The Law of Attraction

I stated in the previous article that legalism will become more & more prevalent as we draw closer to the return of Jesus Christ.  The law holds certain attractions to the natural man, for it has all the outward appearance of being righteous.  Even those who deny Jesus Christ gather themselves under a law: "Do what thou wilt".  So when we first turn from the world to God, it can feel normal to place ourselves under the law.

However, if we do not recognize the deceptions of legalism, then we may walk blindly in religious bondage - thinking that we are serving the Lord - yet never coming into the fullness of the salvation of the Lord Jesus.

So I asked the Lord, "What is the attraction of the law, leading people to turn to it instead of to Christ?"

Penance

"This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" Galatians 3:2-3 

"And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Luke 10:41-42

penance: voluntary self-punishment to atone for a sin or crime; an imposed penitential discipline.

A failure to comprehend the broadness of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross is one reason people lean to the law.   While Scripture says, "Only believe.", somehow that just doesn't seem enough.  As a result, we create extra requirements of what we must do to obtain salvation - whether it is placing burdens on ourselves or doing good works as some type of retribution.  We falsely believe that there is something we must do in the flesh to be saved.  It becomes "Jesus and keeping the Sabbath day...Jesus and not eating certain foods...Jesus and wearing certain clothes...Jesus and only using Hebrew names, etc." While those activities are not evil, anything that is added to salvation corrupts the faith by which it is obtained.

There is nothing we can do to pay for the debt of our sin; we cannot make even one minute contribution towards that payment.  Jesus is the atonement for the sin of the whole world, and the work He completed on Calvary is finished. All that Jesus requires is that we receive His sacrifice and find our rest in Him.  At that point, it will not be you working, but Christ in you working (Galatians 2:20).

Predictability

"The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." John 3:8

predictability: consistent repetition of a state, course of action, behavior, or the like, making it possible to know in advance what to expect

Some cling to the law because it is predictable.  It is a comfortable list of Dos and Don'ts which never change.  Do these things to please God and stay clear of those things to avoid sin.  It keeps God - and our relationship with Him - in a nice little box that is easy to manage because we know what to expect.

I once heard a person say, "How would we know what sin is if we didn't have the law?"  I'll tell you how: by the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will teach you, convict you, guide you, encourage you, and transform you into the image of Christ.  We need the Holy Spirit because both sin and righteousness are bigger than the dictates of the law.

You can be blameless in the law, and still be a sinner (Luke 1:6; Philippians 3:6; I John 5:7).  You can follow the law, and still not attain God's righteousness (Romans 9:30-31; 10:3; Galatians 2:21, 3:21).  Simply put, the law is not the standard for sin nor for righteousness.

God calls us to live after the Spirit so that we will have the mind of Christ.  Instead of following a list of rules, we have to be attentive to the voice of God and follow Him moment by moment...even into the unknown.  If we do so, things become quite unpredictable.   We become like the wind as God uses us to do as He pleases.

Persecution

"As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.  For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh." Galatians 6:12-13

persecution: persistent oppression, annoyance, or harassment for the holding of a belief or opinion.

Why do some gravitate to the law and try to place you in the same bondage?  Because they don't want to suffer for the cross of Christ. Really look at that text.  Those who try to bring you under the law do so with the intent of "constraining" you, and they don't even keep the law themselves (Galatians 3:10; James 2:10)!  These are not my words, but the words of God. 

The cross of Christ brings suffering because it calls us to deny ourselves (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23).  It means we can no longer be the master of our own domains.  It requires that we are no longer in control, no longer living for ourselves (II Corinthians 5:15).  Yet this is a price many are not willing to pay.

When the rich man approached Jesus about how to gain eternal life in Matthew Chapter 19, Jesus told him to keep the commandments.  When he professed that he had, Jesus says, "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me."  The man then departed from Jesus, being unwilling to forsake all for Christ.  If we are not willing to lay down our lives as a living sacrifice to God, then we will turn to the law as a [inadequate] substitute.

Pride

"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." Philippians 3:9

"For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Romans 10:2-4

pride: a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct;  pleasure or satisfaction taken in something done by or belonging to oneself or believed to reflect credit upon oneself.

The Scripture is clear that the law engenders self-righteousness.  It makes man proud and boastful about his own perceived accomplishments, thinking more highly of himself in comparison to others (Isaiah 64:6; Luke 18:10-14).  Convinced of our own right standing, we become blinded to the righteousness of God (II Corinthians 3:13-16).  We can live like a hellion all week, but make it all better [we think] by giving to the poor or going to Church.

Let's face it, it can feel good to think that of "good deeds" and all we are doing "for the Lord", as if these things somehow offset our sins.  In fact, the law - through pride - can make us very comfortable in our sin because the law revives sin by feeding the flesh (Romans 6:14, 7:5-11, 8:3-4; Galatians 6:13; Ephesians 2:15).  The more we place ourselves under the law, the more sin will increase because the whole purpose of the law is to reveal to us our guilt and the need for Christ (Romans 3:19; Galatians 3:22-25).  As long as we think that we can please God in our own merit, we will never fully turn to Jesus.

Perfection

"For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God." Hebrews 7:19

perfect: (adj.) conforming absolutely to the description or definition of an ideal type; (v.) to bring to completion or maturity; to finish.

God is perfecting His people, and this cannot be accomplished by the law - only by the Spirit (Romans 7:6; Galatians 3:2-3, 5:18).  It is a battle between the Spirit and the flesh; and one only lives at the expense of the other. 

All of the law's attractiveness boils down to one thing: the flesh wants to live...and it doesn't care how that life is expressed.  The law gives life to the flesh because it is based in what you can do with your own human effort and willpower (Romans 3:20, 7:9-11).  Do anything, only don't crucify the flesh so that your Spirit may live.  Keep that old man alive in legalistic religious performance which has a show of godliness, but denies the power thereof because the Holy Spirit is that power (Micah 3:8; Luke 1:35, 24:49; Romans 15:19; Acts 1:8, 8:19)!  It is the Holy Spirit which transforms us into the image of Jesus and enables us to live as He lived (II Corinthians 3:18). 

So what do you do if you have been bound by law and religious performance?  Repent, turn your whole heart to Jesus, and receive the Holy Spirit so that you may live.

"But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.  Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." II Corinthians 3:15-17

Notice, you are not lawless as you are led by the Spirit, but you will be governed by the law of liberty (James 1:25, 2:12).  Such is the law of Christ, having been set free from all bondage by the word of truth so that we can walk in liberty, showing love to one another (Galatians 5:13-14).

"Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned." I Timothy 1:5

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:2

The Challenge of Islam

My husband is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and it has been interesting to note a trend in that city over the years: a sharp increase in the acceptance of Islam.  I have joked with him that it must be in the water, for it is apparent even to an occasional visitor such as myself that more and more men are converting.  It is not uncommon to drive down the street and see women covered from head to toe in Muslim burqas.

In large part, I believe the attraction to Islam is the same basis upon which we see a rise of legalism within the Church.  The only option left to one who rejects our sole hope of salvation in Jesus Christ is law.  If a man rejects the righteousness of God, then he must by nature resort to self-righteousness (Romans 10:2-4; Philippians 3:9).  Instead of being made righteous by the blood of Jesus, I become righteous based on what I do (or don't do); I go to temple/church on a specific day, I don't eat certain meats, I wear certain clothes, I observe particular holy days...  As long as we resist being made clean on the inside, we will always run to the actions of a whited sepulcher as justification of our own 'goodness' (Matthew 23:25-28).  This is something which every Christian should take note, for we too must be sure that we don't fall into this snare.  Unless Christ in us is our hope of glory, then our glory is our shame (Colossians 1:27; Philippians 3:19).

Yet, I also think the rise in Islam has to do with God's unfolding end time judgments.  The types of persecutions which will be coming against the church are commensurate with what is called for in Sharia Islamic law and what some refer to as "radical Islam".  One only needs to look around the world to see a foreshadowing of this.  Having an American President who is sympathetic towards Muslim interests (and who is perhaps more aligned with Islam than many think) only serves to further these gains.

Please note that I am not speaking about the Muslim people.  Like us all, they are in need of repentance through Jesus Christ for salvation unto redemption.  I am speaking about the religious institution, the deceptions upon which it is based, and how it will be used in the last days.  Neither is this about maligning the virtues of Islam.  There is no virtue in Islam.  There is no virtue in Baha'i.  There is no virtue in Buddhism.  There is no virtue in Hinduism.  There is no virtue in anything that does not originate from the Father, the only One & True God...and we must not pretend that there are.

virtue: moral excellence; goodness; righteousness. 

The following is a message from Min. Pawson on what he calls "The Challenge of Islam" and the particular threat Islam posts to Christianity.  Additional info may be found at: Are Allah & Yahweh the Same?

An Erosion of Truth

• An increase in the spread of false religion worldwide is attributable to an increase in various "isms":
• Materialism: Living for the physical world & possessions as part of a money-oriented society.
• Hedonism:  The pursuit of pleasure, comfort, & health as the highest good in life.
• Secularism: Departure from religion in the public life and its relegation to a private hobby.
• Rationalism: Truth is discovered by man's own reasoning.  If it cannot be proven scientifically, then it is not true.
• Romanticism: Truth is still discovered by humans only, but through the emotions or heart rather than their mind and intellect.
• Relativism: Truth is not discovered through the mind or heart, but subjectively through personal preference.  There is no absolute truth or error.  What is true for you may not be what is true for me.
• Pluralism: Believes that we are all seeking the same ultimate end and that all religions are valid searches for truth.  It makes a virtue out of different religions and tact & tolerance are the supreme attitudes (upon which political correctness is based).
• Syncretism: The coming together of all religions for a common purpose (world peace, the environment, social justice, etc.).  Religion is not for God, but is primarily for human purposes, so that man may discover common values & attitudes.
• As a result of all of these "isms", the Church has been hemorrhaging for years, creating a gigantic spiritual vacuum in the world.
• Man is a worshiper by nature and will become like the one to which he devotes himself as seen in the realms of sport, entertainment, etc.
• There is an increase in paganism.  One example of this is the Harry Potter books/movies which are not imagination, but taken directly from modern witchcraft instruction.
• Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world and will soon overtake Christianity as the major world religion. 
• The lack of peace in the Middle East is not political, but religious.  It is a war between 2 religions and 2 gods.

The Attraction of Islam

• To outsiders, Islam may look more attractive than the "Churchianity" often presented as Christianity.
• Islam seems simple to believe.  It is monotheistic; its scriptures have only one professed holy book (the Qur'an); and there are only 2 central doctrines (the Shahada): There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet.
• The only thing you have to do to become a Muslim is recite the creed in the presence of witnesses.  Once a Muslim, you just have to say the creed, pray five times a day, give 2.5% of our income to the poor, practice fasting, and make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once.  
• There is also a strict moral code in Islam while in true Christianity one is led by the Spirit and not by law/rules, which can seem more complicated.  By contrast "Churchianity" shows the world a Christian church steeped in confusion with contradicting beliefs, doctrines, and practices.
• Islam is a recent religion, created 600 years after Christianity.  It is also asserted that being a newer religion makes it an improved one.
• Islam is regarded as a man's religion, while Christianity is perceived as a religion for wives and children.Yet when God counted Israel He counted the men over 20 who were able to fight for the Lord.  The perversion of Christianity has made it a feminine religion, but true Christianity is patriarchal as reflected in the Scriptures.
• Islam can appear more impressive in the reverence it demands from participants.
• A consumer society will not ask, "Which religion is the truth?", but "What religion suits me?"

The Dark Side of Islam

• Some say that Sharia law would make society a more disciplined and safer place, but there is a dark side to Islam that must be considered as well.
• True Islam emerges in Islamic countries where it is the established religion.
• Islam may be the easiest religion to get into, but it is also the hardest to get out of.  You incur a death penalty to leave Islam after having accepted it.
• Islam is a totalitarian religion, demanding the whole life of the individual, the family, the community, the nation, and the world.  There is no distinction between religion and society.  This is why the goal of Islam is not individual converts, but to be the ruling entity of the whole world.
• It is an imperial religion.  The goal of Islam is the world submitted to Allah, whether by persuasion or force.
• It is a territorial religion, seeking to bring all territories once submitted to Allah back to Allah.  Such is why no peace treaty in the Middle East will work for Islam cannot allow Israel to retain any parts of the land outside of Muslim control.  The principle of "Hudna" allows Muslims to enter into [temporary] treaties/truces with the infidel as a deceptive tactic when they are not in a position to fight.  However, the goal is always to disregard the treaty and fight to win when strong enough.  There are peace-loving Muslims, but Islam is not a peace-loving religion; it is a war-mongering religion.
• It is a militant religion, as seen in jihad (often referred to as the 6th pillar of Islam). Jihad is a struggle with the enemies of Islam, including the infidels who are non-Muslims according to the Qur'an. This is the basis for the Muslim saying, "First the Saturday people, and then the Sunday people."  When Muslims speak of peace, such peace is only accomplished by bringing all into subjection to Allah.  
• It is an intolerant religion.  There is no room for other beliefs.  Christians may be allowed to practice their religion in Muslim countries (as a second-class citizen called a Dhimmi), but they cannot propagate it.  Muslims are even forbidden in the Qur'an from being friends with Jews or Christians.

The Origins of Islam

• What is the source of Islam and where did it come from?  There are only 3 options: Divine inspiration, Human imagination, or Satanic imitation.  These are the only possible sources for all religions in the world.  
• Islam teaches that it is from divine inspiration as the angel Gabriel who spoke to Mary about being impregnated with Jesus is the same who dictated the Qur'an to Muhammad as God's final revelation.  There is no objective evidence to substantiate these claims.  
• There is evidence that Islam could have come from human imagination, being the product of the mind of Muhammad.  Muhammad was from the Quraish tribe in Mecca who worshiped many gods.  This tribe also made devotions to a black, cubed stone called the Kaaba, which held 360 idols.  Moving away from a polytheistic view, Muhammad retained devotion to the Kaaba, but scaled back the 360 gods to one god: the moon god Allah.  The Kaaba remains the center of Islam's Meccan pilgrimage worship for Muslims today.
  
  Allah is not a new name, but was historically the name of the moon god.  There was also a sun god, which was feminine, who is said to have had 3 daughters with Allah.  In writing the Qur'an at one point, Muhammad begins to worship the 3 daughters of that union, then later claimed to be misled by Satan in those verses; which are commonly referred to as the "Satanic Verses".
  
  The presence of contradictions and perversions in the Qur'an make it possible that Islam was the result of human invention, but Muhammad would have to have been a genius to do it all.
• The most likely explanation for the development of Islam is Satanic imitation.  When Muhammad first received these angelic visitations/revelations, he himself believed they were demonic in nature.  It is his wife who convinced him otherwise.  The tell-tale sign of Satan is that he does not tell outright lies, but mixes truth with error in order to deceive.
• It is important to identify the enemy before you engage.  Christians are not fighting Muslims or Islam, but principalities and powers.  The Muslims are victims which need to be set free and are worthy of our compassion as any one who is deceived.
• Christians are engaged in spiritual and not physical warfare.
• You may expect a decidedly demonic reaction from more extreme Muslims when touching on these things.

The Christian Response to Islam

• Christians will suffer due to Islam, but this should not be considered strange.  Jesus said to expect it.
• The real concern of the Church should be that we are focused on saving the lost.  We can do this by keeping in mind three things: Reality, Relationship, and Righteousness.
• Reality - The Gospel is a message of reality and truth.  This is all about a battle for truth, a battle for the mind.  Real truth is true for everybody, whether they believe it or not; it is fact not faith.  The word "love" is not in the Qur'an because Allah is not love, only Yahweh is.  This also explains the significance of the Trinity.  Love requires relationship; no one individual can be "love" on their own.  Neither is God a Father in Islam for the Qur'an states that God has no Son.  Both Allah & Yahweh cannot be real, both cannot exist.
• Relationship - Only Christianity can offer a personal, intimate relationship with the God of Heaven.  God Himself is a relationship, and being made in His image, we are made for relationship.  God wants a relationship with us.  The barrier between God and man which prevents this relationship is sin. The Bible is the answer to God's dilemma of how to deal with a rebellious child, with justice or with mercy?  Yet God shows Himself to be absolutely just and absolutely merciful with man.  Islam provides no assurance of whether Allah will be just or merciful with them, only those who die in jihad are promised mercy.  Christianity is the only religion which offers man God's forgiveness of sin.
• Righteousness - Islam teaches that on the day of judgment, your good deeds will be weighed against the bad deeds.  The result tells whether you are going to Paradise or Hell. Even some Christians think that you just have to do better than you do worse and you will get to Heaven.  This is far from the truth for the standard of righteousness is far higher.  God requires 100% righteousness.  We will be judged not only on our deeds, but on our thoughts and feelings.  These are not God's ideals, but His standards.  To be acceptable to God, we need to be good as God is good, holy as He is holy, perfect as He is perfect, and righteous as He is righteous.  There is only one way we can achieve the righteousness of God, and that is in Jesus Christ.  You cannot earn it by self effort, self-discipline, or self-improvement...  The righteousness of God is both imputed and imparted to us through Christ; you must be justified as well as sanctified.

There IS a Fountain

"For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light." Psalm 36:9

"The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death." Proverbs 13:14

"The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death." Proverbs 14:27

"For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water...As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds." Jeremiah 2:13, 6:7

"In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness." Zechariah 13:1

"And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim." Joel 3:18

"I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water." Isaiah 41:18


"Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew." Deuteronomy 33:28

"And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely." Revelation 21:6



There is a Fountain from thelatterdays on GodTube.

As the Days of Noe Were

"Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are
drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober,
putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet,
the hope of salvation."  I Thessalonians 5:6-8

"But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matthew 24:37-39

The following message is from Minister B.H. Clendennen.  As with everything posted on this blog, it is shared with the hope that the reader will take the message in prayer to God, seeing what He has to say about the matter.

That said, there are a few of things I want to mention. The Scriptures speak of a time of "tribulation" and a time of "great tribulation".  I believe this is often a distinguishing between the earth having to deal with Satan's wrath vs. the wrath of God.  Clearly the church has, is, and shall experience Satan's wrath as he continually persecutes God's people...and is given permission to do so by God (Daniel 7:25).  Jesus Himself tells us to expect tribulation from Satan in the world (John 16:33; Revelation 2:10).  Yet the Bible also says we are saved from the wrath to come, which is a reference to God's wrath (I Thessalonians 1:10, 5:9).  For more on the rapture, please see:  What Can We Know About the Rapture?

One thing that struck me when I was first saved, was reading the Book of Revelation and seeing how obstinate the people were as God poured out His wrath.  This was not a people who did not know what was going on.  They knew that they were experiencing God's judgment.  They knew it was God Himself who was sending these plagues upon them.  Yet they would not repent (Revelation 9:20-21, 11:10).  Now that is a hard-hearted people.  God had extended mercy by having His own Son butchered for the sin of the world.  God had been longsuffering, giving space and time to repent.  God even sent forth judgment as a witness to His fury with sin.  However nothing turned the hearts of these people.  They did not respond to mercy.  They did not respond to longsuffering.  They did not even respond to punishment.  There is only one option left: damnation.  The Great Tribulation - God's wrath - is poured out on those who will not repent (Revelation 2:22).  This is important to consider when we examine when the rapture will occur and what the outcome will be of those who go through the great tribulation.

• There will be a parallel between the day of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the days of Noah
• The greatest alarm in the church is that there is no alarm in the church
• If you are going to be ready when Jesus comes, then you must be ready all of the time.  He will come in the "twinkling of an eye" leaving no time to make up your mind (I Corinthians 15:52).
• If you were ever really born again, then you know there is nothing like your first love.  When you were first saved, Christ was everything; there was a love for Him and nothing else mattered.  Today, much of the is gone as the church has become careless.
• The Bible says it is possible that you can become so overcharged with the things of this life and with overeating that the day of the rapture take us unawares.
• If you love your house, your property, your wife, your children, more than Christ it is because those things have become your god and you will not make the rapture.
• If you love Jesus more than you love your own life, then you will be able to love everyone else much better.
• Know for certain that a man can miss the rapture.  Even Paul said that he had not yet apprehended it, but pressed forward to obtain that for which he was apprehended (Philippians 3:11-14).  A man can have known God and walked with God, but in a time of carelessness, miss being ready for His return.
• In Noah's day, only 8 were saved.  At Jesus' Second Coming, likewise only few will be saved (Luke 18:8).
• Parents are the spiritual covering for children.  If a parent neglects this responsibility, the children will suffer.
• Only those who are filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit will be part of the rapture.
• There is a lot of religion today, but very little spirituality.
• It is absolutely natural for a living organism to grow.  Likewise, if a church is spiritually alive, it also will grow naturally.
• When you read the Scriptures to prove your beliefs, then you will always wind up at the wrong end.  Yet when you read the Scriptures with the intent of God showing you where you are wrong, then you will always find an answer.
• "Self" is the only inroad that Satan has into our lives.  Overcome "self" and we can overcome all. 
• Don't seek worldly things, but seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
• It doesn't matter if you were filled with the Spirit last year or yesterday.  You must be filled at the moment of Jesus' return or you will have no oil, no spiritual life.  You will be a foolish virgin.
• If you are engaged in this world, you will never hear the trumpet sound.

God's Remnant People

The following audio message is from Pastor Zac Poonen as he review the books of Zephaniah and Haggai.

Zephaniah

• The main theme in the book of Zephaniah is the severity of God (towards sin) and goodness of God (towards the remnant).
• There were recurring problems spoken of by all the prophets: pride; exploiting the poor; love of money; external manifestations of revival; God using heathen people to chasten His people; the need for God's people to wait in faith; the anger of God against sin; the certainty of judgment; and the existence of a remnant.
• God brought out a remnant of people from the northern tribes in Israel and the tribes in Judah.  He is doing the same out of Christianity today.
• The purpose of the remnant is to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord.
• Ask God for eyes to see through the falsehoods of hallow, external, "revivals" which do not call for a return to holiness and repentance from sin.
• Judgment (on the earth, its nations, people) and Salvation (for the remnant) comes in the Day of the Lord.
• We are living in the age of deception.  You must stand on the truths of the word of God to remain free from deception.
• The remnant can become like Babylon in no time.  If you are not faithful, if you don't fight against your flesh, if you don't stand against the corrupt Christianity around you, then you will become like the false; prayerless, not knowing God's word, accumulating money to live in luxury, but with no anointing.
• Those who are humble need to seek for more humility, and the Lord will protect you in the day of His anger.
• The remnant will be taunted and made fun of, even by other professing Christians.  Accept that.
• False leaders seek their own gain and profit.  The Lord has ordained for those who preach the Gospel to receive money.  It is not receiving money which is wrong, but coveting money.
• The remnant will be purified, will be united together on love, will have no fear, and will serve the Lord.  All the proud will be removed.
• They will rejoice because the Lord has removed His hand of judgment and the Lord Himself is living among them.  Cheer up Zion!  God does not rejoice over all people, but He does rejoice over His remnant, shouting over them with gladness and singing a song over them.

Haggai

• Haggai urges God's people to consider how things are going for them and do the Lord's work.  He is not talking about establishing the foundation again, but building the house.  This means going on to perfection after the foundation has been laid (Hebrews 6:1).
• He starts by showing the selfishness of God's people in that they spend their living building up their own houses, but not the house of the Lord.
• If we seek the Kingdom of God first, then He will take care of that which pertains to us.  If we honor God, then He will honor us.
• We can spend lots of time "ever learning" - listening to tapes, attending services, reading book, etc. - but what is the spiritual condition of our homes? 
• Many believers are coming to God with a vessel full of holes, asking to be filled with the Spirit, but God is saying to fix the holes first.  There are things in your life which need to be set right first.
• Evangelism without discipleship is like laying the foundation without building the house. 
• To become the Lord's messenger, you must first allow God to do a work in your life. The anointing is not on the message (i.e., books, tapes, etc.), but on the messenger.
• God promises, "Take courage, for I am with you."
• The glory of the latter house is going to be far greater than the glory of the former house.
• The silver is the Lord's and the gold is the Lord's.  Money is no problem for the remnant.  God knows that we have need of it to do His work and He will provide as we trust Him. 
• You cannot build the house of the Lord without emphasizing holiness because sin contaminates much easier and much more quickly than holiness sanctifies.

My God Does What He Pleases

I am thankful this morning that we serve a God who does exactly what He pleases.  He is not bound by time, space, nor the systems of this world.  He cannot be hindered by any opposing force, for all power is in His hands.  If we are in Jesus Christ, then we too are not subject to such boundaries.

That is how the "sun stood still" at Joshua's command during the battle (Joshua 10:12-13).

Such is how Philip was "caught away" by the Spirit of the Lord and later found in Azotus (Acts 8:39-40).

It is how the walls of Jericho "fell down" at the shout of the people (Joshua 6:20).

This is even how Jesus was "risen from the dead" (John 20:1-9).

If we but believe and have the faith of even a mustard seed, we can say to that mountain, "Be moved" and it shall be moved (Matthew 17:20).

When I started praying this morning, it was pitch black, like nightfall.  Later as I continued, eyes closed, there was suddenly a bright light.  I opened my eyes to see who had turned on the lights in my room and realized that no one had.  Rather, the sun had come up all at once and was shining brightly through the windows.  As I wondered why there had not been a gradual rising of the sun and a gradual dispelling of the night, I heard, "Just that quickly will My people arise to pierce the darkness."  Just when things look dark as night, a great light will suddenly shine forth as the Bride of Jesus Christ is made manifest to the world.

Be encouraged because we serve a God who is above all other gods and who has already given us the victory in Him. It is His good pleasure to make us inheritors of His Kingdom and He will perform it!  All is unfolding according to His will.

"Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. Why do the nations say, "Where is their God?" Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.

But their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but they cannot smell; they have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but they cannot walk; nor can they utter a sound with their throats. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.

O house of Israel, trust in the LORD: he is their help and shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help and shield. You who fear him, trust in the LORD: he is their help and shield. The LORD remembers us and will bless us: He will bless the house of Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron, he will bless those who fear the LORD: small and great alike.

May the LORD make you increase, both you and your children. May you be blessed by the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth he has given to man. It is not the dead who praise the LORD, those who go down to silence; it is we who extol the LORD, both now and forevermore. Praise the LORD." Psalms Chapter 115


 

Caribbean Brethren

For those brothers and sisters in the Caribbean, the Omega Church & Ministries Center is beginning a weekly broadcast on WSTA radio station in the Virgin Islands:

Thursday evenings
5:30 pm - 6:00 pm EST
WSTA radio station 

You can also listen to the station live over the Internet by visiting the station's website. Tune in and be blessed & edified through study of God's word.

Judgment is Certain

Will You Redeem the Times?

"He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, it will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" Matthew 16:2-3

As I woke up this morning and saw the news that Barack Obama was re-elected President, I heard a word from the Lord, "Judgment is certain."  Yet shamefully, many professing Christians either rejoice or are distressed by the election news, having placed the hope of their future in the hands of a man.  Too many seem oblivious to what is going on in the Spirit and are out of touch with the mind & heart of God at this critical hour.

To the modern day Christian:

It makes sense to support candidates based primarily upon the color of their skin, but it is extreme to evaluate candidates based upon their alignment with God's word?

We owe a greater debt to those who fought for the rights of the disenfranchised to vote than we do to the True & Living God who sacrificed His sinless life for the sin of the world?

It is our responsibility to take part in civil processes as good citizens, but it is foolish & irresponsible to forsake such things because we esteem greater our citizenship in the kingdom of God?

Where are our affections?  Where are our priorities?

If you just listen to many people's views on this election, one thing becomes abundantly clear: they cherish the things of this world more than the things of eternity...and that goes for many Christians as well.  They have left their first love, if they ever truly loved Him.

A few years ago, I was speaking with someone and sharing how these were the end times with Jesus' return soon approaching. She stated [I paraphrase], "I believe that God is a loving God and it is my prayer that He not bring that to pass, but giving people more time."

"Do you believe what the Scriptures say?" I asked her. "Of course!" she replied.

"Well if you do", I said, "Then you realize that there will come a time when time has run out and God will come forth in judgment. What happens if that time has come and you are praying against what God is doing because your prayers are not in line with His will?"

There was no answer to that question.

This is how many Christians are living day to day; going on their merry way with no interest in, or knowledge of, what God is doing (Luke 17:26-30).  Religion becomes something to help me cope with this life and feel better about myself, rather than a way for me to come into communion with the Creator of all things.

For those with eyes to see (and those who desire to have eyes to see), I invite you to read a few articles which speak to the current day in which we find ourselves. I have placed an excerpt for each one, but you may click on the title to access the full article.

Now It Begins
I awoke at 4:30. That which you will read below came to me over a course of four and a half hours. When I woke up, I saw that Obama had won and I heard: Now it begins…brace yourselves for great evil. Nothing happens that I do not allow. I set kings up, I build and I pluck down.


America Has Voted
He [Satan] has convinced the majority of Americans that their vote actually makes a difference, that the nation’s course would have been better, or worse, depending on who got elected. Truly, the whole earth lies in the power of the evil one, the great deceiver who deceives the whole world (Revelation 12:9). The truth is, a vote for Barack Obama is a vote for Luciferian government, and a vote for Mitt Romney is a vote for Luciferian government...

As disciples of Christ, the Christian is a citizen of a heavenly kingdom. The Bible describes the elect of God as “aliens and strangers” in this earth. The saints should not have a terrestrial concept of their identity, nor a nationalistic point of view. Those who have advocated that the Christian should vote, even of their vote is for the “lesser of two evils,” have not comprehended the mind of Christ. A vote for evil is a vote for evil...

I have shared with a number of saints the admonition of the apostle Paul. He declared:

I Timothy 5:22
Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin.

The laying on of hands was a sign of endorsement. Laying hands on someone was to give them a vote of confidence. Voting today is similarly a form of endorsement. When a Christian casts a ballot for a wicked man, the sins that man commits become their sins. They become sharers in the responsibility for the actions he takes. The counsel of Paul is to “keep yourself free from sin.” Do not be hasty to “lay hands upon anyone.”


Two Sides to the Coin
It is written that there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time My people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. [Dan 12:1]

People will be saying, ‘Has this been in our days or even in the days of our fathers?’ [Joel 1:2] In the days that are soon here, shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. [Mk 13:29]

Yet know this, that running parallel to the great darkness, the great tribulation will be a time of great light and glory; a time of great and marvelous miracles and wonders that have never been seen or heard of before and shall bring many [multitudes] into the kingdom...

Therefore marvel, for you shall behold great things, not only in the great tribulation of trials and affliction, but also in the wonders and miracles that shall also be happening. There are two sides to every coin.

You shall behold two kingdoms clash, for the war is near to ending, yet the victory is to the greater kingdom which I am King and Lord of. There have been countless battles since the beginning, and there are yet battles to endure, yet I AM the Lord of the battle.


A Certain Judgment
"All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us." Amos 9:10

I was reading the Book of Amos yesterday and my Bible's intro for this describes it as: God announcing His certain judgment on a people certain He would not judge.  What a fitting description for much of the modern day church.


As one brother said, the only election which matters is the eternal election of the Father of those who are His. Don't forsake eternity being hypnotized by temporal lies of the Devil.

Lead Me to Abandonment

Lead me to abandon myself to you Lord
I desire to be consumed by You
Let Your holy fire envelop and purge me
In this late day and hour, what else matters?
Why should I toil for meat that does not satisfy?
Hear the cry of Your people Jesus and call us into Your presence
Send down times of refreshing and pour out Your Spirit according to Your word
Remind us once more Lord Jesus of Your great name, for many have forgotten

"Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." II Timothy 4:8

Walk Holy Mount Zion

"He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." I John 2:6




Walk Holy from thelatterdays on GodTube.