The Word From the Lord is "Restored Families"

 

That is what I heard in my spirit as I asked Jesus how we can save this nation. That may sound confusing or too simple to some, but it cannot be denied that we have been seeing the deterioration of the American family for some time now. God's plan for the family unit has degenerated from the Biblical model He established as a father, mother, and children to become any combination the human mind can imagine ... two fathers or two mothers with science-enhanced children; children who choose to change gender; children born outside of wedlock, and far too many one-parent families.  Furthermore, children were called blessings by God, and He instructed His creation to "be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and govern it". But men sacrificed their children to idols, and children became a commodity; to be eliminated when desired. God grieved then ... and He grieves now.

You see, the Bible chronicles the effects of disobedience so well. And although it might seem an exaggeration, the Word shows us that it only takes one generation to abandon the morality established by God in order for a nation to fall away from Him. The result of this rebellion is the absence of the Presence of God, and a generation that loses His blessings as they choose to follow other gods. The great English theologian John Wesley stated it perfectly: "What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace". There has been a continual sliding away from Godly principles towards lives that mimic the temptations of the world. 

When this nation was founded, the majority of the country looked to the Bible when establishing its laws and governmental structure, its educational systems, and the accepted conduct of society. And the nation flourished. But just like ancient Israel, when one generation begins abandoning God and His commandments, disobedience becomes the norm, and the next generation no longer knows the boundaries that holiness establishes. It happened over and over again in the Bible... the people would rebel, God would rebuke them and turn them over to the consequences of their choices and the idolization and worship of false gods became the pattern. They would repent, God would forgive them and bless them and they would again prosper until another generation began corrupting God's guidelines and the moral decay would start all over again.

Nothing is different here in modern-day America. And this pattern is easy to see among our own families and generations.  Two generations ago, families attended church together; they knew the Lord and the history of faith in their bloodlines. Today, it is rare for the Millennial generation to declare faith in a God they've never known, or to acknowledge that they are bowing down to the false gods of our culture: entertainment, technology, social media, material wealth, sex, or politics. 

But who is to blame for this decline in our families, culture, and nation? In the Bible it was the parents and the priests. Same thing now ... for the 246 years this nation has existed, it has been the parents and the pastors who kept us on track. But one only has to look at how both of those turned from the God of the Bible [as their guide] and began to conform to the dictates of the world. The parents lost their way, turning the instruction of their children over to the programs of godless universities. The churches lost their way, allowing the government to determine what they could teach and preach. And both became part of a nation that once followed the ways of the Lord, but no longer knew Him and did evil in His sight. We have a generation whose god is their phone and Social Media -- it is where they get their morals, their identity, and their value. 

Ancient Israel always seemed to have a king who rose up and returned the people to the Most High God. This ruler would remind the people of all God had done for them; he would remind people of their history with God. I fear that we have a more difficult struggle because our history is being revised, rewritten and erased. The Kingdom of God is a concept to be ridiculed and mocked. And too often, it has become a buzz word in the Church as the latest theme for evangelism; it's trendy, but no real staying power. Where are the Spurgeons, the Tozers, the Moodys? Although I am greatly heartened as I see individual Christians and the remnant fervently seeking to make the Kingdom a reality, we need to see Church unity become a force for real change in the moral foundation of this country.

Also, I think we have forgotten that we serve a jealous God. He is Jehovah Qanna. He will not stand for any rival. He is not envious; that signifies greed. Our God possesses righteous jealousy because of the Goodness of His love for us, His children, and His relationship with us. He desires our worship because He deserves it; He is the best thing for us. And if we are worshiping anything besides Him, we are headed down a path to destruction.

So, it is time for us to repent and return to the path of righteousness in this nation. And it starts with restoring our families! God will once again bless this nation with His righteousness and prosperity when we dedicate ourselves to raising up a generation that will abandon the ways of the world to follow Him, and Him only! This nation can be redeemed when our churches start equipping their members to resist the secular culture; teach the children [in spite of what Twitter or Facebook says] that all gods are not the same; throw off the shackles of government; and actually GO OUT to disciple and baptize in the Name of Jesus!

Let us not see the name of America be dragged through the mud any longer. Let us fortify the next generation with the Truth of the Word so that they might know the Lord. And it starts with the family. Enemies of God have always found it easy to corrupt a God-fearing nation when the people get lax about securing faith for the next generation. It is up to us to begin restoring our generations to a knowledge of the One True God. Without Him, we will continue to compromise and fall for the lies of false prophets. It is time we declare that we have the power of the Holy Spirit with us and in us! We can overcome the rebellion against God and re-establish our greatness when we restore our families. Let those with ears to hear, receive the Word from the Lord!

Psalm 71:18   Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim Your power to this new generation, Your mighty miracles to all who come after me.

 

Are You Prepared For A Journey In The Wilderness?

Remember the story of the Israelites wandering in the desert/wilderness for 40 years after their Exodus from Egypt? Have you ever studied why they were denied entry into the Promised Land? In short, it was a matter of trust. God comes to Moses who is tending his father-in-law's flock in Midian and announces that He has come to earth "to rescue His people from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8). 

As they approach the Promised Land, God instructs Moses to send 12 spies to survey the land. After 40 days of exploration, ten of the spies gave a bad report ... "We look like grasshoppers to them"! Only Joshua and Caleb said, "We can do this"! And who did the people believe? The doubters! And because of their doubt and unbelief, God sentenced them to wander for 40 years before allowing them to enter the Promised Land -- one year for every day they explored the Promised Land. It was a time of apostasy (Gold Calf) as well as miracles (manna from Heaven); a time of failure and of ultimate victory. 

So, this is what lack of trust in God and His promises looks like. We would do well to take note. America has always been seen as the land of milk and honey, but what can we expect if we show contempt to [and for] God like the Israelites did? And what is it like if you find yourself in a desert or wilderness not of your own making? Is God still the God of promises? I suspect that we may yet know what that looks like in our lifetime.

But I would like to share a personal testimony that will give you hope of how God provides and protects when we walk by faith and not by sight. This is a story of the period in my life that I refer to as “My Seven Years in the Wilderness”.  But I don’t associate my “wilderness” as it is usually ascribed in the Bible. As I stated above, most will think of the Golden Calf and the failure to follow God’s commandments. Those were definitely deserving of punishment, which is how we usually see that episode of history. But we fail to see that those 40 years were also a time God was calling the Israelites back to Him; to reveal Himself to them and begin to prune them for a greater purpose.

 

Likewise, my seven years in the wilderness were not a form of God’s punishment for any rebelliousness or disobedience on my part. On the contrary, it was a time of drawing me out of the world and into a place of refining and removing the obstacles to our relationship. It was where I learned to rely on Jesus. Let me explain… The year is 2001. My husband, Mark, has been gifted by God with an amazing artistic talent and he had come to me five years prior, saying that he wanted to leave his corporate job and pursue a professional art career, believing that God was calling him down this path. I knew and believed in his talent and didn’t want him to one day be 70 years old and wish he had trusted his instinct. So we agreed that I would continue working my job, supporting us with my paycheck as he got his career off the ground. We happily sacrificed to embrace this new adventure, and true to His promise, the Lord was faithful to Mark as he worked hard to develop his natural skills and grow in reputation due to his talent. 

 

At the end of five years, he came to me and said if he was going to advance to the next stage of his career, he needed my help to take over the business end, i.e. building and maintaining a web site, scheduling shows, ordering supplies, handling travel arrangements and applications to art shows, and all the accounting duties. He needed to free up his time to meet the growing demand for his art... (Gulp)! We’d gone from two guaranteed paychecks to one, and now, could I go from my guaranteed paycheck to no paycheck? Could we make it on the sporadic (and definitely unguaranteed) income of an emerging artist? I used to laugh when Mark would say that “artist” was the only occupation that had the word “starving” preceding it. That didn’t seem so funny now.

 

But how could I say no? I believed more than ever in his talent and that we had made the right decision, but the fear of lack of money that I had inherited from my father was soon my constant companion. I had been raised to never be late paying a bill, and to always make sure you had the money in the bank to take care of all your expenses. My father did not possess trust in the Lord, and while I was saved and knew in my heart that He was leading us on this journey, I had to confront that generational bondage of fear and learn to throw off those chains.

 

I’m not lying when I say that it was a struggle for me. The cost of living was too high in Austin, where we were living at the time, and we knew we had to move from a home his parents owned. So, I turned in my resignation at my job, and prepared to take the biggest leap of faith at that time in my life. We had friends who arranged for a seven-year lease on 169 acres outside a dusty little town situated 90 miles west of San Antonio. There was a little farmhouse on the property, which was going to need to be renovated to be habitable, and although we were only leasing, we decided to take out a small loan to remodel it and make it comfortable for the next seven years.

 

So, we spent the next couple of months buying supplies and traveling the two hours back and forth from Austin to Sabinal, tearing out walls, pulling up orange shag carpet, refurbishing hardwood floors, and installing new cabinets. It was bright and early one Tuesday morning in September, when we exited Lowe’s with our cabinets and turned on the radio in the truck to hear that the first plane had crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York. We looked at each other in utter shock, knowing our world was about to change in a drastic way, and Mark said, “Well, it’s a great time to be an artist”. 

 

But while my mind authomatically went to fear and doubt, I was blessed to be married to a man who dug deep into his faith and soldiered on, believing that God would never abandon us. He deserves so much favor from God for the patience he showed me in those years, because the Enemy knew right where to aim his fiery dart. I was going to have to learn to adjust on many levels. I had a strong work ethic, and was used to working an 8-5 job and putting in long hours when needed to make sure I did my job well. I no longer had that structure and I found myself lost with how to occupy and organize my time and new duties. I actually felt guilty if I wasn’t doing something every hour of the day. I didn’t know how to enjoy the freedom of being self-employed and the rewards of being in control of your own opportunities and destiny. 

 

On top of that, I was struggling with the change [and real] difference in our income. I had to learn how to budget differently because in the art business, you never know when a sale will come your way. You might be rolling in the dough one month and make zilch the next. I was constantly aware of how much was in the bank and looking at the stack of bills before me. I prayed for God to take the fear from me, and to help me to trust Him. I knew my doubt and unbelief were a sin, and I had to decide to just walk in faith and lean on Jesus to provide. I would do good for a few weeks and then, Bam! An unexpected expense would arise and the devil would have me in his clutches again. It was a couple of years of taking one step forward, and two steps back.

 

But I was determined to overcome my fears and learn to rely on the Lord for our provision. I worked hard at taking my eyes off the stack of bills and rejoicing in all the small, yet incredibly blessed joys of living a simple life in the country. I began to see how God was removing me from the trappings of the world and was giving us freedom to become all He had designed us to be. Things that would have sent me spiraling downward just a year ago, now didn’t seem so earth-shattering. I was able to look back at how God had delivered us from a similar situation months before, and began believing that He would do it again. I was building a history with Him. And my husband and I were growing in our faith together; seeking a bigger understanding of our relationship with Him, and enjoying a Bible study on the Book of Daniel. Then the devil decided to come calling again.

 

If you could see my husband with our animals, you would know how much he cares for all of God’s creation. One afternoon, I was in our bedroom, working on a novel I was writing, and I heard one of our dogs barking and then making an unusual crying sound. I alerted Mark and he went outside to check, and a 6-foot rattlesnake had attacked our dogs, mortally wounding his favorite Jag terrier. We ended up losing two dogs that day and the pain I saw my husband experience ripped my soul apart. He had been my strength during my period in this wilderness, and now it was my turn to return the blessing. I knew the Enemy had struck where Mark was most vulnerable, and it would have been so easy to abandon our studies and step away from God for a spell, but I continued to speak into Mark that we would not let the devil deter us from getting closer to God. We would not give in to the devil’s plan to separate us from our growing faith. I prayed that night and clung to the strength that is Jesus; remaining in Him through that night, and was rewarded with Him remaining in us through the following days as we climbed out of our grief and plunged ever deeper into His Word. The devil would not win that battle!

 

We continued our studies, learning more and seeing our spiritual knowledge expanding. And while finances didn't get easier, we were now more focused on what we had in our changing relationship with God, and not so much on what we were lacking in money or material wealth. We had good, Godly mentors in our life, and it was during this time that my prayer life grew and I started recognizing that I was beginning to hear from the Holy Spirit and was actually finding joy in my wilderness. And I have never forgotten the day that I heard in my spirit, "If you will be faithful to Me, I will be faithful to you". I knew that I had crossed a threshold in my faith. I was content with what we had ... it wasn't much by the world's standards, and there were still times that nothing was left in our bank account at the end of the month, but I was beginning to fear less and trust more! I was determined to remain steadfast and faithful, and I believed in God's promise that He would do the same.

That was 16 years ago. And at the end of that 7-year lease, God had humbled me, taught me obedience and to rely completely on Him. Ultimately, He led us away from 129 acres and a house that belonged to someone else, to our Promised Land: 3 beautiful acres, a home we designed [and took an active part in building], and a studio for Mark. We are still far from a huge bank account, expensive cars, and opulent vacations, but we are prosperous in the ways of the Lord. Here in our Promised Land we have been sanctified and anointed to serve Him in an Inner Healing Ministry and been blessed to have all our financial needs met. We have grown so much in our relationship with the Lord and have come to know other faithful and obedient people. We are finally at a good place in body, soul, and spirit.

But we see the storm clouds on the horizon. The world is teetering on lawlessness and the Lawless One is making himself known. Will the world plunge us back into a wilderness where contempt and loathing for God and each other will bring more testing? I pray that there are enough of us who are praying and repenting that God will spare our rebellious nation. But if not, then I know what it is like to walk in the wilderness and still seek Him; to feel like the darkness is encroaching, but still see the Light; to hear the whispers of defeat from the Enemy, but hearing the voice of my Lord declaring He is with us and victory is ours! No matter what comes, we cannot give in or give up! God will never take us where His grace will not cover us nor His power deliver us! So if "the wilderness" is in your future, remember this: if you abide in Him, the journey will not be permanent! He has a plan for your life. Live for Him in obedience, reliance, and steadfastness, and your journey will bless you hundredfold!

Isaiah 40:3-5   A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Let Go or Be Dragged"

I am the most at peace and confident when I am writing. I am able to shut out the world and just receive the thoughts and words that result in something that I hope is worthy of consideration by my fellow inhabitants on this earth. I guess it's that part of me that is made in the image of God; the part that delights in creating the written word. I have shared before about the time a word from the Lord was spoken to me by a man I met only once. He told me the Lord wanted me "to be the pen, and not the blank piece of paper". He shared that God had made me to be a writer, and He wants me use my gift simply to please my Creator, and with no other reward in mind.

So, I have written an unpublished fiction book, an anthology about America under a pen name, a book on the Kingdom of God, and written this blog for 11 years. Now, I am happy [and humbled] to be involved with another anthology titled "Let God or Be Dragged", which includes stories by 13 authors relating how they experienced freedom in their lives from negativity and trauma. I daresay that everyone walking this planet has faced some form of these trials in their life. In the book, I relate a time in my early adulthood when poor choices resulted in a traumatic period of feeling like I was alone with no way to climb out of the hole I had dug for myself. I had to make a choice whether to let go, or be dragged deeper into that well of defeat. For me, Jesus was the answer. And that has had me thinking of the many examples we have in the Bible of men and women who faced that same dejected spirit; who found themselves downcast, disheartened and miserable. They, too, had a decision to make -- cry out to God or stay mired in the situation they found themselves in; whether by their own poor choices or other extenuating circumstances.

Four people come to mind: Job, Joseph, Moses, and Peter. First, let's take a look at the life of Job. He was a man who had it all ... wealth, a beautiful family, standing in the community. Then Satan asked God to allow him to test Job's faith. And he lost it all ... the money and livestock he had accumulated; a storm took his children; disease ravaged his body; and his wife begged him to denounce God. Talk about negativity and trauma! Everyone told him he should reject God and just die! Job could have let himself be dragged into the depths of despair and humiliation, but he decided to let go of all the bad advice and trust in God to deliver him. For thousands of years, the world has known the story of Job's faithfulness.

The next story we take a look at is about Joseph, the youngest and favored son of the patriarch Jacob. In his youthful enthusiasm, Joseph shares with his brothers a dream that he has where God shows that he will have great power and influence to help Israel in a time of significant trouble. But his brothers mistake his enthusiasm for pride, and they react in anger and jealousy, selling Joseph into slavery. This turn of events certainly qualifies as a time of negativity and trauma! But Joseph doesn't give into all the ways that the Enemy tries to divert his purpose. He never gives into the despair or the doubt that his long-ago dream was a mistake. He doesn't let himself be dragged into giving up, but continues to remain steadfast in who God made him to be, and rises to be Pharaoh's right-hand man, delivering Egypt out of a famine and saving his brothers and the families of Israel from starvation. 

Moses is our next hero. His life covered the whole spectrum of negativity and trauma! Born to a poor Hebrew family, he is saved from a death warrant issued by Pharaoh against all Hebrew male babies. He then becomes an adopted son of Pharaoh, himself, only to lose all that power and position when He kills a man and is forced to flee to a life of exile and what he must have felt was failure. Did God really have a calling on his life? He tried every excuse in the book to convince himself [and God] that he was not fit for the job. But it was in that identity of disappointment and inadequacy that Moses came to know the face of Almighty God and surrendered to the sovereignty and majesty of YHWH. It took him a long time, but he was finally able to let go and step into the destiny God had reserved for him, and him alone. He would no longer let himself be dragged along by a spirit of insignificance. He found a way to climb out of the pit and scale the mountain!

Finally, I want to consider the disciple and Apostle, Peter. His story is one of great highs and disparaging lows. It may seem that he was plucked out of obscurity to become the leader of Jesus's disciples; that he was just a simple fisherman who won the lottery ticket of faith. But remember, Jesus has known the purpose for which we are created since the foundations of the world. Peter was very specifically chosen by Jesus. He knew all about the negative situations Peter would face, and was intimately familiar with the trauma Peter would witness and experience. But Peter was created and born to lead the early Church and he would not be dragged away from that divine assignment! He would learn to let go of condemnation and harassment by religious and political leaders. He would learn to let go of ego and pride as he embraced Jesus's mission for the Father. And he would learn to let go of self-condemnation and doubt for denying the Christ. He could have let himself get dragged along by the negativity of hopelessness after Jesus's crucifixion, but by the grace of God, he let go ... and became a spiritual force to introduce the Kingdom of God into a lost world. These men are just a few of the examples throughout the Bible that stand as witness to the power of God in our lives. 

  So, I would like to invite you to read this modern anthology of people who are overcomers.  My part of this little book points to Jesus as my strength to "Let Go or Be Dragged". Every story in this powerhouse of a book is unique to the individual author, and I think you will find inspiration, motivation, and courage in every narrative that is shared. It's not only the heroes of the Bible who overcome. We each have a story to tell, and I pray you let Jesus be the author of yours!

Here is the link to the e-book, Let Go or Be Dragged: https://amzn.to/3IAA8pz  

Ecclesiastes 3:6   A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

 

Obedience, Faith and Discipleship: The Road To Jesus

 

I have really been endeavoring to seek the wisdom and counsel of the Holy Spirit in how to walk closer with Jesus. I don't say that out of a desire to be more "religious" or to meet any kind of standard that the organized Church might put on me; but out of a heart that discerns what shape the world is in, and a longing to more fully follow Him in this season. To that end, I have been studying a particular passage in the Bible, as well as diving into a deeply powerful book, called The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Dietrich was the martyred Lutheran pastor who defied Hitler and the Third Reich while attempting to expose the mass murder of Jews in his homeland. He was hanged as a spy mere days before the Allies arrived in Germany to liberate the concentration camps, and although he did not live to see that evil empire defeated, what he wrote about following Jesus is especially poignant and instructive for today.

In light of all this history, here's where my head and my heart are ... What does it mean to be a true disciple of Jesus? How do we get there? What is the cost? First of all, we must all understand that what Jesus taught about discipleship over 2000 years ago still holds true today. We are not any more enlightened, or sophisticated in our faith than the first disciples who answered His call to follow Him. If anything, we are more involved in the world and our selfish ambitions. 

So, what is the significance of Obedience when considering Discipleship? Mark 2:14 gives us a clue ... As Jesus was passing by, He saw Levi (Matthew) the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax collector’s booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me.” And he got up and followed Him. Notice that it was Jesus who initiated the call to Matthew. And the call was responded to immediately with obedience. There is no evidence that Matthew had any prior knowledge or relationship with Jesus, the Christ. And I want you to understand that Matthew didn't respond out of faith, because as of yet, he had none. 

It is as simple as this: Jesus called and Matthew responded out of obedience. There were no promises of wealth or status if Matthew followed Him. In fact, by being obedient, Matthew left his life of relative security for a life the world would categorize as absolute insecurity. Yet, in reality, there is no life more secure and safe than one spent in fellowship with God's Anointed One! We leave a life that is bound in rules, parameters and legalism for a life that has infinite possibilities when we bind ourselves to Jesus. Nothing else in this world matters but following Him! Matthew's story is a testimony of a man whom Jesus summoned, and the response was one of obedience; forsaking all else to follow Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 

Keep this in mind as we take a good look at Luke 9:57-62 and hearken unto the words of the Messiah... As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus told him, “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” He said to another, “Follow Me [accepting Me as Master and Teacher].” But he said, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.” But He said to him, “Allow the [spiritually] dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and spread the news about the kingdom of God.” Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord [as Your disciple]; but first let me say goodbye to those at my home.” But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back [to the things left behind] is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Notice that Jesus is addressing three different people here, all who profess to want to follow Him. How do our 21st Century responses compare to the 1st Century responses to the call of Jesus? First of all, the first man offers to follow Jesus without waiting to be called. But Jesus gives the man a warning -- He shows the would-be disciple that life following Him will not be easy nor comfortable. Even foxes and birds have places they call home, but His life is one of never knowing where He will sleep that night. In fact, Jesus knows He's on the way to the cross and suffering is His fate. Today, how many times do we see our fellow Christians declare that they are ready to be a follower of Christ, yet there is no evidence they've been called by Jesus nor that they have considered the cost or consequences of following Him in this fallen world? They know nothing of the suffering or what life with Him will require. Jesus's lesson to this would-be disciple is that no man can voluntarily call himself to such a destiny. To be genuine, the call must come from Jesus and the response must come from obedience alone; from a change of heart that instinctively knows the life to which they are being called.

Next we see Jesus actually initiating the call to the second candidate for discipleship who asks to be allowed to go and bury his father first before he answers Jesus's call on his life. This man is conscious of the Jewish laws that burial of the dead must be the same day. Yet there is no information that the man's father has even died yet. Perhaps he is like his 21st Century Christian counterparts whose hearts like the idea of following Jesus, but want to set their affairs in order before making that commitment. Jesus responds with a command to follow Him and to let the spiritually dead bury their own. Because this man is not ready to submit to the call on his life, there is a barrier erected against authentic obedience. If this man's father has truly died ... does he follow the Jewish law regarding burial, or does he answer the call of Jesus? There are times the call of Jesus will look as if it goes against every standard "the Church" has mandated for men. But the true disciple will know that nothing on earth can keep him from accepting that call because it is irresistable.

The third would-be disciple is somewhat like the first; he thinks he can set his own terms when it comes to following Jesus. He earnestly desires to follow Jesus but is beset by the rules of the world, which he feels must be met before he can be allowed to accept the offer. His response seems to indicate that he thinks he must satisfy the order in which his calling will be rendered legitimate. How many times do we Christians today submit to man's understanding about what our calling is to look like? Do we assign a list of objectives to meet before we can call ourselves a follower or disciple? Do we ascribe more value to the title than to our obedience? If we cannot simply surrender to Jesus's call on our life, then we may find ourselves in conflict with both Jesus's desire for us and our own sincere desire to be a disciple. If our response to the call on our life is, "Yes, Jesus, but first ....", then we are not going to act out of pure obedience. That response proves that one is not willing to pay the cost of genuine discipleship. 

As you can see, to follow Jesus in obedience means leaving the old behind for a new life that Jesus is calling you to; this is where faith becomes possible. If we refuse Jesus's invitation and stay in our safe and secure situation, then we never learn to believe out of faith. It is a scary place to be, but the rewards are so great! When we are able to respond out of obedience, then we have the opportunity to learn to trust in Jesus as we enter into true dependence [on] and in relationship with Him. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes so well, "Had Levi (Matthew) stayed at his customs booth, Jesus might have been his present help in trouble, but He would not have been the Lord of Levi's whole life. In other words, Levi would never have learned to believe. And Peter had to leave the ship and risk his life on the sea, in order to learn both his own weakness and the almighty power of his Lord". Both men left an old reality for a new, unknown one, and all for the sake of obeying the Voice that called them.

We must also discern that it is the obedience to the call on our lives that ultimately makes true faith possible, they are interdependent. Again, Bonhoeffer explains it much better than I can: "Faith is only real when there is obedience, never without it, and faith only becomes faith in the act of obedience". This is what I know ... we must take that definitive step [out of faith] into obedience, and as faith grows, we become "teachable" and the Lord's passion for mankind becomes ours. That includes both Christ's suffering and his rejection. His heart is for those He desperately loves and it is His willingness to suffer at the hands of men and to die despised and rejected by men which are at the center of His going to the Cross. Jesus makes it clear that to be a disciple of His, we must be willing to become like Him, in both the good and the bad of His incarnate existence. 

But have you thought about the fact that Jesus gives us a choice ... IF any man would come after Me....". We have the choice to become like Jesus; we have the choice whether we will follow Him in obedience and faith and deny ourselves in order to become His "disciples" by abiding in Him. But it comes at a cost; one that Jesus was willing to pay and if we are to become His disciples, then we must be willing to follow Him in all His ways. And that word "to abide" means to endure, persist, survive, conform to, to remain [in], and to suffer. So as we grow in obedience and faith and become teachable by the Spirit of the Lord, we grow into discipleship -- moving from being a pupil to being an imitator of Christ. True Discipleship is fearless; being willing to go where you cannot comprehend the road you will be asked to take; yet you are willing to go only where Jesus leads you. You are willing to pay the price of the irresistible call on your life to follow Your Master. My final word is this: True Discipleship is not for the fragile, the fearful, or the doubter. It is not an easy road ... but, oh, my friends, the rewards will be extraordinary when you meet Jesus face-to-face! Do you have what it takes, and are you willing to pay the cost to be called "Disciple" of the Living Christ?

John 15:8    My Father is glorified and honored by this, when you bear much fruit, and prove yourselves to be My [true] disciples.

 

 

 

July 4th Thoughts 246 Years Later: The Spirit of '22

I am unabashedly proud of what July 4th stood for 246 years ago.  Mind you, I do love the fireworks and the parades and the flag-waving --- all of it! And I love the history of this momentous day. But, as we are gathered for family BBQs or enjoying a long holiday, I wonder how many Americans stop to consider what that first July 4th truly meant.  Considering that in a poll I saw this morning, only 39% of Americans are proud of our nation, I would venture that it's of primary importance that we revisit exactly why this holiday should be celebrated by every citizen.

I want to share a small portion of President John Adams' Inaugural Address. Adams, along with his cousin, Samuel Adams, played important roles in the foundational government of our country, and it is their vision that we desperately need to preserve. Adams spoke these prophetic words at his inauguration in 1797: "In this dangerous crisis the people of America were not abandoned by their usual good sense, presence of mind, resolution, or integrity. Measures were pursued to concert [in cooperation] a plan to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty. The public disquisitions, discussions, and deliberations [which have been] issued in the present happy Constitution of Government".

We are definitely "in a dangerous crisis" in this country! And how I wish the people of America still possessed the good sense, presence of mind, resolution and integrity that those brave men undertook to declare their independence from a tyrannical government. It wasn't all sunshine and roses, however. Much like today, the inhabitants of the 13 colonies were divided regarding the road the nation was going down. And full support of the Declaration of Independence was not supported by all members of the Continental Congress. A representative of Congress rode horseback 80 miles to reach Philadelphia and break a tie in support of independence. In fact, the names of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were withheld from the public for more than six months to protect the signers. If independence had not been achieved, the treasonable act of the signers would have, by English law, resulted in their deaths. They believed that strongly in their bid for freedom! It's not difficult for me to see that we have taken our independence and liberties for granted!

And we cannot celebrate this day without acknowledging that the Declaration did not address liberty for all. In its opening paragraphs, the statement is made, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights". I want to make two points here: 1) For the first time in history, leaders of men recognized that "Nature's God" had given all men certain rights that could not be usurped by tyrannical governments.  2) I recognize that this seems hypocritical in light of the fact that many of the Southern Founding Fathers were slaveholders.  The writings of the Founding Fathers show that many of them acknowledged that slavery violated the natural rights of the enslaved, but knew that the abolition of this abhorrent practice would need to take a back seat (for the time being) to the larger goal of securing the unity and independence of the United States from Britain.  Sadly, they "kicked the can down the road" to be dealt with by a future generation; the reality was that the freedom of the nation needed to come before they could address the freedom of the slaves. That issue would be dealt with 84 years later when the new nation was ripped asunder by the Civil War. We have not been a perfect nation -- and we still aren't -- but it's exceedingly important, now more than ever, that we protect the vision and concept of this free nation! We have come so far in a relatively short time when you consider the entire history of the world! 

So, what exactly was meant by "unalienable rights"?  As I wrote in a February 9, 2013 post, I would venture to say that most Americans have a distorted idea of what "unalienable" means.  I would further conclude that they think it takes its meaning from the word "alien", signifying that these "unalienable" rights were unfamiliar or foreign to men of that time.  That is a wrong interpretation, and we actually mispronounce the word altogether.  In 1776, when the Declaration was written, this word was not pronounced as un-alien-able; the correct enunciation was un-a-lien-able, as in "a lien", a form of security interest granted over an item of property to secure the payment of a debt.  For instance, the bank holds a lien against your car, until the note is paid off. 

What the Founding Fathers were actually saying was this:  the natural rights that have been given to us by God are not subject to a lien by any king or ruler; they are ours to possess outright. In other words, our rights are not determined by governments; or granted by them; and cannot be legislated by them.  It was the first time in the history of the world, that a nation of people dared to declare that they recognized God's rulership and authority as being above that of any monarch or crowned head. This was an important step in the evolution of a nation and of mankind.  The Founders of our nation were declaring that they were ready to live their lives as free men, unencumbered by the heavy hand of an oppressive authority; that they wanted to live their lives according to the "Laws of Nature", which in the 18th century meant certain fundamental principles or moral standards that were apparent to everyone.  

I ask you ... as a nation, are we still that people? Do we recognize the natural rights of ALL men? Are we willing to be governed by the fundamental principles and moral standards of the God of the Universe? Are we able to overcome the division that separated those original 13 colonies and which instigated the War Between the States? Oh, Lord, how I pray that we are still a people who resemble the ideals upon which this country took such a courageous leap! And if we aren't, what's to become of us? I recommend you consider that question with solemnity. You have a choice ... During this long weekend you can go back to your hamburgers and hot dogs, or laugh off my thoughts as inconsequential; OR you can do a serious study comparing who we were in 1776 and what we've become, and determine that it is worth fighting for and make the effort to teach your children its importance. 

Those were days of far-reaching consequences; just as these days are.  We are faced with no less a serious choice. Will we continue to labor under repressive directives from a governing body that pays no mind to our concerns? Or will we decide that our liberties are precious and worth standing up for? I contend that there is not much difference between the significance of that July 4th and this one.  The only question is are we as brave and committed as they were? And believe me, the future of our children and nation -- and maybe even their survival -- depends on understanding the significance of July 4th and why it is worth celebrating. 

Job 8:8-10     For inquire, please, of bygone ages, and consider what the fathers have searched out. For we are but of yesterday and know nothing, for our days on earth are a shadow. Will they not teach you and tell you and utter words out of their understanding?

"The Baby Leaped In The Womb"

 

We've had a few days to digest the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe V. Wade. This is a momentous decision for the future of our country. I was in college when Roe became law in 1973, and through the years I have become more devastated at the agreement among my fellow women that it is okay to end the life of a child in the womb. I will sadly admit that in my 20s I was cavalier about abortion... I got caught up in the feminist rhetoric, and not knowing Jesus at the time, I gave little consideration to the effect this horrendous law would have on over 60 million babies in our country alone. 

Many of my college acquaintances had abortions; free contraceptives at the University Health Clinic did not stem the tide of the unwanted consequences of casual sex. The freedom to terminate a pregnancy was embraced and even celebrated. It became an accepted method for millions of women as they pursued careers without the hindrance or restraint of raising a child. But I also know that there were millions of other women who had abortions and did not approach it in that dispassionate manner. For them, it was a gut-wrenching decision and one that left an enduring wound on their souls and spirits. That was a time in our nation that Revelation 12:9 describes quite well ... Satan managed to deceive and seduce the entire world on the issue of abortion. He was an accuser and an author of confusion. But I thank the Lord that women who fell for the devil's lies can repent and receive forgiveness from the LORD of Lords. And I pray that they will forgive themselves.

But now we have the Supreme Court decision that overturns Roe v. Wade. And the devil is mad! He has stirred up hatred and vitriol because his lie is being exposed. The Supreme Court Justices took a courageous stand for the Constitution and the rights of the unborn. You see, it is a lie that "fetal tissue" is not a human baby. From ancient times, it has been acknowledged that it is a baby in the womb of an expectant mother. And if you are a Christian and have doubts or question the veracity of that statement, let me give you an answer from God. 

We are all familiar with the story in Luke 1:41 when Mary, the mother of Jesus, comes to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. Scripture says, And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. The use of that word "baby" is not accidental. It is the Greek word, Brephos, meaning "unborn baby". The term does not distinguish between a pre-birth or post-birth baby; it was a baby that leaped in Elizabeth's womb. And Jeremiah 1:5 says Jesus knew the prophet from the foundations of the world before He formed Jeremiah in the womb, establishing that what was in the womb was a human being. Same thing goes for Galatians 1:15 which says that God separated Paul from his mother's womb, again confirming that what was in the womb was Paul, a human being. Psalm 139:13-15 also validates that the Lord formed David's parts (intricately and skillfully) in his mother's womb. What is in that womb is clearly identified as David! All this is Biblical evidence that God considers what is in the womb is a living baby.

What those who believe in abortion [including those who call themselves Christians] don't understand is that Satan longs to kill God's creation. Although you may doubt its veracity, let me introduce you to the First Book of Enoch which is a pseudepigraphal text [not included in any canon of Scripture, but referred to by many ancient sources as being the writings of Enoch, the son of Jared, great grandfather of Noah, and father of Methusaleh]. In chapter 69, names of fallen angels and their assignments are revealed. The fifth angel's name is Kasdeja. He is credited with "showing the humans every wicked strike of spirits and of demons, the strike at the embryo in the womb, to miscarry it ...". It describes how demonic spirits can strike at the unborn "like a serpent". As hard as it may be for you to accept, abortion is a demonic act. And I want to refer you to some information I discovered back in 2015, as a current demonstration of that fact.

In 2015, I wrote an article titled, Is There A Connection Between Abortion and Satanism. It is a truly disturbing testimony of abortion as a ritual for Satan by a man who once partook in this satanic/demonic act, and has since repented and become a warrior for Christ. I warn you, his story is chilling and alarming. And if that's too hard to believe, just a couple of days ago, during protests against the Roe v. Wade decision, an angry man is recording telling an investigative reporter that he "f----ing loves killing babies" -- in the voice of a hateful demon! You can watch the video here. I don't share these unsettling pieces of information to shock you, but to show you the underbelly of what this country has endorsed for 50 years! And let me share a personal story that a dear expectant mother shared with me ... she went for an ultrasound and it revealed her baby was asleep. So the technician pushed on her stomach to arouse the baby and the ultrasound showed him crying because he was woke up! How can pro-abortion advocates still declare that this precious child is the property of the woman to be disposed of at her will? 

But I believe God is hearing the prayers of His faithful people and is turning us back to His heart. Just in the last week, we have protected the 2nd Amendment, reversed Roe v. Wade, and safeguarded our religious freedoms [when the Supreme Court voted that it is constitutional for Coach Joe Kennedy to pray publicly on the football field]. That, my friends, can only be the hand of God intervening in our judicial system. Thank you, Father!

And now there is room for hope that we just might have a chance to see our country redeemed and become one nation under God again! But know this: the Enemy will not give up without a fight! So you prayer warriors must continue to pray and storm the heavens for righteousness. We cannot give up! The Enemy knows his time is short -- we all know it, too. So, pray and fast and keep your spiritual armor on. We have won some very important battles, and there are more to be won before our Lord returns! Amen!

Job 33:4      The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Pharmakeia & The Fentanyl Epidemic: The Devil's Weapon Against Our Youth

 There is no denying it ... America's youth are dying in increasing numbers from a prescription opioid epidemic. The nightly news is flooded with photos of innocent looking youths who have died from Fentanyl, the drug that is streaming across our southern border in uncontrollable quantities. We witness grieving parents telling the sad tale that their son or daughter was able to purchase what they mistakenly thought was some "party drug" through a Snap Chat or Facebook contact. The single pill was delivered to their child at their front door in the middle of the night, when the parents were asleep. They awake the next morning to find that child, as one parent described it, "in the Fentanyl death pose". Their child had no idea that the pill they ordered was laced with Fentanyl, and now they are part of the alarming statistic which lists drug overdoses of Fentanyl as the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45. Furthermore, China is the primary exporter of Fentanyl to our country, and this epidemic is now being labeled by Congressional leaders as "an issue of national security"!

But it's not just Fentanyl that is being consumed by this generation. Drugs like Adderall, OxyContin, Percocet, and Hydrocodone have joined together to become the drugs of choice among Millennials. For decades our politicians have touted their "solutions" to stop the illegal sale and use of drugs, even though they have often been complicit in the drug trade. We have seen little to no success in the physical realm. Is it because there is really no will by our leaders to see it defeated? Or is there a spiritual component that, as Christians, we need to recognize and learn how to battle against? 

If you have not heard it before, I want to introduce you to the Greek word pharmakeia. It appears in Galatians 5:20 and Revelation 18:23, as the word sorcery. In Strong's Concordance, pharmakeia is defined as "the use of medicine, drugs or spells; drug-related sorcery", and is where we get the English word pharmacy. We also get a more disturbing picture of how harmful pharmakeia can be from Revelation 9:20-21 ... the rest of mankind who are not killed by the plagues of the Sixth Trumpet, "did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries (drugs, intoxications) nor of their [sexual] immorality nor of their thefts". In another perspective, Greek philosopher Plato likened sorceries to poisoning.  

What we need to understand is that these drugs are "mind-altering"; they affect the brain. Kids today are taking them because they are numbing the pain in their lives and these drugs induce states of euphoria; all in an attempt to escape reality. Millennials have been subjected to technology since their birth, and much of it having no basis in reality. They have been allowed to escape into online fantasies instead of receiving the hard knocks that toughen you up to teach you how to endure and persevere through this journey called life. Unless they are blessed to be raised by Christian parents, they may not even know God, the lack of whom makes this life even more scary and terrifying. [But that's no guarantee -- I have known some raised in the Christian faith who were still enticed to try pharmakeia's seductive promises]. 

We have been at war for most, if not all, of Millennial's lives, and they have been subjected to the very real possibility that this nation has seen its better days. So, they lament their lack of a bright future and many have lost hope that they will be better off than their parents, who they now see fighting inflation, loss of jobs, and depleted savings. So, they turn to a pill that promises an escape from their pain and despair. 

But we need to move beyond the physical ramifications of these mind-altering drugs and see the spiritual side. It is far too easy for young people (or anyone, for that matter) to find a website that will introduce you to the supernatural; sites that promise you ways to gain supernatural power and energy to overcome whatever troubles you are experiencing in this life. But here is the underlying agenda of these sites ... in reality, you are circumventing God, the Creator of your life. What is not understood is that God has established boundaries between the natural and the supernatural to protect us. Remember when He told Adam and Eve not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil? That sin opened the door these 2000 years later to the temptation of pharmakeia, and now our kids are dying in record numbers because they have been tempted to "open their minds" with these drugs that are a combination of science (developed in pharmaceutical labs), magical arts, the occult, the demonic realm, medicines, potions, or herbs ... all in the name of pharmakeia/sorcery.

These drugs open portals into other spiritual dimensions ... some good, as when YHWH revealed the portal to Heaven in Jacob's dream of the ladder on which angels ascended and descended ... some bad, as when the witch of Endor summoned the dead in 1 Samuel 28, and the slave girl who was possessed with a spirit of divination in Acts 16. Fentanyl and other opioids remove that protective barrier in our minds and open us up to the influence of evil sources in the spiritual dimensions. I'm not saying that every person who tries Fentanyl is seeking contact with evil spirits; many use it for recreation and, as I said, an escape from an unsatisfactory or hopeless life. But I am saying that a by-product of these opioids can be the opening of a door to oppression and torment by spirits of fear, anger, self-rejection, self-hatred, and unworthiness. If you're lucky enough to survive that ingestion of Fentanyl, you may have just signed on to a sentence of addiction and/or suicide.

So, these drugs are a perfect weapon of the Devil for this generation of young Americans. They are the perfect escape for those that feel their lives are not under their control; or they feel like they are drifting with no purpose. Many are filled with anxiety, a loss of hope, and they are desperate to numb the pain. But once that portal or gateway is opened to the spiritual realms, you are a target for the enemy of God. And he just wants to steal, kill, or destroy your life. The drugs that he whispers will "take away the pain" serve nothing more than to separate you from God. 

At the bottom line, pharmakeia or sorcery, was understood by both Paul and John when they wrote Galatians and Revelation, respectively, to be connected to pagan rituals and ungodly spiritual practices. The early Church considered it rebellion against God and the boundaries He set up to protect us in the spiritual realms. To the ancient Greeks, pharmakeia meant everything from medicines, to psychoactive drugs (causing euphoria and hallucinations, as well as violence, anxiety, panic, and paranoia). Ancient societies and cultures were familiar with mind and conscious-altering chemicals in their pagan religious practices. So, the existence of pharmakeia is not new. God has always hated its hold on people and its destructive and idolatrous uses. And our kids think they are indestructible.

Sadly, with the advancement of science and with the influence of the demonic in our current culture, these drugs have been designed to be hundreds of thousands times more powerful than say, natural opium. And users are dying at an alarming rate. According to the CDC, "Over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like Fentanyl". The problem seems overwhelming! How do we reach our youth? How do we convince them that altering the state of their mind removes them from God's protection and opens them to spiritual attack? How do we show them that the presence of God in them far surpasses any "high" or perceived "escape" they get from their involvement with this form of sorcery? 

We are losing a generation to this opioid crisis, and unfortunately it is just a sign of how far our culture has fallen away from recognizing who we are in Christ. Proverbs 17:22 says, A happy heart is good medicine and a joyful mind causes healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. The hearts of far too many Millennials are not happy, their minds cannot fathom joy, and their spirits are broken ... they are unable to receive the healing their hearts, minds, and spirits need from God, so they turn to a counterfeit, man-made alternative that the devil whispers will ease their pain and hopelessness. They see no physical inheritance in their future, and they are unaware that there is a spiritual inheritance awaiting them in their Heavenly Father's Kingdom. We have to ask ourselves ... how did we, as the Body of Christ, who are to be caretakers of God's Kingdom on earth, let this happen?

1 Corinthians 6:19-22   Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own [property]? You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body.

 

 

 

 

It's Time We Seriously Consider The Fear of the Lord!

At the end of this week, I will be participating in a Women's retreat and speaking on The Fear of the Lord. This topic has ignited my spirit for quite some time. It is a difficult subject to engage in because of where God is taking me. It requires me to call people to a greater consciousness of the Character and Nature of God; calling them out of our 21st Century "relaxed" form of Christianity and into the deeper understanding of the fullness of the Gospel and God's righteousness. I find myself walking on a tightrope ... how do I express what the Spirit is speaking to me without offending someone or calling down the "religious police" upon myself?

And so, I will just begin and see where the Spirit takes me. Throughout the journey of my relationship with Jesus, I have been amazed to find Him on every page of the Bible ... from Chapter 1 in Genesis to the last verse in Chapter 22 of Revelation! And what the Bible has shown me of Him --whether in the Old Testament or New -- is still relevant for today. But out of all the immense vastness of infinite time, those three-and-a-half years spent as a man changed the dynamic of everything that came before and all that has come, and will come after.  BUT ... and here is where I became careful in my discernment; as the Body of Christ, we cannot become stuck on the image of Christ as a man, and must now [more than ever] see Him in His fullness and greatness as Deity.

While we honor Him as our Redeemer and Deliverer, I'm afraid we may cling to an image of Him as He was on earth -- the precious baby in the manger; the prophet and teacher who performed signs and wonders as God; the sinless man who was willing to die to save us from the wrath of Almighty God. True, He was all that and more! But He is greater than He was while on earth, and we must respond to Him as Supreme Creator of all (1 Corinthians 1:16-17); King of Kings (Revelation 17:14); Mighty God and Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6); and Righteous Judge (Acts 10:42)!

Because, you see, as John says in the first chapter of his Book, Jesus was God. And He loved the world so much that He sent a part of Himself to earth to live as a man, not only so that He could identify with our struggles, but also as the payment due God for our sins. God established in Leviticus 20:26, "You are to be holy to Me; for I the Lord am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples (nations) to be Mine". This was spoken to the nation of Israel, but Peter reiterates it to the Early Church, who are our ancestors in the Faith, "But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”  He then goes on to say, " If you address as Father, the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, [then] conduct yourselves in [reverent] fear [of Him] and with profound respect for Him throughout the time of your stay on earth" (1 Peter 1:15-17). We must discern that God takes sin very seriously, and that Jesus [who is called Everlasting Father in Isaiah 9:6] will be the One who judges us!

So, I've been asking myself the following questions for awhile now: Is it my daily practice to be holy in everything I do and say? Do people encounter me and see me as set apart and different from everyone else? Or do I look like the world? Do I conduct my life in "reverent fear and profound respect for Him"? Or do I justify and excuse my actions by claiming the Atonement on the Cross? Do I truly understand what it means to "fear the Lord"?

I agree with and accept the definition of "fearing the Lord" as gazing upon Him in awe and reverence; [to respect God for who He is, mixed with a sense of fear and wonder]. I recognize His power and position and give Him the proper respect. And I understand that this reverence and godly fear implies that I must restrain myself from any and every ungodly act because of His honor and reputation. I must not diminish what the Word says about how He regards sin! And so, I recognize that Jesus is greater than the angels, greater than Moses, greater than the High Priests of old.  

And, here is where I am afraid the Modern Church has ignored Scripture. There is a passage that should have every Christian examining themselves to see if they are living a holy life ... and what is plainly declared in Hebrews 10:26-31: "For if we go on willfully and deliberately sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice [to atone] for our sins [that is, no further offering to anticipate], but a kind of awful and terrifying expectation of [divine] judgment and the fury of a fire and burning wrath which will consume the adversaries [those who put themselves in opposition to God]. Anyone who ignored and set aside the Law of Moses [was] put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much greater punishment do you think he will deserve who has rejected and trampled under foot the Son of God, and has considered unclean and common the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and has insulted the Spirit of Grace [who imparts the unmerited favor and blessing of God]?  For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine [retribution and the deliverance of justice rest with Me], I will repay [the wrongdoer].” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”  It is a fearful and terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God [incurring His judgment and wrath]".

Wow! That is a passage from the New Testament! It is a warning about not treating the New Covenant as common, or something ordinary, or average. It is affirmation that the one who insults the Spirit of Grace [who is the Holy Spirit who imparts God's power as grace to us] will be repaid with vengeance by the Lord. We have ample evidence of what that looks like in the lives of Ananias and Sapphira when they lied to the Holy Spirit in Acts, Chapter 5

I know there will be those who accuse me of being legalistic and corrupting the concept of the Fear of the Lord according to the Church.  But a complete and exhaustive study of the Book of Hebrews will give you a more accurate understanding of what Scripture says, instead of ascribing to Church culture.  And I am NOT saying that if you are sincerely trying to live a righteous and holy life and encounter struggles, which result in confession and repentance, that you will suffer vengeance by the Lord. 1 John 1:9 shows the heart of God and Jesus: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

But if you are a Christian that is indifferent or callous towards your own sin, thinking you have nothing to worry about because we are under the New Covenant of Grace, then I would suggest that you examine your attitude and see if you willfully and deliberately continue to sin without any consideration of consequences, or just because you think all you have to do is continue to ask for forgiveness and it will be yours. And I would recommend you take to heart Psalm 25:14:  The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He makes known to them His covenant. That means fear Him out of reverence and respect, as well as fear His righteous anger for those who willfully and deliberately continue to sin, mocking His costly gift of salvation and redemption.

In conclusion, I just want us to be continually aware that the Fear of the Lord is not only awesome reverence for who He is and what He has done for us, but should be seriously considered if we, who have received that knowledge of Truth [of eternal salvation due to His sacrifice for us] should willfully and deliberately continue to sin. For Scripture very clearly states that there is no further atonement to be made for us, and there is a terrifying expectation of divine judgment. Just as Jesus is greater than the Law of Moses, so is the punishment greater for us than it was under the Law.  This is the undeniable truth of Scripture and no amount of 21st Century Church doctrine or softening of the language can negate the Word of God.  That is why we should all work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).  It is a process, and your eternal life [and my Lord] are worthy of this admonition.

2 Corinthians 7:1   "Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the Fear of God".