Discovering the Biblical Kingdom of God, Jesus & Holy Spirit
America's Choice: Constitutional Republic or Democrat-Socialism?
"Man will ultimately be governed by God or by tyrants." (Benjamin Franklin)
The Christian Calling
Y'shua said to them again "Peace be with you: just as the Father sent Me, so I am sending you." --John 20:21
Yet if you warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his
wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.
--Ezekiel 3:18-21
Do you not say, 'There are still four months and
then comes the harvest.' Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the
fields, for they are already white for harvest!" --John 4:35
Battle stations, battle stations! All hands man your battle stations! This is
NOT a drill. I say again, this is NOT a drill! --Ron
Helle
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. --1 John 4:4
Contents
Servants of Christ: Laborers & Cost of Discipleship
Representatives & Ambassadors of the King of Kings
Do Not Become Weary in Well-Doing
"Salt of the earth" & "Light of the
world" --Matthew 5:13,16
"Hot or Cold?" Faith vs. fear and doubt.
"So, because you are lukewarm, and
neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." (Revelation 3:16).
See also: The Cost and
the twisting of
Scripture of "Do not judge." 1 Corinthians 3:6-9 - I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused it to grow:
so it is not the one who plants and it is not the one who waters who is
anything, but God is the One Who causes growth. The one who plants and also the
one who waters are equal, and each will take his own reward according to his own
toil: for we are fellow workers of God, you are cultivated fields of God, a
building of God. 2 Timothy 2:14-15 - You must continually recall to mind these things being
charged before God, not to dispute about words, which does nothing beneficial,
but is to the ruin of the listeners. You must now be diligent to present
yourself approved to God, a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, teaching the
doctrine of the Truth correctly and directly.
Neutrality Is Killing America and Pacifying the Woke Church - By Bert Farias
- ...What if I were to tell you that the recent polarization and division the
last two elections and the recent pandemic brought in America, especially in the
Western church, were of God? ...but we must also understand that division is
necessary before true unity can come. ...First of all, Jesus Himself brought
division, which he described as a sword, when He arrived on the earth: "Do not
think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace,
but a sword" (Matt. 10:34, MEV). ..."But, of course, there must be divisions
among you so that you who have God's approval will be recognized!" (1 Cor. 11:19, NLT). ...You see, in one sense, a sword that brings division is
really God's way of measuring true success, and a way of recognizing those who
have God's approval. For the last two or so decades, the American church has
been in a soft ,superficial place of silence and neutrality because we don't
want to offend people. But Jesus, who came with a sword, is called the "rock of
offense" (Rom. 9:33, 1 Pet. 2:8).What will you do with that? ...The neutral church says to use wisdom and
not offend others. Meanwhile, much of the American church, infected by a grossly
immoral and worldly antichrist culture that continues defacing the image of God
and changing the gender of our children or killing them in the womb, continues
to yawn in a sleepy state at God's will and intentions. God, have mercy on us!
...Satan loves to package evil in a beautiful
cosmetic way so society and the church can swallow it. For example, abortion is
called "family planning'; gay marriage is called "love" and symbolized by a
colorful rainbow. ... Did you know that three transgenders, really witches, run
BLM? And much of the church swallowed the movement hook, line and sinker. ...Satan knows if he can weaken the Western
church through complacency and compromise, he can dethrone America's place on
the world stage and affect the entire world. We are ruining the future of
America's and the nations' children with our neutrality, our silence and our
apathy. Yet there is an underground church in America that is rising.
The Real Reason Jesus Sent the Holy Spirit
- By
- Samuel Rodriguez - Acts 2:14 says, "Then Peter stood up with the Eleven,
raised his voice and addressed the crowd:" This passage represents a lot
more than the normative description regarding the occurrences of that blessed
day. ...It was the same Peter that hid from the crowd in denial of Jesus.
... Saints, listen carefully. Today's complacency is tomorrow's
captivity. There is no such thing as comfortable Christianity. Let me be clear
today. The Spirit did not come so we could stay seated. The Spirit did not
come so we can be complacent. The Spirit did not come down so we can sing
"Kumbaya." The Holy Spirit came down so we can get up. He came down so we
can go from ... Natural existence to supernatural living; from "I am OK" to "I
am more than a conqueror"; from surviving to thriving; from making excuses to
making history ...
...We are here filled
not with emotion, constructs or religious paradigms, but with the Holy Spirit of
God. Guess what the church guess will do next? Stand up! Why? It's because we
are not just any people. We are not Google, we are not Apple, we are not Ford,
we are not even Starbucks. We are the church of Jesus Christ. We are the
bride. We are a Spirit-empowered ekklesia. And the gates of hell shall not,
cannot, will not and may not prevail against us! ...There is no such thing
as silent Christianity. There is no such thing as Christianity on mute. There is
no such thing as a silent Pentecostal. A silent Pentecostal is an oxymoron on
steroids.
Charles G. Finney: "Decay of Conscience" (December 4, 1873)
-
Brethren, our preaching will bear its legitimate fruits. If
immorality prevails in the land, the fault is ours in a great degree. If there
is a decay of conscience, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the public press
lacks moral discrimination, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the church is
degenerate and worldly, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the world loses its
interest in religion, the pulpit is responsible for it. If Satan rules in our
halls of legislation, the pulpit is responsible for it. If our politics become
so corrupt that the very foundations of our government are ready to fall away,
the pulpit is responsible for it. Let us not ignore this fact, my dear brethren;
but let us lay it to heart, and be thoroughly awake to our responsibility in
respect to the morals of this nation.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 - Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for
what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion has
light with darkness? And what concord has Christ with Belial? or what part has
he that believes with an infidel? And what agreement has the temple of God with
idols? for you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell
in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be separate, says the Lord, and touch
not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you,
and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.
Do Your Part in the Culture War - By Dr. Ray Rooney Jr. - ...Jesus said it
was the lukewarm Christian (paralyzed with apathy or indecision) who makes Him
sick (Revelation 3:16). One of the worst trends gripping the world in general
and our nation, in particular, is the unwillingness to think for oneself. To
make decisions and take responsibility for them. Instead, people are waiting to
be told what to do. Who to vote for. What to believe. What to think. When to
turn. The only people who seem to be taking decisive action(s) are those who
want to destroy America. The rest are waiting on a social media post telling
them that “God’s got this.” Then they are excused from engagement and action.
This is tremendously disturbing. How does it serve the best interests of the
kingdom of God to:
Just ignore all the bad news taking place in our
country and the world and/or
Stand around waiting for someone else to tell you what
to do when you already know what to do?
If you are an informed Christian and you really are concerned about the
direction our nation is being driven by progressives, socialists, and proudly
immoral people and want to know how to make a difference allow me to suggest
four decisions you can make that will allow you to do your share in stemming the
growing darkness and actually win the culture war.
Ron Helle: Silence Is Golden — God gives strong support
to those who incline their heart to be a warrior for King Jesus.
... If COVID taught Christians anything, it was the contempt that the world has
for us. Look at the measures employed against so many churches by government
agencies. Churches were deemed “nonessential,” thus implying that we were to
refrain from assembling together until further notice. Many churches became
embroiled in legal battles with local governments for defying mask mandates or
other imposed restrictions. Some are still fighting legal battles for violating
mandates that “the science” has since shown were ineffective.
...We weren’t very far into
COVID when, to quote the song, “my eyes still see.” Churches were ordered
shuttered, but casinos and big box stores could stay open. We could not gather
together, but if you wanted to form a mob, riot, burn some buildings, and attack
police in a “mostly peaceful” demonstration, that was considered “healthy” (not
so much for the people injured or killed or the businesses destroyed).
Conspiracy theories abounded, many of which have, in the intervening years,
proven to be true. Let me enlighten you on a “conspiracy theory” of mine.
Christians need to understand
that the adversary of our soul has been at war with us since Day One. From the
Day of Pentecost until this very day, he has sought to silence the message of
hope and deliverance that only we can bring. In Acts 4, the members of the
Sanhedrin threatened Peter and John, telling them “not to speak or teach at all
in the name of Jesus” (4:18). They went back to their friends and prayed and
asked God to enable them to continue to speak His word with boldness (v. 29).
God answered. “And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered
together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued
to speak the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31, ESV). Nothing has changed in
the past 2,000 years. Jesus warned His disciples that this was coming. “If the
world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18).
...God
would not tell us to “resist” (a popular word among progressives these days) if
He hadn’t given us the weapons to do so. “For the eyes of the Lord run to and
fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is
blameless toward Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9). God gives strong support to those who
incline their heart to be a warrior for King Jesus. Let’s pray first, and then
go preach! We will not be silenced! What say ye, Man of Valor?
Matthew 5:43-48 -
Matthew 10:14-42 -
For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaks
in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father
the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them
to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he
that endures to the end shall be saved. But when they persecute you in this
city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone
over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. The disciple is not
above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple
that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the
master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his
household? Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not
be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear
in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the
body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to
destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?
and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very
hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value
than many sparrows. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I
confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me
before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send
peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father,
and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother
in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loves
father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loves son or
daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that takes not his cross, and
follows after me, is not worthy of me. He that finds his life shall lose it: and
he that loses his life for my sake shall find it.
He that receives you receives me, and he that receives me receives him
that sent me. He that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive
a prophet's reward; and he that receives a righteous man in the name of a
righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give
to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a
disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
A man that is an heretick after the first and second
admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sins, being
condemned of himself." --Titus 3:9-11
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be you therefore wise
as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Ephesians 6:12 - For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Pride on the Battlefield - By Ed Vitagliano - ...How often do we go about
the Christian walk without prayer or Bible reading? Without asking God for His
counsel? Or without waiting upon Him for the answer? How else should we
interpret such spiritual neglect if not calling it pride? Pride says I can get
through the day without prayer. Pride says I don't need the word of God today.
Pride says I can do this or that without asking God for divine wisdom. Pride
says I will act without waiting for God's OK.
Battle Stations! - By Ron Helle - ...Paul told the Corinthian believers to
be alert to the actions of the enemy, "so that we would not be outwitted by
Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs" (2 Corinthians 2:11, ESV). The
word translated "designs" is the Greek word noema, which means "that which is
thought out, a purpose" (Vine's Dictionary). Sadly, the Church in America is
ignorant of Satan's modus operandi (methods), which has resulted in the
declining influence of Christianity in America.
...Militarily, we have been engaged in guerrilla warfare in every
subsequent engagement (think Iraq and Afghanistan) since Vietnam. The battle is
for the hearts and minds of the populace, not the taking of terrain. The way you
treat people will determine how they will respond. The tactics of the enemy are
fear, intimidation, and brutality. Satan is waging guerrilla warfare against the
Church, and Christians have not responded well. In a guerrilla war, there are
two opposing sides with the population caught in the middle; they, for the most
part, want both sides to leave them alone. How they are treated will determine
which side they will support. If the good guys mistreat them, they will either
be apathetic toward them or actively be used by the enemy against them. The
Church in America has been treating lost people as the enemy, resulting in a
massive army that Satan is now using against us. If you doubt that, you need to
start paying attention.
...So, what is a guy (or gal) supposed to do? It's time to suit up!
We need to heed Paul's admonition and not be ignorant of how the enemy operates.
To do this, we need to appropriate the weapons that God has given us.
"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 firm. Stand therefore,
having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of
righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by
the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with
which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the
helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that
end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints."
--Ephesians 6:13-18
"Battle stations, battle stations! All hands man your battle
stations! This is NOT a drill. I say again, this is NOT a drill!"
2 Timothy 3:13-17 - But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse,
deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast
learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And
that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make
thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture
is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be
perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 4:1-4 - I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ,
who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach
the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all
longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure
sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the
truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Matthew 5:11 - Blessed are you when they would revile you and they would
persecute you and they would say all manner of evil against you falsely because
of Me. You must continually rejoice and be extremely joyful, because your
reward is great in the heavens: for in this way they persecuted the prophets,
the ones who were before you. (2 Chronicles 36:16)
2 Timothy 3:12-14 - And all those who want to live in a Godly manner in Messiah Y'shua will be persecuted. But evil people and swindlers will go from bad to
worse, deceiving more and being deceived. But you must continuously remain in
what you learned and became convinced of, because you know from whom you
learned...
John 15:18-25 - If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it
hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own: but because
you are not of the world, but I chose you from the world, the world hates you
because of this. You must continually remember the message, which I spoke to
you, "A servant is not greater than his master." If they persecuted Me, then
they will persecute you: if they kept My word, then they will keep yours. But
they will do all these things to you because of My name, because they have not
known the One Who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not
have sinned: but now they do not have an excuse concerning their sin. The one
who hates Me also hates My Father. If I did not do works among them which no one
else had done, they would not have sinned: but now they also have seen and they
have also hated both Me and My Father. But so that the statement would be
fulfilled which has been written in their Torah (Teaching) that
"They hated Me
without reason." (Ps. 35:19; 69:5)
Acts 5:39-42 - ...and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they
commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And
they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted
worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every
house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ
Roman Empire Persecutions "Early Christians ... carried into the Coliseum to
make a spectacle for those more savage than the beasts - ...Eleven of the twelve
apostles were martyred, with the 12th, John, being reportedly thrown into a
boiling pot of oil, but miraculously survived. --William Jennings Bryan -
American Minute with Bill Federer
o Peter preached in Rome and was crucified upside down c.66 AD;
o Andrew preached in Asia Minor, modern-day Greece and Turkey, before being
crucified on a sideways "Saint Andrew's Cross" around 60 AD;
o Thomas preached east of Syria, Parthia, and possibly India, and was pierced
through with spears by four soldiers in 72 AD;
o Philip reportedly preached in Egypt, Carthage in North Africa, and Asia Minor.
After converting the wife of a Roman proconsul in Phrygia, he was arrested and
cruelly put to death in the city of Heliopolis around 80 AD;
o Matthew preached in Parthia, Persia and Ethiopia, where he was reportedly
stabbed to death in the back in city of Nadabahl in 74 AD;
o Bartholomew, according to tradition, preached in India, Armenia, Ethiopia and
Southern Arabia, before being skinned and martyred in the 1st century AD;
o James, thbre son of Zebedee, also know as "James, the greater," was arrested
by Herod Agrippa, and beheaded by the Romans in 44 AD;
o James, the son of Alpheus, also known as "James, the younger," is said to have
ministered in Syria, where he was stoned and clubbed to death in 62 AD;
o Thaddaeus, or Jude, preached in Asia Minor and Greece, till he was crucified
in Beirut or Edessa around 65 AD;
o Simon the Zealot reportedly preached in Persia, Mauritania, on Africa's west,
and possibly England, before being crucified in 74 AD;
o Matthias preached in Syria, where he was burned to death.
Do not
become weary in well-doing
2 Thessalonians 3:13 - But you, brothers, do not become weary doing what is
right.
Hebrews 12:1-3 - We also, therefore, since we have so great a host of witnesses
surrounding us, after we have put off every weight and the easily distracting
sin, would ourselves, patiently steadfast, run the race that is set before us
fixing our eyes on the Author and Finisher of the Faith, Y'shua, Who, to obtain
the joy set before Him, endured the cross, having despised the shame of it He
sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For you must now consider the
One Who endured such hostility as this toward Himself by the sinners, so that
you would not be weary, losing heart in your inmost beings.
When You Just Want to Quit - By Dr. Ray Rooney, Jr. - Everything in life
seems difficult. It's hard to make a living. It's hard to keep a marriage
together. It's hard to raise children (the right way). It's hard to get along
with people. It's hard to watch our country being driven into third-world status
(the war against free speech is what you usually see in banana republics). It's
hard to stomach the moral cesspool our culture has become (as when violence and
mayhem committed by one group of people are called "peaceful protests' while the
same thing committed by another group of people is called a "riot" and
"insurrection."
It's hard. It's hard because there never seems to be any end in
sight. Our government isn't going to suddenly find Jesus, repent of its sins,
and restore the biblical definition of marriage, end legalized abortion, wage
war against pornography, end the debt cycle, protect our borders, end
entitlements, or ever return to bipartisanship. And many church leaders aren't
going to restore the holiness of God to the same level as His love allowing
their pastors to start preaching about the issues that are tearing this world
and our nation apart or actually start telling people that Jesus is the only way
to receive eternal life.
And keep this in mind: none of the apostles died peacefully in their
beds with their families gathered around. Life is hard. Those who tell you
otherwise are either lying, misinformed, or sheltered. What really makes it
hard, though, are not the difficulties or trials themselves. It's the wistful
notion that they shouldn't be happening to us at all. If I think I am entitled
to prosperity, health, and success in everything I put my hand to, I am deceived.
In the world you will have tribulation, (John 16:33)
Do not think that
I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a
sword (Matthew 10:34). Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it
comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you (1
Peter 4:12).
Everything about the way the world is and the way things are going in
America makes me want to throw up my hands in disgust, withdraw, and wait like
Jonah for the fireworks show to begin. I'm tired of there being one set of laws
for the majority of Americans and another set of laws for politicians. I'm tired
of seeing political and religious leaders thumb their noses at God and seemingly
get away with it. I'm tired of seeing the nation the Founders envisioned be
turned into a lawless moral cesspool barreling towards socialism. I'm tired of
the hypocrisy that is no longer implicit in the shadows but on full and
prominent display in every venue of life.
But guess what? I won't quit. I won't pack my bags and walk off into
the dusk leaving faith and hope behind. Every day is a new day and with it comes
hope. I will slog on through the muck and mire of apparent worldly indifference
or defeat "looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and
builder is God" (Hebrews 11:10).
...My job in life is not to defeat Goliath. ...Our job is not to
return America to her former glory. Our job until we meet our Creator face to
face is this: Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker
who has no need to be ashamed...(2 Timothy 2:15) ...and having done all, to
stand firm (Ephesians 6:13).
Matthew 16:24-28 - Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If
any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and
follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will
lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall
gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in
exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father
with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of
death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
Luke 18:28-30 - Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee. And he
said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that
hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom
of God's sake, Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in
the world to come life everlasting.
Servants of
Christ: Laborers & Cost of Discipleship
Jesus never told us to go into all the world and preach the gospel of salvation.
He said to preach the gospel of the Kingdom. ...There's a difference between
getting to heaven and heaven getting into us. The gospel of salvation is getting
to heaven; the gospel of the Kingdom is allowing heaven to get into us! --Todd
White
John 17:20-26 - [Jesus] I do not ask concerning them only,
but also concerning those who believe in Me because of the disciples' message,
so that all would be one, just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they
also would be in Us, so that the world would believe that You sent Me. And I
have given them the glory which You have given to Me, so that they would be one
just as We are One: I in them and You in Me, so that they would have been
brought into unity, so that the world would know that You sent Me and You loved
them just as You loved Me. Father, the One Who gave to Me, I want that where I
am those would be with Me, so that they would see My glory, which You have given
to Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father,
even though the world did not know You, but I did know You, and these knew that
You sent Me: and I made Your name known to them and I shall make known, so that
the love with which You loved Me would be in them and I would be in them.
Luke 14:28 - For which of you, intending to build a tower, sits not down first,
and counts the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
Luke 10:2 - Therefore said He unto them, The harvest truly
is great, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest,
that he would send forth laborers into his harvest.
John 12:24-26 - "I [Y'shua] most definitely say to
you, unless a grain of wheat would die when it falls to the earth, it only
remains itself: but if it would die, it brings much fruit. The one who loves his
life loses it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it in
eternal life. If someone would serve Me, he must continually follow Me, and
where I AM there also will My servant be: if someone would serve Me the Father
will honor him."
Colossians 4:5-6 - "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the
time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know
how ye ought to answer every man."
'Beware
All Who Enter Here!' God's blessings come through obedience and
servanthood. There is no other way. - By Ron Helle - ...Warnings are good.
...Jesus was someone who gave warnings. On one occasion, a man approached Him as
He was about to depart in a boat. "And a scribe came up and said to him,
'Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.' And Jesus said to him, 'Foxes have
holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay
his head'" (Matthew 8:19-20, ESV). Jesus was essentially telling this man to
count the cost.
We are all familiar with the story of the rich young ruler who came
to Jesus asking what he must do to obtain eternal life. Jesus listed some of the
commandments, and the young man stated that he had done those things from his
youth. "And he said to him, 'Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.' And
Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, 'You lack one thing: go, sell
all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven;
and come, follow me.' Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he
had great possessions" (Mark 10:20-22). It says that Jesus "loved him," but He didn't negotiate or follow after him. He needed to count the cost.
I'm not sure the Church is doing a very good job of telling people
coming through our doors, "Beware all ye who enter here!" How many are told that
we are to 'take up our cross daily"? Jesus said this to His disciples: "And he
said to them, 'Pay attention to what you hear'" (Mark 4:24). As Christians, we
need to understand that biblical instruction is not intended to give us head
knowledge. God doesn't impart 'suggestions" - He gives "commandments," not
because He is a cosmic killjoy, but because He created us for purpose and
relationship.
Listen to these statements from Jesus. "Everyone then who hears
these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on
the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on
that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock"
(Matthew 7:24-25). He went on to say that those who did not do those things were
building on sand.
In another place He said, "If you know these things, blessed are
you if you do them" (John 13:17). He said this as He finished washing the
disciples' feet, thus giving them a model of humble Christian service. God's
blessings come through obedience and servanthood. There is no other way. Jesus
said, "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that
your joy may be full" (John 15:11). It may be good to put the welcome mat at the church's front door, but maybe we need to put the pirate mat at the entrance of
the sanctuary: "Beware all who enter here!" A-a-r-r-g-g-h-h-h! What say ye,
Man of Valor?
Exhortation
& Suffering
1 John 4:4 - Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them:
because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.
"I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved
by what I believe." --Kenneth Hagin
"By trusting we understand that the worlds were created by a spoken Word of God
(Psalms 33:6, 104:5, Job 38:4, Hebrews 11:3), so that what is seen has not come
out of things which ere visible." --Hebrews 11:3.
"Those who never experience conflict or suffering for Christ in this life may
find they have become too comfortable with the downstream culture around them."
--Ron Helle
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold
that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and
honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love;
in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy
unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the
salvation of your souls. --1 Peter 1:7-9
And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were
counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. --Acts 5:41 (See Acts 5:12-42 for
the full account.)
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing
this, that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have her
perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you
lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and upbraids
not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For
he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For
let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double
minded man is unstable in all his ways. --James 1:2-8
Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the
circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and
have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the
flesh. If any other man thinks that he has whereof he might trust in the flesh,
I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of
Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning
zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law,
blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea
doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do
count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine
own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of
Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the
power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made
conformable unto his death; --Philippians 3:2-10
'A Broken and Contrite Heart' - BY Ray Ronney Jr. ...And this is where many
among us seem to have abandoned common sense. The church is not called to help
sinners accept an accommodating God. Rather, the church is called to utilize the
power of the Holy Spirit to bring about inner transformation that makes the
sinner acceptable to God! ...Again, I would ask, "how did He manage to find
Himself on a cross if He was known for being loving and accepting?"
...Which prophet in the Old Testament did not address sin and the
dire consequences that would occur if repentance did not take place? That's
right, none of them. Read Stephen's speech in Acts 7:2-53. They didn't make him
the first Christian martyr because he counseled love and acceptance. And then
there are the apostles. All of them were victims of violence and died rather
nasty deaths and it wasn't for sharing the love and acceptance of God. Pick up a
copy of Foxe;s Book of Martyrs. You know from the title what you are about to
read. Obeying God has never been popular or easy. ... For
goodness' sake, just a few sentences beyond the most famous verse in the Bible
(John 3:16) we read, "And this is the judgment: the light has come into the
world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works
were evil (John 3:19). So even after conveying that "God so loved the world,"
Jesus still felt it necessary to address sin and judgment. ...I am not
advocating a steady diet of hell and judgment minus grace and forgiveness. But
it is no healthier to advocate love and acceptance without wrath and judgment.
... It is not any pastor's or church's job to get people to feel
good about themselves. Rather, "we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his
appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God" (2
Cor. 5:20). Now, how in the world does telling someone that God accepts them
just as they are, comporting with a message of reconciliation? It doesn't.
"Catch It by the Tail" - By Dr. Ray Rooney Jr. - The call to obey God is not
in the form of a question. ...Now we come to [Exodus] chapter 4 and Moses
finally addressed the elephant in the room: But behold, they will not believe me
or listen to my voice, for they will say, "The Lord did not appear to you"
(Exodus 4:1). That seems fair enough. Aren't we all skeptical of those who tell
us they have been talking to God and said conversation involves us? Look what
happened next: The Lord said to him, "What is that in your hand?" He said, "A
staff." And he said "Throw it on the ground." So he threw it on the ground, and
it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. But the Lord said to Moses, "Put out
your hand and catch it by the tail," so he put out his hand and caught it, and
it became a staff in his hand, "that they may believe that the Lord, the God of
their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has
appeared to you" (Exodus
4:2-5).
...There is no relationship with God outside of faith (Hebrews
11:6). And there is no evidence of faith without obedience (Acts 5:32). Clearly,
there comes a point in time when everyone who calls out to God must do what
initially seems absurd, ludicrous, and even dangerous. The calling of God is not
a summons to mediocrity or cultural acceptance. It is not a call to get in line.
It is a call to step out of line.
...What many of us fail to realize is that this is precisely the
moment that validated the ministry of Moses forever. Forget about plagues, the
Red Sea parting, manna from heaven, water from a rock, the Ten Commandments, and
the Promised Land, if Moses fails to reach for the snake's tail. We already know
he ran when he saw it. Now the command to go back and catch it by the tail.
...When it comes to the Great Commission we either "Go, and make disciples," or
go to church and contribute money to make sure someone else does it.
...The measure of Moses' greatness was not that he successfully
liberated the Hebrews from Pharaoh's vice-like grip. It wasn't the parting of
the Red Sea, bringing forth water from a rock, or even the delivery of the 10
Commandments (still heralded to this day!). No, the greatness of Moses was
determined when after fleeing in fear from a snake, he returned to pick it up by
the tail because God told him to do it.
Representatives & Ambassadors of the
King of Kings
Our "calling," is to be Representatives of the King,
Ambassadors for Christ, aware of the cost,
knowing that it entails
Judging and Reproof, as well as "avoiding foolish questions, and
genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are
unprofitable and vain.
2
Timothy 1:7-9 - For God did not give us a spirit of timidity but of power and
love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord,
nor me His prisoner, but you must now suffer hardships together with me to
further the gospel according to the power of God, the One Who rescues us and
calls us to a holy calling, not according to our works but according to His own
purpose and grace, because that grace was given to us by Messiah Y'shua before
eternal time.
