Author: rbeaird

WHERE ARE THE WATCHMEN???


Spiritual Blog - Watchmen.PNG

Ezekiel 33:1-6 – “Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, 3 when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, 4 then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.’  NKJV

 

This passage has troubled my heart for months now and I keep coming back to it time and again in my study and prayer time.  I look around me and see the condition of our world, our nation, much of the church, and multitudes of people who walk in deception and darkness.  I’ve been trying to sound the alarm but my heart cries out remembering the passage in Matthew 9 when Jesus said, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”  Then I think of the words of John the Baptist when questioned if he was the Christ, Elijah, or the prophet in John 1 he said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord.”  My heart keeps crying out, “Where are the Watchmen?”

The duty of the watchman is to sound the alarm.  He cannot control whether or not people take heed and respond he can only sound the alarm.  If he fails to give warning then the blood of the slain is on his hands and I fear that we have come to that place in our world and our nation today where multitudes are being slain (literally, figuratively, economically, socially, morally, and spiritually) and too many who have been called to be “Watchmen” are sitting silent fearing upsetting some so that their position can be secure.  The Gospel has not concern about Political Correctness or the man-made ideology of separation of Church and State.  It has the lost in view and the redemption offered.

Likewise, on the political front (some will castigate me now over this) if we see destruction, the sword, the evil, the calamity and remain silent will we not also be judged for our silence?  We know the truth.  We know the potential problem.  We know the danger.  We know the answer.  If we sit silent how will God view that when we stand before Him?  I fully believe that America is a catalyst for the Last Days Harvest and if she is destroyed then we (AMERICANS) will find ourselves on the outside looking in at what God is doing because HE WILL BUILD HIS CHURCH.  His will is not always done so don’t tell me that whoever is elected is necessarily God’s will it might just be due to the negligence and silence of people.  When good people do nothing evil triumphs!

I am first and foremost interested in the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.  I am also interested in preserving a Free Nation for posterity and a nation where one can openly and freely worship and spread the Good News that Jesus saves!  If you are interested in the souls of men I beg of you, pray to the Lord and ask Him what He would have you do in these days.  I ask you to do nothing more than what He directs but also, nothing less!  It is HIS HARVEST not mine!  He is in charge I am not.  I am a fellow laborer and that is it.  I know that I’ve been called to be a VOICE so I pursue that with all diligence and only death will silence me.

You must understand that I believe that we have A LIFE not a bunch of compartments in which we move and operate.  So that LIFE touches everything about me and in any and all those areas which are touched I AM A WATCHMAN!  I’m not your judge, just a VOICE!  What you do with the sound of the Alarm is your choice!  I pray that you choose what God chooses and if you do we have both done our jobs!

May the Lord Bless you richly is my prayer!

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ISAIAH’S PROPHECY… DOES IT APPLY TO AMERICA TODAY???


Spiritual Blog - Repent

Isaiah 1:4 – “Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the LORD, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward.” NJV

 

Israel had turned from the Lord and He was no longer the central figure in their lives, their nation, their government, or their focus.  Isaiah calls them:

  1. A people laden with iniquity.

They were burdened, encumbered, weighed down, saddled with or loaded with iniquity.  It wasn’t just a casual infrequent situation but a “lifestyle” that had developed in the people and the nation.  I sometimes wonder if our “Casual Christianity Theology” and our willingness as a nation to allow laws to be passed that relegate God to the back burner in our nation our government and our lives compares to Isaiah’s description of Israel.  I’m afraid I have to say – IT DOES!  When we allow laws to be passed that devalue human life especially life that cannot defend itself or argue for itself such as the unborn have we not become laden with iniquity?  When we have become calloused to sin have we not become laden with iniquity?

  1. A brood of evildoers.

The imagery of a group of birds hatched at the same time is clear, but it goes beyond that to a species, a breed, a group, or a kind that are of the same nature and character.  Isaiah calls them a “brood of evildoers.”  So this brood is a special group and the whole of their nature is bent toward and focused on evil.  It is self-centered to be sure and man-centered without question leaving one to conclude that it is anything but “God-centered.”  Evil is commonplace and the philosophy of “the end justifies the means,” “all is fair in love and war,” or as the Obama administration said, “Never let a crisis go to waste,” is paramount in this attitude.  Evil is the root, the objective, the vehicle, the tool, the means to accomplish the desired purposes.  Does that not fit much of our society today?

  1. Children who are corrupters!

Those who lack moral integrity, are open to bribery and other dishonest practices, morally depraved, putrid or rotten, contaminated, unclean depicts this group.  People who go out of their way to pollute the minds and hearts of others to achieve their purposes or somehow make them feel better about their own sinful ways are pictured here.  Is this now what we see especially in politics today?  We see it in business, in interpersonal relationships and sadly, at times, in the Church.  Is this not prevalent in America today?

  1. They have forsaken the LORD.

Israel had turned their back on God for their own self-centered purposes.  The problem in the Garden of Eden was that Adam and Eve made the choice to fire God as the “Center of their Universe” and install self.  That resulted in the fall and that depravity has run rampant in man’s heart from generation to generation.  Only through the Blood of Jesus can we be free.  Today, I fear that many in our nation have forsaken God and have no doubt that our Government does not honor Him at all.  So, this would be a picture applicable to America today as well!

  1. They have provoked to anger the Holy One of Israel.

I don’t believe that I even have to comment here.  There is little doubt that if America continues in the direction that we are going for God not to judge us would require Him to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.  We are testing the longsuffering character of God and pushing Him to the limit.

  1. They have turned away backward.

That is a picture of “backsliding” if you will.  It is to reverse course and go the opposite direction which is what “repentance” is.  Repentance involves doing a 180 degree turn from sin toward God.  To turn from God back toward sin and the evil depraved nature, character, and actions of the human spirit is to “backslide.”  It is to insult the very Grace of God and demands God’s action.  Israel felt His wrath, so I must ask are we in that place today in America?  If we are not already there how much further can we go before we are?

My call is for us to “return to the Lord” knowing that if we return to Him with a whole heart He will return to us and receive us into the beloved.  It is time for a revival of repentance in America and that must begin with each of us.

May God bless you as you go through your day!

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THE FIRST AND THE LAST…


Spiritual Blog - First

Exodus 20:1-3,17 – “Then God spoke all these words, saying, 2 ” I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.  3 ” You shall have no other gods before Me…17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”  NASU

 

I am not addressing the statement of our LORD in Matthew 20:16, “…the last shall be first, and the first last.”  Rather I am speaking specifically about the Ten Commandments (not suggestions) and addressing the First and the Last of those edicts.

I believe that it is a valid and true statement that “if you begin wrong you will, in all likelihood end wrong.”  If you begin with a wrong premise you will arrive at a wrong conclusion.  In today’s world, there are those who no longer accept the directive of the First of the Ten Commandments, “You shall have no other gods before Me.”  They reject the truth revealed in Genesis 1:1 that in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  They reject that Jesus came to earth born of a virgin, live a sinless life, died on the Cross, arose from the dead, and is now ascended to the Right Hand of the Father.  They come to various conclusions as to the origin of man, the eternal state of man, and the requirements for acceptance into the Family of God and gaining entrance into heaven.  They begin wrong and reach wrong conclusions to their own hurt and many times their influence hinders others.  That is a place of danger for Jesus said, that if we confess him before men, He will confess us before the Father, but if we deny Him before men, He will deny us before the Father.

The First Commandment addresses God as the Only True and Living God and He demands that we elevate nothing before Him.  Adam and Eve elevated their own will and desire before God by accepting the LIE offered by the serpent in the Garden and DISOBEYED the directive of God.  Their action could be described as voting God out of office and replacing Him with self.  They removed God as the center of their universe and installed self in that lofty position.  They became their own god and in so doing they lost fellowship with God and lost the Paradise of Eden which God had prepared for them.  They began the process of death and brought death both natural and spiritual to the human race.  They violated the First Commandment long before that Commandment was written on Tablets of Stone for Moses and Israel.  It was a truth embedded in Who God is and predated the Tablets of Stone in the Wilderness.  That Commandment and Truth did not suddenly originate in the Desert it originated in the heart of God before time began and it will continue when the Earth is no more.  That is the heart of what Jesus was saying in Matthew 6:33, “…seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…”  If God is sought first and foremost and we maintain our recognition of His Divine Sovereignty as Creator and the Only True and Living God, we will keep ourselves from erring from the path of godliness.  We may stumble but we will not fall prey to the enemy of our souls.  We may fail but we will not become failures.  We may sin, but we will not return to being sinners, practicing a lifestyle of sin.

The Last Commandment is addressed in Exodus 20:17 in the word is COVET or COVETOUSNESS.  The commandment expresses the Heart of God that He is our source, supply, provision, and satisfaction.  No wonder the apostle Paul could declare in Philippians 4:11-13 that he had learned CONTENTMENT in whatever state he found himself.  WHY could he be content in need as well as in supply?  WHY could he be content in peace as well as in the time of trial?  BECAUSE, God was His Satisfaction, therefore, he had no need to envy, lust after, or covet what another had or was enjoying.  He knew whom he believed and was completely confident that GOD would never fail or forsake.  He knew that “in Christ” he was more than a conqueror and that he could do all things through Christ Jesus.  The heart of God is that we TRUST Him completely, RELY on Him totally, and REST in Him fully.  If we have GOD, we have need of nothing else.  Jesus told us in Luke 12:32 that we are not to FEAR because we can rest in the confidence and assurance that it is our heavenly Father’s GOOD PLEASURE (desire and willingness) to give us the Kingdom.  David said, in Psalm 37:25 that he was once young and now he had reached agedness, and, in that time, he had NEVER seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging for bread.  What was the message?  GOD NEVER FAILS and GOD SUPPLIES, therefore we do not need to be envious of the wicked and have no reason to lust after, long for, or covet that which another has because we have GOD!

Therefore, if you have the First Commandment as your foundational cornerstone and you make the Last Commandment the covering of your life you will be as those in Hebrews 11 able to Live in Faith, looking for that City whose builder and maker is God.  You will find that no matter your need God is your supply and when you have God you need never long for that which is in the hands of another.  You are Blessed beyond measure and His Grace is Sufficient.

I hope that this inspires you to focus on God and refuse to allow your situation, need, or apparent lack cause you to turn from God or look longingly at that which belongs to another.  God is honored by your CONFIDENCE in Him and He will provide all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus!

God bless you as you enjoy this wonderful day in Him!

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CAMPING IN CANAAN’S LAND – – [Part III]


Spiritual Blog - Ready

Deuteronomy 8:7-10 – “For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; 8 a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; 9 a land where you will eat food without scarcity, in which you will not lack anything; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10 “When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you.”  NASU

Today, I want us to consider Victorious Christian Living and the Dispossessing to Possess our Place of Promise or our Canaan in the here and now.

VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN LIVING – Does not mean you have no problems but that you, through God, overcome them.  It does not mean that you have a life of ease but that you have faith, learned obedience and trust, and have matured to the place you exercise authority over the enemies.  HOWEVER, before you can Occupy the Place of Promise CANAAN you must go through the Wilderness which is the School of the Holy Spirit and Learn to Live!  In the Wilderness, several things happen that are vital.

WE LEARN TO EAT THE MANNA – By that, I simply mean that we learn dependence upon God, daily and continuously.  We fully embrace that He is our Life, Strength, Guide, Protector, Wisdom, Holiness, and Righteousness.  We develop TRUST and learn CONFIDENCE.  Through dependence, we learn that no matter what He says, WE CAN TRUST HIM!

WE LEARN TO FOLLOW THE CLOUD BY DAY and THE FIRE BY NIGHT – Patience is more than a virtue it is a learned condition rooted in Trust and Confidence.  If you never go through the fire of trials you will never realize the Power of God and if you never have to fight battles you will not learn to resist the devil or having done all to stand to stand and keep on standing when all appears hopeless.

WE LEARN HOW TO RECEIVE HEALING, Spiritually & Physically as we Gaze on the “Brass Serpent” – As we place our total dependence upon the Grace and Redemption that Flows from Christ on the Cross we receive TRANSFORMATION.  We learn the truth that He will NEVER leave us nor forsake us.  We learn that we are more than conquerors through Him. We learn the Power of the Name.

WE DEVELOP A CONFIDENCE THAT GOD MEANS EXACTLY WHAT HE SAYS – It is in the furnace of trials, the Wilderness, that we reach the state or condition of COMPLETE TRUST and OBEDIENCE.

One of the Principle Reasons for the Wilderness is to TRAIN US FOR WAR!  God has a Place of Promise for each of us and that Place is our Canaan in which we learn to enjoy and live THE ABUNDANT LIFE of VICTORY in Jesus!  It does not matter what your Giant is, He is Greater than your giant.  It does not matter the trial you face, the temptation you encounter, the discouragement you experience, the times you fall on your face, HE NEVER LEAVES! 

THE FINAL ANALYSIS

  1. If you realize that there is a Place of Promise in this Life where you can walk in Total Victory, Complete Confidence, Perfect Peace, and exercise Spiritual Authority then you will embrace the Wilderness Experience and long for your Canaan.
  2. You will never resign yourself to defeat.
  3. You will determine to DISPOSSESS that which is occupying your Promise and POSSESS it.

The Christian Life is a Life of Struggle but a Life of Victory!   You can be victorious NOW.  You can be free of bondages NOW.  You can Occupy your Place of Promise.  You are Training for Reigning NOW.

The question I must ask is – ARE YOU READY?  Ready to Dispossess the Squatters on your inheritance?  ARE YOU READY?  To learn to use the weapons of warfare so that you can defeat the enemy?  ARE YOU READY?  To cross your Jordan and Occupy your Canaan and Live the Abundant Life God has Promised?

THREE THINGS ARE NEEDED

  1. REALIZE – That You have a Promised Place of Victory in the here and now.
  2. COMMIT – Yourself to the Learning Process and allow the Holy Spirit to train your hands for war.
  3. DETERMINE – To never give up or give in and no matter what you face, embrace the reality that HIS PROMISES are more powerful than YOUR PROBLEMS.

Are you ready to move into your Place of Promise?  Are you ready to move to a new Level of Living that is characterized by Complete Trust, Patient Waiting, Confident Following, Total Dependence, and Expectant Faith?  Are you ready to Exercise Dominion and Authority over all the devil’s forces and Enforce the Victory of Calvary and make your permanent residence – CANAAN and Abundant Life?

Let’s prepare our hearts to dispossess our enemies and move into and occupy our Place of Promise Spiritually in the here and now.  We do not have to wait for Heaven to have Full Victory!

God bless you richly as you enjoy this wonderful day in Jesus!

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CAMPING IN CANAAN’S LAND – – [Part II]


Spiritual Blog - Canaan

Deuteronomy 8:7-10 – “For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; 8 a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; 9 a land where you will eat food without scarcity, in which you will not lack anything; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10 “When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you.”  NASU

I would like to begin considering the Place of Promise and the Wilderness Experience and fully investigate what Canaan represents for the believer.

THE PLACE OF PROMISE – Is a real Condition that every believer can enjoy and achieve.  If that is not true then God did not tell the truth and the Bible is a lie.  If I believed that then I would walk away from Christianity and place the Bible in the trash bin, but I believe the Bible is TRUE.  The Process of Israel’s movement from Egypt to Canaan (The Place of Promise) is incredibly interesting, often frustrating, and informative.

THE WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE – Came before their entrance into the Land of Canaan or the Place of Promise.  In the Wilderness, they learned dependence upon God and the value of obedience and the power of trust.  The Wilderness in Life is the School of the Holy Spirit where we are exposed to problems, allowed to try it on our own, and then rescued as we cry out in repentance and faith.  We learn how to Live, Give, and Receive.  We learn how to do Warfare and Occupy.  In the Wilderness, if it is successful the believer learns to FORSAKE the World, the Flesh, and the Devil and learns how to truly FOLLOW Christ.

Some believers seem to have the concept that the Christian life is all BLISS and Problems are indications of God’s disfavor.  We wrongly tell new converts or potential converts that if they accept Jesus their life will be continuously filled with JOY, the presence of God will always be sensed and felt, the will of God will always be clear, there will be easy daily fellowship with Jesus, the presence of the Holy Spirit will always be felt, and there will be a sense of endless peace.  I don’t know about you, but that is not descriptive of my Christian Walk.  Not because God abandoned me but because I am flesh. 

Over time, most experience a change in the situation and there are times when God gives NO EXPLANATION.  Our Joy is taxed to the point that it abates and God seems a million miles away and His will impossible to discover.  Instead of Peace, there is Anxiety, confusion, uncertainty, and even fear.  Doing what is right seems a drudgery and difficult.  Life becomes HARD and you want to sit down under the Juniper tree and GIVE UP.  (I’m being more honest than some will).  This condition can last hours, days, weeks, months, and for some years.  If we fail to comprehend the Purpose of the Wilderness we will be exhausted, frustrated, and an easy target for the devil.  We WILL NOT press into the Abundant Life Jesus Promised and not occupy the Place of Promise that is our inheritance.

To make matters worse, there are times, when it is clear that God is aware of your situation or condition, but seems to be doing nothing.  He answers occasional prayers, gives occasional insight, and momentary times of blessing and refreshing BUT the day to day struggles and the BIG THINGS only grow bigger and more pronounced.  Where you find yourself is anywhere but a PROMISED LAND.  [I Peter 1:6-7; 4:12-13; II Corinthians 1:8-9]

IN THE WILDERNESS we are prepared to POSSESS THE PROMISE and enter the PROMISED LAND.  If this is talking about getting to heaven I have some questions to ask.  In CANAAN (The Place of Promise) there were Enemies occupying that Place and willing to resist to the death to keep you from occupying it.  IS THAT HEAVEN?  Are there enemies we will have to fight to enter heaven?  Are their enemies now occupying heaven?  CANAAN is the Land of Promise and it contains all we need and more to have Abundant Life.  In a way that truly sounds like heaven but the fact of Enemies removes that distinction.  We will not have to dispossess any enemies when we enter those Pearly Gates.  We will not have to resist the devil when we are walking the Streets of Gold.  We will have entered into TOTAL VICTORY when we enter heaven so Canaan is both a Learning Place and a Place of Victory in the here and now.

I will pause here before we more fully discuss the idea of Victorious Christian Living in the here and now and how that contrasts to Heaven.

May the Lord richly bless you, guard and guide you on this wonderful day we have been given.

 

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CAMPING IN CANAAN’S LAND…


Spiritual Blog - Canaan

Deuteronomy 8:7-10 – “For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; 8 a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; 9 a land where you will eat food without scarcity, in which you will not lack anything; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10 “When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you.”  NASU

 

We have songs in the Christian church about “Camping in Canaan’s Land” and “Crossing Jordan” all pointing to and referring to heaven.  I am about to step out on the edge and tamper with the theology of a lot of people but those songs, in my view, are misinterpretations of the Bible.  There is no question that CANAAN is, in Scripture, always THE PLACE OF PROMISE.  It is a type of the PLACE OF VICTORIOUS LIVING that the believer “legally” has in and through Jesus!  Canaan was a real place with real people and real problems.  There were enemies living in there and those enemies had to be “dispossessed” before Israel could “possess” the promise of God.  Canaan was a land flowing with ‘milk and honey’ in the natural and a place to be desired.  It was the prize plumb of the Middle East and the place that God promised Israel as an inheritance.  (That is in the natural).

I must ask a few questions to illustrate my belief that Canaan IS NOT a type of Heaven but a type of Victorious Life here on Planet Earth and a Place of Preparation for Heaven.  I know that I’m no shaky ground with some, but I ask that you give me the opportunity to explain my reasons for the interpretation I am offering.  I ask that you think about this for a moment and ask yourself, ‘exactly what is the Christian Land of Promise?’  If Jesus promised, and He did, ABUNDANT LIFE in the here and now, what is that?  I believe that virtually every believer understands that there is far more to the Christian Inheritance and Abundant Life than our initial acceptance of Jesus as our Savior.  That begs the question: “Is the Christian Promised Land Heaven/Paradise/the New Jerusalem/the Resurrection from the dead/Christ Himself?”  My answer would be yes and no.  Each of those is an integral part of our Inheritance and play a vital role in our entrance into the Place of Promise but they are not synonymous.  The Place of Promise or the Promised Land of the Hebrews was described in specific terms in numerous passages in the Old Testament.  The Christian Place of Promise and Promised Land is also set forth quite clearly in the Scriptures.  I hope I have your attention now!

REDEMPTION – The New Birth, has a specific beginning followed by a specific walking out of that experience in our lives.  There is a Goal (Philippians 3:14) that we, as believers, are aiming for.  That Goal encompasses the Ultimate Reward of Eternity with God as well as the Process of Getting to that Final Destination.  It involves the here as well as the hereafter.  If the only objective of a Christian is getting to heaven, the most wonderful thing God could do is take us home immediately after we are born again.  If there is an assignment or purpose(s) in this life that each of us is to fulfill and enjoy.  We are to be epistles known and read among men.  Our lives are to be testimonies of the Power, Love, and Purpose of God.  Victorious Living is not Problem Free Living but Faithful Overcoming Living!

TOO MANY TODAY – Have little comprehension of our Promised Position in Christ.  Many have little knowledge or understanding of their Position, Portion, or Power as a believer.  If the Bible is true, and I believe it is, then we have AUTHORITY over all the Power and Authority of the devil.  Many live more in fear of the devil than confidence in God because they are focused on getting to heaven rather than seeing the fulfillment of the Prayer Jesus taught, “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name, thy kingdom come, they will be done, on earth AS IT IS DONE in heaven.”  If God’s will is done on Earth in the life of every believer what would that mean?

I want to pause here before I discuss more fully the Place of Promise and the Wilderness Experience.   May the Lord be with you and richly bless you as you enjoy this day!

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SECRETS IN PREPARING FOR WAR…


Spiritual Blog - Warfare

2 Timothy 2:1-3 – “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”  NASU

We have discussed from time to time the ‘deposit’ one makes or should be making in the lives of others.  Paul was giving Timothy, his son in the faith, some counsel regarding his ministry and purpose in preparing others to join in the spiritual warfare that is going on and will until Jesus come again.  One of the things we learned is that it is important to “Pick the Right Friends.”  I am convinced that one of the most devastating things for the church or the individual in this walk and warfare is misplaced friendships or relationships.  As the writer of Proverbs tells us in 25:19 – “Confidence in an unfaithful man in the time of trouble is like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint.”  Painful would be an understatement and adds no benefit.

Today I would like for us to consider another secret – “Pick Faithful People.”  That is an absolute for ‘fellowship’.  I have learned through observation and experience that ‘faithful people’ make the best fighters in spiritual warfare or any warfare!  Tragically the Church has given positions of responsibility and authority to people simply to get them involved or keep them coming to the local ‘sheep shed.’  That is disastrous and completely contrary to what the Bible teaches.  It is equally dangerous when we, as individuals, reach out in search for relationships out of desperation, due to rejection and a desire to be ‘approved’, ‘liked,’ and ‘loved’.  MISTAKE!

Who should Timothy have chosen?  Those who stayed when the others left!  Bear in mind, they probably were not the most influential, charismatic, and may not have been the most gifted.  They were likely just ‘regular people.’  BUT – They stayed true!  FAITHFUL!  I am so thankful to God for the friends who have stayed true through the years and the tears!

Proverbs 17:17 – “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

Proverbs 27:6 – “Faithful are the wounds of a friend.”

Proverbs 27:17 – “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”

I have learned, the hard way, that a real friend, will not sugar-coat everything and tell me only what I want to hear.  They are honest to a fault with me and as a result, they SHARPEN ME and sometimes the ‘wound’ of their words and truth hurts but that hurt leads to healing and betterment in my life.  I thank God for a friend who will be honest in love!

If you attempt to pour your life into an ‘unfaithful person’ it is like pouring water on the ground.  The Bible teaches that we are to ‘love all people’, ‘reach out to all people’, and we are to ‘avoid being suspicious, and judgmental.’  We are to judge righteous judgment not the judgment of the flesh.  So, beware you cannot pour your life out to or into everyone. Those you are going to WAR with must be FAITHFUL people!  That is a ‘heart quality’ not a ‘religious performance’ thing.

If you catch what Paul says to Timothy you will find valuable information for your relationships and labors:  “Timothy, you take what you have learned from me and commit that to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”   Do you see the process?

  • We RECEIVE and the GIVE OUT.
  • It is PROGRESSION through MULTIPLICATION.
  • The DISCIPLE is to become the DISCIPLER and produce DISCIPLES who will in turn DISCIPLE others. It is REPRODUCTION!

There is evangelism, discipleship, and fathering but to be a father you must have spiritual sons and daughters!  You reach out to everyone.  You evangelize whenever and wherever you can or there is the opportunity.  But you cannot pour your life, to the point of reproduction in everyone!  The whole of Christianity is involved in RELATIONSHIPS!  Not positions, structures, functions, gifts, roles, rules, etc.  It is in RELATIONSHIPS!  LIFE LINKS!

Paul’s emphasis and that of the Bible is FAITHFULNESS, not ABILITY.  He did not say look for ‘qualified men’.  There are scores of them, they are abundant.  He said, look for FAITHFUL MEN!

1 Timothy 5:22 – “Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partakers of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.”

The ‘laying on of hands’ here is releasing them or appointing them to position or ministry.  You must know those you are going to war with.  You do not appoint them out of need, based on previous success, influence, or charisma. You do so after you have tested them and know they are FAITHFUL!

1 Thessalonians 5:12 – “Know those who labor among you.”

So if you are in a position to disciple another carefully choose who you pour out your life to or into.  Be sure they are faithful people who will then teach others that which you are teaching them.

God bless you as you go through your day!

 

 

 

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AMERICA IT IS COMING ARE YOU READY?


Spiritual Blog - Ready

Matthew 24:4-14 – “And Jesus answered and said to them, ” See to it that no one misleads you.  5 “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.  6 “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.  7 “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.  8 “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. 9 ” Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.  10 “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.  11 “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.  12 “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.  13 ” But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.  14 “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” NASU

About 20 years ago while praying I saw something in my spirit that shook me to the foundation of my being and I wrote about it some in my first book.  A few years ago I had a dream that was an expansion of that vision and out of it heard the Lord tell me to write it in a book and call the book “The Price of a Principled Life”.  I have not accomplished that task but will complete it.  What I saw in both instances was an America that I thought were scenes from a WWII movie with bombed out buildings and devastation everywhere.  I saw tanks and troops in the streets, rioting, and looting and unbelievable carnage everywhere.  I saw the traditional church powerless and people ignoring it but at the same time I saw a shadow entity that began to link together and formed the shape of a man across the nation and God identified it as the “True Church of Jesus Christ”.  Invisible to the world but visible in the Spirit Realm and full of power!  I saw things that I don’t know how to describe and in the vision, there were no time frames attached but in the dream, there were and all I am at liberty to say is we are not talking about years down the road but months.

America has been spared through the years, I believe because of two things:  The Protection of God and the Display of His Power and Strength in His Church.  We have moved from both during the past few years or decades and are in danger of being outside the protective covering of God and displaying weakness to our enemies to emboldening them to attack.  A bully or coward will not attack someone they fear may defeat them.  They pick on the weak and weak-willed and the view of many of our enemies has been that we have become soft and weak-willed, based on current foreign policies and attitudes toward our military.  I’m not suggesting that our military is weak but it has been depleted of much of its resources or at least that is the perception of much of the world.  I believe that a strong military is a deterrent against foreign attack.  However, there is the other element I saw in the dream that was not in the vision and that was the attack from the inside.  The rhetoric is already being laid out by calling for taking out people, and the destruction of certain races of people and that rhetoric has not been deterred by those elected to govern.  The intense hate that is being encouraged in this nation is moving us away from God and toward a condition, the Bible calls “perilous times”.  The lack of respect for the Bible that has been and is being displayed and the lack of respect for the Constitution of the United States are opening us up to an internal implosion that will bring utter chaos to the streets of America.  We need Revival!

We have a mandate from God and as believers, we MUST act upon it or prepare our houses for the worst possible scenario and answer the question – “Can you die for your faith?”  “Can you die for your family?”  “Can you live totally by faith” I am more serious than I have ever been about anything.  AMERICA IT IS COMING!  It is coming to us!  Church it is time that we called a solemn assembly and began “fasting & praying” for the survival and revival of America!  Hear the words of Scripture:

2 Chronicles 7:14-15 – “…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.” NKJV

That is our mandate and if we do not take it to heart then do not say you were not warned!  God does nothing without revealing it to his prophets. I’m not calling myself a prophet but he did say your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams, I’VE HAD BOTH and one confirmed and expanded the other!  I trust what I have seen and know that it concurs with the Bible on more fronts than I have time to declare!  This is my call, my plea for THIS NATION to FALL ON OUR FACES IN REPENTANCE AND PRAYER!  Our nation, our families, our world depends on our response.  If you have run with the footmen and they have wearied you, what will you do when horses come?  If you’ve struggled in times of ease what will you do in times of trouble?  Judgment is upon us and, I believe God is giving us an opportunity to see His hand of deliverance, but it is now in our hands!

John 9:4-5 – “We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.”  NASU  We have been commissioned to “go into all the world and preach the gospel…”   We have the assurance of God’s anointing, power, and protection.  We have a mission and a commission and before the full brunt of  PERILOUS TIMES steals multitudes and sends them into eternity lost – Let us spread the Good News of Salvation everywhere!   

God bless you as you enter your weekend!

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THE BLESSING – Part XI – – “The Third Statement”


Spiritual Blog -Bless

Numbers 6:26 – “The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” NKJV

Now let’s pick up where we left off yesterday and consider the Third Statement of THE BLESSING!  It is a particularly fascinating statement, at least to me.  In this statement we find what can be identified as a “Hebraism” – – “Lift up His Countenance” which is obviously another word for “face.”  BUT, the expression “lift up” is a “Hebraism” that means to “catch someone’s eye in a crowd.”  That makes this interesting.

Simply – It means that as I walk through life TODAY, in the middle of the world full of people, GOD “lifts up His eyes to find me”.  His eyes are on ME!  He “knows” me and I “know” Him.  That can either be of tremendous comfort, as it is to me or be a horrifying thought if you are living outside His covering and care.

Psalm 4:6-8 – “There are many who say, ‘Who will show us any good?’…  [It’s come to that.  Things are that bad.]…  LORD, lift up the light of your countenance upon us.  7 You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the season that their grain and wine increased. 8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;  For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”  NKJV

Think about what the Psalmist said.  “Gladness is in my heart because God looks on me.”  Things may be bad, but God has His eye on me and I’ve got my eye on God, so I can lie down and sleep in TOTAL CONTENTMENT and PERFECT PEACE knowing that He has it all under control and is actively working on my behalf.

Psalms 34:15 – “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry.” NKJV

THE FINALE OF BLESSING:

Is found in this word PEACE!  It is worthy of spending a lot of time on but I want to briefly consider this ALL IMPORTANT WORD!  Remember this is the finale of THE BLESSING! 

This is a word that sometimes in Scripture, emphasizes the whole idea of BLESSING.  You know the Hebrew word for this, it is SHALOM!  I think it is somewhat sad that the translators have largely translated it “peace”.  It really doesn’t mean “peace” as we think of peace.  It is more.  It is a huge word.  Huge in all that it means and means here in this context.

SHALOM:  Wholeness.  It means Health of Spirit, Mind, Emotions, and Body.  It means Life and Fertility.  It means health to everything I am, everything I own, and everything I am involved with.  It means WELL BEING!

Please follow me here – – it is the absence of Loneliness, Anxiety, Fretting, Worry, and Apprehension.  It is WELL BEING!  It means PROTECTION from ALL EVIL and more!

FOR UNDERSTANDING AND EMPHASIS:

Remember in the New Testament – – (the parable has nothing to do with what I’m talking about, I’m just looking at the word used).  Remember, when Jesus talks about the “Strongman”, and binding the “Strongman”?  Get that in your mind it is important.  Jesus said:  “When a strongman fully armed guards his own home, his possessions are undisturbed.”  The word undisturbed is SHALOM!

NOW DO YOU SEE IT?  The picture is that when a man has all his guns, his electric fence, and his Dobermans in the yard – – NO ONE is going to touch him or his stuff.  THAT’S THE WORD!  It means “undisturbed” because you are protected from ALL EVIL!  You’ve seen this in Psalm 121 and Psalm 91.  We are KEPT in our going out and our coming in!

PLEASE UNDERSTAND – – It does mean PEACE in the sense that I have Peace with God!  It means Peace with Self!  It means Peace with Others!  It is PERFECT PEACE in the midst of turmoil.  So it is PEACE but it is so much more and we often miss that!

Please be careful to understand that it does not mean PEACE in the sense that the War is Over!  It means that the entire crazy, deranged world and all its lunacy going on around me does not disturb me because I am walking in the middle of it AT PEACE!  That’s Shalom!

Therefore, if I am now BLESSED with ALL Spiritual Blessings, then I have the “outward” temporal form as well as the “inner” aspect of BLESSING!  Remember, according to the New Testament we are living under a “Better Covenant” with “Better Promises.”  I don’t know about you, but it cannot be “better” if it has “less” than the Old Covenant.  Right?  This causes my shouting shoes to begin to bounce up and down!

NOT TO OFFEND ANYONE:

But, I’ve been told that under the Old Covenant, God “healed” but under the New, He makes you sick.  I’ve been told that under the Old, God increased your flocks and herds, but under the New, He makes you wretchedly poor because He wants to teach you a lesson and because He loves you so much.  SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THAT FOR ME!  To be a BETTER COVENANT, for me, means it takes in everything that the old one had and improves on it!  It most assuredly does not take away from it!  Does that make sense?

So as I wrap this up let me say:  “Today, in Christ Jesus we LIVE in THE BLESSING!  It has been purchased for us through the FINISHED WORK of our Lord Jesus Christ!  It is our Heritage.  It is our Covenant Privilege! “  So without hesitation, I declare that I fully believe, biblically, it is God’s desire that we walk in “Blessing” – “Shalom” – “Wholeness”.  He wants us to just relax and respond to Him in PEACE!

As you go through this last day of the normal work week and enter your weekend may you do so with a new sense of His Blessing, Provision, and Protection!  I declare unto you:

Numbers 6:24-26 – “The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; 26 The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” NKJV

God Bless You!

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THE BLESSING – Part X – – “Statement Number Two”


Spiritual Blog - Shine on You

Numbers 6:25 – “The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;” NKJV

Let’s move into the Second Statement of THE BLESSING and glean its treasures in as short a span and space as we can.  You could literally write a book on this but we will try to be as brief as possible and yet convey the important message.

HIS FACE:    Always in Scripture, the “face” indicates the TOTAL PERSON.

Let me give you an illustration that hopefully will convey what I’m saying.  If you were to ask for a picture of me, and I sent you a picture of my feet, you would think I was completely bonkers.  If you ask for a picture of me, what do you expect?  You would expect to receive a picture of “my face” – Right?  Therefore, when it says: “The Face of God” it means His TOTAL PERSON!

SHINE UPON YOU:  Again this is in Pictorial Language.  It means to beam and/or smile.  It means that the “sum total” of the Person of God is “BEAMING upon them.”  In even more simple terms – “He likes us!

Unfortunately – – There are churches full of people today who, through what has been taught and what they think, believe that GOD frowns on them all the time.  They see GOD as an ogre, a bully, a tyrant just waiting for them to step the least little bit out of line and give them a whack on the head with a big stick.  They do not see GOD smiling at them!  They are bound in legalism and unrealistic religious expectations and are miserable while naming the name of Christ!  That is more than sad!

YET, the clear Scriptural Truth for us TODAY in the New Covenant is that “God’s Face” has been fully shown to us in JESUS CHRIST!  God’s TOTAL PERSON is “shining” upon us through the FINISHED WORK of our Lord on the Cross.  We have “God’s favor” not His “disfavor”.  He is looking for ways to “bless us” not ways to “punish us.”  Oh, we can bring His wrath but that is not His objective or desire!

Most of us, who are parents and even grandparents, have had and have times when we are “beaming” while watching or thinking about our children or grandchildren.  We want nothing but the best for them and when they do well we are proud as peacocks and usually gushingly proclaim their actions and accomplishments to everyone who will listen.  We have even sought ways to “reward” them or BLESS THEM!

AND BE GRACIOUS TO YOU:

Isn’t it wonderful that the very nature and character of God is to extend “Grace.”  He acts toward us in grace.  It means that we receive that which we did not and cannot “earn”, do not “merit” or “deserve”.  IT’S GRACE!  He does it because HE LOVES US!  He does it because it is His desire to lavish upon us the bounties of Heaven.  He does it because He wants us to “prosper and be in health even as our souls prosper.”  It’s Who He Is!  It is not because of “Who” I am but because of “Who” He is.  Also, His “Grace” empowers us to go through whatever struggle, battle, temptation, or obstacle that is in our path.  He gives us “divine enablement” to succeed and overcome!  That’s why it is so important to put Him “first” above all else.  As we walk in harmony with Him we enjoy the riches of His Person “inside” and that flows to the outside, and not only “blesses” us but EVERYONE we encounter.  It affects everything that we do and enables us to be “demonstrations” of His Love, Mercy, Grace, Power, and Person to the world.

I HOPE YOU SEE THIS!  I know that you do.  I was a LEGALIST in the most Pharisaical sense of the word, but this truth “transformed” my thinking and my relationship with the Lord and with others.  I was enduring my Christianity for so many years rather than enjoying it.  I loved God and wanted desperately to please Him but was convinced that I could not because of my human frailty.  I attacked everything that even remotely seemed out of line with the Bible and there is no question that I alienated more people that I could ever go back and rectify.  In fact, I have asked the Lord to allow me to go back to Churches and people that my LEGALISM affected destructively and apologize and preach this to them and ask their forgiveness.  He has allowed me to do that in a small measure and that’s another reason that I so desire to have everyone that I can get an audience with to hear the truth of “Blood Covenant”.  It will transform your life, it did mine!

We will put this on hold until tomorrow and then look at the “Third Statement” of THE BLESSING.  May God allow you to get it so deeply in your spirit that He Likes you and His Face is BEAMING when He looks at or thinks of you and that His Grace is more than sufficient for you in ALL THINGS!

May you have a most blessed and joyous day.  Blessings!

 

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