A Modern Woman's Perspective On The Kingdom of God on Earth


March 13, 2017

Treading On Dangerous Ground

     It's not hard to see that there is much confusion in the modern Church.  You can find different portions of the Body of Christ suffering from compromise with the world; entertaining adultery and idolatry in their lack of spiritual and moral boundaries; committing works that are dead; or acting in conceit, pride, and arrogance.
    Sounds an awful lot like the indictments that Christ delivered to the Apostle John in the Book of Revelation concerning the First Century Churches, doesn't it?  It's as if the Holy Spirit has left those Church buildings; that Jesus has been moved away from being the central focus, and we are on the verge of no longer seeing Him as the Bible describes Him in these Last Days.
     I have felt for quite awhile now that the Church is out of balance between the Grace of God and the Wrath of God. By compromising with the world and the culture, the message of Grace has eclipsed any notion that we serve a God of Wrath.  In fact, oftentimes, only the message of Grace is taught, and God's only emotion in the New Testament is Love.  To be sure, God IS Love, and that is His holy and righteous nature.  But it is not His only prerogative when it comes to what He hates most: Sin.
Jesus, as Love and Grace
     But in our desire to be conciliatory or placating -- and let's face it, our desire to let ourselves off the hook by diminishing our sins -- we'd rather only see God as Grace and Love.  It helps us to sleep better at night.  Because we live in such a prosperous and self-centered culture, we are not satisfied with simple Grace.  We now have churches and Christians practicing what is called Hyper-Grace.
     So, your definition of Hyper-Grace may differ from mine, but here is what I mean when I use that term:  Hyper-Grace is a doctrine that stresses God's Mercy and Grace, while omitting the truth of His righteous Judgment and Wrath. The message that we receive is that the God of the Old Testament was a God of Wrath, but Jesus died on the Cross to bring us to confession and repentance of our sins so we can receive salvation by Grace.  But here's a logical question ... what do we need to be saved from?  Answer: God's Justice and His Wrath.
     We rightfully preach that our salvation is available only by the Grace of God. We certainly don't deserve His Grace and Mercy, or our Salvation. We are due Death! But the message of Hyper-Grace tells us God won't judge us, because He is limited by His Character and the nature of His Love. But how do you explain away Romans 2:5, which says, But because of your callous stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are [deliberately] storing up wrath for yourself on the Day of Wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed? Obviously, there is some future day when God is planning on punishing those who do not accept His gift of Grace and reject faith in Jesus Christ.
     Now, you might present the position that the Day of Wrath does not apply to Christians; that this is actually God's promise that we will be spared that horrific Day -- and I would agree with you.  But Hyper-Grace goes a step further and says that God would never exact eternal judgment upon those who reject Him, or send anyone to torment in hell. But that's not what the Bible says!  Jesus, Himself, tells us in Matthew 10:28:  And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.  Seems pretty clear to me that our God has set some standards by which we must all live. In fact, in the Parable of the Sheep and Goats, Jesus emphasizes that there will be a Day of Judgment when all the nations will stand before Him and He will separate them into two groups ... some to go away to eternal punishment, and some [the righteous] to eternal life.  It is important that all men know that they must choose between Death and Life; Hell and Heaven.
     Churches that do not teach those Truths of the Bible do their congregations a great disservice.  I find it interesting that the German Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, on the eve of Hitler's destruction of the Church in Germany, visited America and found our churches full of "cheap grace".  By that, he meant, as he wrote in The Cost of Discipleship, "Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves [rather than a gift given to us by our Merciful God]. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession…. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate".
     I believe that adequately describes too many of America's churches today.  Far too many of our prosperous Church leaders preach a non-Biblical view of Sin.  Oh, they preach about the forgiveness of sin in Christ, but that's all about what Jesus does for us.  When was the last time you heard about your responsibility to take a stand against sin for Him? And if you dare to suggest that we are to take a closer look at the world and call out sin, then you are labeled as "legalistic" or called "a Pharisee". (Just try pointing out the sins involved with Freemasonry and find out how quickly people don't want to look at it or consider how it offends God).
Jesus, as Righteous Judge
     Then what about those churches who allow people to be in leadership positions who are living immoral lives? I cannot tell you how many times in our deliverance ministry we have run across sad stories of people being sexually exploited by ungodly and immoral pastors or teachers.  There is no accountability for such perverse actions and God's Grace literally becomes a "Get out of Jail Free card".
      Churches that practice Hyper-Grace will often relegate members who believe in balancing the traditional teachings of God's Grace [with the truth of His Judgment and Wrath] as part of the "Old Paradigm" of Believers; claiming that a "New Paradigm" is emerging -- one that replaces the strict standards of the Old Testament with a message that Grace comes with neither cost on our part, nor responsibility.
     Finally, another aspect of Hyper-Grace Churches is the continual message that God is only about wanting the best for you. His Grace will afford you health, wealth, prosperity, forgiveness of sin, and success in life. While these feel-good messages fill church auditoriums and coffee bars, they don't teach the "whole counsel of God" -- which, yes, includes Grace, but also Judgment and Hell. So, if a church's "mission statement" only focuses on God's Grace and the belief that God will eventually save all people, regardless of whether a person accepts or rejects Jesus as their Savior, then it is in clear violation of the Word of God.
     In fact, it finds any Scripture that alludes to God's Righteous Judgment or Wrath as offensive, and you will most likely never hear it mentioned from the pulpit. And by doing that, Churches that espouse Hyper-Grace are misrepresenting the Bible and treading on dangerous ground. Romans 1:18 makes it very clear: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the Truth. 
     There you have it: Hyper-Grace is not Biblical, nor, in the long run, beneficial for men's souls. I encourage you to know what the Bible says about both Grace and Wrath.  You don't want to be deceived, nor to deceive others. Within God's Character is His ability to grant Grace OR Judgment and Wrath. Be sure you know that the Bible affirms this. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, God's Grace cost Him the life of His Son. And what it cost God should not be treated as cheap by us. Remember, Jesus bore God's Wrath for us, and there will come a day when He returns to judge all the wicked and evil of the earth.  God says, "Vengeance is Mine", and make no mistake ... there will be vengeance and His Wrath will be evident upon the earth. But Jesus will spare us [who believed in Him] on the Day of Wrath; showing His righteous indignation and making known His power to those who rejected Him. And the world will mourn.

John 3:36   "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the Wrath of God remains on him". 

   
     

March 12, 2017

Proverbs 25:2

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.


     I love this Scripture!  I love it because it shows God's heart and how He wants us to seek Him.  I have heard so many people (both Christians and non-believers) say that the Bible is just too hard for them to understand... that when they read it, it doesn't make any sense to them.  And unfortunately, too many stop right there, and never make another attempt to know their Creator.  
     Because it is hard, they look for easier ways to discover who He is.  And because He has such holy standards for who He wants us to be, they often look for alternative impressions of His character, using sources outside His Word to define Him. But I assert that we should all be like Solomon, who wrote this proverb out of the wisdom and knowledge that God gave him.
     Remember that King Solomon, when asked by God, what He could give him, did not ask for possessions, wealth, honor, the lives of his enemies, or even for long life.  He asked for "wisdom and knowledge" to rule the people over whom God had given him responsibility. "Wisdom" is the Hebrew word, Chokmah, and it means "the knowledge and ability to make the right choices at the opportune time".  The consistency of making the right choice is an indication of maturity and development in a person.  The prerequisite for "wisdom" is the fear [awe, reverence] of the Lord.  When a person seeks Chokmah diligently, they will receive understanding.
     The understanding they receive is the "Knowledge" that Solomon asked for.  And knowledge is the Hebrew word, Yada", which means "to know" God and to have an intimate experiential understanding of Him; that you have a relationship with Him based on experience and observation.  It goes without saying that to "experience or observe" something or Someone, involves action on your part; namely "seeking". 
     And here is what is essential for us to grasp: the heart plays an important role in getting "to know" God.  When our hearts yearn to seek Him, we grow into fearing Him, trusting Him, and serving Him. So what Solomon is imparting to us in Proverbs 25 is this:  It is the glory of God to conceal a matter ... It gives God more glory when He, in essence, "hides" His Truth in Scripture, so that we have to decide just how hungry we are to seek it out. Because you and I need to discern that with the knowledge of God comes responsibility to Him and to others.  We must represent Him in sincerity and truth, while showing others the benefits of seeking Him and a heartfelt relationship with Him -- while holding ourselves and them accountable for sharing that knowledge.
     Then there is the other aspect of this Proverb: It is the glory of kings to search out a matter.  Revelation 1:6 tells us that Jesus "formed us into a kingdom [as His subjects], priests to His God and Father".  We need to realize that we have been given legal access to this knowledge about our Father in Heaven; it is due us as kings and priests of His kingdom. The mysteries of Heaven and God are ours to receive when we diligently seek Him.  Matthew 13:11 tell us this fact: "To you [the Believer] it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them [unbelievers] it has not been granted." 
     That "hidden" knowledge that many complain about is there for the true Believer to discover as part of our inheritance as kings and priests, sons and daughters of God. But it depends on how hungry your heart is. God has given us an appetite for Him; it's in our DNA. But how many of us will strive -- in other words, struggle or make a great effort -- to understand Him? What is knowing Him worth to you?  I assure you that it will be credited to us if we hunger and thirst to search out the matters of God; and it will greatly please Him to reveal them to us.  Because in the end, it is all about His glory and power and majesty and dominion ... forever and ever. Amen.



March 10, 2017

What Is Your Theology?

     Think about that for a moment. Can you explain your personal theology? According to Webster's Dictionary, Theology is "The science of God or of religion; the science which treats of the existence, character, and attributes of God, His laws and government, the doctrines we are to believe, and the duties we are to practice. . . the science of Christian faith and life."  That's kind of a long-winded definition to say that theology is what you believe about God; how you define His character and nature; and how you relate to Him. But your theology should be defined by more than that. His "laws and government" should speak to your understanding of the Kingdom of God/Heaven and how it pertains to you.  The doctrines you believe need to be carefully examined -- are their origins found in the Word of God; or do your set of beliefs come from a man's teaching, a denomination's rules, or simply what makes you feel better about your life's circumstances (with a little bit of all of the above thrown in to make it meet the "religious" test)?
     Furthermore, where do your practices and traditions come from?  Again, are they taken directly from the Bible, or are you having a hard time knowing exactly why you do the things you do, and believe the things you do.  As a Christian, can you explain your understanding of God and the foundations of your faith --- and back it up? If not, I'd like to suggest that you have developed a theology that serves yourself and not God.  I don't say that to offend anyone!  In fact, my goal is that it will cause you to examine your belief system so that you can discover where you differ with God's Word and renew your mind and heart so that you are walking with Him in Truth.
     I have come to believe that the 21st Century Church is not walking in the same power and authority that the First Century Church did because we do not truly trust or believe what Jesus tells us in the Bible about Himself, or who we are in Him, and how He wants us to live our lives.  We have reduced His message down to a goal of being Saved or "born again".  But let me ask you this -- how many of you, once you made a profession of faith, were actually discipled? Do you even know what it means to be discipled? You're probably familiar with the noun form of that word -- to be "a Disciple", or follower of Jesus.  But what does the verb form -- to disciple -- mean?  Well, in Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus gave a commandment to all His disciples (including us):  All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. 
     We got the part about making them disciples; about getting them Saved so that they can be known as a follower of Jesus.  And we sorta got the baptism part down, although some Christians have lessened its significance by saying it's not an essential part of your Christian walk. But we have dropped the ball on teaching them to observe [comply with; keep; obey] all of Jesus's commandments.  I would add that we don't even teach them what His commandments are let alone that we are to obey them! And therefore, I would submit to you that we are no better than the Gentiles Paul refers to in Ephesians 4:  "They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart."
     If a Christian is ignorant of Jesus's commands, then of what benefit is it to be "born again"?  As He explained to Nicodemus in John 3, we have to throw off our old nature [our flesh] and accept a new Spirit.  When that happens, we are told to "to be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God" (Ephesians 4). The renewal of our minds combined with transforming our lives by following the commandments of Jesus projects the Kingdom of God.
     But what happens when we are ignorant of His commands, and who He says He is, and who He says we are to become by transforming our lives?  We end up developing our own religious traditions and theologies to explain the state of our lives.  For instance, consider the Scripture 1 John 1:5:  This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all.  So if you have experienced a tragedy in your life such as a devastating illness or the unexplained loss of a loved one, do you tend to explain it as "the will of God" because you have no answers?  But how can it be God's will if He is only Light, and no darkness exists in Him?  Because I think we can all agree that sickness, disease, and death are all from the Enemy, and they are Darkness. He comes to kill, steal, and destroy, remember? That's why Jesus healed people and raised them from the dead -- to destroy the works of the devil and because He only did what the Father told Him to do (John 5:19).
     So can you see that this is an example of how the Church has compromised the Word of God to fit their own theology?  Another similar tradition is that God is in control of everything. So if a tragedy has occurred in your life, or your life is just a mess, then it must be because God is testing our faith or trying to teach us a lesson.  Show me in the Bible where it says that!
     Kent Owen, at BibleBro.net explains the fallacy of this tradition so well:  "God created the world and gave dominion to Man (Gen 1:26).  Man sinned and became a slave to sin (John 8:34).  Satan is the father of disobedience (Eph 2:2) which is lawlessness, and all lawlessness is sin [death] (1Jn 3:4).  Simply put, sinners belong to Satan.  God does not own the earth again until He takes it back at the end of this age.  Until God takes back the earth, He has empowered His children so that they can “stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph 6:11).  What bad thing does God cause or allow in your life ... unless you ask Him through prayer?"
       And who is going to pray for something bad to happen to them? If anything bad happens in your life, it’s either because you allowed it by not using your God-given authority, OR you are inexplicably, and tragically, the victim of the devil.  Remember, God [and Jesus] are Life; the devil is Death. And he prowls like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.  When it is your loved one, it can be hard to comprehend.  During our suffering, it can be difficult to grasp that Satan was the one behind the tragedy.  Perhaps you can see how we try to explain God to ourselves by developing traditions and theology that make it acceptable to our vision of God.  But we do Him a disservice when we fail to give the Enemy credit for His works of lawlessness, sin, and death!
     If we're earnest in seeking God through His Word, we would discern that 1 Corinthians 10:13 is the real Truth of God:  No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.  God does not tempt (test) you by bringing tragedy into your life!  Scripture very plainly calls Satan the Tempter in Matthew 4.  It was he who tempted our Lord.
     So if your theology tells you that a tragic death or illness is "God's will" for some unknown reason; a reason that the Bible never proclaims, then how is it any different than a “Christian” with multiple fatal diseases who believes that God caused or allowed his illness sharing his faith with an unsaved man?  Wouldn't that message he is delivering say to that unsaved man, “If you become a child of God like me, God may also give you what He gave me; this horrible disease”?
     Can I explain everything bad or tragic that happens in someone's life according to my image of God?  No, because I do not know all the schemes of the Enemy; only that it is his desire to destroy our relationship with God anyway he can. I know that not everyone gets healed or delivered from the devil's attacks, but I do not want to change the Truth of the Bible [and my theology] to create a false image of Jesus or the Father. And I know that my eternal salvation does not rely on who I am, but on Who He is.  Therefore I must be diligent in seeing Him in the Light of His Truth, not through the traditions and skewed theology of man which misrepresents the God of the Bible.  When that happens, we have a distorted relationship with Him, and an inaccurate image of ourselves.
     My purpose for writing this post today is to ask you to seriously consider your belief system.  I do not write it to be condemning, but to exhort you to try to throw off all inessential and flawed doctrine, man-made philosophy, or self-defined tenets of religion.  Go to the Word and find out who God is and who you are.  See what Jesus says about Himself and the Father, and how He wants us to live out our faith in Him.  And then don't let your theology come between you and God. You need to be settled in your understanding of the God we serve, so that the Enemy cannot mislead you or keep you in bondage to his lies. God's Truth, as He reveals in His Word, is all we need ... and it alone should be enough to form our theology.

Mark 7:8,13     "You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men ... thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do."
 
     

March 8, 2017

Women Warriors Unite!

     Yesterday, I shared what the heart and soul of men who are Spiritual Warriors looks like. They are the front line of God's army of mortal saints, determined to help establish the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. They are our husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers who love us, protect us, provide for us, teach us, and encourage us.  At the basic level, it is part of the Warrior make-up to fight for what is righteous and good, and defeat what is evil. And men who are Spiritual Warriors display the strength, courage, determination, and relationship with God that makes them so valuable to the Kingdom and a formidable foe to the Enemy.
     And that is why I am beginning to see all the ways that Satan is attacking the stature of our men in order to diminish their power and authority, and shatter any chance of the Kingdom of Heaven being established on this earth.  The Enemy knows the importance and significance that God has placed on His male creation. If Satan can destroy the reputation -- and, more importantly -- the position and identity of men in this world, then he can greatly decrease their spiritual power on this earthly battlefield.  He knows his time is short to win souls, and I'm certain that he recognizes there is a new generation [and renewed force] of spiritual warriors being raised against him.  That means he is determined to defeat them in anyway possible. And that's why I see the need for us women to get in the fight!
     Now, before you think this is going to be a post on women becoming co-equal to men in their roles as physical and spiritual warriors, I'd like to show you what the Holy Spirit is revealing to me. As I listened to the three men with whom I spent precious time with this last week, I gave thanks to God that they had won their battles against the Enemy; that they had defeated the works of the devil to keep them from their victory in Christ. But the Holy Spirit whispered to me that the attacks of Satan have done tremendous damage to men in our society, and that we women need to get in the fight to spiritually protect our men!
     I realize that God designed our half of His creation to be the helpmate and nurturer, but He has given us His authority to use His power, too. And when it comes to defeating the spiritual battles that our men face, then we need to put our armor on and battle beside them.
     I received that message loud and clear from the Holy Spirit, and then He began downloading all the tactics that Satan has used to remove our men from their God-given place in the Kingdom.  Here are just a few that immediately came to mind:  Pornography, Radical Feminism, Pedophilia, Sexual Molestation, and the Welfare System. Think about it ... each of these practices has undermined who God made men to be. Each constricts their identity as Godly men and weakens their relationship with God.  They are all effective schemes by Satan to remove men from the spiritual battlefield.
     Pornography leads to sexual immorality which disgusts God.  It becomes an obsession for men, thereby taking their focus off being holy and changing how they see themselves. Whether they see themselves as unworthy of God [or] above His moral laws; either way they aren't interested in getting on the battlefield.
     Pedophilia and Sexual Molestation are among the most wicked of the devil's schemes. I believe that both practices are designed to destroy the spirit of both men and women.  But Satan uses it most cruelly among men, attacking their sense of power, control, and confidence -- all of which are needed to be effective Kingdom warriors. And I remember well, the singular voice of Dr. Laura Schlessinger, who in the early 1990's waged a media war against NAMBLA (North American Man/Boy Love Association) who lobbied the public on the notion that children (boys) were sexual beings who should be given rights to have consensual sex with adults. My spirit tells me that when Jesus says, "But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea".  That is how strongly Jesus hates these works of the devil.
     I also believe the Welfare System is the handiwork of our Enemy, too.  It's not hard to see how the last 50 years have destroyed the place of men within the family unit. Coupled with radical feminism, the devil has whispered to women that they don't need men.  The Government has replaced the husband and father as the Provider of the family; Science has replaced men as the sperm donor; and the Medical field can even help them get rid of the product of an actual sexual liaison. And all you have to is look at advertising to see how men are celebrated in our culture today.  They are being feminized; and the rugged, strong, muscular man has been replaced by the thin, skinny-jean wearing, soft, wimpy guy who likes to watch chick flicks.
     SIDE NOTE: Would it interest you to know that in Matthew 4:23 and 9:35, that the Bible speaks to this very perception?  The Bible says, Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
     When recently researching all the Scriptures about the healings done by Jesus, I wondered why there were several instances where "sickness" and "disease" were listed as if they were different entities.  Weren't they the same, I asked myself?  But a quick look at my Strong's Concordance revealed that "sickness" referred to a malady; an infirmity; while "disease" was defined as softness; bodily weakness; and came from a root word which meant effeminate; not simply of a male who practices forms of lewdness, but persons in general, who are guilty of addiction to sins of the flesh; voluptuous.  Interesting, isn't it?
     But, now that I have laid out all these methods of the devil to deprive a man of his male role and identity (especially those men who are destined to become spiritual warriors), I am inviting us women to wake up and come to the defense of our men!  It is their inherent nature to be warriors, not weakened, ineffective men.  We wives and mothers must become warriors in our own right; guarding our sons from predators and social temptations, and fighting in the spiritual realm when our husbands are attacked by the Enemy -- when Satan tries to kill that Warrior Spirit by whispering a lie about who he is. Because when men see themselves through these dirty veils, then they don't see the Light of Jesus in themselves.
     As the women in their lives, we can go to battle against these lies and break years-old cycles of bondage in our men; we can let our men know that we are not only a spiritual refuge for them, but we know their true identity, and we are willing to put on our armor and go to battle for them.  We can be just like Deborah, the only woman Judge of ancient Israel. She was a simple homemaker; a woman of simple faith, and her role was that of a keeper of the tabernacle lamps.  When Israel suffered 20 years under evil King Jabin of Canaan, the men were oppressed by weariness and fear.  Deborah burned with indignation at the abuse and injustice heaped upon the men of her nation. She refused to concede to King Jabin and through the authority given to her by God, she waged a military campaign that resulted in 40 years of peace for her nation.
     And here is what we modern women need to apply from Deborah's example: Like Deborah, we need to recognize that we are in a spiritual battle for our men.  We need to trust God and obey the insight He gives us about the exact struggles and bondage that our men may be experiencing.  We need to focus on God as our strength; and we need to exercise the authority and power He has given to us to wage this spiritual battle -- Focus on Him; do not give the Enemy any credibility.  Do not be intimidated by the Enemy's tactics and do not compromise with him.  Declare in a loud voice that you will not cede ground to him ... that your loved one belongs to Jesus Christ and he (the devil) can't have him! Shout that the enemy has no power over your loved one and that they are sealed by the Holy Spirit with the promise of eternal life! Picture yourself in full armor battling the demons that threaten your son, brother, father, or husband. See yourself tearing down the wall, brick-by-brick, that Satan has erected around them to keep them in captivity. And know that the battle is the Lord's; Jesus is beside you and you have nothing to fear! And last, but not least, we need to tell our men that we see them as Jesus sees them, and nothing less than that. We celebrate their Warrior spirit and have full confidence and trust in them; that there is nothing the devil can do to change who they are in Christ, or in our eyes and hearts.
     In summary, Deborah is not unique in her leadership role in the Bible.  We have plenty of examples of women who displayed courage and a willingness to serve the Kingdom of God.  From Mary, the mother of Jesus; to Mary Magdalene, who was given the honor of being the first person to see the risen Christ; to Jael; Judith; Phoebe; Priscilla; Junia; Euodia and Syntyche; the Wise Woman of Abel Beth Maacah in 2 Samuel 20; King Lemuel's mother, whose oracle in Proverbs 31 guided her son; the Shunamite woman in 2 Kings 4; the prophetess Hulda in 2 Chronicles 34; and many more named and unnamed women.
     I believe that God has made us women extra-sensitive to the spiritual realm, and that He has given us the strength, courage, and endurance to wage the spiritual battles necessary to support our men and help them to reclaim their identities. I know without a doubt, that I have the authority, and God's Power, to go to battle for the men in my life.  I pledge to serve them - and God's Kingdom -- believing and trusting that I can partner with Jesus [in the spiritual realm]. And armed with the strength of God, I will be successful in defeating any oppression coming from Satan. Will you join me in the spiritual war before us, and partner with Jesus to deliver our men from evil? All we have to do is be willing and obedient, and Jesus's victory is ours!

Ezra 10:4   "Stand up, for it is your duty, and we will be with you. Be brave and act."

March 6, 2017

In The Presence of Warriors

     Have you ever looked forward to a meeting of a group of people, knowing in your spirit that it was going to be an appointed time of the Lord's?  That is what happened to me these last few days.  A seemingly random text about what was on our calendar turned into three days of renewing old friendships, making new ones, and all of it exalting the Lord.
     But this post is about more than relationships built on common faith.  For me, the lone woman in the group, it was about being in the presence of faithful men who embody what it means to be a Spiritual Warrior.  It was about observing strong men who are seeking the heart of God; men who aren't afraid to be vulnerable if it means their lives can have an impact on this world for the Kingdom of God.  These are men who have found renewed purpose in their lives; who have made a commitment to put God first above all else, and to unpack the truths of Scripture while uncovering and exposing the lies of religion and false doctrine.  In other words, these are men of character, determined to press into God and know Him fully, and to know who they are in Christ.  And, oh yeah, they aren't afraid to stand against the spiritual darkness that might threaten them and their families, nor to take back territory from the Enemy.
     The definition of a warrior is this:  One who is engaged aggressively or energetically in an activity, cause, or conflict.  The cause of these men is the Kingdom of God, and they are aggressively pursuing it in their lives and energetically advancing the message of that Gospel. Each has fought his own spiritual and demonic battles, and come out victorious on the other side -- because they knew that Jesus had already defeated those demons; they just had to partner with Him and be in agreement that they are Overcomers.  They are now equipped to lead others into the battles for their lives, and to model what it means to have a new identity in Christ.
     I had the privilege of listening to Godly men claim their authority to use the power of God [that is in them] to manifest His presence on this earth. They are warriors who no longer desire to cling to the powerless doctrines of men that instruct us to accept unanswered prayers, or to assume that all suffering and persecution is God's means of revealing our areas of weakness and wrong attitudes in order that we might humble ourselves before God and He can accomplish His purpose in our lives. We do not serve a God who condones cancer or poverty or shame or guilt in order to cause us to seek Him. He has given us His authority, as Believers, to use His power to conquer the schemes of the devil, thereby glorifying Him in the spiritual realm.
     These are men that believe that concept and who no longer accept the lies that Satan tells them; truthfully, they know who they are ... men seeking holiness and righteousness in the image of Christ. And they know that the authority given to them by the Word of the Lord is not power unto their flesh.  It means they've been given the right to give commands and take action (as Spiritual Warriors) against Satan; against sin; against sickness, infirmity and disease; against themselves [by just saying "no" to temptation and sin]; and against any situations or circumstances in which they or others find themselves.  But perhaps, more importantly, they know that this authority they wield is backed up by the Power of the God of the Universe, through the Holy Spirit.  In fact, they are on intimate terms with the Holy Spirit and dependent on His power to back up their authority.
     They have no qualms about following what Jesus has taught them through His Word, and they are ready to do whatever the Holy Spirit leads them to do on a daily basis.  It was so edifying and encouraging to hear them proclaim their total dependence on Jesus; listening for His instructions in their lives.  They know, without a doubt, that it's not enough to KNOW what Jesus desires of His followers; they must be committed to DO IT! 
     In short, as women of the faith, they are what we would want in a faithful man who is willing to take on the role of Spiritual Warrior: fearless.  They don't ignore Satan or his demons; nor do they go looking for a fight -- but they resist him when he comes calling.  And for them, that means submitting to God and listening to Him like a sheep that follows its Shepherd ... but resisting like a lion, confident that the enemy will flee. And they understand [that at times] the battle will be won easily and swiftly; while at other times, they may have to stand for awhile, and then ... continue to stand until the enemy leaves the field of battle.
     And perhaps the most enlightening aspect of spending time with these warriors was the overriding desire to be obedient -- it was the realization that Jesus has already defeated our Enemy; by dying in their place, and accepting the punishment for their sins and those who sinned against them, Jesus has satisfied God’s righteous anger against them, men who believe. They are covered by His blood and healed by His stripes.  They don't just know the meaning of Propitiation; they live it.
     In wrapping up my experience this past week with these inspirational warriors, I want to borrow from the words of Andrew Wommack, who is a well-known proponent of our Authority and Power. I believe that he accurately describes the theology that is represented by the lives of "my" Spiritual Warriors.  They are authentic in their belief that "[Jesus] deposited His resurrection power inside every believer. He’s done His part, and now it is up to us to do ours. We need to take the authority He has given us and become commanders instead of beggars".  My warriors will not beg God to deliver them from every sling and arrow of the devil.  They will step up and be the Warriors that God made them to be, and use the authority they have been given by their Creator to call upon His power [inside them] to establish this world as His Kingdom.
     They are battle-tested and battle-ready.  And even more precious to us women, they protect, shield, guard, encourage, and love their families. And I'm proud to call them my husband, my "spiritual son", and my spiritual "brother" in Christ.  May God strengthen them, nourish them, and sustain them in their purpose for His Kingdom.  I know that crowns await them in heaven.

Ephesians 6:10     "In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might."



   

March 5, 2017

Matthew 5:3-12

And He opened His mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are...


      This begins what the Bible calls "The Beatitudes", which means condition or statement of blessedness.  As Jesus teaches the multitudes on an undisclosed mount, He reveals the ethics or value system of the Kingdom of God, about which He was sent to preach the Good News (Luke 4:43).  In the prior chapter of Matthew, Jesus called for "repentance, because the Kingdom of God was at hand". In Matthew 5, Jesus explains how repentant people should live their lives under God's rule.  The world has yet to recognize the Kingdom, but by following the moral codes and standard of behavior laid out in the Beatitudes, the followers of Christ will be prepared for the Day that God will judge the world and reign on earth.  
     These Kingdom ethics will not be easily embraced by the selfish and arrogant of the world, but will be words of comfort and solace to the brokenhearted. The words were radical for those who first heard them, and are still revolutionary to the modern mind and intellect. But those who humble themselves and embrace these principles will be blessed in this age and the age to come.  Here is what Jesus wants us to understand....
     Blessed are the poor in spirit; for their's is the kingdom of heaven.  Without Jesus and the Holy Spirit, I am spiritually bankrupt and without moral virtue.  I am like a beggar who must rely on God's Power in my spirit and in my life.  Only those who recognize their poverty in spirit will be rewarded with the kingdom of heaven.
     Blessed are they that mourn; for they will be comforted.  I express my deep grief before God for my fallen state; I recognize my depraved state and that I am worthy of His judgment and Death.  But because of my humble assessment, I have found a path to God, and I will be comforted by His grace and mercy.
     Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.  I proclaim my willingness to be obedient, and to submit and work under the authority and power of Jesus.  My reward and inheritance will be to rule and reign with Him on the earth.
     Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.  It will be my lifelong mission to hunger after a life that reflects Jesus.  With this thirst for more of Him I will develop the character traits of mercy and a pure heart, which will result in greater intimacy with the Lord.
     Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy.  I will extend the same mercy to others, that my God has given me, whether they deserve it or not.  For, I certainly did not deserve it, yet God stretched out His hand to me.  I trust that the Lord will honor my acts of concern for others.
     Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.  The heart is where the Holy Spirit takes up residence, and I will endeavor to live a life that maintains a heart that is genuine, sincere, and uncontaminated by the world.  And with a pure heart, I know that I will enjoy greater intimacy with God, which is the ultimate goal in my relationship with Him.
     Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children [the sons and daughters] of God.  I pray that I can become a person of great passion for reconciliation between all people. I want to reflect the peace and harmony of heaven on earth, and to be a person of action to bring it about.
     Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness' sake; for their's is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake.  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in heaven; for they persecuted the prophets in the same manner; those prophets who came before you.  Persecution is how the world will receive those of us who follow Christ, because our values and character traits are opposite of the world's thinking and the principles they embrace.  But, by sharing in and enduring the persecution that our Lord and the prophets experienced, we will be declaring to the world and our spiritual Enemy whose side we are on. When the End of this Age comes, and the world is judged, we will receive our reward and inheritance as the sons and daughters, and co-heirs, with Christ. 
     In summary, the Beatitudes convey the blessings of belonging to the Kingdom of God and the spiritual implications of Jesus's rule in our lives.  These should be the spiritual attitudes, goals, and character traits of all Christians. I must admit that I have been surprised to find that a great number of Church-going Christians cannot explain the meaning or ramifications of these blessings that are a central component of Jesus's Gospel of the Kingdom. That is a sad appraisal of the state of the Church.  Let us determine that from this day forward we will embody these principles so that all the world will know what it means to be a Christian, and the extent of His rule in our lives.   
      

March 3, 2017

Is There A Change In The [Spiritual] Air?

     I had just finished writing Wednesday's post, and having no clear word from the Holy Spirit on what I could write on behalf of the Lord, I began perusing some of the Christian websites to see if I received any kind of prompting.  I will admit that there are days that I find it difficult to write.  I never want to write for myself, but there are some times when I have a hard time hearing from God, and I struggle with making sure that what I write glorifies Him.  After all, I know that is why I have been given some degree of writing talent; it's not about me!
     Then after discerning that we Christians need to offer up intercessory prayer on behalf of our nation, I find two seemingly small stories, but both having the potential to have a huge impact on how God might view our nation.  The first may seem as if it serves a political interest, but there is a much deeper implication. At a rally in Melbourne, Florida, First Lady Melania Trump was on stage to introduce her husband, the President.  But before fulfilling that duty, she simply stated, "Let us pray", and then recited the Lord's Prayer. No fanfare; no long, winding speech paying homage to a picture of a "universal god" acceptable to all religions ... this was a humble and reverent prayer to the Christian God, Jehovah.
     At first, this may seem as if I am blowing the importance of her prayer out of proportion.  But if you regard the recent efforts of the Ecumenical Movement to bring all religions and ideologies under one umbrella, then what the First Lady did made a very powerful statement.  You may not know this, but at the first Ecumenical Assembly held in Amsterdam in 1948, the motto 'ONE WORLD -- ONE CHURCH' was adopted. Since then, we have seen a disintegration of the supremacy of Jesus Christ and Christianity in our national dialogue. Recent Inaugural prayers have invoked the "name of the Almighty", instead of "in the Name of Jesus Christ", and "under God" was often left out of the Pledge of Allegiance.
     By praying the way in which Jesus instructed us, Melania Trump established very clearly that she was praying to the One True God, and that she is a Christian.  Of course, there were the same old detractors, calling for separation of Church and State, but where in the Constitution does it say that our elected officials cannot be Christian? And then there were the pathetic people on social media who bashed her for her accent and "butchering" of the Lord's Prayer. Do you think that any of these people are the same ones who are screaming loudly for the acceptance of immigrants into our country? The hypocrisy is not only revolting, but deceitful.
     And I would like to say that I actually prefer this prayer over the intercessory prayer that I wrote in yesterday's blog.  It says all there is to say ... It declares that His Name is Holy; separate and set apart from other "little g" gods. It asks for God's Will to be done here on earth, just as it is fulfilled in Heaven. It speaks of repentance and forgiveness; and asks that we be delivered from temptation and evil. And it finishes with the declaration that this earth belongs to Him -- It is HIS Kingdom, and all Power and Glory belong to HIM, and Him alone.  No, what Melania Trump did on that stage may not have meant much to the millions who criticized her, but I can guarantee you that she struck a mighty blow for YHWH in the spiritual realm!
     Now, the second piece of news that I discern of great significance was barely covered by the news outlets. It came and went, with little interest by the designers of social commentary.  It was the death of Norma McCorvey, better known as Jane Doe in the Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion in this country.  The importance of her life was not that she became the symbol of Pro-Choice advocates, or that she represented modern feminism, or even that she was a picture of protecting women from the consequences of rape.  The truth is that she was never raped, nor did she have an abortion.  The truth is that she was at times both a sympathetic character and a foil for those who could use her troubled past for their purposes -- to push abortion as a matter of urgent importance to American women.
     And she was an easy target for the devil.  According to one article written about her, "Her grandmother was a prostitute and fortuneteller. Her father was a television repairman, her mother an alcoholic. Part Cajun, part Cherokee Indian, and raised as a Jehovah’s Witness, Norma Leah Nelson was 10 when she took money from the gas station where she worked to run away from home. After that, her education came from reform schools until the ninth grade. By the time she was 15, she had been sexually assaulted by a nun and a male relative of her mother’s. At 16, she married an itinerant steel worker, Woody McCorvey, who, she says, beat her. She left him and returned to her mother’s house in Dallas with plans to raise her unborn child alone".  There is so much legal authority for the devil to use her as his pawn that she made a perfect scapegoat for his diabolical scheme.
     There followed another out-of-wedlock pregnancy, a foray into lesbianism, and finally, the third pregnancy, which resulted in an abominable alliance with Lawyer, Sarah Weddington, who had had an abortion, herself, but who needed a down-and-out "victim" to push her case all the way to the Supreme Court.  In fact, McCorvey's only real contribution to the case was signing the initial affidavit without even reading it, and she “was never invited into court. I never testified. I was never present before any court on any level, and I was never at any hearing on my case . . . I found out about the decision from the newspaper just like the rest of the country".  Furthermore, McCorvey alleged that she didn't really understand what was involved in an abortion; she did not understand that it resulted in the end of a life. She claimed that her lawyer, Weddington, told her "it's just tissue". But Norma McCorvey suited the purposes of Weddington and the devil, and the rest is history.  Through her initial compliance, over 59 million babies have been aborted in this country since 1973 ... and still counting.
     If there is any victory in the life of Norma McCorvey, it is that she reportedly had a sincere spiritual conversion in 1995, repented for her compliance in Roe v. Wade, and became a fierce opponent of the abortion movement.  Although, her pro-life stance and attempts to have the case reopened and overturned never resulted in undoing the sacrifice of millions of unborn babies, at the end of her life, she stated that "no woman had the right to act as her own God", determining whether a baby lived or died.
     So I am left wondering if these two events involving these two women will have any real impact upon the spiritual battle that wages over the United States. Will the death of Norma McCorvey, a tragic figure manipulated by the spirit of Molech and his willing human accomplices, signal a shift in the spiritual winds?  With her premature death at the age of 69, might we hope for the death of the abortion rights that carry her name?  And does the invoking of the Biblically-endorsed Standard for Christian prayer by the First Lady of this nation, indicate a rebirth of Christian power and authority? Can we look upon this simple gesture as the willingness of those put in positions of Leadership at the behest of God, to honor and follow Him in the administration of this nation? History will tell. Until then, let us never lose sight that there is a battle on earth for men's souls and spirits.  The battle is the Lord's and He has already defeated Death. Let us stand firm, looking forward to the Day He returns to defeat evil once for all.

Proverbs 10:28     The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.

   
 
   

March 1, 2017

A Prayer For Our Nation

   
     It goes without saying that our nation faces critical times. There is blatant strife and conflict in all the arenas of our life: social, political, racial, cultural, and religious. People are divided like I have never seen them in my lifetime... and I can remember the Vietnam War, the political assassinations, and the racial riots. But now, if you wear the wrong T-shirt into a crowd, you are inviting violence. No one trusts the media; and we find it difficult to trust each other. And if all this discord and dissension weren't enough, now we hear that witches, satanists, and occultists are joining forces for a planned ritual in which they intend to destroy the President of this nation. I kid you not!
     They plan on invoking "demons of the infernal realms" in order to bind President Trump and all who encourage, promote, or assist him. I want to be very clear, this is not a blog about Donald Trump.  This is a post about the very real spiritual war that is being waged on our country, regardless of who you voted for. It is about the false gods that this nation serves. And it's about how far off the rails we have come; about all the various religions that we follow that do not worship the One True God. And it's about the chaos that has ensued because of these ungodly and sinful influences.
     To bring it all into perspective, I want to share a new insight I received yesterday as I pursued a new study I am doing on The Lord's Feasts.  Next month will begin the holy Passover week, which the Lord instituted so that the tribes of Israel might commemorate Him bringing them out of 430 years of enslavement to the Egyptian false god system.  Throughout their ancient history, the Egyptians worshipped as many as 2,000 different gods at different times and in different places.  But in the story of Israel's Exodus from Egypt, we encounter the ten plagues that God brought against the idolatrous Egyptians.  The number ten is significant in the Bible, signifying "a fullness of quantity".  Therefore, God is telling us that the ten plagues means Egypt was completely plagued with sin and idolatry.  Furthermore, each of the ten plagues God brought against them was a spiritual battle against a specific god.
     In particular, here are the gods or goddesses of Egypt that correspond to the type of plague God pronounced in this spiritual battle for the Israelites: the plague of the Nile turning to blood (Hapi - Egyptian god of the Nile); frogs coming from the Nile (Heket - Egyptian goddess of fertility, water, and renewal); lice from the dust of the earth (Geb - Egyptian god of the earth); swarms of flies (Khebri - Egyptian god of creation, movement of the sun, rebirth); death of cattle and livestock (Hathor - Egyptian goddess of love and protection); ashes turned to boils and sores (Isis - Egyptian goddess of medicine and peace); hail rained down in the form of fire (Nut - Egyptian goddess of the sky); locusts sent from the sky (Seth - Egyptian god of storms and disorder); three days of complete darkness (Ra - the sun god); death of the firstborn (Pharaoh - the ultimate power of Egypt, and a symbol of an anti-Christ spirit.
     As you will notice, each of the plagues increases in severity along with the increased power of the corresponding gods.  The Lord names His demand in these series of spiritual battles: "Let my people go, that they might serve ME!" But the spiritual forces of evil do not relent, and God pronounces that He will execute judgment against ALL THE GODS OF EGYPT.
Ra, the Sun god
     Here's what we need to understand... this is not some metaphorical fairy tale of the mythological gods of ancient Egypt.  These gods were real and they practiced their power and influence among all the people living in Egypt -- even the Israelites.  The people of Israel had been crying out to the Lord for centuries for release from their bondage, but even in their misery, their relationship with the Lord had suffered. There is now a battle between God and these other gods over the very people God has called His Own. And you know what?  The same could be said of the chaos, division, and corruptive ways we are now seeing in our nation.
     So, we have to ask ourselves: is the same thing happening in America today? Are other gods battling with the One True God for the heart and soul of our nation? We have always prided ourselves on being a melting pot; a nation where all faiths are welcome and no practice of religion is forbidden. And I know that I will receive condemnation for being exclusive, but how does our God feel about that, and are we due His judgment for participating in worship of Allah, Buddha, Shiva, the Angel Moroni, the Pope, or any other spirit behind men that proclaims they are "from God"? And what are we to do about it?
      Now, I know that this nation is our temporary home. But it is also territory that we, as Christians, are to claim for the Kingdom of God.  So it is in our interest, and the interest of God, to get in this spiritual battle, which is no different than the one waged in ancient Egypt. And one way that we can do that together is intercessory prayer; it worked for the prophets Ezekiel and Samuel; and worthy role models, they are.
     First, let's understand what intercessory prayer is.  It should go without saying that intercessory prayer is the action of intervening on behalf of another by praying for them. We petition God for mercy on their behalf. And I believe that God honors intercessory prayer because it shows a heart that seeks God's good and perfect will for another; a heart that pleads for the sake of another.
     And a benefit of intercessory prayer is that it brings us into communion with Christ, who is the Son of El Elyon, the Most High God, and who is Intercessor for all men. As Charles Spurgeon so eloquently put it, "When we pray for our fellow sinners we are in sympathy with our Divine Savior, who made intercession for the transgressors." We also walk in the shoes of Samuel and Ezekiel, Israel's devoted Prophets who prayed for the wayward nation of Israel. And if any nation can be described as wayward -- perverse, disobedient, rebellious, defiant, erratic -- it is the United States of America. I believe the division, discord, and defiance we are seeing in our nation is a result of the influence of other gods. And should someone want to put forth the argument that allowing everyone to worship the god of their choice brings about an all-embracing, all-inclusive and universal understanding of our differences and can actually promote unity in our acceptance of each other, let me ask you this ... how is it working for us?  I see more animosity, prejudice, and hostility than ever before; and combined with pornography, sex-trafficking, illegal drugs, and pedophilia, we are seeing the strategic battle plans of other gods who wish to defeat God's Ultimate Plan for reconciliation with the world.
     So, I would like to propose an intercessory prayer on behalf of our nation; a prayer in which we can join together to plead before our Father in Heaven.  It is not the perfect prayer, but a starting place for each of us to petition God for His mercy upon this land:
    

     Father God, we boldly and confidently come before your Throne today, to plead our spiritual condition as a nation.  Father, we know that the Blood of Christ is always before your Throne, interceding on our behalf, but we want to take responsibility for the state of this nation, and to repent for not turning away from the world and following Jesus with our whole heart.
      Father, we are guilty of bowing down at the altar of Molech, legislating the shedding of the innocent blood of millions of babies.  We have profaned your Church by allowing the sinful practices of the world to infiltrate your sanctuary, and the conspiracies of false prophets to blaspheme your holy laws.  We have allowed the Leaders of this land to practice extortion and commit robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy through political systems, and have taken advantage of those seeking refuge, without maintaining the protection of the righteous -- all without godly justice.
     We see the increase of sexual perversion in our land, and the cost it is enacting upon our families, our children, our marriages, and the truly vulnerable. We admit that we have not always treated our bodies as a holy Temple for Your Spirit, and that grieves us. 
     Father, we recognize that Your Judgment is due upon this land; that we have made no distinction between what is Holy and what is common or evil in Your eyes.  We acknowledge that we have made the worship of other gods equal to the worship of You and Your Son.  Father, we repent of these sins and plead the blood of Jesus upon all our transgressions.
     So, now we come before Your Throne, asking for forgiveness and that you release Your Power and Fire to burn up the works of darkness in this nation.  And because we have been given Power and Authority by Jesus to carry on His work of destroying the works of the devil, we release that fire of God [within us] to burn up the idols of this land.  Let the works of witchcraft and occultism be burned in Your fire.  
     We release the Sword of the Lord against the powers of hell, in the Name of Jesus. Let every altar erected by the Enemy, and the idols and images of the land be broken by Your Power, Oh Lord.  And, in the Name of Jesus, we bind the principalities and powers in the regions where we live, and we ask that you pour Your contempt upon these demon princes.  Break their strength, and bring down the proud and the arrogant, cleansing this land of all unholiness and unrighteousness.
    And Father, we ask that You release Your flood waters of Holy justice to rain down on this land, returning us to a righteous and godly people.  LORD, we know that the day will come when You will come in a flood of Godly Power, and all the floodwaters of sin and ungodliness will give way to fresh floods of Your Glory. Father, we pray that that Day will come soon; a Day when we will see Your Kingdom fully established on this earth, and the Prince of Darkness and his demons judged and defeated.  We thank You for the Grace and Mercy You have extended to us, and humbly ask that You bless this land, causing Your face to shine upon us, and that Your Way may be known upon this land and upon the entire earth. We pray for Your Salvation among this nation unto the ends of the earth. May You yield favor and increase upon us as we pray that Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Amen.

1 Samuel 12:20, 22     "Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart ... For the Lord will not forsake His people, for His great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for Himself".


   

February 27, 2017

We Aren't Fooling The Devil!

     Today's post goes hand-in-hand with my thoughts and opinion on Sunday's Scripture, Mark 7:13.  When we follow the traditions of men, instead of the Authority of the Word, then we are, as the Apostle Paul expressed in 2 Timothy 3:5, having a form of godliness, but denying the power of the faith [we] claim to embrace.
     He is writing from prison to encourage Timothy that he will soon face growing opposition, yet great opportunities to witness of the Power of God in a person's life.  The same holds true for us today, even as Paul's forecast of what mankind will become reflects our current society: lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane, [and they will be] unloving [devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhumane], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control [intemperate, immoral], brutal, haters of good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God.
     Yet what is the response of Christians?  Are we coming together as one Body to counter these influences of the Enemy in the world? Do we put the stability and advancement of the Kingdom of God [on earth] before our own security and peace of mind?  Or do we sit silently in our church buildings, cleaving to the belief that we are saved, are sealed with the Holy Spirit, and just have to keep waiting expectantly for Jesus to appear in the sky and whisk us to heaven?
     That train of thought has been prevalent among Christians who reject any thought of preparing for "a worst-case scenario".  When the Prepper movement gained momentum a few years back, there were those among the faithful who denied the need to make any kind of provision in case of catastrophic emergencies, whether it be political, social, or natural disaster.  Their theology convinced them to think like this: "I trust God to take care of me; If this is the end, I will be raptured out of here, and all that prepping will be for nought".  But here's the thing ... the Bible doesn't promise that. In fact, it presents a picture of the world sinking into pandemonium before Christ's return.
     Furthermore, the Bible states explicitly that it will be the Body of Christ; the Believers; the Church who will suffer the most. It will be necessary for us to cry out to the Lord to endure the coming troubles and times of persecution.  And I don't think we Christians in the West have any idea of how that will look. You see, I'm not sure we adequately understand that we are, first and foremost, a spiritual creation in the form of a flesh-and-bone body. We are too comfortable in the body and we wrap our materialism around us like a protective shield, while not doing enough to fortify our spirit. We are ignorant that our power lies in our spirit, and not in what we have in this world.
     And that pertains to the practice of our faith, too.  As Christians, we tend to practice our faith in formulas or methods that give an appearance [which can be either sincere or insincere] of trying to please God.  But this is just an outward expression of faith, often resulting in little fruit for the Kingdom.  The true power of our faith lies in the communion of our spirit with the Holy Spirit, as evidenced at Pentecost, of which Jesus told the Apostles, You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. That is the same power that indwells you and me when we accept Christ into our hearts as our Savior. And without the Holy Spirit and the power He brings, we experience spiritual death, and the works of the body are dead, too.
     So, what does it mean to have "a form of godliness"?  I would submit that it is attention to the details God has asked us to do in acting out our faith; the ordinances He has commanded us to do.  Scripturally, that is Baptism and the Lord's Supper. But does every person who gets baptized or partakes of the Lord's Supper godly? Are they God-fearing? Do they exhibit a spirit of the power of God that produces fruit for the Kingdom?
     Another form of godliness is answering the Lord's call to associate in worship.  We have church buildings full of people who congregate together in the name of Jesus.  But is the power of the Holy Spirit felt in those buildings?  Or are they just "the form" without "the power"?  You can have two or three gathered together in His Name, or you can have thousands, but if the house of God is only full of outward religious talk and empty activities; devoid of "heart faith", then the Holy Spirit and His power have left the building.
     I fear we have become too casual about accepting the appearance of godliness.  It is easy to put on that form of which Paul speaks: we tell ourselves we come from generations of Church-goers; it's almost a hereditary right to call ourselves godly. Or we find ourselves with prestigious titles of Pastor, Deacon, Elder, Sunday School Teacher; all forms of influence which can take on the appearance of godliness.  And how many people who have "walked the aisle" or answered an altar call, did so because others did, or it was expected of them by family, or they felt pressured by a well-meaning Church member or teacher?  That constitutes a "form" of godliness without the true power of God.
     After all, a form of godliness brings respect and a feeling of belonging; and the Enemy whispers to us that it's okay to pretend we're godly ... Jesus won't turn us down at the Pearly Gates because we fit all the outward requirements. Well, we may fool men, but Jesus and the Devil aren't fooled!  Without the power of the Holy Spirit indwelling our hearts, we don't exhibit the life and the force of Jesus in our daily walk.  He tells us in Matthew 7:22, Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’  Certainly, they were doing what Jesus had commanded them to do, and could be called "godly", right?  And yet, Jesus says He will deny them when He returns.  They were exhibiting a "form" of godliness, but lacked the power of the "heart relationship" with Jesus; that's where the power resides.  Sadly, today, we don't even measure up to that form of godliness -- we don't follow His commands to do those things He did, and we don't even know we have the power to do them!
     I want to conclude by giving us a picture of what godliness with the blessed power of the Holy Spirit looks like. A truly Godly man recognizes his state, repents and asks for forgiveness.  A Godly man seeks God with all his heart and desires to serve His Kingdom above all else.  A Godly man partners with God and the Holy Spirit to see His power manifested on earth.  In short, True Godliness incorporates spiritual power, not just external "forms", or outlines, or appearances of godliness.  When we add the "power of Jesus" to our godliness and obedience to His ordinances and commands, we are unstoppable.  We literally have the power to heal the sick and to cast out demons; and the gates of hell will not prevail against us! The Enemy recognizes that we aren't just a shell of religious devotion; that we actually have the power of the God of Heaven in us and behind us. We need to stop denying who we are and the power we have been given!

2 Timothy 1:7     "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control".


   
     

February 26, 2017

Mark 7:13

So you nullify the [authority of the] word of God [acting as if it did not apply] because of your tradition which you have handed down 
[through the elders]. And you do many things such as that.

"Christ and the Pharisees" by Ernst Zimmerman (1870-1944)
    


      The context of this passage is that we see Jesus addressing the Pharisees after they have confronted Him about the actions of His disciples.  They asked the Lord why His followers did not live their lives according to the traditions of the elders -- specifically, that they ate without cleansing themselves completely (according to the ancient rituals).
     Jesus doesn't hold anything back when answering them.  He calls them hypocrites, which in the Greek means, pretending to play a part.  He then goes on to say that the prophet Isaiah described such religious pretenders like this:  professing faith in God, while their hearts were empty of His presence; their worship was merely a pretense (a false display of feelings, attitudes, and intentions). Isaiah went on to declare that these kinds of people and religious leaders teach the rules and doctrines of men -- giving their traditions and ideology equal weight (value, significance) as the Scriptures.
     Jesus then adds His own evaluation of their words and actions: The religious leaders were clinging faithfully to their man-made traditions, while disregarding and neglecting the commandments of God.  External appearances and man-made rituals and doctrines were replacing the Divine rule of God. And then came the final pronouncement:  They have made the Word of God of "none effect". Various translations use the word "disannul" or "nullify" [as here in the Amplified Bible]. The significance of this word is the effect it has to "deprive of authority".
     By choosing to follow their own rules and rituals, which were adaptations of the Scripture, these men were robbing the Word of God of any authority it might have had.  They were acting as if the traditions and rituals handed down to them by religious leaders and elders of the Faith took supremacy over what God had commanded them to do. In essence, they were acting as if God's Word did not apply to them and they had chosen to follow men instead.  In this case, it was only about cleansing before eating, but Jesus accuses them of doing many more things that followed man's guidelines rather than God's.
     Are we any different today?  I would venture to say that we all have our "doctrines" that we swear are supported by the Bible. Two thousand years of Church creeds, tenets, dogma, canons, and reformations have made it near impossible to be completely free of some man-made doctrine. When you just consider the basic doctrines of the Christian faith, you can see where man's influence has resulted in the confusion over God's Word, and the lack of the absolute authority of YHWH alone.
     How many different opinions do modern Christians have about The Trinity, the Deity of Christ, Jesus's Second Coming, Salvation, Baptism, The Lord's Supper?  And what about The Tribulation?  There are Christians who can't agree whether Christ's return is Pre-, Mid-, or Post-.  Then there is the Millennial Kingdom.  We have believers calling themselves pre-millennialists, post-millenialists, and amillenialists. We have Calvinists and Arminians. We have Dispensationalists, Evangelicals, and Zionists.  Not to mention all the "movements" within Christianity: the Emergent movement, the Charismatic movement, the Prosperity Movement, the Free Grace movement [which somehow differentiates itself from the Grace movement], the Hebrew Roots movement, the Lesbian and Gay Christian movement, the Restoration movement... and the list keeps growing. And how many people have searched the Word to see if what they believe actually adheres to God's commandments? Have we made Him our authority, or are we following the traditions of men in the Church?
     But what do they all have in common? They all look to some man's interpretation of Scripture to define their faith! Can you see that all these names are just modern renditions of "Pharisee" and "Sadducee"?  We have all been guilty, at one time or another, of applying some man-made tradition to our worship of YHWH.  And like Jesus said, we disregard and neglect the commandment of God, and cling [faithfully] to the tradition of men.  We have followed the tenets and teachings of our particular denominations, often not even bothering to see if they are confirmed by Scripture.  By doing that, who are we giving authority to? If we aren't searching the Word of God to see what He commands of us in any particular tradition or ritual of our church, then we are certainly not making Him the principal authority.  And if we don't care enough to even "check and verify", what does that tell Him about how we regard His Word? Aren't we just as guilty of "disregarding and neglecting" God's commandments as these religious leaders in Mark, Chapter 7?
     Throughout the centuries, men have left their mark on God's Word. Whether it has been John Calvin, Martin Luther, William Tynedale, John Wesley, or Billy Graham, men have long attempted to interpret God for God.  I am not disparaging the faith of these men, nor necessarily negating their impact on millions of people who might not have known God otherwise.  But just like the traditions of the Jewish elders prior to Christ, they have often added new layers of interpretation to God's Word. When in reality, He doesn't need any other interpreter than the Holy Spirit, about whom Jesus told us, when He, the [Holy] Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [full and complete truth]. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father—the message regarding the Son], and He will disclose to you what is to come [in the future]. 
     How much of what we hear and believe and practice in the Church today comes from the initiatives of men? I clearly remember a time when the Holy Spirit whispered to my spirit, and I began to feel empty and unfed. It was difficult to accept, but I had to admit that as I sat in Church each Sunday I wasn't hearing or tuning into the Holy Spirit. Then it was as if He said, Why are you sitting there listening and not seeking for yourself?  I have so much more to share with you; truths and commands from the Father that you have never heard. Seek Him and His Son [in His Word] and I will show you new things you are to do for the Kingdom of God, for it is time for you to live out your faith, and you don't even know what that looks like. Stop giving men your devotion and look to the Lord for His full revelation.
     I know there are more Christians like me; faithful Believers who are waking up to the fact that we have been blindly following the traditions that have been handed down from the elders of our denominations. We want the direct revelation from the authoritative voice of God, and we are throwing off labels and religious titles for the one designation that counts ... Child of God and Follower of Jesus.  By doing that, we are seeing the Word through fresh and uncompromised eyes and hearts.  We are now seeing, for the first time, the commandments to heal, and to cast out demons, and the part we are to play in advancing the Kingdom of God on earth.  We no longer shy away from the "difficult" Scriptures because no one in our Church can explain them.  We recognize that God and Jesus are the authorities to which we answer, and I am so blessed to be among a growing number of Christians who are listening to the Holy Spirit, and seeking God's authority in revealing His Truth.