry on without paying for what he has done. His flesh has duped him. His flesh has deceived him but yet, he deceived himself when he accepted what his flesh presented to him. He desired what he was never promised. He desired only what the world promised. So now he must pay the price in his flesh and in his spirit. He forgot the saying: ‘to be your brother’s keeper.’ He forgot to love God just as much as he loved himself. He forgot and now he must pay.

 

For the Heavens are full of the Majesty of the Lord. The earth is His footstool and the Firmament between is His handy work. The Presence of the Lord is in all places at all times. There is nothing that happens that is missed by Him for He sees and knows all things, even the evil cruel things men do are before His eyes.

 

He is above all that men do and He allows it for his purposes and the achievement of His desires. He has been man free choice and that choice is to choose for or against Him. The consequences of those choices must be paid. The bill comes due and must be repaid. The jury’s verdict must come in and justice served. That is the way God has established the spiritual laws on the earth.

 

The enigma is that men think so nobly in one breath and proceed to take a person’s life in the next. He is both noble and cruel, both kind and vicious, both caring and brutal, both full of integrity and totally dishonest. He can never be only the best part of himself unless He relies totally on the Power and Presence of the Lord.

 

The Light of God must enter into the human world of darkness and shed total and dispelling light on the darkness in men’s minds and hearts. Only God’s Light can change the human heart. Only the presence of the anointing oil of the Holy Spirit can change human hearts. Hearts of stone and flesh can become hearts of Spirit and Light if they are hearts yielded and humble before their Creator. Nothing else can dispel the darkness and bring healing and change.

 


Chapter 10

If Anyone Hears My Voice?

Then Samuel said:  "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,  As in obeying the voice of the LORD?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,  And to heed than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,  And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.  Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,  He also has rejected you from being king." 1 Samuel 15:22-23

          The only real thing that matters in life is to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit in clarity speaking to each person. Failure to hear and heed is voice brings all kinds of troubles. For God’s word is unchanging:

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:  "Today, if you will hear His voice,  Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,  In the day of trial in the wilderness,  Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me,  And saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation,  And said, 'They always go astray in their heart,  And they have not known My ways.'  So I swore in My wrath,  'They shall not enter My rest.' "  Hebrews 3:7-11

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.  Revelations 3:20

The music God  provides to His people is different from the music the earth knows. It is sweet and full of His presence in their very souls. He wants them to cry out to God in their very souls and learn where they have gone wrong. The hardest thing it seems is for God’s  people to face is  their wrong doings. They can’t face them and would rather go on assured of their position without having His  assurance and blessings upon them.

 

They have set in motion the thing that supports them in the form of a church and congregation members and go on without the Lord. They have ignored the words of God’s true  prophets I have sent to them. They have ignored the Lord  and refuse to speak the truth in love. They refuse to hear His Voice within them. There is hope for some of them but very few actually want change their ways and serve the Lord and obey His voice only.  Just like the children of Israel they prefer to take orders from a pastor rather than the Holy Spirit.

 

As a result the waywardness of man places him in very precarious positions that leaves him far from the purposes God has called him to. He is destroyed by his own ways. He has forgotten to listen to God’s  voice and heed His  words and then cries when he receives no answer to his prayers.

 

His ways lead to death and destruction. He harbors only fair opinions of himself and God  yet he does not do what takes courage to do. The Lord has told him in His Word to be of good courage and do His judgments and follow His statutes. But no, he has to ignore the truth and follow after the vain philosophies of men. Rather doing what men  think best than what God thinks is best.

 

It seems that  few Christians understand,  that it is only by listening to God’s still small voice, daily and hourly, that real spiritual success and victories come. They must consult the Lord on everything, no matter how minute or small and He will guide them down the right path to true life and true success

 

The natural outpouring of their love and relationship with God  should be that in all they have to do in life. It should be done in agreement with God  and what He has taught them. His leading is available to them just as their very breath is for breathing life each day.  The Lord is like their breath. He is life to them and they cannot breath without Him. They cannot live without Him. They have no peace and profit without Him.  For He is their success and exceeding great reward.

 

If God’s people would recognize this, they would see the value in their fellow men more. They would not allow pride to enter into their relationship with God or man and hold them on a level of understanding that keeps them from advancing in the spiritual realm. For God has much He wants to teach His true Children, yet often He can’t even get through to them because they are so busy with their agendas, programs and lifestyle. Then they will complain in Heaven of their lack of rewards and possible expulsion. But He  could have told them they failed to listen to Him  and His Voice and put aside their pride and plans.

 

If their  ‘works’ are more important to them  than a relationship with the Lord  they  have failed to ‘see’ the truth. He does not desire sacrifice. He desires their attention. He desires their  affection and  dedication to God’s Voice and His Words.

 

All of the floral arrangements and beautiful homes or long business hours or hours spent in sports or teaching sports will not benefit them in Heaven if God has called them to His  side and they did not come.

 

The Lord is he only thing in life more important than anything else. If only  people  would recognize that they would stop all their good works and beautification programs, they would love each other purely and simply. They  would walk by God’s Spirit and not by their worldly opinions.  What they think is valuable is usually not of any worth to Him if He was not the originator of it.

 

As physical exercise profits little in the spiritual realm so do many other activities people find to accomplish in life. Only service done in obedience to God’s Voice will be of any value in the Kingdom of God. How can man be so foolish? How can he be so callused to what God’s is  really saying to him? How can they ignore the only One who matters more than life to them? Yet, over and over they seem to do just that.

 

All they do may be good. It may be pure. It may be profitable. But, if the Lord has not called them to do it, it is useless stubble and hay. The Lord has told them not to forget the assembling themselves together.’ Yet, they make it such a ritual and burden that it is of no more value to God or to them.

 

He told them to rest on Sunday and find one day of rest and yet they pack in all kinds of programs and activities and find no time to rest and be quiet before God. But He  has ordained rest so that they can spend time with Him  not all their plans and projects. For  He is more important than anyone or anything else in their life yet they can’t even see the significance of this truth. Without God’s approval their efforts are all null and void.

 

Let all men be liars and God be true. What I have ordained in human lives will last forever. Those who hear God’s Voice and Do what He commands them are His greatest servants. It is not the singer or the preacher or the pastor or the teacher. It is those who do the difficult, the undesirable, the hard, the cold thankless jobs of life that are going to receive the greater part in Heaven.

 

God brought John the Baptist from his mother’s womb full of the Holy Ghost and fire and set him among men in rough cloths and eating locusts and honey. He did not  provide him with the best mansion or the best delicacies for this table. And when it came to die John  died in a dungeon and suffered the indignity of having his head cut off.

 

Yet, you would never have heard John complain. He knew in his heart what God had called him to and he loved it the bitter end. He knew who He was in Lord. He was a great prophet and servant of the living God and what he did, he did gracefully.

 

But for the so called Christians of today their teachings are half-baked. Their sacrifice non-existent. Their joy artificial. Their desires self-centered. Their giving meager. Their demands are many.  Many have become greedy wolves full of themselves and their own projects and plans having little if anything to do with God’s or what He desires. They have closed their ears to God and He has done likewise.  They ignored His voice speaking to them telling them:

"For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. Matthew 7:2

 


Chapter 11

The Spirit of Faith

The Mighty One, God the LORD,  Has spoken and called the earth  From the rising of the sun to its going down.  Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,  God will shine forth.  Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent;  A fire shall devour before Him,  And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him.  He shall call to the heavens from above,  And to the earth, that He may judge His people: "Gather My saints together to Me,  Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice."  Let the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is Judge. Selah Psalm 50:1-6

But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' " Matthew 4:4

          One of the gifts of the Spirit that operates supernaturally in the lives of God’s people is the Spirit of faith. God supernaturally by His Spirit revels an attribute of Himself,  such that He is the Mighty One, God the Lord, the Judge of All the earth. This puts a confidence in God’s true ones that everything will be alright because God is the mighty One who will shine forth and come to defend them. 

 

Praying in the Spirit often activates the spirit of faith in the live of a believer and brings a word from the mouth of God.  Something which happened in life of Apostle Paul who prayed in tongues more than all. The bible records:

Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them,  saying, "Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives."

Nevertheless the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul. And because the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised to set sail from there also, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete opening toward the southwest and northwest, and winter there.   When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete. Acts 27:9-13

Paul in his spirit perceived that their voyage would end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and shop but also their lives. But the centurion had other more valid reasons to continue with the journey than to take heed to the words of Paul. The bible records:

But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon.  So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drive.  And running under the shelter of an island called Clauda, we secured the skiff with difficulty.  When they had taken it on board, they used cables to undergird the ship; and fearing lest they should run aground on the Syrtis Sands, they struck sail and so were driven.  And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship.   On the third day we threw the ship's tackle overboard with our own hands.

Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up.  But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, "Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss. "And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. "For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve,  "saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.'

"Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.  "However, we must run aground on a certain island." Acts 27:9-26 

Sure enough the ship ran into an unexpected storm and they were in trouble. But an angel of God gave Paul the word from the mouth of God that  there would  be no loss of life among them  but only of the ship.  Paul believed God and that it would be just as it was told him and made his confession of faith. Sure enough He was not disappointed. The ship  sank but they all made it safely to a certain island. 

 

Now Apostle Paul,  himself, talked about  that since the excellence of the power is of God  we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak.”  The bible records:

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-  always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you.

And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak,  knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,  while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2  Corinthians 4:7-18

God puts His true ones in some very difficult and perplexing situations and circumstances that look like they are going to be destroyed or delivered to death. But the same Holy Spirit who raised up the Lord Jesus from the dead will deliver them from their light affliction so that they might continue serving the Lord.

 

For there is nothing beyond the Holy Spirit’s power to change things and circumstance for His true ones, even raising people from the dead.  Nothing is impossible or too difficult for the Holy Spirit to do on behalf of God’s true ones  in their hour of need.  No mountain is too large  the Holy Spirit cannot move. No river is too wide that the Holy Spirit cannot part.  No problem is too big that the Holy Spirit cannot solve. No enemy is too numerous that the Holy Spirit cannot destroy.  For the bible records of what happened when the Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson:

 Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, "Do you not know that the Philistines rule over us? What is this you have done to us?" And he said to them, "As they did to me, so I have done to them."

 But they said to him, "We have come down to arrest you, that we may deliver you into the hand of the Philistines."

Then Samson said to them, "Swear to me that you will not kill me yourselves."  So they spoke to him, saying, "No, but we will tie you securely and deliver you into their hand; but we will surely not kill you." And they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock.

When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting against him. Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him; and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds broke loose from his hands.  He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out his hand and took it, and killed a thousand men with it.

Then Samson said:   "With the jawbone of a donkey,  Heaps upon heaps,  With the jawbone of a donkey  I have slain a thousand men!" And so it was, when he had finished speaking, that he threw the jawbone from his hand, and called that place Ramath Lehi.  Judges 15:11-17

 


Chapter 12

Exceedingly Abundantly From The Spirit Of Grace

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,  to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8

          To have exceeding abundance for every good work is very rare in the present world of lack, poverty, suffering, pain, and shortages due to man’s sin and curse as a result of sin in the garden of Eden. But the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Grace, is not restricted by anything, and God is able to make all grace abound towards His children that they always having all sufficiency in all things,  they may have an abundance for every good work.  For He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that they ask or think according to the power that works in them. 

 

So it’s the release and the working of the Spirit of Grace in them  that determines what side of Jordan them live in? In the promised land of abundant blessings or in the wilderness of desolation?

 

The irony is that the Holy Spirit has to make the word and promises of God real to God’s children in the first place before they can claim them. The Holy Spirit has to give the power and change to diligently obey the voice of the Lord their God and walk in all His ways. So rejecting the Holy Spirit and not being friends with Him is not a good start to have exceeding abundance?  Yet God’s word is unchanging:

"Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. "And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God:

"Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.  "Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.  "Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. "Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

 "The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.

"The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.

"The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways. "Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of you.

"And the LORD will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers to give you. "The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.

"And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. Deuteronomy 28:1-13

Mind you every demon in hell will attack any child of God who wants to walk in the fullness of God’s Spirit and His Abrahamic blessings. But greater is He that is in them than he that is in the world? And God’s word is unchanging:

"Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, "lest-when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them;  "and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied;  "when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; "who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock;  "who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end-  "then you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.'

 "And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

 "Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the LORD your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.  "As the nations which the LORD destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 8:11-20

God gives His true ones who have been humbled and tested the power to get wealth. For Jesus said it very well that no man can serve two masters. You cannot serve God and money.  For God’s word is unchanging:

"No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."   Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. Luke 16:13-15

But if you serve God alone and seek His kingdom first, He will add all the other things in due season.  His word is unchanging:

"For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.  Matthew 6:32-34

Speaking of trouble with out exception the love of money and desire to be rich causes a lot of trouble, destruction, sorrows and perdition. The bible records:

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:9-12

It takes a fight of faith to put God first in all things and to hold on to eternal life when foolish and harmful lusts look so attractive.  Something which Joseph, the son of Jacob, who had visions of wealth and power demonstrated when he resisted the sexual advances of his master’s wife. Even though it result in Joseph being thrown into prison. The bible records:

Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. 

The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.  And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority. 

So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field.  Thus he left all that he had in Joseph's hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.

 And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me."

 But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. "There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"

So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her.  Genesis 39:1-10

God who sees and knows all things has the final say on all matters. And He richly rewards those who are faithful to Him even when it is costly. The bible records for our profit and instruction

"And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him "and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. Acts 7:9-10

 


Chapter 13

God Is A Miracle Working God

Then he became very thirsty; so he cried out to the LORD and said, "You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant; and now shall I die of thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?"  So God split the hollow place that is in Lehi, and water came out, and he drank; and his spirit returned, and he revived. Therefore he called its name En Hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day. Judges 15:18-19

"For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy,  Now I will arise," says the LORD;  "I will set him in the safety for which he yearns." Psalm 12:5

          After the Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson and give him supernatural strength to destroy his enemies, one thousand of them, he became very thirsty. So he cried to God that he was dying of thirst and would fall into the hand of the uncircumcised. So God split the hollow place that is in Lehi, and water came out, and he drank; and his spirit returned, and he revived. It simple laymen’s term this was a miracle. God supernaturally meet a physical need of Samson for He is a Miracle working God.

 

Now Christianity is a miracle religion for its founder, unlike others, miraculously rose from the dead after He was murdered? Take miracles out of Christianity and you have a dead from of religion which has a form of godliness by denies its power.  But to the wise ones of this world God and his miracles do not make any sense. But miracles  are not supposed to make any sense and that is why they are called a sign and wonder. It’s a sign that makes you wonder.

 

Anyway the world by its wisdom knew not God and He loves to use the foolish things to confound the wise.  The bible records:

 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.  For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;  but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;  and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,  that no flesh should glory in His presence.

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God-and righteousness and sanctification and redemption-  that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."  1 Corinthians 1:21-31

The message of the cross is that Jesus Christ is no longer crucified at all but He was raised from the dead after the world including men and demons did their worse to him. Jesus died on the Cross on Calvary, but He didn’t stay there. He arose triumphant and victorious over everything, over the worst that the devil or others could throw at or do to Him and to us.  

 

Because of the cross of Christ, God has reconciled all things to Himself whether things on earth or things in heaven. As a result, He, not the devil rules and reigns on planet earth. Then having wiped out all the enemies of His people and especially the requirements that were against them,  He has taken it out of the way having nailed to the cross. 

 

As a result of what Jesus did on the Cross by faith everything is ours now.  For Jesus Christ has substituted all things on the cross for us and exchanged it there for us. Our death, defeat and poverty and curses have been nailed to the Christ. As a result in Christ Jesus we are rich, victorious and have a new life in Christ Jesus, as we walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh.

 

The empty Cross now also stands as a reminder and says to the world and to all the demons of Hell “You did your worst, but God gave His best.  Now things are no longer the same, because Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father waiting for His enemies to be submitted to Him. He has also now given us the power to subdue all His and our enemies through the use of His name and Word and dependence of the Spirit. 

 

The Cross is also a real testimony of what God’s power can do no matter what the Hell or injustice that the world or the devil will throw at us.  For Jesus’ resurrection after a cruel and awful death signifies the real possibility of total and complete victory in our lives, hearts and circumstances as well in the current time of life as we trust in God just like Jesus did.

 

We by faith can  tap into all the riches and resources of heaven which are now our by Christ Jesus because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross two thousand years ago and  become more than conquerors.

 

For the  King of Kings and Lord of Lords with His unlimited and unimaginable power and riches was never poor nor debased. But He chose because of us to became a man and identify and relate to humanity in all its sufferings and ways. God in Christ Jesus stripped Himself of His royalty and Kingship. He then became poor and walked with men doing the impossible, healing the sick, raising the dead and cast out demons. Then the innocent Son of man and Son of God went to a Cross on a hill called Calvary where He bled and died for all of humanity.

 

The Cross was not the end of Jesus Christ or life, it was the beginning of something new, a New Covenant or New Testament. It was the beginning of a new life and a new man and a new Spirit for those who would accept what Jesus had done for them. It was the beginning of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all flesh.

 

The empty Cross now says to you and I, that for every defeat there is victory in its place, for every failure there is success, for every weakness there is grace, for every sickness there is healing, for every hatred there is love, for every injustice there is justice and for every poverty there is riches. All of this and much, much more because of what Jesus did and won on the Cross.  Hence we can by the Holy Spirit understand what the Lord said to Apostle Paul:

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Because of the cross now all flesh can be saved, healed and delivered and walk in the newness of life in the power of  the Holy Spirit. All men can prophesy, speak in tongues and be filled with the fullness of God. 

 

Hence  the good news of the Cross is that the different victories that Jesus won there and the resulting New Covenant with all its rights and privileges is now ours by faith. If we will only believe, accept, confess and act on it and then allow the Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead to change us.  For Jesus won for us, on the Cross, such a victory with such power and might that it made hell tremble and Heaven sing with joy as the Triumph of Victory resounded from one part of Heaven to another. Our ears will tingle and our hearts will sing, as this victory is revealed to us by the faithful and mighty Holy Spirit.

 

The fact remains that Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, is sitting at the right hand of the throne of God, ready to use His power on behalf of the good of His true children. To make them by the power of the Holy Spirit more than conquerors in all things that the world, the flesh and the devil would throw at them.

 

 


Chapter 14

Whatever He Hears The Holy Spirit Will Speak

So he said, "I am Abraham's servant.  "The LORD has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.  "And Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and to him he has given all that he has. Genesis 24:35-36

Because Abraham listened to and obeyed the voice of God even when things seemed impossible or illogical the LORD has blessed Abraham greatly, and made him become great. He had given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys and the promised son, Isaac. As a result Isaac inherited all of his father’s  wealth and blessings. 

 

Well because of Jesus Christ and the victories He had won, each of God’s children. who are born again and filled with the fullness of God’s spirit, can lay claim by  to everything which belongs to their heavenly father. For everything God gives to His children including the new birth, the Baptism of the Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, the victories of the cross and His wealth and riches is asked for and received by faith. But it’s the responsibility of the Holy Spirit to reveal truths and all things to us. The bible records for our profit and instruction:

"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

 "He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. "All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. John 16:12-15

Now if we close our ears and harden our hearts we will not hear nor receive from the Holy Spirit all that our heavenly Father has for us. For God has provided His children not with a cheap and poor salvation but a Great and Rich Salvation. As God is not poor nor lacking in anything and neither should His children be.  For all things that belong to the Father belong to Jesus and hence they now belong to God’s true children including the wonderful Holy Spirit. 

 

But God’s children are to beware that the devil,  who walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour,  will try to steal the promises of God. Failing to do that he will bring in discouragement, depression, difficulties and his usual d’s.  But God’s true children are to heed God’s word that tells them:

 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints- Ephesians 6:10-18

Yes the will wrestle against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places and they need to  take up the whole armor of God, so that they  may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. For victory is assured to those who are enduring, patience and persistence and stand of the rock, that is Jesus Christ Himself. As Jesus told us:

"Therefore hear the parable of the sower: "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

"But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;1 "yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

"Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. "But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." Matthew 14:18-23

One thing for sure is that those who walk in the flesh and not in the Spirit will not have victory. For they are not strong in the Lord and in the power of His might through the Holy Spirit. As a result they do not pray in the Spirit for they have rejected the gifts of the Spirit including wisdom, faith,  discernment and miracles that come from the Spirit.  For it takes the Spirit to deal with the realm of the spirit and the things of the flesh are to no avail.  But God’s word is unchanging:

"But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Matthew 12:28

For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Romans 8:13-14

For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:24-27

It takes the Baptism of the Spirit to give men power to cast out demons by the Spirit of God and to pray in the Spirit so that the Holy Spirit can pray on their behalf and makes intercession for them. Since the Holy Spirit is God Himself praying in them and through them, He cannot deny Himself. Therefore their prayers will be answered and victory is assured. For God’s word is unchanging:

I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification. 1 Corinthians 14:5

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.   What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 1 Corinthians 4:14-15

 


Chapter 15

In That Hour Jesus Rejoiced In The Spirit

Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name." And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

"Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. Luke 10:17-21

          It takes the Spirit to see and know things of the Spirit and to rejoice in the Spirit. To rejoice when everything doesn’t make sense in the natural and things are going wrong. Just like Paul and Silas did when they were cast into prison for preaching the gospel. The bible records:

Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.  This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation." And this she did for many days.

But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And he came out that very hour.  But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.  And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, "These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city;  "and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe."

Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods.  And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely.  Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. Acts 16:16-24

Unlike the religionists of our day who call themselves Christians, Apostle was discerning and knew what to do with a demon possessed slave girl. He commanded the demon to come out of her in the name of Jesus Christ and he came out of her that very hour.   Of course this did not make her masters very happy because their source of revenue was gone so they  seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities who beat them with stripes and threw them into prison.

 

But the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of Joy was with Paul and Silas who at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. The bible records:

Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed.  And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself.

 But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here."  Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.  And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

 So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."   Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.

 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household. Acts 16:26-34

The God of all and unlimited power never leaves His true ones and He never will. If He has to He will send a great earthquake to set them free from their prisons as He did for Paul and Silas.  And God loves to do things suddenly so that He alone might get the glory and honor. 

 

Well the Lord turned everything around for God has He has promised to do for those who are called according to His purposes, not their own.  The jailer saw the hand of God in this unusual circumstance and he asked what he must be do to be saved. Of course Paul and Silas told them and God have give them more miracles for the jailer and all his family were saved and baptized, having believed in God with all his household.

 

When it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, commanding that Paul and Silas were to be let go. The bible records:

So the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul, saying, "The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart, and go in peace."  But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out."

And the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. Then they came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city.

So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed. Acts 16:36-40

The Lord caused Paul and Silas to be more than conquerors and new names were now written down in heaven.    For as Jesus told them "Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

 

There is no greater miracle than when men are saved and their names are written in heaven.

For the life here on earth with it’s trials and tribulations  is very temporal, here today and gone tomorrow. But the life with Christ goes on forever in heaven. Yet God who feeds the birds of the air is concerned for both worlds temporal and eternal. His  word is unchanging:

Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,  "who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life." Luke 18:28-30

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,  while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

 


Chapter 16

But God Raised Him From The Dead

"Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent. "For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him.  "And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death.

"Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. "But God raised Him from the dead. Acts 13:26-30

          Apostle Paul was a chosen vessel of Jesus Christ  to bear His  name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. As a result he would suffer many things for Jesus sake. Paul had a genuine deep love of the brethren and it was the prayer and desire of his heart  that the God of peace, who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make His people complete in every good work to do His will, working in  them what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ.

 

Paul’s passions were to live and die for the Gospel, to serve the brethren and to have an abundant supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. For the bible records:

But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ;  and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from good will: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains;  but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.

What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.   For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,  according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.

And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again. Philippians 1:12-26

Paul seemed to be in a quandary between to live or to die. He had a desire to depart and be with Christ which was far better or to remain in the flesh and help the brethren. But Apostle Paul did not take the fact lightly  the fact of dying or that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead, to be  the first man who would have eternal life.

 

The fact that we should not trust in ourselves in all circumstances and situations but in God who raises the dead was an integral part of Paul’s epistles. Primarily because Apostle Paul knew what it was like to die and be resurrected from the dead.  The bible records:

Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.  However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. Acts 14:19-20

Three times Paul was beaten with rods, once he was stoned, and three times he was shipwrecked. Alexander the coppersmith did Paul much harm and he asked that  the Lord repay him according to his works. 

 

So Paul was not talking about the saving and delivering power of God out of his head but out of his real experiences?  He personally knew the God of all comfort who comforted him in his real troubles and tribulations! The bible records:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.  Corinthians 1:3-5

Paul knew what suffering, trouble and the spilling of blood were in personal terms. As he had experienced much of it. But also etched in Paul’s mind was his participation in the death of Stephen. The bible records:

"You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. "Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers,  "who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it."

  When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.

 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"

Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Acts 7:51-60

Stephen’s untimely death for the gospel in a way created a martyr syndrome for Apostle Paul who wanted to die also for the gospel. The bible records:

And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.  When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.' "

 Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem.

Then Paul answered, "What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

 So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The will of the Lord be done." Acts 21:10-14

Paul would not be persuaded from going to Jerusalem and even dying there for the name of the Lord Jesus. The Lord Himself appeared to Paul and told Him:

"Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome." Acts 23:12

Hence at the end of his life Apostle Paul made it to Rome and  he was able to say  that he was  “an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope”  and that he had fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith. The bible records:

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.  

Be diligent to come to me quickly;  for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica-Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. 2 Timothy 4:6-10

 

 


Chapter 17

As They Were Moved By The Holy Spirit

And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;  knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,  for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:19-21

          For the last two thousand years the church of Jesus Christ is general has disregarded the place and purpose of prophets and the words that have been spoken by them. But God’s has not and His word is unchanging:

"Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you:  "Behold, you despisers,  Marvel and perish!  For I work a work in your days,  A work which you will by no means believe,  Though one were to declare it to you.' " Acts 13:40-41

This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,  of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. 1 Timothy 1:18-20

Those scoffers and despisers who reject prophets and their prophecies in the current time of life will suffer shipwreck and they can literally marvel and perish as God works a work in our days, a work which they would not believe.  For God has never rescinded his promise that those who despise and reject prophets and the words spoken by them will pay for their foolishness, even with their lives. The bible records for our profit and instruction of such a man:

Therefore they took two chariots with horses; and the king sent them in the direction of the Syrian army, saying, "Go and see."  And they went after them to the Jordan; and indeed all the road was full of garments and weapons which the Syrians had thrown away in their haste. So the messengers returned and told the king.

Then the people went out and plundered the tents of the Syrians. So a seah of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.

Now the king had appointed the officer on whose hand he leaned to have charge of the gate. But the people trampled him in the gate, and he died, just as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him.

So it happened just as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, "Two seahs of barley for a shekel, and a seah of fine flour for a shekel, shall be sold tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria."

Then that officer had answered the man of God, and said, "Now look, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, could such a thing be?" And he had said, "In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it."

And so it happened to him, for the people trampled him in the gate, and he died. 2 Kings 7:14-15

God will do what He says He will do but some will never live to enjoy or participate in what God is doing.  Just like the children of Israel who were saved out of Egypt but never went into the promised land for wanting to stone Joshua and Caleb and not heeding their words.  But they choose to believe the words of false ones, who died when God’s judgment came upon them thereafter.  For it never pays to reject the words of a true man of God. As God’s word is unchanging:

The wrath of God came against them,  And slew the stoutest of them,  And struck down the choice men of Israel.  In spite of this they still sinned, AND did not believe in His wondrous works.  Therefore their days He consumed in futility,  And their years in fear. Psalm 78:31-33

But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. Jude 1:5

So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper." 2 Chronicles 20:20

Even in the current time of life God’s people get prosperity or poverty depending on whether they believe His true prophets or not. Demos Shakarian, the founder of Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship, relayed his own testimony how his parents took heed to the words of a prophet that there would be a great massacre by the Turks in Armenia and the fled to America, where God blessed them greatly. For God’s word is unchanging:

The LORD knows the days of the upright,  And their inheritance shall be forever.  They shall not be ashamed in the evil time,  And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. But the wicked shall perish;  And the enemies of the LORD,  Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish.  Into smoke they shall vanish away.

The wicked borrows and does not repay,  But the righteous shows mercy and gives.  For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth,  But those cursed by Him shall be cut off. The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD,  And He delights in his way.  Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;  For the LORD upholds him with His hand.

I have been young, and now am old;  Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,  Nor his descendants begging bread.  Psalm 37:18-25

God has promised  that the wicked shall perish;  and the enemies of the LORD,  like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish.  Into smoke they shall vanish away. For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth,  but those cursed by Him shall be cut off.

 

Hence God’s true righteous children must stand against the enemy recognizing who they are in Christ  and let nothing move them from their place in Him. He has established them where they are and they need not be moved. For He  will move them. He will carry them. He will deliver them from the snares of the fowler. As He alone is their healer and defender and provider and He will give them victory over every power of the enemy. 

 

For there is nothing that God will not do on behalf on His true ones and if need be He will destroy kingdoms and nations for them as He had done with the Egyptians when He brought His people out. They need not be afraid for He is their deliverer.

 

There is no stone that will be unturned by God on behalf of His true righteous children because He loves them so. He will deal with the depths of evil that has surrounded them till now with His army busily at work dealing with each one.  He will heal their land bring them deliverance as promised for He is a God who doesn’t lie. 

 

He would never forsake them or leave them stranded. But He will come to deliver them with great power and glory for He is their Deliverer, Healer Miracle Worker and Provider! His word is unchanging about His Holy Spirit who has been sent to keep them in the way and bring them into the place He has prepared for them:

"Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.  "Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him. 

"But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. "For My Angel will go before you and bring you in to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will cut them off. "You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars.

"So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you. "No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.

 "I will send My fear before you, I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come, and will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.  "And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite from before you.

I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beast of the field become too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land.  Exodus 23:20-28

 


Chapter 18

God Is Moving By His Spirit

"I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly,  Who are among you,  To whom its reproach is a burden.  Behold, at that time I will deal with all who afflict you; I will save the lame,  And gather those who were driven out;  I will appoint them for praise and fame  In every land where they were put to shame.  At that time I will bring you back,  Even at the time I gather you;  For I will give you fame and praise  Among all the peoples of the earth, When I return your captives before your eyes,"  Says the LORD. Zepahaniah 3:17-20

The winds of change are blowing all across this land. They are blowing and bringing great revival and deliverance to the sheep and the lambs. They are bringing the greatest revival ever seen. The one before the Coming of the Lord! The winds are blowing in your very direction. Right at you and more.

 

Receive what the wind has to offer. He is offering great wisdom and peace with many miracles and giftings. Don’t think for a moment this great revival is not coming. That is not true. It is coming for the Lord and for you. It will sweep across this great land and bring many to God and with it much change will come.

 

This is a time of great rejoicing for the salvation of the Lord is at hand. Don’t jump and shout without great joy because it is upon all of God’s true children who love Him with all of their hearts. This is the time of peace and trust. It is the time of great promise. It is the time to truly rejoice for the salvation of the Lord is at hand! Rejoice!

 

But the freedom of foolish men is at an end. The storms have come for all of them. They walk in despair and wonder where their provision has gone. It has gone to the four corners of the wind. It has gone to distant halls, far from the needy and the crying foe.

 

The truth is this, you see, my friend, it is that foolish men think they have understood the signs of the times. They were sure they were ahead of all the others, when in fact, they never knew how far they were from the truth. They never understood what the hand writing on the wall said. They thought but never truly understood.

 

The wind is blowing with a ferocious fury. It descends upon both plains and mountain ranges. It is no respecter of persons, you see, because He knows each one’s name He has come for. The living dead don’t quite understand why they are alive. They have failed the test and now is the their time of death.

 

They forgot, there is a God in this Universe, One who loves truth, equity and peace. One who loves wisdom, integrity and due respect. One who knows the hearts of all men and understands that there is no peace without Him.

 

Can men last upon this planet without God? Yes, for a season! They appear to walk as those who do His will but in the end their death is sure and their judgment runs deep. They will never understand why He turned His face away. Why He never cared!

 

But, He did care they just didn’t receive His caring. They wanted what they couldn’t have. They wanted what was not theirs, just like King David took a woman who was not his. They coveted other’s men’s wealth rather than trusting for their own. They failed to see He had it there for them all along. They took what they could not have and failed His greatest test.  To love and care for the sheep and to lay down their lives for them!

 

O, wary hearts. How could you desire what was not yours. How could you justify it? How could you not see? Was it because you didn’t really want to? Didn’t you hear His voice warning you? Didn’t you see His signs in the sky? No, you were too busy taking what was not yours and excusing yourselves for doing it.

 

There is no greater truth than this that when a man covets he justifies his unworthy decisions with a multitude of excuses and forgets the most important thing, that God is still watching and waiting to see your loyalty. Will you take your hands off the other’s wealth or will you take it for yourself? And if you do take it, will you restore with interest what you have taken?

 

Time is the teller. She holds no secrets she does not eventually reveal. She tells all about us good or ill. And if we prove true she reveals even this and justifies us before our God and brings us safely home to Him.

 

O lady Time, remain always on my side for I want to be a humble servant that is received into My Lord’s great bosom. May the truth about me always be that I did not touch what was not mine and cared for others as My Lord revealed to me. For lady Time, I know you never stop for anyone, except at the Lord’s bidding, and you only care for what your Master desires.

 

I too am at your mercy. I wait patiently for the truth to be revealed and the position you have for me to be opened because then I will be able to serve where I have been called to and do all of my Lord’s bidding. 

 

O Time, don’t forget me when you arrive at that great judgment day for then all men will pay their dues and you will do what you have always faithfully done—reveal every action and thought of men for all time.

 

Many of God’s people have lived in a wilderness of desolation  on the wrong side of Jordan rather than the promised land of the blessings of God. They have not observed all things that Jesus commanded them. Rather they picked and chose the parts of the word of God that they liked and rejected the stuff they did not like or understand. It was a prayerless church that had a form of godliness but denied its power and did not know real victory.

 

But that was in the past!  For “God by His Spirit was and is moving on and shaking everything: our churches, denominations, institutions, understanding and way of doing things.” The wind that is now blowing is shaking the Christian church “until only that which can not be shaken- the good, real and true will be left.  For as  Evangelist Morris Cerullo stated in 1980:

“That along with the Apostasy, lukewarmness, corruption and compromise in the Church there will be a great moving of the Holy Spirit. God is a God of purpose, plan, design, and objectivity. He has a definite purpose for the shaking, out of this turmoil is going to come maturity and true spiritual growth.

God is shaking the Church and will continue to shake it until Satan and his counterfeits Christians are exposed; until there will be a clear line drawn between those carnal, compromising Christians who have been deceived and are part of Satan’s counterfeit system and those Christians who make up the pure righteous Bride of Christ.

A Remnant of holy consecrated people are going to emerge from this shaking who have their eyes fixed only on Jesus Christ; whose faith is fixed in the unshakable, immovable word of God, who possess a love and a great hunger for the truth; who hate sin and are not compromising  the Word of God. The true will be separated from the false. God is speaking through the shaking to His people. The days when Christians have followed after men and their teachings, instead of fixing their eyes upon God and His word is over!“

 


Chapter 19

Your Enemies Shall Submit To You

As your days, so shall your strength be.  "There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,  Who rides the heavens to help you,  And in His excellency on the clouds.  The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms;  He will thrust out the enemy from before you,  And will say, 'Destroy!' Then Israel shall dwell in safety,  The fountain of Jacob alone,  In a land of grain and new wine;  His heavens shall also drop dew. 

Happy are you, O Israel!  Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD,  The shield of your help  And the sword of your majesty!  Your enemies shall submit to you, And you shall tread down their high places." Deuteronomy 33:26-29

          There is nothing greater in heaven and earth than God. No demon, no kingdom, no principality, no idea, no doctrine and no person is greater than God.  God by His Spirit can do what ever He wants including thrusting out the enemy from before His true ones, so that they might be destroyed by them in battle. As God’s word is unchanging:

Praise the LORD!  Sing to the LORD a new song,  And His praise in the assembly of saints. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;  Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.  Let them praise His name with the dance;  Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.  For the LORD takes pleasure in His people;  He will beautify the humble with salvation.  Let the saints be joyful in glory;  Let them sing aloud on their beds. 

Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,  And a two-edged sword in their hand,  To execute vengeance on the nations,  And punishments on the peoples;  To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute on them the written judgment- This honor have all His saints.  Praise the LORD! Psalm 149:1-9

It’s a privilege and a right for all of God’s children to praise God with the dance and to sing praises to Him with timbrel and the harp. For the lord takes pleasure in His people and He will beautify the humble with salvation. It’s a privilege and a right for all of God’s children to be joyful in glory and to sing aloud unto God.

 

It’s a privilege and a right for all of God’s children to have the high praises of God in their mouth and a two-edged sword in their hand to execute vengeance on the nations,  and punishments on the peoples for Jesus Christ is a man of War and His word is unchanging:

"I will sing to the LORD, For He has triumphed gloriously!  The horse and its rider  He has thrown into the sea! The LORD is my strength and song,  And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him;  My father's God, and I will exalt Him. 

The LORD is a man of war;  The LORD is His name.  Pharaoh's chariots and his army He has cast into the sea;  His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.  The depths have covered them;  They sank to the bottom like a stone.  "Your right hand, O LORD, has become glorious in power;  Your right hand, O LORD, has dashed the enemy in pieces. Exodus 15:1-6

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.  His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.  He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.  And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.  Revelations 19:11-16

Now some religious ones have a problem with the fact that Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday today and forever and He is a man of War who has not come to bring peace but to bring a sword. After all He is the same Jesus who made a whip and drove by force the money changers out of the house of God. He is the One who is call  Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  He is the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

 

For the record Jesus Christ who is God never was and never will be a pacifist but a man of War who is an overcomer and loves those who are fighters and overcome their enemies, whoever and whatever they might be.  God’s  word says so and God doesn’t lie do others do, especially cowards and fearful ones. But the cowardly and unbelieving ones will find their part in hell along with murderers and liars and others. For God’s word is unchanging:

And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.  "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.  "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."  Revelation 21:6-8

No where in the bible does it say that God blesses cowards, pacifists and unbelieving ones? Because He does not!

 

On the contrary God’s blesses those who are true men of faith  and courage and subdued kingdoms, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, and turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Such as these made it into faith’s hall of fame. For God’s word is unchanging:

And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets:  who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,  quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Hebrews 11:32-34

God  who rides the heavens and in His excellency on the clouds His true one and is their refuge, the  shield of their  help  and the sword of  their majesty has promised to thrust of their enemies before them so that they  might be destroyed. He has promised to them victory so that their enemies shall submit to them and they shall tread down their high places.

 

Now all this does not happen magically with out a battle, as David,  the shepherd boy, proved it. The bible records:

Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.  "This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 

"Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD'S, and He will give you into our hands."

So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hastened and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David.

Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 1 Samuel 17:45-51

David was outmatched in terms of strength and weapons by a superior trained soldier. But that did not stop David from going to battle with him and becoming an overcomer?   Although the battle was the Lord’s and He would give victory, David still had to fight in it and lay his life on the line? Nevertheless David became a winner and not a loser with the help of God?

 

Now many Christian religionists with their doctrines of demons including once saved always saved, and “that the battle is the Lord’s and you do not have to fight” fail to point out the truth of Jesus words that only those who are real fighters and overcome are blessed by God. Not the losers, cowards and liars! For God’s word is unchanging though ever man be a liar:

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God." ' Revelations 2:7

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death." ' Revelations 2:11

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it." ' Revelations 2:17

"And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations- Revelations 2:26

"He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. Revelations 3:5

"He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. Revelations 3:12

"To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. Revelations 3:12

"He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. Revelations 21:7

 

 


Chapter 20

In All Your Ways Acknowledge Him

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,  And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him,  And He shall direct your paths.  Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.  It will be health to your flesh,  And strength to your bones.  Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase;  So your barns will be filled with plenty,  And your vats will overflow with new wine.  Proverbs 3:5-10

The peace of God rests upon the land and brings great prosperity with it. The person of God walks upon the land and brings great anointing with Him. The joy upon the land comes with the Person of the Lord and destroys the enemy’s hold upon the land.

 

The weapons of our warfare are given by the Lord and He weakens the enemy’s hand with constant barrages and exposure to the truth. These barrages begin and end with the prayers of the people of God but the weapons used are God’s choice. He uses any and all means at His disposal to destroy the strongholds of darkness in people‘s hearts and lives.

 

Cherished are the days of peace upon the land. They are few and far between but God  has promised His righteous ones peace and He has promised them  deliverance and they will have their  desires. For what God  promises He fulfills in the hour of need.

 

God’s true ones are to keep expecting God to care for them and their burdens and all the things which they have committed into His hands. For God does not know the words failure,  defeat or poverty. He only knows riches, wealth, victory, prosperity and success and what is given into His hands will in due season reflect these things. 

 

They are to expect God to fulfill His promises to them all and await it with quiet anticipation. They are to entertain nothing else but expect the best of and from God. That is as it should be.  For God has their best at the center of His heart because they are so dedicated to Him in walking closely and properly before Him. He cares about the sparrow. So, He cares about them and their needs. They are not to worry about what they  will eat or wear, as their tender Father is more than able to provide all of their needs.

 

But men have no peace because they have no love. They love the wrong things. They love their pleasures and themselves. They love to control others and make themselves powerful. They love fame and fortune. They love the wrong things because they love themselves. God has given them the right thing to love— Himself and the Truth but instead, they love their own ways.

 

When will they learn that there is no other way but God’s way? When will they see there is on other place to be but in the right place with Him? When will they hear that they don’t have the truth except He gives it to them by His Spirit? When will they feel the true love of the Father and receive it with joy and submission? When?

 

When they decide to surrender because the better way lies before them and not behind them. When they hear the Voice of the Father calling to them. When they speak the words of truth out of a pure heart full of love. When they surrender totally to the ways of God and His commandments. Then they will become part of the Kingdom and receive the provision God has for all who trust in Him completely.

 

Men must surrender their understanding to Lord  and let Him  heal their wounds and broken hearts. He is m able to deliver them but they must surrender their understanding to Him. Surrender their fears. Surrender their ways and humble themselves and He will deliver them and give them peace.

 

The road is not so hard if them will just see what He has given them. For He has given them the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide them. Yet, they have denied His power and place in their lives. He desires to take His rightful place in their lives simply yield and He will deliver them from all of their ways. He  awaits their total surrender. There can be no other answer than this.

 

God’s door is always open to those who humble themselves.  For men have said, that the Lord  stands at the door and knocks, they  must open the door and He will enter into their life and bring healing and change, but that is only true if they  will receive all of His  provisions for their life including the provision of the Holy Spirit in all of His power and glory.

 

They must deny Him no longer but must surrender totally and He will heal their land and change their circumstances. Disease will no longer be apart of their life because He will be their total protection.  For the Lord is their only answer. Doctors will not be able to help them in eternity. Only He may do that! But God’s word is unchanging:

'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. 'Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 'And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' Exodus 19:4-6

For The Spirit-filled walk is one based on, first, correction. Correction comes from a knowledge of the Word of God that brings truth into the human life. Truth sets the boundaries by which a healthy Christian life can exist.

 

Secondly, the Spirit-filled walk has direction. The Word of God provides direction and definition to the Christian walk. Without it you can’t know where you are going or why. The Word gives you this direction. With our own voice in confession we answer God’s voice who gives us direction. He tells us what we should do as we listen to His voice in our spirit and we become more practiced in obedience to His voice. Then, we speak His truth out into our lives and those around us confessing what we have come to believe, trust and experience.

 

Thirdly, the Spirit-filled walk is one of purification. By the anointing of the Holy Spirit we become sanctified, healed, cleansed and purified so we can go forth in service to Him without defiling those around us. If we are not pure or clean then we will corrupt others around us and make disciples worse sons of hell than we are. To avoid this we must be careful that what we are teaching is truly the Lord’s truth and His perfect will. This is possible if we are full of God’s Word and more full of His Holy Spirit. Then, as we are lead by Him our fruits will prove we are His because they will be Spiritual Fruit!

 

Fourthly, Spirit-filled living is Victorious living. As we do the Word of God, obey His Voice and fellowship with the Holy Spirit we will be changed from the inside out and see real Spirit-filled results in our lives and those around us. When the Word of God says, “Spare the rod and you spoil the child.” Be aware that if you are not “properly” disciplining your child you can’t blame God if you have a disobedience problem with them down the road. Discipline is a natural part of the Christian walk and is important to humanity at all ages and stages of life.

 

Inherently, the Spirit-filled Christian must have some very basic qualities in order to achieve real spiritual success. These must be submissiveness to God first and His Words. Second, being humble is very important to receive the truth because your way is probably not better than God’s way. Third, teachableness because being open to all of God’s truth no matter what men have taught you or where your loyalties may lie is very important to doing His perfect will. Fourth, we must be obedient even when it hurts us or is inconvenient or far from our comfort zone. And last but not least, is loving. We must love the Father so much that His will comes before our own and we must love others so much that we will never harm them by our teaching or actions.

 

All of these wonderful things must underlie the character of any Christian worth their grain of salt. They must move so freely in the things of the Spirit that they are a loving, wonderful person to be around and learn from. Granted their freedom is always bounded by the Laws of God and the Spirit of God. Above all, they are not respecter of persons, neither to the poor or to the rich but they are people full of love for all and ready to do what it takes to serve the Kingdom with all of their heart, soul, spirit and strength.

 

 


Chapter 21

Is The Baptism of the Holy Spirit Scriptural?

"how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:36-38

               Southern Baptist generally believe that the Charismatic movement is of the devil and play with words but in reality do not accept others whose religious experience is different from theirs. For example the Florida Southern  Baptist Convention  has on its books  a  resolution that no "tongue speaker" or Charismatic Christian could be  a member of a Baptist Church in Florida.

 

The (Southern) Baptist press reported that  The "charismatic" movement is based on an unbiblical presentation of the Spirit's empowerment of the church, according to a Southern Baptist Convention seminary president in affirming a former SBC president's book critical of the movement.

 

R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, made the statement in a positive review of "SpiritWorks: Charismatic Practices and the Bible" by former SBC President Jerry Vines.  Vines also takes on the teachings of such charismatic leaders as Benny Hinn, Oral Roberts and Kenneth Copeland.

 

One of the key elements of the Southern Baptist faith is that All Scripture (the bible)  is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, and they are to obey  the Great Commission that Jesus talked about in Mark 16:16-18

 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; "they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

Southern Baptists in general deny the power to cast out demons, speaking in tongues, deal with serpents, healing  the sick and the miracle working power of God even though their own bible states “I wish you all spoke with tongues” and “do not forbid to speak with tongues.” How foolish can you be and still breathe by denying God’s word and then saying you believe God’s word and in what Jesus told them to do?

 

In Oct. 1998, the Webster County Baptist Association voted to “disfellowship  Calvary Baptist Church in Marshfield, Mo., because its pastors and many of its members received  the baptism in the Holy Spirit and where "slain in the Spirit."  Openly  demonstrating their bigotry and intolerance of those whose religious experience was the same as Apostle Paul about whom the bible records:

 

"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism."  Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus."  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Acts 19:2-6

 

Pastor Roger Hicks, 42, who pastors Calvary Baptist Church 42 was born and raised a Southern Baptist, and had dismissed expressive worship and manifestations of the Holy Spirit as a result of the Southern Baptist Convention teachings.  But now the pastor has accused his denomination of hiding things from its members. “ I wanted to know what else had been hidden from me." 

 

Pastor Hicks can now be seen on any Sunday in his Southern Baptist Church s dancing on the platform, as laughter, crying and tongues rumbles through the sanctuary before exploding into a mass chorus of praise and worship.

 

It is a fact that for over a half of century all across America,  Fundamental Evangelical Southern Baptists have thrown out of their churches those who spoke in tongues or were charismatic Christians while  pretending to be Christians and loving everybody. They have labeled all those who do not believe and think as they do as cultist.

 

Southern Baptist evangelists trio of  Billy, Franklin  and Ned Graham have rejected the "Baptism of the Spirit" and the "gifts of the Spirit" as being too controversial and divisive  and therefore not of God but officially they love all people including Charismatics. However Billy Graham's  Amsterdam 2000 meeting for evangelists notably has no tongue speakers or charistmatics  Christians on the speaking roster. 

 

Now Jesus Christ, Mr. Scriptures, the author and founder of the Christian Faith, clearly told His disciple that they were to be Baptized in the Spirit, not water.  John the Baptist baptized with water but Jesus  baptized with the Holy Spirit. For Jesus said:

"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.  "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:23-24

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; "for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:4-8

So when you get baptized with water, water drips from you? But when you can baptized with the Spirit who comes upon you the Spirit comes out? For the bible records:

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.  And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.  For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

Then Peter answered, "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"  And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days. Acts 10:44-48

And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Acts 19:6

So we see from the word of  God, it is one hundred percent biblical and scriptural to be Baptized by Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit and to speak in tongues and prophesy.  The Baptism of the Spirit is profitable for all, as bible does not lie though others do. His word is true:

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:  for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,  to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:7-10

Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.  For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.  But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.  He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification. 1 Corinthians 14:1-5

If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.  But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.  Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.  Let all things be done decently and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:37-40

 


Chapter 1

Because They Trust in Him?

Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright;  For the future of that man is peace.  But the transgressors shall be destroyed together;  The future of the wicked shall be cut off.  But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;  He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them and deliver them;  He shall deliver them from the wicked,  And save them,  Because they trust in Him. Psalm 37:37-40

Where your heart is there is your treasure is also? Well the heart of God’s true children, the blameless and upright ones, is with the Lord. He is their salvation and strength in time of trouble. He shall help and deliver. He shall deliver them from the wicked and save them because they trust in Him and He is a might miracle working God. 

 

The Lord is always beside His true children and is with them because He loves them deeply and  they  are His righteous ones. His word is unchanging:

But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob,  And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you;  I have called you by your name;  You are Mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;  And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.  When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,  Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God,  The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;  I gave Egypt for your ransom,  Ethiopia and Seba in your place.

Since you were precious in My sight,  You have been honored,  And I have loved you;  Therefore I will give men for you,  And people for your life.  Fear not, for I am with you;  I will bring your descendants from the east,  And gather you from the west;  I will say to the north, 'Give them up!'  And to the south, 'Do not keep them back!'  Bring My sons from afar,  And My daughters from the ends of the earth-  Everyone who is called by My name,  Whom I have created for My glory;  I have formed him, yes, I have made him." Isaiah 43:1-7

God has never promised to keep His children in any negative circumstances, be they waters of sorrow or fires of tribulation, but to bring them through. He has promised to comfort and console those who mourn, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they will be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, so that He will  be glorified. His word is unchanging:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.

Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead,  who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many. 2 Corinthians 1:3-11

Besides being a God of Equity, Justice, Righteousness, He is a God of all comfort who comforts His own in all their tribulation so that they may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble with the comfort which they themselves are comforted by God. 

 

Just like God comforted Job after he patiently endured his trial and tribulation and obtained a great deliverance, so will He do the same for His true ones. The bible records:

And so it was, after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.

 "Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has."

 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the LORD commanded them; for the LORD had accepted Job.

 And the LORD restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.  Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before, came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that the LORD had brought upon him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and each a ring of gold.

Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys.  He also had seven sons and three daughters.  And he called the name of the first Jemimah, the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-Happuch.  In all the land were found no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.

After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations.  So Job died, old and full of days. Job 42:7-17

God in His wisdom and for His glory allowed blameless and upright Job to go literally through Hell here on earth. God removed the hedge of protection that He had around Job and allowed him to suffer the loss of all his vast rich earthly possessions and his seven sons and three daughters. Yet In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. The bible records:

 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped.  And he said:  "Naked I came from my mother's womb,  And naked shall I return there.  The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away;  Blessed be the name of the LORD." Job 1:20-21

Even when the devil struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head and his wife suggested that he curse God and die! Job did not sin with his lips.  But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?"

 

Finally the Lord, Himself, stepped into Job circumstance and healed him and restored all his losses. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.  Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that the LORD had brought upon him. 

 

The LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. He now had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys and He also had seven sons and three daughters.

 

After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations and  died, old and full of days.  Well what God has done for Job He can and will do for any of His true children who trust in Him for He is no respecter of persons and shows partiality to no one! His thoughts for them are for good, not evil to give them an expected end.

 

God’s word is unchanging about His Holy Spirit who has been sent to keep them in the way and bring them into the place He has prepared for them:

"Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.  "Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him. 

"But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. "For My Angel will go before you and bring you in to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will cut them off. "You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars.

"So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you. "No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.

 "I will send My fear before you, I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come, and will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.  "And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite from before you.

I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beast of the field become too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land.  Exodus 23:20-28

Chapter 2

Worship The Father In Spirit And Truth

"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:23-24

When the tree bends it lists to one side or the other until it almost breaks. This is the work of a great tornado that lifts the tree with its roots from the very ground and tosses it about like a small match stick. The tree is mighty and many men have worshipped it but they have no power to keep it in the ground during the storm of a whirling wind like the tornado. Their god has been destroyed by an Act of God. They forgot their worship must be only to their Creator and not to His creation.

 

Men often worship what they ought not to worship. They run about working madly trying to please God or men and end in pleasing neither. They have the “Martha” syndrome. She was working very hard to serve a meal and complained to our Lord as to why Mary, her sister, was not helping her. You see, her sister was sitting at Jesus’ feet absorbing all he was saying and Mary hung on His every word.

 

Jesus turned to Martha and said that in fact, Mary had the better part. She had chosen the better place, to being sitting at his feet, rather than helping to make food because her spiritual appetite was being feed rather than her physical appetite. She had chosen the better part. She recognized that what she was being fed spiritually was more important to her spiritual well being rather than nourishing her body. She had chosen the better part!

 

Every day, can we say, we have chosen the better part? Have we spent time at Jesus’ feet today? Have we inquired if our plans are His? Have we waited upon Him, listening for His answers? Have we trusted Him to guide us today or are we simply doing what we think is right and expect Him to sanction our way?

 

Unfortunately, too often, this is exactly what Christians are doing each and every day of their lives. They are even fortunate to read five minutes in the Word a day. They are even more fortunate if they pray for three minutes a day. These are the statistics on how much time the average Christian spends with the Lord and with His Truth. If this is true it is a sad comment upon where North American Christianity has arrived.

 

We can’t assume we have arrived because we accepted Christ once upon a time long, long ago. We can’t assume that without the daily sustenance of God’s Word in our spirit every day we can accomplish much in the Kingdom of God. We can’t assume that we can mature with five minutes of reading His Truth. We presume too much. We expect too much. We are very shallow in our belief system as evidenced by the fact that we accept what our pastors, teachers and preachers have taught us without questioning their interpretation of that Truth. 

 

Our knowledge of God, His character and His value system is so limited we have failed to hear His inward promptings and have ended in judgment rather than blessings. We have received cancer for joy. We have received lies for truth. We have accepted men’s interpretations as God’s meaning to circumstances and life. We have been duped and lied to and we have brazenly gone on in our pride to believe we have somehow “arrived.” How absurd! How obtuse! How mindless!

 

The Lord gave us the right to choose and we must use that right carefully. He must be our first choice. Our love for Him must be above all of our choices and opinions. He must come first and then we must come second. In this order we will find the happiness and well being we seek but only as we totally surrender to Him. If this means embracing the Holy Spirit in all His power, giftings and wimps, then so be it. Who  are we  to question the God of Heaven. Wasn’t it He who said, that He chooses the foolish things to confound the wise? For after all He is the Lord.

 

When the Lord speaks through His Spirit in our inner man, by His true prophets or by an Angel, our responsibility is to listen, believe and act on His word like Mary did. The bible records:

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,  to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"

But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.

Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.  "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. "And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."

Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?"

And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. "Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.  "For with God nothing will be impossible."

Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:26-38

Mary did not dispute what the Angel had told there but said let it be to me according to your word. She went with haste to Judah and the house of Zacharias where her relative  Elizabeth lived.  The bible records:

 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!  "But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  "For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.  "Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord." Luke 1:41-45

Elizabeth filled with the Spirit blessed Mary because she believed and there would be a fulfillment of those things which we told her from the Lord. For God loves those who believe as Abraham did and it is counted to them for righteousness. As a result Mary said:

"My soul magnifies the Lord,  And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.  For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;  For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.  For He who is mighty has done great things for me,  And holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him  From generation to generation.

He has shown strength with His arm;  He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones,  And exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things,  And the rich He has sent away empty.  He has helped His servant Israel,  In remembrance of His mercy,  As He spoke to our fathers,  To Abraham and to his seed forever." Luke 1:46-55

Yes the Lord’s  mercy is on those who fear Him  from generation to generation. He who is mighty  and holy does great things for them as He had done for Job, Mary, Elizabeth and Hannah.   For His word is true:

And Hannah prayed and said:  "My heart rejoices in the LORD;  My horn is exalted in the LORD.  I smile at my enemies,  Because I rejoice in Your salvation. "No one is holy like the LORD,  For there is none besides You,  Nor is there any rock like our God.

"Talk no more so very proudly;  Let no arrogance come from your mouth,  For the LORD is the God of knowledge;  And by Him actions are weighed.  "The bows of the mighty men are broken,  And those who stumbled are girded with strength.  Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,  And the hungry have ceased to hunger.  Even the barren has borne seven,  And she who has many children has become feeble.

 "The LORD kills and makes alive;  He brings down to the grave and brings up.  The LORD makes poor and makes rich;  He brings low and lifts up.  He raises the poor from the dust  And lifts the beggar from the ash heap,  To set them among princes  And make them inherit the throne of glory.  "For the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S,  And He has set the world upon them.

 He will guard the feet of His saints,  But the wicked shall be silent in darkness.  "For by strength no man shall prevail.  The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken in pieces;  From heaven He will thunder against them.  The LORD will judge the ends of the earth. "He will give strength to His king,  And exalt the horn of His anointed."  1 Samuel 2:1-10

 


Chapter 3

Faith Is Evidence of Things Not Seen

And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him "and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. Acts 7:9-10

Faith is the substance of things “hoped” for the evidence of things not seen. Without it no mountain can move or valley be crossed. The Red Sea was parted by faith. The Lions’ mouths were closed by faith. The fiery furnace was overcome by faith. Pharaoh was overcome by faith. All of these and many more overcame by their faith and faithfulness to the King. They gave up all to serve Him who is impossible and obtained the impossible. For after all is said and done God is still a miracle working God who will do what He has said He will do and needs to be done.

 

But God’s anger is kindled against all of His enemies especially those of His own household. Those who claim to love Him but pay lip service to the truth. For His Word says:

'If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them. (Leviticus 20:13)

For He is angry with a deep and pure anger, as of One who cares for His  creation and refuses to accept it’s corruption. He is the God of Heaven and He refuses to receive such into His Kingdom. They are an abomination to Him and He will see their destruction and bring them to their total annihilation just as He did with Sodom and Gomorrah. This is God’s way and His truth and none can rearrange it or manipulate it. He will see them destroyed rather than accept their tyranny upon the earth.

 

Anger is mighty in God and He allows it to reign freely when He sees great corruption and evil. For many have called themselves His faithful servants and done great evil. Hence is  tearing down their  institutions and giving them to others.  He is  tearing down their theology and replacing it with the truth. He is destroying their strongholds and  bringing the government and every other means to bear against them.

 

For they do not love Him. They do not fear Him. They do not care for Him. They care for themselves because if  they cared you would not have done what they do. They would not have touched what was not touchable. They would have feared the Lord as Moses and his people feared Me.  He would have brought them into a greater promised land than they had ever knew if they had remained faithful. But because they have not remained faithful and fearful they shall now pay the ultimate price—nothing less than their life!

 

From the hypocrisy of deacons in Baptist churches who use their children in incestuous relationships and then lift pious eyes to God on Sunday in church to the undisciplined folly of priests or nuns in monastic living in cloistered lives,  His answer is the same—away with you! Hypocrites! Who pretend to love God but love themselves first. Who walk as dead men walking. He  will say to them “Get thee away from Me I know you not! You have chosen your way and it is not Me.”

 
The bones of God dead children cry from their shallow graves where they have hidden them from men and the truth.  Those who love man with man or woman with woman. Those  who love indecently and to their  deep shame.  They have their reward! Now they will receive it. They will die in the way God has called dead men to die—disgracefully!

 

For God’s army is on the move. It’s a vast army of men, women and children who have consecrated themselves to Him. An army who will not lie down improperly because of their deep love for Him. For they know who they are in Him. God never called men to cloister themselves and pretend to know God. But He called men to go forth and speak the truth to others about God.

 

This army is everywhere and in all places. He is defeating every enemy upon the earth. His  people will defeat them with Him. The truth will set many free and they will do God’s will and not their own. They will marry properly and not burn for others or other kinds. They will not touch animals improperly. They will do what God has commanded them and they will overrun the earth and bring His  Kingdom upon it.  For the Lord has ordained it in this millenium. The destruction of evil is at hand.  His true ones are to be prepared  for the battle ahead. It will be very great but extremely victorious!

 

The thread that easily entwines to form a web of deceit is the web of evil men and demons of deceit. There is no truth to many of men’s thoughts though they teach with great zeal all they have been taught. They forget who their Maker is. How important is His favor. They forget who they are in Him—simply His creation. They wonder who it could be that they could so easily deceive. They forget they are made in His Image to love and to conceive. They forget they are His children—taught to obey!

 

The winds of change are blowing bringing great miracles to bear.  They are creating the place of truth to share for the ones who know how to love their God. They worship Him in Spirit from their heart to God above. They never stand on bent  knee they serve Him you see, from their place of liberty. They care about how He thinks of them. They care how He cries. They care for their great Maker—on His throne up above.

 

How can men deceive others—taking them from the truth? How could they chose the part of no real worth? How could they consider their position of greater worth? They have simply forgotten it is He who gives us worth. It is He would makes us whole. It is He who is blessings His own. It is He who gives life and love to all.  It is He and never we who made man in His image. How can we suppose to walk where we have could never go. We cannot go to the mansions in the sky without the Bridegroom by our side! But, this one truth I know, I surrender to the King of Kings and eternity is my own!

 

The mantel is formed and placed in it’s berth upon the fireplace’s face. It is placed there to bring beauty to what is a practical thing the central place of fire in the home that brings warmth and protection from the cold of long dark nights or long cold winter days. It has a deeper purpose in that it regulates the circulation of the air and does not allow the direct heat to rise to the ceiling too quickly but stops it and circulates it back to the open part of the room providing added warmth and provision.

 

God is very much like the mantel. He comforts and protects His children providing warmth and provision. He never lets them suffer more than they are able. He allows them the suffering to bring them into a deeper and closer walk with Him. But if they don’t chose to do so He can’t make them. This is their choice.

 

He has provided and will continue to provide all that they need but if they will not surrender to Him He can’t continue to be a God to them and they must fend for themselves. This is their decision. Each day they make such decisions— “Will I trust God or won’t I? Will I believe in my own provision or will I trust God for my provision?” This is the crux of the matter.

 

Dependency upon God  is so important to the Christian walk no one really fully grasps the importance of it. God doesn’t forget the heart cry of His children but neither does He forget their betrayal. If they go after other gods or other desires besides Him then He must make them understand it is not acceptable to Him and they have consequences to endure for their crimes against Him commandments and people.

 

Time has come for such total surrender or facing the consequences for Not obeying the Lord. He can no longer tolerate such disobedience and lack of commitment to Him. He has, therefore, ordained that the following be implemented at once. First, that all who call Him by His Name must surrender to  His will or be destroyed. Second, that all who say they are His  must prove it by being obedient to all of  His commandments and statutes. That includes speaking in tongues as the Holy Spirit provides.

 

Many say this is not possible that it is of the devil. How can you attribute what is God’s to the devil? You can’t, therefore, the Lord  commands everyone to speak in other tongues or having rejected it be rejected themselves.

 

Third, He commands all of His beloved children to surrender to the Power of the Holy Spirit, not only in tongues but in all the manifestations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They must surrender to Him in using these gifts and going where He has  called them. They are not to walk in selfish mind control, social teachings or traditions of men. They are to read the Word and Do what it says without adding to it or taking from it. It is very simple if they  just do what it says.

 

It is odd that the churches and denominations are so busy teaching their philosophies that they are not doing the first fruits which is to give alms to the poor, feed the hungry, cloth the naked and bring healing to the broken hearted.

 

They have left their first love and God has left them. They think that by their much fanfare they will have achieved something in the Heavens but they have achieved nothing. For God  gives all His rewards to those who are truly surrendered and truly teachable. These are not. They parade themselves as Christians but their hearts are cold and full of themselves. He has had enough. No more! No way! Peace comes to those who deserve it, not to those who pretend it.                                

 


Chapter 4

He Rebuked Their Unbelief And Hardness Of Heart

Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. Matthew 13:58

Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. Mark 16:14

Men walk in the flesh rather than in the Spirit of the Lord and then wonder why God is displeased with them and their prayers are not being answered. Many of God’s people look at outwards sins as something that God is very displeased with and work to correct them. But they ignore inward sins, such as unbelief and hardness of heart, that caused the children of Israel to die in the wilderness rather than God into the Promised Land. 

 

Many of God’s richest blessings are lost and don’t come to reality and profit in the current time of life,  because God’s people don’t mix with faith the word of God they hear from the Spirit. Yet they believe the words of men, even Christians, whose words are dead the moment they are spoken. But God’s word is unchanging:

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3:6

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life John 6:63

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 1 Corinthians 15:50

It is a fact that God can do in a split second by the Holy Spirit that men in their lifetime cannot do by their perspiration and the flesh. Yet men live by the flesh and do things by the flesh. Even though Jesus clearly told them that the most important things was to abide in the vine and to be dependent on the other Helper, the Holy Spirit. For the bible records for our profit and instruction:

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.  "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.  "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.  "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

"If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  John 15:1-7

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:  "of sin, because they do not believe in Me;  "of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;  "of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.  "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 

"He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.  "All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. John 16:7-15

Failure in these two critical areas of constantly abiding in the vine, which is Jesus, and hearing what the Holy Spirit is speaking to God’s children means failure in every other area.

 

For it’s possible to appear to be alive and successful and to be dead, as far as God is concerned. King Saul remained king from a number of years after the Lord had turned His face from him after Samuel  told him:

"Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,  As in obeying the voice of the LORD?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,  And to heed than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,  And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.  Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,  He also has rejected you from being king." 1 Samuel 15:22-23

However King Saul did not prosper and the bible records:

So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance.  But he did not inquire of the LORD; therefore He killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse. 1 Chronicles 10:13-14

When life is over and all is said and done the only important will be if God says Well done, thou good and faithful servant! Men would do well to heed the words of Jesus who clearly told them:

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.  "And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.

"Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents 7 "And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.  "But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.

“After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.  "So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'  "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

 "He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.'  "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

"Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  'And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.'

"But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.  'So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.

'Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.  'For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 'And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' Matthew 25:14-30

Many Christians despite their confession of faith, religious activity and suffering will find themselves in outer darkness or hell, because they were unprofitable servants and did not heed the words of Jesus. Especially those who when they  saw  Jesus  as  a stranger did not take Him in, or naked and did not clothe Him, or  see Him  sick, or in prison, and did not come to  Him.  For heaven and earth will pass away by Jesus words will stand:

"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:  'for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;  'I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'

"Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'  "Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'  "And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Matthew 25:41-46

 

 


Chapter 5

Once Saved Always Saved?

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.  And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 

Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.  But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. Jude 1:5

          Many hedonistic religious ones who are called by God’s name love to pick and chose what they want to believe in the bible, including about “Once saved! Always Save!” But they do not discuss or touch the word disqualification or the fact that Apostle Jude reminded God’s people that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. While Apostle Paul told the brethren:

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?-unless indeed you are disqualified.  But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified. 

Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified.  For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 2 Corinthians 13:6-8

In other words those who do evil could be disqualified and not approved by God. Hence they were to examine themselves as to whether they were in the faith. They were to test themselves to see that Jesus Christ was in them unless indeed they were disqualified.

 

So to Apostle Paul disqualification could be a reality and not just a point of discussion? In his epistles Apostle Paul laid out some practical tests and advice to avoid disqualification,  including putting away lying, bitterness, wrath, angler, clamor and evil speaking, speaking the truth, not giving place to the devil, not stealing  and not grieving the Holy Spirit. The bible records for our profit and instruction:

But you have not so learned Christ,  if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:  that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,  and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.  "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath,  nor give place to the devil.  Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:20-32.

All of these areas require an active participation of each believe to ensure that they do not cross the line and fall short of the grace of God and cause a person to be rejected or disqualified. For the bible records:

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;  lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.  For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears. Hebrews 12:14-17

Now these subjects and areas that are not to be taken lightly by anyone who is called by God’s name:

For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.

 Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.  Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people."  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Hebrews 10:26-31

Those who think that God’s grace is cheap and they can insult the Spirit of grace and ignore His word will find God’s vengeance and not His blessings.  For the Lord will judge His people and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

 

In general, the Lord does not and has not turned from His people as long as they don’t commit sin that hurts others such as sexual or financial sins. But one of the greatest sins my church continues in, almost freely, is the sin of deceiving others with false teachings.

 

They have learnt something and teach it to others making them more sons of hell than themselves. For this will be punished and dealt with and no one is to deceive them with empty words for because of these things the wrath of God comes on the sons of disobedience,  as God’s word is unchanging:

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

 Therefore do not be partakers with them.  For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light  (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.  For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.  But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says:  "Awake, you who sleep,  Arise from the dead,  And Christ will give you light."   See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.  And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,  speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,  submitting to one another in the fear of God. Ephesians 5:1-21

It’s to be noted that even Moses for all His greatness was disqualified by God and did not lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land. This privilege was give to Joshua who had followed the Lord fully. The bible records for our profit and instruction:

"They also took some of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down to us; and they brought back word to us, saying, 'It is a good land which the LORD our God is giving us.'

"Nevertheless you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God; "and you complained in your tents, and said, 'Because the LORD hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.  'Where can we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts, saying, "The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven; moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there." '

"Then I said to you, 'Do not be terrified, or afraid of them. 'The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, 'and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.'

"Yet, for all that, you did not believe the LORD your God, "who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day. 

"And the LORD heard the sound of your words, and was angry, and took an oath, saying,  'Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers, 'except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him and his children I am giving the land on which he walked, because he wholly followed the LORD.'

"The LORD was also angry with me for your sakes, saying, 'Even you shall not go in there; 'Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall go in there. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.

 'Moreover your little ones and your children, who you say will be victims, who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they shall go in there; to them I will give it, and they shall possess it.   'But as for you, turn and take your journey into the wilderness by the Way of the Red Sea.' Deuteronomy 1:25-40

 


Chapter 6

"Do You Not See All These Things?

Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down." Matthew 24:1-2

"You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  "Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  "Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Matthew 7:16-20

Jesus said that we would know a tree by its fruits and every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.   But we also can know it by its roots! Well the deeds and fruits of Fundamental Evangelicals in America speak for themselves:

 

1) Bigoted, anti-Catholic and segregationists

2) Savage wolves who  rob, rape and use their own sheep

3) Pretend to love everybody but think every is cultist except themselves who alone have the truth, while they deny the truth.

4)  Are not financially accountable and are complete thieves and totally dishonest

5)   Sexually use their sheep in their churches

 

-  Bob Jones University first president, the Rev. Bob Jones Sr., was the son of a Confederate soldier and a self-declared anti-Catholic and segregationist. He was quoted at the school's founding saying, "I would rather see a saloon on every corner than a Catholic in the White House. I would rather see a n- as president."

 

The members of the Southern Baptist denomination, whose root was founded  in racism prior to the Civil War when  they split from the Northern Baptists because of the slave issues, were singing in the choir on Sunday and were burning crosses on Monday as active members of the Klu Klux Klan. Only recently have the Southern Baptists admitted to their racists sins and bigotry.

 

So is it surprising that bigoted books published by Bob Jones University are used in many Southern Baptist Christian schools furthering intolerance and hatred of others. It’s a fact that the average Fundamental Evangelical when asked believes that the Roman Catholic church is a cult!

 

- The financial crash in 1999 of the Baptist Foundation of Arizona, a subsidiary of the Southern Baptist Convention of Arizona, the largest collapse of a religious financial institution in the nation's history resulted with many elderly sheep robbed, hurt and devastated. For all its talk  of love, compassion  and good works the  hypocritical Southern Baptists leadership  did nothing to change and reverse this tragic situation.

 

But Apostle Paul talked about the whole counsel of God including tongues and the Baptism of the Spirit  unlike SBC,  stated  "For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.  "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.  "For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. "Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Acts 20:27-30

 

Speaking of savage wolves until the late 1980s, the BFA had been managing church building funds and retirement funds for a few thousand Baptist layman. Profits came from land investments in the red-hot Arizona market. But when property values tanked, the BFA investments did, too. Instead of admitting losses and writing down loans, BFA officials in several cases allegedly cooked up transactions between BFA and shell companies that made it look as if the BFA was still profitable. "It was a big paper charade," charged Assistant State Attorney General Robert Zumoff.

 

To counter the unreported losses, fund president William Crotts and the BFA stepped up marketing, allegedly trying to bring in enough new money to cover old losses. Through the '90s, brochures extolled BFA's "Biblically based" investment plans, and urged faithful Baptists to "do good by doing good," becoming "bolder stewards of their God-given resources." Helpful salesmen made house calls. "[Our pastor] said if you've got any money, take it up to the Baptist Foundation," recalls investor Opal Bostwick, 72. The marketing worked. The BFA now owed investors $200 million more than it did in 1995.

 

Although the Baptist Foundation of Arizona for a number of years purported to be a sophisticated, profitable enterprise that supported Southern Baptist and Christian ministries. Its investment strategy turned out to be a Ponzi scheme reliant on frantic, perpetual recruitment of new investors to pay interest on an avalanche of debt.

 

- It is a fact that for over a half of century all across America,  Fundamental Evangelical Southern Baptists have thrown out of their churches those who spoke in tongues or were charismatic Christians while  pretending to be Christians and loving everybody. They have labeled all those who do not believe and think as they do as cultist.

 

Southern Baptist generally believe that the Charismatic movement is of the devil and play with words but in reality do not accept others whose religious experience is different from theirs. For example the Florida Southern  Baptist Convention  has on its books  a  resolution that no "tongue speaker" or Charismatic Christian could be  a member of a Baptist Church in Florida.

 

In Oct. 1998, the Webster County Baptist Association voted to “disfellowship  Calvary Baptist Church in Marshfield, Mo., because its pastors and many of its members received  the baptism in the Holy Spirit and where "slain in the Spirit."  Openly  demonstrating their bigotry and intolerance of those whose religious experience was the same as Apostle Paul about whom the bible records:

 

"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism."  Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus."  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Acts 19:2-6

 

Pastor Roger Hicks, 42, who pastors Calvary Baptist Church 42 was born and raised a Southern Baptist, and had dismissed expressive worship and manifestations of the Holy Spirit as a result of the Southern Baptist Convention teachings.  But now the pastor has accused his denomination of hiding things from its members. “ I wanted to know what else had been hidden from me." 

 

Pastor Hicks can now be seen on any Sunday in his Southern Baptist Church s dancing on the platform, as laughter, crying and tongues rumbles through the sanctuary before exploding into a mass chorus of praise and worship.

 

Southern Baptist evangelists trio of  Billy, Franklin  and Ned Graham have rejected the "Baptism of the Spirit" and the "gifts of the Spirit" as being too controversial and divisive  and therefore not of God but officially they love all people including Charismatics. However Billy Graham's  Amsterdam 2000 meeting for evangelists notably has no tongue speakers or charistmatics  Christians on the speaking roster. 

 

-Southern Baptists religious leadership and the Evangelical Council of Financial Accountability are not financially accountable and are complete thieves and totally dishonest.  Southern Baptist Evangelist Billy was embarrassed in 1977 when the Charlotte Observer discovered an undisclosed $23-million fund in Texas, apparently not mentioned in the accountings of the Minneapolis headquarters of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. 

 

As a result Graham's business manager led the formation of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability after Graham said on a national telecast, ". . . there are some charlatans coming along and the public ought to be informed about them and warned against them, "   "stated K. Hadden and Charles E. Swann in their book Prime Time Preachers.

 

For the record, none of the prominent  Southern Baptist evangelists, including Billy and Ned, Franklin Graham, Bill Bright, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, or Louis Paula who belong to the Evangelical Council of Financial Accountability reveal their total salaries and those of their family members and special friends to their donors upon request.  Honest men do not have to hide things!  So what are they hiding?  Or are the word of Jesus true about them:

 "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.  "But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God." John 3:19-21

Although the Tampa Tribune reported that "Billy Graham encourages religious leaders to be open about their salaries and publish their finances" But this does not change the fact that Rev. Billy, Ned  and  Franklin Graham, Rev, Jesse Jackson  or any other prominent Baptist leader in America are not open about their total salaries and those of their family members and special friends. They do not release their personal income tax  as President Bill Clinton does?   They demand that others be honest and accountable and demonstrate integrity but refuse to release their personal income tax, less people see how much they are stealing from the sheep?

 

- Southern Baptist pastors sexually use their sheep in their churches. On Nov 8, 1999  the Southern Baptists in Texas admitted that at least 10 percent of their pastors sexual use their sheep. Phil Strickland, director of the Southern Baptist convention's Christian Life Commission, said research shows that 10 percent to 12 percent of "ministers of all faith groups have engaged in extramarital sexual relations with members of their congregations."  He said that, according to the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, about 15 percent of ministers violate sexual ethical boundaries. He said his office receives calls nearly every couple of weeks reported the Dallas Morning News

 

"We have a deep concern about the way this issue is treated in many Baptist churches," he said. "We have run into instance after instance in which there has been a clear sexual abuse by a minister, and the response of the church has been to sweep it under the rug." And for the first time in the convention's history, ministers were urged to sign a covenant of sexual ethics.

 

Christianity Today, which was founded by Billy Graham, did not report on one of its own pastors Ollin Collins of Harvest Baptist Church in Fort Worth, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's board chairman. A man who resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations when he was accused of having sexual relationships with two women who sought counseling.

 

But it did report about the adultery of a black man and a National Baptist but not about the adultery of a white man and Southern Baptist. An adultery which was more hideous and gross because Collins raped unsuspecting trusting women while, Lyons adulterous relationships were consensual. It has been said that Lyons will go down in the history books as "Hugh Hefner of the New Testament."

 

Now concerning the fallen hero, the church had suspended Pastor Collins with pay pending an investigation. He resigned from his board position Sept. 6, one day after a story in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported the women's allegations and their intent to sue. Southwestern is the world's largest evangelical seminary, with 3,000 students on eight campuses.

 

But of course neither the Seminary nor the Church did nothing for the real female victims but they did help and console the aggressor?  Just like Billy Graham stated about Bill Clinton "I forgive him . . . because I know the frailty of human nature, and especially a strong, vigorous young man like he is. "He has such a tremendous personality that I think the ladies just go wild over him." 

 

Of course Bill Clinton was the victim and not the victimizer and it was the fault of the ladies who went wild about him? No compassion or concern from these Southern Baptist wolves in sheep's clothing for the victims but only for the victimizers?  Their deeds and lack of compassion for the victims speaks volumes of their hypocrisy?

 

No, the Bob Jones exposure has shown the Fundamental Evangelicals/ Southern Baptists to be nothing but lying, bigoted, thieving religious Pharisees who themselves do not practice what they preach to others. The facts and the real deeds speak for themselves louder than their hypocritical words.

 


Chapter 7

For Everyone Who Asks Receives

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  "Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? "Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!  Matthew 7:7-11

          Jesus Christ who doesn’t lie has encouraged His disciples to ask their Father in heaven to give them good things.  He has stated clearly "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”  God’s word is unchanging:

"And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:23-24

Jesus also did not put a restrictions on what they could ask the Father for.  But He did tell them

Judge not, that you be not judged. "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?

"Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.  Matthew 7:1-5

Many of God’s children don’t quite understand what God expects from them. But love is always at the center of His  heart’s desire for them. First to love God  and second to love others as they  themselves. Love motivates them  to care for others and serve them with equity and do justice. Failure to love and do things with out love brings problems and judgments to God’s people. 

 

For God commanded people to love them first before judging them. He has also warned them not to offend a brother with out cause. Otherwise their prayers will not be answered and they will find themselves in places they never expected to be. As God’s word is unchanging:

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.

"Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,  "leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

"Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. "Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny. Matthew 5:21-26

So when God’s people pray  they must check themselves to see if they have offended or hurt a brother. Then they must go to their brother and ask for forgiveness and make restitution where applicable. Then, and only then God will hear and answer their prayers. For God’s word is unchanging:

"For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. "He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing. "Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. Deuteronomy 10:17-19

"You shall not pervert justice due the stranger or the fatherless, nor take a widow's garment as a pledge.  "But you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this thing.   "When you reap your harvest in your field, and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

"When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over the boughs again; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. "When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not glean it afterward; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.

"And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this thing. Deuteronomy 24:17-22

Many of God’s people just do not get it how much God loves and cares for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow and He has commanded His people not to forget or ignore them. His word is unchanging:

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;  for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.  But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 1:22-27

Yes, being religious is to keep ones mouth shut and to be a doer of the word and not a hearer only. . Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. Defiled religion is to ignore or afflict strangers, fatherless or widows and get oneself into serious trouble with God.  For God’s word is unchanging:

"You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.  "You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. "If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry;  "and My wrath will become hot, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. Exodus 22:21-24

God did not cause His word to be written and placed in the bible just to sit on a shelf and look pretty but rather that His people be instructed by it and doe what it commands them to do.  Otherwise their failure to heed God’s word will again put them in serious trouble with God and in places they never expected to be. For God’s word is unchanging:

"Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.  "And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.    "But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.

"The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'

"Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

 "But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'

 "So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'

 "And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.

 "So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.  "Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.  'Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'

 "And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

 "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses." Matthew 18:23-35

 

 


Chapter 8

Whatever You Bind On Earth Will Be Bound In Heaven

"Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. "But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.' "And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. 

"Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.  Matthew 18:15-18 

          Rebuke is a word that is not used much in the house of God today and neither is restoration. Yet Jesus Christ gave authority for His trues to rebuke the wayward or false ones. The word of God clearly states:

"Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. Luke 17:3

Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear. 1 Timothy 5:10-20

Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 2 Timothy 4:2

There are those in the house of God who do not want to rebuke anybody but just love and forgive people, with out rebuking them, and even if they bear no fruits worthy of repentance.  As a result such people become partakers of another man’s sins. And the judgment of God that comes on the sinner also comes upon them. Case in point is Jim Bakker and Oral Roberts.

 

Jim Bakker was a thief, a liar, and a fornicator, who robbed, raped and used the sheep. This Assembly of God TV Evangelist and pastor had sex with men and woman even though he was a married man and in the last days of his reign was surrounded by homosexual so called men of God as reported by Christianity Today.

 

Then to top it all Oral Roberts forgave Jim Bakker for all of this and supported him while God and the American justice system did not. Nothing was left of Jim Bakker religious empire including "The PTL Club" and "Heritage U.S.A" in the aftermath of the fire of God's judgment. It was all burned to the ground. 

 

Foolish Oral Roberts, who defended and forgave Jim Bakker of what was not forgivable, there after lost the City of Faith, his law school, his presidency and Oral Roberts University  went forty millions dollars in debt when God's judgment, not blessing fell on him. For Judas who betrayed Jesus for silver and gold was never forgiven by Jesus. As a matter of fact Jesus said that it would had been better if Judas had never been born.

 

Which employer of company  in the country would do defend the criminal actions of one of his employees?  None! Yet pastors in America seem to always protect and defend their own no matter what they do or say!  So that if they  were caught doing the same thing  they would be forgiven and defended.  For this is what Jesus would want them to do? Show partiality and give special consideration to their own and not say restore!  But God’s word is unchanging:

Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.  Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.  And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.  So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.

And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him,  "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house."  So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.

 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner."

Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold."

And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham;  "for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."  Luke 19:1-10

Zacchaeus  the  chief tax collector when he was rebuked by the crown for being a sinner, brought fruits worth of repentance.  He stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold."  Then Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

 

 For Zacchaeus demonstrated the reality of his salvation by works of restitution and not just empty words of  “I am sorry for what I have done!” But God’s word is unchanging:

Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Ephesians 4:28

Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins; keep yourself pure. 1 Timothy 5:22

Wayward man desires His own ways and though it seem like a broken record constantly repeating itself, still it remains sadly true. Man desires not the way of his sovereign Lord but his “own” way. He is sure of himself and desires only his agendas. He has forgotten who God is or “how” to communicate with Him.

 

Yet, God in His sovereign and majestic way continues to strive with men and communicate His desires and intentions to them. He does not give up entirely on all of mankind. He has promised in His Rainbow that He would not stop striving with man until all is completed and the end finally arrives when all will be judged and banished or kept. This is God’s final decision and not even the Son knows this end, for all mankind, or when it will come.

 

The question of faith comes up often. But, God does have those who are using their faith and serving Him  from the depth of their hearts. They desire what He desires and seek what He seeks. Their hearts are for the sheep and their love is pure. They have seen the Father and they refuse to give up in doing the service to which  He has called them. They do not given up even through many adversities and hardships.

 

When the enemy comes in like a flood the Lord lifts up a standard against him. His beloved true children are the standard. They are the high tower. They are the fortress. They are the bulwark. They are the shield and buckler. They are the clarion call. They are the clear sounding bell. They are the defender of the breach and the orphaned and widowed and imprisoned and brokenhearted have they to turn to. They are set free because they have the Father’s love within they. Them have the gifts to help them with. They have all they need to reach them and teach them and bring real healing and peace. No more can be said than a man or woman lay down their life for their neighbor.

 

The awakening of the earth is about to begin. It is bringing great earthquakes both spiritual and physical. It will see great revival and great judgments. It will see the dividing of spiritual from sinew. It is not coming to wait for anyone. It will not be held or withheld. It is coming as surely as the rain and the snow and they hurricane in due season. It is all coming.

 

Men are fighting for position in the Kingdom but God is looking for those who are humble enough to occupy those positions without personal ambitions. If your heart is impure then purge it. If it is full of impurities then surrender it to  Him and He will cleanse it and bring wholeness into the inner man and enlightenment will come and the Kingdom with it.

 

Men are fighting a new warfare. They are armored and prepared with all preparation for the war. They are ready for battle and chop at the bite to fight for the Kingdom of Heaven. They are seasoned and ready. They are warriors of a superior sort. They will not retreat or give ground to the enemy. They are undefeated and ready for war.

 

God, Himself,  has prepared them and allowed them many opportunities to learn and grow under His  protection. They wear their mantles of humility with great courage and wisdom. They don’t boast in themselves but boast of their Lord and Savior. They are sure of their position in the Lord that they are both dependent and strong in  Him.

 

They walk in the assurance of who they are in Christ and know their source and power is God. He has not forgotten their sacrifice. They have given up fathers, mothers, entire families, position, power and fame as well as riches and wealth for the furtherance of the true Kingdom. They have their reward both on earth and in Heaven and it is very great. They have His  solemn promise. For God’s word is unchanging:

 

So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's,  "who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time-houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions-and in the age to come, eternal life.  "But many who are first will be last, and the last first."   Mark 10:29-31

 


Chapter 9

He Will Not Be Afraid Of Evil Tidings

Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness;  He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.  A good man deals graciously and lends;  He will guide his affairs with discretion.  Surely he will never be shaken;  The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. He will not be afraid of evil tidings;  His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.  His heart is established;  He will not be afraid,  Until he sees his desire upon his enemies. 

He has dispersed abroad,  He has given to the poor;  His righteousness endures forever;  His horn will be exalted with honor.  The wicked will see it and be grieved;  He will gnash his teeth and melt away;  The desire of the wicked shall perish. Psalm 112:1-10

Nothing is more important than walking in the fear of the LORD! Nothing is more needed in the human life than resting and trusting in the LORD! Yet, many of God’s  people rest and trust in a flawed way and end up in darkness and loss. This need not be so because He desires their praises and their full attention directed to Him. He doesn’t want them to walk in fear and pain. This is the legacy of walking in their flesh rather than their spirit.

 

It is High Victory that He has for them. He desires their entire heart aimed directly at His  face and then He will give them the desires of their heart. He wants their entire surrender and continual surrender. They can do this if they lay aside their plans for their own lives and seek His  plans and purposes for their lives.

 

The hour has come for total surrender  for God’s  Children. The hour has come for total commitment with undying service and loyalty to the call with which He has called them. They are not to walk in fear or vain ambitions. They aren’t to look for objects to satisfy them, be it a home, a car or a boat. These objects are gifts from God  but they are not the reason for their being.

 

They are upon the earth to walk and talk to God. It’s just that simple. He doesn’t expect more from they than they are able to give. But they must recognize that they can give and be and do far more than they have yet given and been and done. The Lord is  the Way-maker for them but they must yield to His  promptings and Voice! They must get in tune with the wave-lengths of Heaven. They are the only one who can stop and spend time with Him and find time for Him alone.

 

The Lord is the Winds in the storms of the lives of all of His people. He judges them before any other can judge them because He loves them. He  gives them a chance they would not otherwise get. But, they continue in their hard hearted ways.  They have forgotten the Lord and try to make Him fit into their agendas and secret plans. They want Him to fit into their manmade teachings and when He doesn’t they can’t understand why.

 

Some God forgives others He will not. It depends upon their sin and the origin of it. If it came out of sincere ignorance it may possibly be forgiven. But if it came from selfish ambition it will not be forgiven. God and God alone is the One who knows the truth and therefore it is only right that He decides the fate of His wicked servants.

 

Men do not consider that Pharisees will be punished by God and exemplified to all the world of what not to be even in the current time of life. They will never enter His  Kingdom. For they are unprepared to enter because they have forgotten their first love for another one—their own self-centered love.

 

Oh yes, they do love but not of God. Their faith is weak because their heart is divided between serving God and themselves. Even though Jesus told them:

"And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.

"Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?  "And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?

 "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.

 And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. Luke 16:9-15

They do not consider that the  hour of their demise could become a reality.  That they could  judged and found wanting and have fallen short of the proper weights and balances. Then they must  pay their debt. It will be interesting to see their excuses and how they try to get out of their judgments  but they will not escape.  For God’s judgements are sure and His word is unchanging:

Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.  And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.

 But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.  "For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!'

"Then they will begin 'to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" '  "For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?"  Luke 23:26-31

Very few of the Pharisees who betrayed and mocked Jesus escaped with their lives, when God’s other ministers the Romans, ransacked and burned Jerusalem to the ground in 70 AD. They never believed Jesus Christ to be a prophet nor for His words to come to pass. But God doesn’t lie and He keeps His words and He confirms the words spoken by His true prophets with signs and wonders.

 

But there is a River that flows from above and all may dip into and receive nourishment and newness of life but few know of it and fewer bath in it. Yet, God has it there for everyone who thirst after righteousness and desire the sincere truth of God from their hearts. He does  not forgot  His anointed and needy ones. They will all be satisfied.

 

There is a river that flows from deep within. There is a fountain that sets the soul from sin. Come to the waters that never shall run dry. There is a river that flows from the Kingdom on High.  The river is flowing. All who desire to step in may do so. They need not hesitate. They need not wait. They need not tarry. They need not fake. They need not hide. They need not boast. They need not run. They need not crawl.

 

The river is for all to step into. It is there for the homeless, the needy, the fatherless, the widowed, the lonely, the depressed, the imprisoned, the innocent and the guilty. It is there for all who are willing to step in. Let no man say he is denied the thirst quenching presence of that marvelous River. The choice is each man’s each day of his life. The light that has come to him may be great or small but the River of Life is for All!

 

 


Chapter 10

There Is No God Besides Me

I am the LORD, and there is no other;  There is no God besides Me.  I will gird you, though you have not known Me,  That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting  That there is none besides Me.  I am the LORD, and there is no other;  I form the light and create darkness,  I make peace and create calamity;  I, the LORD, do all these things.'

"Rain down, you heavens, from above,  And let the skies pour down righteousness;  Let the earth open, let them bring forth salvation,  And let righteousness spring up together.  I, the LORD, have created it. Isaiah 45:5-8

There is no other like the Lord.  There is no God beside Him. There is none besides Him for He is the great I AM.  He forms the light and He crates darkness. He make makes peace and creates calamity. He, the Lord, does all these things. He still brings salvation and righteous to His people.

 

Those who put their trust in the Lord are not to be afraid or dismayed but they  are to be strong and of good courage no matter what circumstance or situation they might face! For their God is miracle working God, a good, powerful and mighty God! There is no other like Him! He is God alone! He will do in due season what His word says He will do!  His Spirit is not limited but powerful, mighty! He, who is their shield and exceeding great reward, will do great and marvelous thing for them!

 

He is a good God who serves His Children in Spirit and truth. As they surrender and commit  everything to Him, He is more than able to deal with and work it all out. He is able to move on their behalf and bring healing to their body and their circumstances! For His true ones  have a great advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ who is always for them, with them and not against them.  His word is unchanging:

"Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel,  And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:  'I am the First and I am the Last;  Besides Me there is no God.  And who can proclaim as I do?  Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me,  Since I appointed the ancient people.  And the things that are coming and shall come,  Let them show these to them.

Do not fear, nor be afraid;  Have I not told you from that time, and declared it?  You are My witnesses.  Is there a God besides Me?   Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.' " Isaiah 44:6-8

The Lord of Lords and King of Kings does not make His creation just to use them and leave them flat. He doesn’t leave His true ones. They are always satisfied. He has promised what He has promised and it does not change because He will never change. He  is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. None can ever duplicate Him or recreate Him. He is unique in the universe. There is no other besides Him.

 

He  never changes and neither does His word. Those who remain close to Him shall have His blessings and prosperity on their life all of their  days. For God is with them and He is in their life for the duration.  He will never leave, fail or forsake them. What He has promised them is to be considered done. For He, the Great I AM has promised it. 

 

He is greater than all the universes out there. His is greater than all the people out there. He is  the only God in the entire universe. He is their  great defender, redeemer and friend. He is their  defense and high tower. There is none like, nor ever will be in the entirety of eternity! He is it! His word is unchanging:

I will love You, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;  My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;  My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;  So shall I be saved from my enemies. Psalm 18:1-3

God’s true ones can so stand on the Rock and trust Him to deliver them no mater what the situation, problem or circumstance. It doesn’t matter how they got into it. What matters is how they are going to get out of it. God is going to help them get out.

 

For He desires and will promote, establish and bless His true ones beyond their wildest dreams.  He is capable of handling everything that is committed unto Him. For His word is true:

Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. (Psalms 37:5) For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. (2 Timothy 1:12) 

If we call upon Him and put our trust in Him and His Name He will save us from all our enemies whatever they might be. Enemies such as poverty, lack, defeat, despair, sin, or self.  He can and will turn our greatest failure into our greatest success just like He did for Jesus Christ on Calvary. Where God took the very worst that the world threw at Jesus and made it the best thing that ever happened in this universe.  For He is the Great I Am, the One who has created and made the whole universe and raise Jesus Christ from the dead. 

 

The empty Cross now says to you and I, that for every defeat there is victory in its place, for every failure there is success, for every weakness there is grace, for every sickness there is healing, for every hatred there is love, for every injustice there is justice and for every poverty there is riches.

As a result, now Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, is sitting at the right hand of the throne of God, ready to use His power on behalf of the good of His true children. To make them more than conquerors in all things that the world, the flesh and the devil would throw at them. For His word is unchanging:

I, even I, am the LORD,  And besides Me there is no savior.  I have declared and saved,  I have proclaimed,  And there was no foreign god among you;  Therefore you are My witnesses,"  Says the LORD, "that I am God.

Indeed before the day was, I am He;  And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand;  I work, and who will reverse it?"  Isaiah 43:11-13

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John 16:33

He the God of All gods and the King of Kings and Lord of Lords will never forsake His true ones. He is their security and inheritance and provision in the deserts of life. He is hiding place!  For the Lord will provide, He is on their side. The Lord will deliver them, He will see them through.  The Lord who is mighty, will give them the victory. None shall stand before them and Heaven will rejoice with Him.

 

For the waves of the sea are His. And so are the winds and storms of life His. He allows all things for the good and the very best good of His beloved Ones. He doesn’t forget their affliction and He does reward all who prevail and come through it to the other side. He  has sustained them and He will continue to sustain them through the trials of life  and He will bring them to the other side.

 

His true ones are to hold to Him and trust in Him and He will bring all to pass. The brutality of life is never what they  desire but it is as He sees fit for them. Yet, their dawning is upon them. Their  blessings are upon them. Their  provisions  are upon  them. 

 

For the Lord is far from the prayer of the wicked but He hears and answers the prayers of the righteous. He is their deliverer and defender and they can go to Him with all their  burdens and He will bare them. They can rejoice and trust and be happy in Him who is their true friend and high tower of protection. For His word is true:

A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17

A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

 


Chapter 11

He Will Come And Save You

Say to those who are fearful-hearted,  "Be strong, do not fear!  Behold, your God will come with vengeance,  With the recompense of God;  He will come and save you." Isaiah 35:4

"Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, You who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were hewn, And to the hole of the pit from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father, And to Sarah who bore you; For I called him alone, And blessed him and increased him."

For the LORD will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places; He will make her wilderness like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the LORD; Joy and gladness will be found in it, Thanksgiving and the voice of melody. Isaiah 51:1-3

          Being a Savior of His people is something that God is proud to be and do and has chosen to be and do.  The Lord loves to boast that there is no other God besides Him, a just God and a Savior. He loves to save His people from all kinds of sins, situations, afflictions  and troubles. He loves to comfort their waste places, to make their wilderness like Eden and their desert like His garden.  For after all He loves being a Savior, Healer, Deliverer, Redeemer and  everything that His people need including a great Miracle Worker.

 

As a result His ransomed ones shall return, to Him with singing, and with everlasting joy on their heads.  They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Instead there will be thanksgiving and the voice of melody because of the great things the Lord has done. His word is unchanging:

 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;  and perseverance, character; and character, hope.  Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Romans 5:1-10

God demonstrated His great love towards His own in that while they were still sinners, enemies of God, Christ died for them and become their Savior and saved them from the wrath of God.  He then poured His love into their hearts by the Holy Spirit that was given to them. Now they can glory in the fact that having been justified by faith, they have peace with God  and  access by faith into His grace in which they  stand. They can boldly approach the throne of grace at all times to find the mercy and grace that they need.

 

Now God’s people can rejoice in hope of the glory of God of all the things that He will do for them in their trials and tribulations knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;  and perseverance, character; and character, hope.  Hope will not disappoint them because the love of God is already dwelling in them and the best is yet to come, as God is for them and not against them.  His word is unchanging:

"For indeed I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and sown.  "I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the cities shall be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt.  "I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bear young; I will make you inhabited as in former times, and do better for you than at your beginnings. Then you shall know that I am the LORD. Ezekiel 36:9-11

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?  Romans 8:28-32

God has purposed to bless, prosper, increase, and glorify His children and do  better for them than at their  beginnings. Then they shall know that He is  the LORD and is if God be for them who can be against them. How shall He not with His own son freely give them all things. 

 

For God loves to deliver with great power and glory, His poor and needy oppressed ones for He is their Deliverer, Healer Miracle Worker,  Provider and Security. He will arise and set them in safety for which they yearn. He will bring them into a safe haven. For the name of the LORD is a strong tower and the righteous run to it and are safe. His word is unchanging:

In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Jeremiah 23:6

"Then the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. They shall be safe in their land; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them from the hand of those who enslaved them. Ezekiel 34:27

Yes, God loves to break the bands of their yoke and  deliver His people from the hands of those who have enslaved them. He loves to destroy their enemies so that they shall be safe in their land.

 

The Lord loves to deliver His people from the deceptions of men and demons. To deliver them from those who would use and abuse them. To deliver them from the enemies that press in all around them. To deliver them from sickness and disease. To  deliver them  from corruption and judgment. To  deliver them  from correction and abuse. To  deliver them  from perversion and death. To deliver them from lack and poverty and to bring them into prosperity and plenty.

 

The Lord loves to  bring back the captivity of His people and do great and unlimited things for them. His word is unchanging:

As your days, so shall your strength be.  "There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,  Who rides the heavens to help you, And in His excellency on the clouds. The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, And will say, 'Destroy!'

Then Israel shall dwell in safety,  The fountain of Jacob alone,  In a land of grain and new wine;  His heavens shall also drop dew.  Happy are you, O Israel!  Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD,  The shield of your help  And the sword of your majesty!  Your enemies shall submit to you,   And you shall tread down their high places." Deuteronomy 33:25-29

When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion,  We were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter,  And our tongue with singing.  Then they said among the nations,  "The LORD has done great things for them."  The LORD has done great things for us,  And we are glad. 

Bring back our captivity, O LORD,  As the streams in the South.  Those who sow in tears  Shall reap in joy.  He who continually goes forth weeping,  Bearing seed for sowing,  Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,  Bringing his sheaves with him.  Psalm 125:1-6

 


Chapter 12

The Lord Loves Justice, Truth And Righteousness

I know that the LORD will maintain  The cause of the afflicted, And justice for the poor.  Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; The upright shall dwell in Your presence. Psalm 140:12-13

'Thus says the LORD: "Execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong and do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place. "For if you indeed do this thing, then shall enter the gates of this house, riding on horses and in chariots, accompanied by servants and people, kings who sit on the throne of David.  "But if you will not hear these words, I swear by Myself," says the LORD, "that this house shall become a desolation." ' " Jeremiah 22:3-5

          Those who do not love justice and do not execute judgment and righteousness and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor do not know their God. For He loves Justice. For the humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.

 

He has told His people to defend the poor and fatherless, do justice to the afflicted and needy, deliver the poor and needy and free them from the hand of the wicked. His word is unchanging:

For the LORD loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.

The righteous shall inherit the land,  And dwell in it forever.  The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom,  And his tongue talks of justice. Psalm 37:28

Give the king Your judgments, O God,  And Your righteousness to the king's Son. He will judge Your people with righteousness,  And Your poor with justice. 

The mountains will bring peace to the people,  And the little hills, by righteousness.  He will bring justice to the poor of the people;  He will save the children of the needy,  And will break in pieces the oppressor. Psalm 72:1-4

The LORD executes righteousness  And justice for all who are oppressed. Psalm 103:6

A Christianity devoid of justice and righteousness is a false religion serving a false God. For God’s word is unchanging:

Blessed are those who keep justice, And he who does righteousness at all times!  Psalm 106:3

The works of the LORD are great,  Studied by all who have pleasure in them.  His work is honorable and glorious,  And His righteousness endures forever. He has made His wonderful works to be remembered;  The LORD is gracious and full of compassion.  He has given food to those who fear Him;  He will ever be mindful of His covenant. 

He has declared to His people the power of His works,  In giving them the heritage of the nations.  The works of His hands are verity and justice;  All His precepts are sure.  They stand fast forever and ever,  And are done in truth and uprightness.  Psalm 111:2-8

Yes, the works of God’s hands are verity and justice and they are done in truth and uprightness. Yes, blessed are those who keep justice and do righteousness at all times.

 

God’s love for justice resulted in the death of His only begotten son. Hence He will not betray or put away His love of justice and demands for justice  for any other, who ever they might be. He,  who made  heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them and keeps truth forever, executes justice for the oppressed,  and gives food to the hungry. His word is unchanging:

"Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;  Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.  Cease to do evil,  Learn to do good;  Seek justice,  Rebuke the oppressor;  Defend the fatherless,  Plead for the widow.   "Come now, and let us reason together,"  Says the LORD,  "Though your sins are like scarlet,  They shall be as white as snow;  Though they are red like crimson,  They shall be as wool.

If you are willing and obedient,  You shall eat the good of the land;  But if you refuse and rebel,  You shall be devoured by the sword";  For the mouth of the LORD has spoken. Isaiah 1:16-20

God has promised to rid Himself of His adversaries and take vengeance on His enemies. Those who are murderers, rebellious, companions of thieves, love bribes, follow after rewards and do not defend the fatherless or take up the cause of the widow. For God doesn’t like sinners and transgressors, especially if they are called by His name, and He will deal with them in a disastrous way. His word is unchanging:

How the faithful city has become a harlot!  It was full of justice;  Righteousness lodged in it,  But now murderers.  Your silver has become dross,  Your wine mixed with water. Your princes are rebellious,  And companions of thieves;  Everyone loves bribes,  And follows after rewards.  They do not defend the fatherless,  Nor does the cause of the widow come before them.

Therefore the Lord says,  The LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel,  "Ah, I will rid Myself of My adversaries,  And take vengeance on My enemies. I will turn My hand against you,  And thoroughly purge away your dross,  And take away all your alloy. I will restore your judges as at the first,  And your counselors as at the beginning.  Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city."

 Zion shall be redeemed with justice,  And her penitents with righteousness. The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together,  And those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed. For they shall be ashamed of the terebinth trees Which you have desired;  And you shall be embarrassed because of the gardens  Which you have chosen.

For you shall be as a terebinth whose leaf fades,  And as a garden that has no water.  The strong shall be as tinder,  And the work of it as a spark;  Both will burn together,  And no one shall quench them. Isaiah 1:21-31

Judgment will not be pleasant to those who deserve it amongst God’s people and have purposely chosen to ignore His words about justice, righteousness and truth. Destruction comes to those who refuse to believe that God is  a God of judgment and great Power.

 

God’s  power bringing healing and change to circumstances and human hearts. His  wisdom gives them the means to walk in it daily. This is His true desire that all walk in faith and hope in Him daily and hourly. But men chose to walk in their own wisdom and lose track of God’s  truth and understanding, then they are off on their own tangents forgetting who created them. They forget His rules. They forget judgment comes to all. They forget humility is the only way to achieve everlasting victory!

 

They have ignored the first and primary cardinal rule: Love God with all of their hearts, souls and minds. They have not done that. They have reserved themselves a corner of themselves from God. But He doesn’t accept that any longer. He has never really accepted it. So now they must pay as those before them did. There are no exceptions.  For God  has not changed though He has great mercy yet He has a great sense of justice. Now, judgment is their middle name.

 

Can men last upon this planet without Him. Yes, for a season. They appear to walk as those who do His will but in the end their death is sure and their judgment runs deep. They will never understand why He turned His face away. Why He never cared?

 

But, He did care they just didn’t receive His caring. They wanted what they couldn’t have. They wanted what was not theirs just like King David took a woman who was not his. They coveted other’s men’s wealth rather than trusting for their own. They failed to see. He had it there for them all along. They took what they could not have and failed His greatest test.

 

O, wary hearts. How could you desire what was not yours. How could you justify it? How could you not see? Was it because you didn’t really want to? Didn’t you hear His voice warning you? Didn’t you see His signs in the sky? No, you were too busy taking what was not yours and excusing yourselves for doing it.

 

There is no greater truth than this that when a man covets he justifies his unworthy decisions with a multitude of excuses and forgets the most important thing, that God is still watching and waiting to see your loyalty. Will you take your hands off the other’s wealth or will you take it for yourself? And if you do take it, will you restore with interest what you have taken?

 

Time is the teller. She holds no secrets she do not eventually reveal. She tells all about us good or ill. And if we prove true she reveals even this and justifies us before our God and brings us safely home to Him.

 

O lady Time, remain always on my side for I want to be a humble servant that is received into My Lord’s great bosom. May the truth about me always be that I did not touch what was not mine and cared for others as My Lord revealed to me. For lady Time, I know you never stop for anyone, except at the Lord’s bidding, and you only care for what your Master desires.

 

I too am at your mercy. I wait patiently for the truth to be revealed and the position you have for me to be opened because then I will be able to serve where I have been called to and do all of my Lord’s bidding. 

 

O Time, don’t forget me when you arrive at that great judgment day for then all men will pay their dues and you will do what you have always faithfully done—reveal every action and thought of men for all time.

 

 


Chapter 13

Return To Me, And I Will Return To You

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2

          Under the new covenant of Grace God who gave His all in the form of His only begotten Son and His counselor, the Holy Spirit, anticipates that His people will give Him their all including their bodies as a living sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is their reasonable service. He anticipates that the measure He has measured them will be measured back to Him. 

 

But religious hedonistic ones have somehow tied God to money and the idea that their blessings are tied to their financial tithes and offerings when nothing is further from the truth.  Tithes and offering are only a small of the new commandments that Jesus gave to His true ones.  His word is unchanging:

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35

Those who say they are Christians love the brethren and lay down their lives for them. They do not hate the brethren, steal from  them,  or use them because they have eternal life abiding in them as God’s word is unchanging:

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.  Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

 But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

John 3:14-18

Those who fail to love the brethren and do not take the new commandment to heart, the Lord will send a curse upon them and He will curse their blessings. He will bring judgment upon them because they  have not kept God’s  ways and have showed partiality to one another and were respecter of persons. For God’s word is unchanging:

And I will come near you for judgment;  I will be a swift witness  Against sorcerers,  Against adulterers,  Against perjurers,  Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans,  And against those who turn away an alien- Because they do not fear Me,"  Says the LORD of hosts.  "For I am the LORD, I do not change;  Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.

Yet from the days of your fathers  You have gone away from My ordinances  And have not kept them.  Return to Me, and I will return to you,"  Says the LORD of hosts.

"But you said,  'In what way shall we return?'  "Will a man rob God?  Yet you have robbed Me!  But you say,  'In what way have we robbed You?'  In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse,  For you have robbed Me,  Even this whole nation.  Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,  That there may be food in My house,  And try Me now in this,"  Says the LORD of hosts,  "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven  And pour out for you such blessing  That there will not be room enough to receive it. 

"And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,  So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,  Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," Says the LORD of hosts;  "And all nations will call you blessed,  For you will be a delightful land,"  Says the LORD of hosts. Malachi 3:5-12

God’s house today is His people for they are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Failing to meet the needs of God’s people and loving them brings the judgments of God, not His blessings.  Financial tithes and offerings do not make up for the disobedience of God’s word. Unless they return to God and do what He commands them to do- to love one another in deed and in truth.

 

But for those who love the brethren, minister to the saints and lay their lives for them, God will not leave them undefined or lacking in finances or unhealed.  He is going to do all He promised them both in His written and spoken Words to them. He will provide totally for them and their needs and desires. He will open the windows of heaven and pour out such a blessing on them that they will not be able to contain it.

 

Because He, the Lord, who promised is faithful and true and full of justice and power and more than capable of keeping His promises. He will bless them as He blessed Job and Abraham and many others. He will not let them down. He is not that kind of God. He will bless them  abundantly and He will heal them totally. He will use them  as He chooses and in the places of His choice. He will heal their land and keep them  from all harm and only with their  eyes shall they  see the destruction coming upon others.  His word is unchanging:

Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.   Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.

 For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:7-10

 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end,  that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself,  saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you."  And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. Hebrews 6:11-15


Chapter 14

With The Lord There is Mercy and Abundant Redemption

O Israel, hope in the LORD;  For with the LORD there is mercy,  And with Him is abundant redemption.  And He shall redeem Israel  From all his iniquities. Psalm 130:7-8

Restore us, O God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved! Psalm 80:7

          Life does not go the way men expect to go. It’s usually full of trouble, turmoil, changes, insecurity, lack, needs, challenges, difficulties and troubles. But in the midst of it all there is one unchanging constant, the Lord, who remains to His true ones, merciful, gracious, faithful and mighty. So the psalms prayed and said:

So teach us to number our days,  That we may gain a heart of wisdom.  Return, O LORD! How long?  And have compassion on Your servants. Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy,  That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!  Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us,  The years in which we have seen evil. 

Let Your work appear to Your servants,  And Your glory to their children.  And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us,  And establish the work of our hands for us;  Yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90:12-17

The days of life are precious and short and in the midst of it all what God’s people need is a lot of wisdom and for the beauty of their God to be upon them.  They need for Him to establish the work of their hands. For except the Lord build their house it’s a waste of time.

 

So God’s people need the wisdom that comes from above  that is pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. They don’t need the wisdom that is from below and is earthly, sensual, demonic. As a result envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

 

God’s people are to be dispensers of good things, miracles, love grace and mercy and not dispensers of hate, bigotry, intolerance, lies and half truths.  No, they are to be full of the Holy Spirit, faith, power and wisdom. They are to bear much fruit and do great signs and wonders among the people, casting out devils, dealing with serpents, laying hands on the sick so that they will recover, and praying one for another.

 

God’s people have to be meek, humble and with out hypocrisy showing partially to no one! They definitely are not to be proud and arrogant, warring and fighting, murdering and coveting to satisfying their lusts. Instead they are to freely give what they have freely received from heaven.

 

For the LORD will not cast off His people, nor will He forsake His inheritance. Hence judgment will return to righteousness, and all the upright in heart will follow it.  As God’s word is unchanging:

Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!  Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.   You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.  You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.

 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

 Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!  My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord-that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. James 5:1-11

Sooner or later God will bring judgment on the wicked and He will bless the righteous, even in the current time. For this is what God has promised to do. His word is unchanging:

Wait on the LORD,  And keep His way,  And He shall exalt you to inherit the land;  When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.  I have seen the wicked in great power,  And spreading himself like a native green tree.  Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more; Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found.

Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright;  For the future of that man is peace.  But the transgressors shall be destroyed together;  The future of the wicked shall be cut off.  But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;  He is their strength in the time of trouble.  And the LORD shall help them and deliver them;  He shall deliver them from the wicked, And save them,  Because they trust in Him. Psalm 37:34-40

For winnowing fork and sheave have not done their full work. But when they have done it all those who fought against they righteous and blameless shall be no more. For the Lord the grime reaper. He winnows His winnowing floor and separates the chaff from the wheat. When it is all over, He will have completed His task and been satisfied that a proper job has been done. Then will His  remnant eat in plenty and dine in style. He has not forgotten  His  inheritance.

 

For they are His true inheritance and they shall reap the rewards of their service to God. He is the great rewarder of those do diligently seek Him. He repays all the debt owed to His  true ones. He has not allowed one hair to fall that fell out of hurt or sorrow or pain. All will be restored and repaid. So He has  said. So He has decreed. His word is unchanging:

"Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed.  Joshua 23:14

God’s true children are to keep expecting God to care for them and their burdens and all the things which they have committed into His hands. For God does not know the words failure,  defeat or poverty. He only knows riches, wealth, victory, prosperity and success and what is given into His hands will in due season reflect these things.  

 

They are to expect God to fulfill His promises to them all and await it with quiet anticipation. They are to entertain nothing else but expect the best of and from God. That is as it should be.  For God has their best at the center of His heart because they are so dedicated to Him in walking closely and properly before Him.

 

He cares about the sparrow. So, He cares about them and their needs.  They are not to worry about what they  will eat or wear, as their tender Father is more than able to provide all of their needs. His word is unchanging:

Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, "Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant." Psalm 35:27

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.  I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 3 John 1:2-4

God will provide for His true ones and all the things that the gentiles seek. That is for those who seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.  As their Heavenly Father He has an obligation to provide for His true and trusting children. To those who look to Him the author and finisher of their faith. He will provide everything,  even miraculously, and give peace from the storm of lack of things.

 

He has already given them His beloved Rainbow Jesus and all the riches and spiritual provisions that goes along with it. God is not limited at all. He has all the power of the universe at His  disposal and He  will not leave His anointed and true children desolate or destitute in any way. Because they are the friends of Jesus they are His friends also and they are all friends together.

He makes peace in your borders,  And fills you with the finest wheat. He sends out His command to the earth;  His word runs very swiftly. Psalm 147:14

 


Chapter 15

The Lord Does All Things, Even Now!

Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,  Whose hope is in the LORD his God,  Who made heaven and earth,  The sea, and all that is in them;  Who keeps truth forever,  Who executes justice for the oppressed,  Who gives food to the hungry. 

The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners. The LORD opens the eyes of the blind;  The LORD raises those who are bowed down;  The LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the strangers;  He relieves the fatherless and widow;  But the way of the wicked He turns upside down. Psalm 146:3-9

Happy and blessed are those who have the God of Jacob for their and whose hope is in the LORD who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them. For after He is the Lord who keeps truth forever, executes justice for the oppressed, and gives food to the hungry. He is the LORD who gives freedom to the prisoners, opens the eyes of the blind and raises those who are bowed down. He is the LORD of infinite power and resources who loves the righteous, watches over the strangers and relieves the fatherless and widow. But He also turns the way of the wicked He turns upside down. 

 

For men by their choices and actions determine if they will have the Lord for them or against them. Of course it’s better to have the mighty God of the universe for you than against you. But this is something that some men in their blindness, stubbornness and foolishness of hear cannot seem to understand, that there is a terrible price to be paid for being wicked and proud and doing wicked things. But God’s word is unchanging:

Do not fret because of evildoers,  Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.  For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,  And wither as the green herb.

Trust in the LORD, and do good;  Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.  Delight yourself also in the LORD,  And He shall give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the LORD,  Trust also in Him,  And He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,  And your justice as the noonday.

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him;  Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,  Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.  Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;  Do not fret-it only causes harm.  For evildoers shall be cut off;  But those who wait on the LORD, They shall inherit the earth.

 For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;  Indeed, you will look carefully for his place,  But it shall be no more.  But the meek shall inherit the earth,  And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.  The wicked plots against the just,  And gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him,  For He sees that his day is coming. The wicked have drawn the Psalm 37:1-14

God, unlike others, doesn’t lie and He keeps His promises in His word, each and every one. For it’s the word of a true gentleman and King. Evildoers shall be cut off but those who wait on the Lord shall inherit the earth. For the Lord shows Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. But He also goes out of the way to humiliate and humble the proud and to tread down the wicked in their place. His word is unchanging:

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: "Now prepare yourself like a man;  I will question you, and you shall answer Me:  "Would you indeed annul My judgment?  Would you condemn Me that you may be justified?  Have you an arm like God?  Or can you thunder with a voice like His?

 Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor,  and array yourself with glory and beauty. Disperse the rage of your wrath;  Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him.  Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low;  Tread down the wicked in their place.  Hide them in the dust together,  Bind their faces in hidden darkness.  Then I will also confess to you  That your own right hand can save you. Job 40:7-14

"Prepare the way of the LORD;  Make straight in the desert  A highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted  And every mountain and hill brought low;  The crooked places shall be made straight  And the rough places smooth;  The glory of the LORD shall be revealed,  And all flesh shall see it together;  For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

 The voice said, "Cry out!"  And he said, "What shall I cry?"  "All flesh is grass,  And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.  The grass withers, the flower fades,  Because the breath of the LORD blows upon it;  Surely the people are grass.  The grass withers, the flower fades,  But the word of our God stands forever."

Heaven and earth will pass away but God’s word stands forever. Men will come and go just like the grass that withers and the flowers that fade away but God remains forever.  Awake or asleep the Lord is always in charge of His Children’s affairs.  He is still in charge of Heaven and earth. He loves to bring them real justice, forgive all their iniquities, heal all their diseases, redeem their from destruction,  crowns them with lovingkindness and tender mercies,  and  satisfies their mouth with good things. His word is unchanging:

Bless the LORD, O my soul;  And all that is within me, bless His holy name!  Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:  Who forgives all your iniquities,  Who heals all your diseases,  Who redeems your life from destruction,  Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,  Who satisfies your mouth with good things,  So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.  The LORD executes righteousness  And justice for all who are oppressed. Psalm 103:1-6

When the winds of change are blowing they bring defeat to God’s enemies and those of His people. They stir the stars and count the enemies' host and bring them to total destruction. They setting the captive free. They destroy the path of the evil ones and make a way in the desert for the true ones. For wow sweet are the feet of them who bring good news!

 

The news of the Gospel is coming and bringing defeat to all of God's enemies. They will look about and wonder why they are where they have arrived. They are defeated and demented because of their corruption and ambition. Their dreams are trained by their own sour milk.  No longer do they find nourishment beside pleasant waters. They are defeated and dismayed. The end is very near.

 

The wind is sure and the army is marching on the strongholds of the enemy but woe to those who stand in their path. Like a powerful machine they will mow down their enemy and destroy them one by one. Until finally the leaders are caught and burnt as with fire. Their wheat, stubble and hay is easy fodder. They are defeated once and for all.  For God’s word is unchanging:

So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance.  But he did not inquire of the LORD; therefore He killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse. 1 Chronicles 10:13-14

The winter's back is broken. The snow is melting from the ground. The frost is brief and sporadic. It moistens the earth but then melts as quickly as it comes. It is the new driven snow that is far from the edge. It grows more distant with the passing of time. It knows that soon the spring will blossom upon the hard cold earth and bring with it the warmth of longer days and radiant sunshine.

 

The earth responses with joy to spring's new awakening. It knows the time is ripe for planting a kaleidoscope of iridescent flowers. The myopia of spring with its sweet fragrances in the air can be breathed in with a kind of relief from the hardships winter brought. Here, there is repose for the soul and solace for the weary. It is time that restoration of spring came to the land.

 

O what sweet release. There is no greater beauty than this that God provided peace for His creation and His people can rejoice in His sweet restoring Presence. He will set His captives free. He will see them set free. There is no power on earth than can hold back the floodgates of His power on their behalf. He is the Waymaker and Storm Stopper. He is the Advocate who defends them before the Heavenly host.

 

On the winds of change wafts the fragrance of the Holy Presence and with Him enters the healings so many need and  miracles in abundance. The Shekinah Glory is coming down in great power and glory and bringing healing in His wings!

 

The new driven snow has melted and the earth is full of the blossoms of the Glory of the Lord upon the earth and nothing can stop the peace, joy and wholeness that is coming for all of God's true children. Can it be? Can it truly be? His deliverance is really coming?

 

The signs of the times are clear. He is still God of this universe and is coming  in great power and glory to destroy the enemy and bring real peace to the earth. A peace that no one has yet seen. Our pretenses will fall before the power of the real. It will not be the sur-real but the real-real. There is no other more beautiful than He. For in the annuals of time, men have sought after Him or His power and few, if any, have gained access to His Kingdom.

 

But this time of emptiness and pain is coming to a rapid end. The time of healing, wholeness and real change is upon us. God’s children are not to look for God in the old, but are to  look for Him in the New!                          

 

 


Chapter 16

Having Done All, Stand

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;  In all your ways acknowledge Him,  And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:10-13

          The realm of the Spirit is not the realm of the flesh. It’s far greater and superior to this temporal world. Intellect and understanding have nothing to do with the Spirit realm. But faith and trust go along way to be successful in it.  There are real demons, rulers of darkness and spiritual hosts, who try to destroy and bring every negative upon God’s true ones. Be it poverty, loss, sickness, fear, oppression and persecution. But greater is He that is in God’s true ones than He that is in the world and He will go and fight for them against all their enemies and give them victory.

 

Prayer, faith the word of God and being strong in the Spirit and the power He gives are great weapons to stand against the wiles of the devil in the evil day.  For God’s word is unchanging:

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;  praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints- Ephesians 6;14-18

Many of God’s people are deceived and defeated by half-truths and unrighteousness and cannot stand in the day of battle. They are ignorant of the whole word of God. They pray in the flesh rather than in the Spirit. They listen to the voice and teaching of men rather than the Spirit. They live and walk in the flesh rather than the Spirit as they have not totally surrendered and yielded to the Spirit.  All of that are good recopies for disaster and defeat.

 

Many of God’s people try to live by intellect and knowledge and understanding rather than the admonition of the Word of God – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;  In all your ways acknowledge Him,  And He shall direct your paths.” They are literally to trust in the Lord and depend of the Spirit with all their heart and not just some of it.  They are to lean to their own understanding but are to acknowledge Him in all their ways and He shall direct their path and give them success, victory and prosperity. For He is that kind of God.

 

Of course, It did not make any sense for the children of Israel to  march around the mighty fortified city of Jericho with all the men of six days, once a day. Then the seven day the seven priests bore seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark and  marched around the city seven times, and then the  priests  blew the trumpets. But that is what their Commander in Chief the Lord of Hosts had commanded them to do? So they did it. As a result the bible records:

So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat.

Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword. Joshua 6:20-21

Victory is won and given by listening to and obeying the voice of God and not the voice of men, no matter who they are or who they think they are. Sure the battle is the Lord’s but it still has to be fought His way, not the ways of men! But God through obedience and faith made the mighty wall of the city of Jericho  fall down flat, even though in the natural realm it made no senses at all.   But God’s loves to use the foolish things to confound those who are wise and full of themselves and their own wisdom.

 

While their stunned enemies stood their frozen in unbelief, the children of Israel went into Jericho and they utterly destroyed all that was in the city with the edge of the sword. They burned the city and all that was in it with fire. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and iron, they saved and put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.

 

But there was one fool among the children of Israel who had a better idea than God.  He did not obey the command of the Lord and stole a minor thing for himself and hid it in his tent. As a result the anger of the LORD burned against the children of Israel and they were defeated by their enemies.

 

Not until Joshua dealt with the problem and found the person who had coveted and stole a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels that belonged to the Lord did the Lord give Israel back victory over all their enemies. 

 

Deafness or disobedience to the instructions given by the Holy Spirit results in failure and defeat instead of victory and success, even in the current time of life. Many of God’s people need to have their spiritual ears and eyes healed by God so that they can hear and see what the Spirit is saying to them. They need to surrender completely to the Spirit including praying tongues and prophesy so that they can get from the Spirit daily instructions and directions for their lives. Something that God is more than willing to do for the asking for after all He is the Healer, Deliverer, Savior, Miracle Worker and Counselor to His people. His word is unchanging:

"Woe to the rebellious children," says the LORD,  "Who take counsel, but not of Me,  And who devise plans, but not of My Spirit,  That they may add sin to sin;  Who walk to go down to Egypt,  And have not asked My advice,  To strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh,  And to trust in the shadow of Egypt!  Therefore the strength of Pharaoh  Shall be your shame,  And trust in the shadow of Egypt  Shall be your humiliation. Isaiah 30:1-3

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help,  And rely on horses, Who trust in chariots because they are many,  And in horsemen because they are very strong, But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel,  Nor seek the LORD!  Yet He also is wise and will bring disaster,  And will not call back His words,  But will arise against the house of evildoers,  And against the help of those who work iniquity.

 Now the Egyptians are men, and not God;  And their horses are flesh, and not spirit.  When the LORD stretches out His hand,  Both he who helps will fall,  And he who is helped will fall down;  They all will perish together. Isaiah 31:1-3

God’s people need to take counsel of the Lord, not of others. They need to devise plans of the Spirit, not of the flesh. Otherwise they will only add sin to sin and be put to shame and humiliated. In all things, they need to seek and trust the Lord and not themselves, others, or their intellect and understanding.

 

Otherwise they will become evil doers and considered as those who do iniquity. When the Lord arises against the house of evildoers,  and against the help of those who work iniquity, they will all perish. For God’s word is unchanging:

"For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns-broken cisterns that can hold no water.  Jeremiah 2:13

But for those who trust totally in the Lord and live and walk in His Spirit, they  will find peace and safety. For God’s word is unchanging:

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,  And put your trust in the LORD.  There are many who say,  "Who will show us any good?"  LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us. You have put gladness in my heart,  More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.  I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;  For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:5-8

No king is saved by the multitude of an army;  A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety;  Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.  Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,  On those who hope in His mercy,  To deliver their soul from death,  And to keep them alive in famine. Jeremiah 33:16-19.

God is still a mighty miracle working God who does great and wonderful things and miracles for those who trust Him and those who do not. The former He blesses and the later He destroys. His word is unchanging:

But He made His own people go forth like sheep,  And guided them in the wilderness like a flock; And He led them on safely, so that they did not fear;  But the sea overwhelmed their enemies.  And He brought them to His holy border,  This mountain which His right hand had acquired. Psalm 78:52-54

 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 3 John 1:2-4

 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. Jude 1:5

God’s still gives His very best to those who trust Him and all Him to make their choices an He brings them safely to the other side. His word is true:

Blessed is the man  Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,  Nor stands in the path of sinners,  Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;  But his delight is in the law of the LORD,  And in His law he meditates day and night.  He shall be like a tree  Planted by the rivers of water,  That brings forth its fruit in its season,  Whose leaf also shall not wither;  And whatever he does shall prosper. 

The ungodly are not so,  But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.  Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,  Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.  For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,  But the way of the ungodly shall perish. Psalm 1:1-6

 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,  And for His wonderful works to the children of men!  Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,  And declare His works with rejoicing.  Those who go down to the sea in ships,  Who do business on great waters,  They see the works of the LORD,  And His wonders in the deep.

For He commands and raises the stormy wind,  Which lifts up the waves of the sea.  They mount up to the heavens,  They go down again to the depths;  Their soul melts because of trouble.  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,  And are at their wits' end.

Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble,  And He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm,  So that its waves are still.  Then they are glad because they are quiet;  So He guides them to their desired haven. Psalm 107:21-30

 


Chapter 17

The LORD Has His Way In The Storm

Who can stand before His indignation?  And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire,  And the rocks are thrown down by Him.  The LORD is good,  A stronghold in the day of trouble;  And He knows those who trust in Him. But with an overflowing flood  He will make an utter end of its place,  And darkness will pursue His enemies.

What do you conspire against the LORD?  He will make an utter end of it.  Affliction will not rise up a second time.  For while tangled like thorns,  And while drunken like drunkards,  They shall be devoured like stubble fully dried.  From you comes forth one  Who plots evil against the LORD,  A wicked counselor.  Nahum 1:6-11

          God is jealous God who is slow to anger and great in power, but will  not at all acquit the wicked, even in the current time of life. The  LORD  not only avenges and becomes furious but  He will take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies. The LORD  has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm,  and the clouds are the dust of His feet. 

 

Whirlwind and storms are not quite a random acts of God as mean would have us believe.  God is still God and He who made heaven and earth is still in charge of it and He does nothing with out purpose including bringing  storms upon people, including His own servants. We have an excellent example of this in the word of God in the life of Jonah the prophet. The bible records:

Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me." 

But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. Jonah 1:1-3

God is not democratic, as some religious ones would have us believe, but He is an autocrat

He didn’t ask Jonah if he wanted to go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it because of its wickedness. He commanded Jonah to "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it.”

 

So what did Jonah do as an obedient servant of God? He became disobedient and ran away! He foolishly arose to fee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord! How foolishly can you be and still breathe to run away from the presence of the Lord.  For it’s impossible!

 

So what did the Lord do? He said “okay Jonah you have a free will and your are my servant you can do what ever you want to do?” “ I will not force you to do anything against your will, as I am very understanding and respective of your rights as an individual. Especially as I have made and created you.”  

 

Hogwash! God did not say anything of the sort. For you cannot ignore the commands of the Lord with out putting yourself in a path of destruction or chastisement! No one can stand before His indignation and endure the fierceness of His anger when you upset the Lord?  So men create their own reasons why God brings disastrous storms upon them and they are not always beneficial to them!

 

The bible records that  the Lord,  who rebukes the sea and makes it dry, and He even dries up all the rivers when He desires, sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up:

Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep.

 So the captain came to him, and said to him, "What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish."  And they said to one another, "Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this trouble has come upon us." So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

Then they said to him, "Please tell us! For whose cause is this trouble upon us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?"

So he said to them, "I am a Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land."

 Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, "Why have you done this?" For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

 Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?"-for the sea was growing more tempestuous.

And he said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me."

Nevertheless the men rowed hard to return to land, but they could not, for the sea continued to grow more tempestuous against them. Therefore they cried out to the LORD and said, "We pray, O LORD, please do not let us perish for this man's life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O LORD, have done as it pleased You."

So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.  Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the LORD and took vows. Jonah 1:5-16

God was not only going to take Jonah’s life but the life of the mariners because of Jonah’s disobedience, as a result of the tempestuous storm that God had brought upon them. 

 

Jonah was not stupid, he knew that the Lord, the God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land, made this great tempest because of him.  He was brave and courageous and was going to sacrifice his own life so that the mariners could live?

 

But there was nothing noble in what Jonah had done so far. He was a disobedient servant who had run away from God and was prepared to commit suicide rather than obey the commandment of the Lord.

 

Yet Jonah really did not know His mighty God. The  LORD had prepared in advance a great fish to swallow Jonah.   So when they threw Jonah overboard the  great fish swallowed him up and  he was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.  

 

You could be sure that the accommodations for Jonah in the belly of the fish were not first class but a living hell and he was afflicted and suffered. As a result the bible records:

 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish's belly.  And he said:  "I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction,  And He answered me.  "Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,  And You heard my voice.

For You cast me into the deep,  into the heart of the seas,  And the floods surrounded me;  All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.

 Then I said, 'I have been cast out of Your sight;  Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.'  The waters surrounded me, even to my soul;  The deep closed around me;  Weeds were wrapped around my head.  I went down to the moorings of the mountains;  The earth with its bars closed behind me forever;  Yet You have brought up my life from the pit,  O LORD, my God.

 "When my soul fainted within me,  I remembered the LORD;  And my prayer went up to You,  Into Your holy temple.  "Those who regard worthless idols  Forsake their own Mercy.  But I will sacrifice to You  With the voice of thanksgiving;  I will pay what I have vowed.  Salvation is of the LORD."

 So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.  Jonah 2:1-10

it was not demons, or men  but the Lord who  cast Jonah into the deep,  into the heart of the seas,  and the floods surrounded me. All of the Lord’s billows and  waves passed over him. Then Jonah because of his affliction and in his hellish circumstance prayed to the LORD his God from the fish's belly.

 

When his  soul fainted within him,  He remembered the LORD; prayed to Him. He made a vow that if God would deliver him, He would do what the Lord wanted him to do in the first place.  So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land?  The bible records:

Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you."  So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent.  And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day's walk. Then he cried out and said, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!"   So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Jonah 3:1-5

Disobedience to the direct commands of God given by His Spirit through His prophets or in the inner man is sin and rebellion. Unrepented sin will bring a storm upon a person or persons.  Failure to repent will cause the destruction of the person or persons. But for those who do repent they still have to be obedient to the commands of God that were given. Otherwise the next storm will be worst than the previous ones.

 

Now this is something that few religious leaders or preachers ever talk about that you do not have an option to really disobey God or to lie to him.  Being rebellious and disobedient and/or  lying to God could result in the loss of your life, even in the dispensation of grace. For what God has done once before He can and will do again, even in the current time of life. His word is unchanging:

 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet.

But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?  "While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God."

Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.  And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.

Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter answered her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?" She said, "Yes, for so much."

Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out."

 Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband.

 So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things. Acts 5:1-11

 

 


Chapter 18

'Why Has The LORD Done This?

"But if you turn away and forsake My statutes and My commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods, and worship them, then I will uproot them from My land which I have given them; and this house which I have sanctified for My name I will cast out of My sight, and will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples.

 "And as for this house, which is exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, 'Why has the LORD done thus to this land and this house?'

 "Then they will answer, 'Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and embraced other gods, and worshiped them and served them; therefore He has brought all this calamity on them.' " 2 Chronicles 7:19-22

          The Lord has clearly warned His people that if they make wrong choices in life, especially those not of His Spirit, that they will pay for these choices even in the current time of life. He has told them that if they would execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor  they shall  enter  their house riding on horses and in chariots, accompanied by servants and people.  But if they would  not hear His words He has told them that He has taken a vow that their  house would become a desolation. And God doesn’t lie He keeps His word.

 

In spite of the doctrine of demons of once saved, always saved,  God will uproot them from His land which He had given them. He will cast them of His  sight, and make them to be a desolation. So that everyone who passes by it will be astonished and wonder why the Lord had brought all this calamity on them. He has warned men over and over again on what would happen to them if they would not hear what the Spirit says to the churches. His word is unchanging:

"To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ' These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:

"I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;  "and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary.  "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

"Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place-unless you repent. "But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.  "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God." 'Revelations 2:1-7

God does remove lampstands from their place and He does give their vineyards to others, even in the current time of life. For after all He is God and they are only mortal frail men.  His word is unchanging:

 'I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.  'And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him. Deuteronomy 18:18-19

For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,  And His kingdom is from generation to generation.  All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;  He does according to His will in the army of heaven  And among the inhabitants of the earth.  No one can restrain His hand  Or say to Him, "What have You done?"

 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me.

 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down. Daniel 4:34-37

 Jesus warned men about the day of judgment that would come upon them, even in the current time of life for not heeding the word of His true servants. His word are  true and unchanging:

Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.  "Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.  "Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. 

"But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.'  "And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.  "And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house.

 "Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.  "And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.' 

"But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say,    'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you.

Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.'  "But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city. Luke 10:2-12

The kingdom of God is demonstrated to be a reality in the midst of men when demons are cast out and the sick are healed by God'’ true anointed ones. Those who reject their words reject God, Himself. For God’s word is unchanging:

"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  "But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. "And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.

"He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me." Luke 10:13-16

Where are the cities of Tyre, Sidon, Ephesus and Capernaum today after the judgments, not the blessings of God, fell on them?

 

Men do not consider the reality  that God brings judgment upon men even in the current time of life. But He does. The bible records in the New Testament dispensation of Grace after Jesus Christ returned to heaven and the Holy Spirit was poured out:

Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king's personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king's country.

 So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them.  And the people kept shouting, "The voice of a god and not of a man!"

Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.

But the word of God grew and multiplied. Acts 12:20-24

God’s word is not bounded by men, demons, circumstances, time of anything. His word will not return back to Him void but will accomplish that for which it is sent!  His word is unchanging:

Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way.  And the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing,  "since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

 "For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him."

And the LORD said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, "I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know." Genesis 18:16-21

 


Chapter 19

Woe To You, Scribes And Pharisees, Hypocrites

"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. Matthew 23:13-15

          Jesus did not bless lawyers, scribes and Pharisees who were hypocrites but He cursed them. He told them that they shut up the kingdom of heaven against men and do not go in themselves or allow others to go in. He told them they would receive greater condemnation for devouring widow’s houses and praying with them and preying on them. He told them that they travel land and sea to win one proselyte and when he was won, they made him twice as much as a son of hell as themselves.

 

As a matter of fact Jesus Christ who is love personified was not nice at all to the hypocrites and it was a mutual adversarial hate relationship.  The hypocrites said Jesus was demon possessed and He called them almost every negative name under the sun, including liars, murderers, sons of hell, brood of vipers, blind ones, dead men, den of thieves. He told them they would not be forgiven for attributing to the devil the work of the Holy Spirit. The bible records for our profit and instruction:

Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, "This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."

 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.  "If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?  "And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.  "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

 "Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.   "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.

"Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. "Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. Matthew 12:24-33

Jesus said anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven in the current time of life or in the age to come. Well if there is no forgiveness then there has to be judgment for every  blasphemy against the Spirit.  Mind you brood of vipers cannot speak good things for an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. As Jesus doesn’t lie though others do:

 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.  "Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.

"But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.  "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." Matthew 12:34-37

Some people, including religious ones and pastors and preachers, just do not know how much better it would have been for them to keep their mouth shut. For every idle or unnecessary word that they speak they will give an account of it in the Day of Judgment.

 

Now the day of judgment can and will be any day that God chooses even in the current time of life.   Where is the religious empire of TV Evangelist Jim Bakker who lied to and stole from the sheep? A nonexistent thing!

 

Jim Bakker’s  judgment was now here on earth? So why should anybody else think that they will be exempt from God’s judgments? They will not!  The  Lord will repay according to their deeds,  even in the current time of life. For God’s word is unchanging:

Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened,  That it cannot save;  Nor His ear heavy,  That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God;  And your sins have hidden His face from you,  So that He will not hear.  For your hands are defiled with blood,  And your fingers with iniquity;  Your lips have spoken lies,  Your tongue has muttered perversity.

 No one calls for justice,  Nor does any plead for truth.  They trust in empty words and speak lies;  They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.  They hatch vipers' eggs and weave the spider's web;  He who eats of their eggs dies,  And from that which is crushed a viper breaks out.  Their webs will not become garments,  Nor will they cover themselves with their works;

Their works are works of iniquity,  And the act of violence is in their hands. Their feet run to evil,  And they make haste to shed innocent blood;  Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity;  Wasting and destruction are in their paths.  The way of peace they have not known,  And there is no justice in their ways;  They have made themselves crooked paths;  Whoever takes that way shall not know peace.

Therefore justice is far from us,  Nor does righteousness overtake us;  We look for light, but there is darkness!  For brightness, but we walk in blackness!  We grope for the wall like the blind,  And we grope as if we had no eyes;  We stumble at noonday as at twilight;  We are as dead men in desolate places.  We all growl like bears,  And moan sadly like doves; We look for justice, but there is none;  For salvation, but it is far from us.

 For our transgressions are multiplied before You,  And our sins testify against us;  For our transgressions are with us,  And as for our iniquities, we know them:  In transgressing and lying against the LORD,  And departing from our God,  Speaking oppression and revolt,  Conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.  Justice is turned back,  And righteousness stands afar off;  For truth is fallen in the street,  And equity cannot enter. So truth fails,  And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.

Then the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him  That there was no justice.  He saw that there was no man,  And wondered that there was no intercessor;  Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him;  And His own righteousness, it sustained Him.

For He put on righteousness as a breastplate,  And a helmet of salvation on His head;  He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing,  And was clad with zeal as a cloak. According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay,  Fury to His adversaries, Recompense to His enemies;  The coastlands He will fully repay.

So shall they fear  The name of the LORD from the west,  And His glory from the rising of the sun;  When the enemy comes in like a flood,  The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him. Isaiah 59:1-19

 


Chapter 20

Take Heed That No One Deceives You

And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.  "All these are the beginning of sorrows.

"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.  "And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.  "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.  "But he who endures to the end shall be saved. Matthew 24:4-13

          There have been many false prophets and deceivers in the church of Jesus Christ in the last century. Many over the years were sure who the Anti-Christ was and wrote books and preached about it. Many preached on the imminent return of Jesus Christ. Some said it would be within forty years of Israel becoming a state.  Many said they knew this was the season when Jesus would return even though God’s word states:

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.   "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. Matthew 24:35-36

"Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. Matthew 25:13

And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. Acts 1:7

So how could liars and deceivers know what no man knew or it was not for them to know? How could they know of that day and hour that no one knows, not even the angels of heaven or Jesus Christ but only God the Father? They could not! They were deceived ones who were deceiving others and did not talk about that he who endures to the end shall be saved. But sincerity and presumption are never a guarantee of salvation.

 

Many talked about the great tribulation and the pre-tribulation rapture. But they ignored the fact that many of God’s people were suffering, dying and in great tribulation in Communist and Moslem countries and it was not a walk in the park for them. Of course they did very little to help those who were sick, imprisoned and in bondage even in their own midst. But they did tell them that Jesus loved them?  For all the good that it did them in their hell! They could not do what Jesus instructed them to do and what Peter did. The bible records:

Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.  And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple;  who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.  And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." 

So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.

Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk."  And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them-walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God.  Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Acts 3:1-10

Then there those who had  prophesied in Jesus  name, cast out demons in Jesus name, and done many wonders in Jesus  name but they practiced lawlessness!' They robbed, raped and used God’s sheep for their own advantage and did not put the interests of the sheep first, like the great shepherd did. Even though God’s word told them to  look out not only for their own interests, but also for the interests of others. But God’s word is unchanging:

"But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. "And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Matthew 23:11-12

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,  fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,  who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:1-11

Yet is never too late for men to repent or to learn from the mistakes of others. It’s never too late to surrender to the Holy Spirit and obey the word of God and not make for themselves a reputation but to humble themselves and become obedient to God even  to the point of death. 

 

Can men walk in peace from day to day? Yes, if they will walk in purity, obedience and love. They can have the desire of their heart if they are first fulfilling the desires of the Lord. They have not walked in the desire to serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, therefore, they have missed the purpose God intended for them. They missed their reason for being and living. They missed their purpose and their live was reduced to a worthless existence.

 

It doesn’t matter how much a person owns, possesses or produces. You can be the most productive worker in all history and it serves no purpose if it was not commissioned by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He must direct you and guide you and then you will be serviceable and useable by the Lord of Heaven.

 

However, men often think they have achieved something if they have built it themselves. This is not achievement this is deception. Anything built with the Lord as the helm is well worth the building. Anything built without Him is worth nothing.

 

This is a sad state of affairs because too often Christians, with the best intentions and greatest sincerity, build monuments to God and He will be displeased with them and say, “Get thee behind Me, Satan,” because they built to please themselves or others more than by command of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

 

So, what is the lesson? Don’t do what is not commanded of Heaven. Don’t go where you are not told to go, and don’t do it before He has given you leave to do it. Running ahead, or doing what was not commanded is wasted effort and time. Only what the King of Kings and Lord of Lords commands is of any value and even then it must be done in His time.

 


Chapter 21

Looking Unto Jesus, The Author And Finisher Of Our Faith

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

Walking on the trouble waters of life is many times impossible if we look unto ourselves or others and not unto Jesus. If keep our eyes on Him and not the circumstances we will walk on the waters and not go under. If we lay aside every weight  and the sin that so easily ensnares us we will not go under but make it to the other side. If we run the race with endurance and persistence that is set before us and not give up or faint we shall make it. For Jesus did and so did others. They gave their all and trusted in Him who is the Word and said:

"Let us cross over to the other side." Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"

Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!" Luke 4:35-41

God is still God in the middle of the storm as well as the calm. He is the refuge and high tower of His true ones. He will not let them down. He will not forsake them. He loves His own. Jesus  suffered the curses of men and horror of the Cross so many  could be saved, healed and changed into spiritual beings. Jesus did nothing that His true ones have not been given power to do. They can do and be just like Jesus.

 

But man’s  problem is he likes the old ways of the world and his  comforts. He doesn’t want to change in his old habits because it requires effort on his part. The greatest barrier man faces in entering the Kingdom of God is his own comforts and learned behavior. Man has to give up his comfort zone and follow Christ. Then he can grow into the spiritual image of Jesus Christ that he was meant to be.

 

What a different world we would have if all of God’s people were really working and exercising themselves to bring real change in our spirits through the power of the Presence of the Holy Spirit. It’s possible by the Blood of the Lamb and a sold out commitment on their part to face their worst fears and carry on in His service no matter what. The road may be froth with pitfalls but the Spirit of the Lord is their anchor and defense against the enemies they face. He promised them His authority and power in the midst of the storms. The enemy is defeated for those who will never admit defeat. For Jesus Christ has only conquerors in His army.

 

God is so happy to have His true ones aboard their little boat. The seas may yet get rough but even a typhoon will not keep Him from caring for them. The waves may be high, the lightning bright, the rumbling loud, the water cold, the sky dark and foreboding, but God can  calm the storms just as He allows the storms. He can do whatever He desires as their  King and friend.

 

But many times the storms are for their good. It will make them stronger and stronger and stronger. It will cause them  to use their  faith. It will bring them courage they  thought they  never had. It will hold them  in good stead in the future.

 

God is never against His own true people. He is always for them. They by their decisions choice to walk in Him or stray from His  ways. Then they end in death and evil circumstances and wonder why they are in the wrong place when they started so well with Him.  But, their  wrong decisions ended them there. Their willful choices ended them there. So it is with each person in life. They make choices and listen to the wrong voices and then wonder how they ended where they did.

 

But life is not a promise of the very best all the time. A long huge birthday party. Life is life. It is real and can bring great danger and sometimes requires real commitments and agreements that lead to life changing circumstances. But, for God’s true ones, their end will be better than their beginning.

 

Sometimes, what is required is a lot of faith and trust in God that He will bring them through a long dark cold tunnel without much light it seems at the end of it. But it is only a tunnel. It will end and the light of day will break the darkness. God always does this for the ones He  truly loves and He is faithful and true when others are not.

 

God ‘s true ones must keep up the faith. Keep up the walk. Keep up the trust. Keep up the chin. Keep up the smile. God will come through. The end of the tunnel will come. The break of day will dawn. For these are God’s words and not man’s. As God, who does not change, is leading His true ones through the darkness. He is providing as He has  provided down the centuries for many before them. This is only the beginning of what the Ancient of Days can do for those who love Him. As they place their hand in His  and walk on together with their God and Friend!

 

The winds of the Spirit are shifting and changing. They are moving the evil out and replacing it with good. They are blowing upon the dead drift wood and breathing life into it. The healing of the land is coming. It is like a sweet and gentle rain. It drips, drips, drips upon the land and brings healing and change. The mouth of man is full of the things of the Spirit. The mouth is bringing healing, wisdom, joy and strength. It is calling spirit to spirit. It is healing the land from the inside out.

 

The wind is blowing, sometimes at hurricane force winds for those who are meant to leave the land. Those who have chosen their own way. Those who are full of themselves and have become perverted and corrupted. For them the wind is blowing against them. It is taking them away from the land. It is leading them to their own land full of their evil ways.

 

The landscape is changing. It is seeing healing and the truth come forth in many churches and organizations. The political scene is changing. No longer will evil men be acceptable or ways considered honorable. They are being exposed for what they are. They are being rooted out and destroyed. They will be no more shortly. Keep on watching. They are all leaving.

 

God is restoring His people and His land. He will not tolerate the enemy any longer. His wiles are defeated and destroyed. The people need a chance for freedom and they are going to have their day. The enemy is routed. The gates of hell will not prevail. Even the hell found in one’s own mind is defeated.

 

The winds of revival are hitting all across this land. It will bring great change and new opportunities and greater revival. All is changing. All is coming. All is in progress. All is healing. It’s truly a new day. The day of the Greatest Revival has dawned. It is on the way!

 

Great is the faithfulness of the Lord! Morning by morning new mercies we see! Great is the faithfulness of the Lord for He is good and His mercies endure forever! Let the enemy be destroyed and the land be healed. The enemy is defeated and the joy of the Lord brings healing and change. Man is no longer what he used to be. He is what was meant to be. He is going to tell the people the truth and the anointing will enter into human hearts and break all yokes.

 

The yoke is broken off the oxen’s neck. The enemy is defeated and the yoke is removed. The freedom of the Holy Spirit is coming in as a breath of fresh air to all who will receive. The winds of the Spirit are blowing all across the land. The enemy is defeated. Great is the great I AM!  God’s people can now  walk in the victory He has  provided the day Jesus Christ was Glorified: For God word is evermore true:

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:57-58

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith.

Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is He who came by water and blood-Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. 1 John 5:1-8

 

 


Chapter 22

How Then Can I Do This?

And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me."  But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. "There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" Genesis 39:7-9

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.  Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. Daniel 1:8-9

          God has the power to enable men to stand or to let them fall. For those who are His and purpose in their heart that they will not do evil and great wickedness, God will give them the power to stand. Mind you Joseph had to go to Pharaoh’s prison for two years for not giving in to his master’s wife.  Yet God’s word records:

"And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him  "and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. Acts 7:9-10

In due season, God who rules and reigns on planet earth as well as in the universe, delivered Joseph out of all his troubles and He gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. It was God alone who made Joseph governor over Egypt and all his house.

 

It was God who brought Daniel into the favor and good goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank. The bible records:

And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king."

So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, "Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. "Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king's delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants."

 So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days. And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king's delicacies. Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. Daniel 1:10-17

It was God who gave this four young men who had chosen not to defile themselves knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom.

 

Well what God has done before He can and will do again for those who trust Him and serve only Him and are righteous.  He can and will promote and bless them above all their peers and surround them with His favor. His word is unchanging:

For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield. Psalm 5:12

Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, "Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant."

For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them; But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, Because You favored them. Psalm 44:3

It’s God’s favor that brings prosperity to His true ones.  Favor is something that God’s people can ask of Him by faith, just as they ask Him for other things by faith For God’s word is true:

For You are the glory of their strength, And in Your favor our horn is exalted. Psalm 89:16

Remember me, O LORD, with the favor You have toward Your people; Oh, visit me with Your salvation, Psalm 106:4

I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; Be merciful to me according to Your word. Psalm 119:58

God can and will give His children favor with the Lord and men and promote about their peers. He delights to favor them and to surround them with favor as a shield.  He loves to honor greatly those who honor Him but He also dishonors and makes lightly esteemed those who despise him, even if they are mighty ones. God’s word is unchanging:

And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the LORD and men.

Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: 'Did I not clearly reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house? 8 'Did I not choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer upon My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod before Me? And did I not give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire?

'Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?'

"Therefore the LORD God of Israel says: 'I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.' But now the LORD says: 'Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.

'Behold, the days are coming that I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father's house, so that there will not be an old man in your house.  'And you will see an enemy in My dwelling place, despite all the good which God does for Israel. And there shall not be an old man in your house forever. 'But any of your men whom I do not cut off from My altar shall consume your eyes and grieve your heart. And all the descendants of your house shall die in the flower of their age.

'Now this shall be a sign to you that will come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die, both of them. 'Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever.

 'And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and say, "Please, put me in one of the priestly positions, that I may eat a piece of bread." ' " 1 Samuel 2:26-36

 


Chapter 23

He Has Shown You, O Man, What Is Good

Blessed is the man  Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,  Nor stands in the path of sinners,  Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;  But his delight is in the law of the LORD,  And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree  Planted by the rivers of water,  That brings forth its fruit in its season,  Whose leaf also shall not wither;  And whatever he does shall prosper. Psalm 1:1-3

He has shown you, O man, what is good;  And what does the LORD require of you  But to do justly,  To love mercy,  And to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

Those who rest in God’s Word and His  truth will be established upon the earth and they will walk in His approval and peace. Those who do not meditate upon His Word and person each day and night will simply not progress into the maturity they need to develop a deep relationship with the Lord. This will mean they will not progress and not prosper.

 

But true prosperity comes from a deep knowledge of God’s commandments and statutes. True success and prosperity is not skin deep. It runs far deeper into the inner core of man’s very being and wells up in goodness coming from his heart because he is so full of God’s wisdom and truth in his spirit. It has nothing to do with wealth and provision, that is strictly an outward form of God’s blessings, that has nothing to do with spiritual progress

 

The truth cannot go back void. It will do what it was sent to do. It will heal or it will destroy. The choice belongs to the person who hears it. Judgement comes to all who do not do the will of the Father both found in His written Word and His spoken Words. He is not to be mocked what a man sows he will also reap.

 

Many men reap destruction and wonder why they are in trouble in life. They missed the meaning of the word ‘Love.’ Love is many things all of which they are not. They have no gentleness, kindness, compassion, integrity, wisdom, honesty, morality, and so on. They have missed the boat and therefore cannot possibly be in the boat with Jesus. This is where they need to be in order to receive healing and better attitudes to live by.

 

The end does not justify the means if it is based on the wrong values in life. It ends in just that destruction. Hence, we see many marriages in divorce, many lives shipwrecked, many children in despair and destructive habits. We have not been what we were called to be and our children are paying the price with us. Let us give up our ways and not grow weary in well doing.

 

Yes, the Lord gave us definite rules of human conduct, but He also provided spiritual rules for thinking and living. He told us to yield all our members to His proper use. He told us to keep ourselves pure before Him. He told us to behave responsibly toward others, God and ourselves. He warned us what would happen if we didn’t obey Him. He promised blesses but also cursing if we did not put our shoulder to the plow and carry our rightful load in life.

 

Many have shirked their responsibilities and behaved opposite to God’s Word, causing a lot of grief and sorrow along the way. Then, they wonder why they are facing negative circumstances and consequences.

 

We can’t have it both ways. We can’t serve God and mammon. We have to make a real choice and realize, if we turn our back on God when we turn our back on His truth, we will pay a real and undesirable price. Do we really know who we are dealing with? He is no ordinary God. He is GOD! He has laid down the rules for living life wholesomely. It is we who have not seen the importance of His rules and His Person. And it is we who are paying the ultimate price.

 

The waywardness of man places him in very precarious positions that leaves him far from the purposes God’s has called him to. He is destroyed by his own ways. He has forgotten to listen to His voice and heed His words and then cries when he receives no answer to his prayers.

 

His ways lead to death and destruction. He harbors only fair opinions of himself and God yet he does not do what takes courage to do. The Lord has told him in His Word to be of good courage and do His judgments and follow His  statutes. But no, he has to ignore the truth and follow after the vain philosophies of men. Rather doing what he  thinks best than what God thinks is best.

 

The wayward man is a froward man, he desires to place himself in the best seats in the house, the foremost positions in the office or the most beautiful house on the block. He is sure he is right about most things and has advice to offer everyone without thought or regard for their position or importance both on earth or in heaven.

 

He is always looking out for number one and never considers the needs of others. He is sure of what he does not really understand and wisdom is not in his mouth. He elevates himself rather than waiting to be elevated by others. He runs to see what he could glean for himself rather than what others may need.

 

He is always whispering in someone's ear because he is sure he is very important and his advice worthy of receiving. He never cares totally for others but always reserves something in everything he does for himself. He cares for self most of the time unless by caring for another he glorifies himself. Even in this he is out to glorify himself.

 

God has sent His emissaries to many of His people who are in charge of vineyards and even them they would have killed. They have no regard for the vinedresser or his people or His Son. Destruction is for those who would not receive the wisdom of the truth. They prefer their own wisdom to that which comes from above. So now they are ending their lives as they begun them in disgrace, dispossession and disqualification

 

So now they must pay the price for their destructive ways. For He did say that to those who do evil destruction would come and it would come without notice. It will come and without notice, though they have been repeatedly warned.

 

There are many who are already crying bitter tears but they forgot their first love and chose their own way, thinking it was the acceptable thing to do. But, it was never acceptable to the Lord. They should have consulted Him first before they went on their selfish quest. They forgot, it is the real truth that sets men free, not one of their own making

 

Truth is not relative or subject to men's opinions or ideas. It is steadfast, unchanging and faithful. It is eternal and never will cease. It is not the infallibility of some words but the Person who spoke them that makes it eternal.

 

Men worship even words, unfortunately, forgetting who spoke them. They worship each other, subject matter, their intellect, their beauty, and so much more but they forgot one thing-the one who gave it all to them-they forgot the LORD!

 

Now many of God’s people are called to simply serve the Lord where they are in their homes, schools, jobs and recreation. They don’t have to have a specific special calling upon their life. They are called by virtue of the fact they have chosen to follow the Lord.

 

The natural outpouring of their love and relationship with Lord, should be that in all they have to do in life it should be done in agreement with Him and what He has taught them. His  leading is available to them just as their very breath is for breathing life each day. He is  like their breath. He is  life to them and they cannot breath without Him. They cannot live without Him. They have no peace and profit without Him. He is  their success and exceeding great reward.

 

If God’s y people would recognize this, they would see the value in their fellow men more. They would not allow pride to enter into their relationship with God or man and hold them on a level of understanding that keeps them from advancing in the spiritual realm.

 

God  has much He wants to teach His true Children, yet often He can’t even get through to them because they are so busy with their agendas, programs and lifestyle. Then they will complain in Heaven of their lack of rewards and possible expulsion. But He could have told them they failed to listen to Him and His Voice and put aside their pride and plans.

 

If your ‘works’ are more important to you than a relationship with the Lord you have failed to ‘see’ the truth. He  does not desire sacrifice. He desires your attention. He desires your affection and He desires your dedication to His Voice and His Words. All of the floral arrangements and beautiful homes or long business hours or hours spent in sports or teaching sports will not benefit you in Heaven if He has called you to His  side and you did not come.

 

The Lord is the only thing in life more important than anything else. If only  people would recognize that. Then  they would stop all their good works and beautification programs. They would love each other purely and simply. They would walk by His  Spirit and not by their worldly opinions. For what they think is valuable is not of any worth to the Lord.

 

As physical exercise profits little in the spiritual realm so do many other activities people find to accomplish in life. Only service done in obedience to God’s Voice will be of any value in the Kingdom of God. How can man be so foolish? How can he be so callused to what the Lord is  really saying to him? How can they ignore the only One who matters more than life to them? Yet, over and over God’s people  do just that.

 

All they do may be good. It may be pure. It may be profitable. But, if the Lord has not called them to do it, it is useless stubble and hay. He has said that  His people are ‘not to forget the assembling themselves together.’ Yet, they make it such a ritual and burden that it is of no more value to Him or to them.

 

The Lord has told them to rest on Sunday and find one day of rest and yet they pack in all kinds of programs and activities and find no time to rest and be quiet before the Lord. I have ordained rest so that they can spend time with Him not all their plans and projects.  He is  more important than anyone or anything else in their life yet they can’t even see the significance of this truth. Without the Lord’s  approval their efforts are all null and void.

 

Let all men be liars and God be true. What He has ordained in human lives will last forever. Those who hear His  Voice and do what He commands them are His greatest servants. It is not the singer or the preacher or the pastor or the teacher. It is those who do the difficult, the undesirable, the hard, the cold thankless jobs of life that are going to receive the greater part in Heaven.

 

God brought John the Baptist from his mother’s womb full of the Holy Ghost and fire and set him among men in rough cloths and eating locusts and honey. He did not provide the best mansion or the best delicacies for this table. And when it came to die John  died in a dungeon and suffered the indignity of having his head cut off.

 

Yet, you would never have heard John complain. He knew in his heart what I had called him to and he loved it the bitter end. He knew who He was in Christ. He was a great prophet and servant of the living God and what he did, he did gracefully.

 

Today, Christians expect the mansions before the sacrifice. They expect graceful living before the hard work. But, this won’t cut anymore. It won’t work. The Lord has called in His markers and He has called in the debts of His leaders. Many have fallen far short of where they were told to go and what they were told to do.

 

They continually have shaken God’s sheep demanding their giving to them all of their tithes and offerings unconditionally. Yet when the Lord  had demanded the same from them they could not do it. They have groaned and moaned and refused to do what He has called them to do. They have not sacrificed at all. In fact, they have demanded the nth quarter from God’s  people and have given little if anything of value back.

 

Their teachings are half-baked. Their sacrifice non-existent. Their joy artificial. Their desires self-centered. Their giving meager. Their demands are many. They have become greedy wolves full of themselves and their own projects and plans having little if anything to do with God or what He desires.

 

They have closed their ears to Lord and He has done likewise. He has forgiven them their debts to Him and yet they turn to their brothers and demand everything to the last farthing. So, now many will  be thrown into prison until they pay their entire debt to the Lord and to society. The sheep will be avenged. God has ordained it and so it be for He is the great I AM!