For Our Example

Just sharing part of my own study this morning.  In the New Testament, God sets forth certain things which He says are for our examples.  These things are noted for His Church to be in remembrance of and take heed to so that we may learn from the lesson.

ensample: typos (Greek); a figure formed by a mark of a stroke or blow, print; a form; an example

ensample: hypodeigma (Greek); a sign suggestive of anything, delineation of a thing, representation, figure, copy; an example: for imitation

example: deigma (Greek); a thing shown; a specimen of any thing, example, pattern

Do Not be Overthrown in the Wilderness of Sin

We should understand the end of those who fall into unbelief, even after having experienced the salvation of God. 

"While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? Was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." Hebrews 3:15-4:11

A Clear Gospel Message

The following message is from Pastor Zac Poonen as he deals with explaining the gospel of salvation.  What does it mean to be born again or to be "saved"?

• We live in a world where the standards of Christianity have been tremendously degraded.
• Believing in Jesus does not bring salvation if there is no repentance.
• Being born again is like laying the foundation of a building.
• Nicodemus was a ruler of the Jews who led a very upright life, but he was not born again.  It is not enough to be "good" (John 3:3).
• To be born again is to be born of the Holy Spirit.
• Those who love darkness like to hide things.  If you want to be born again, you must come out of the darkness.  Come to God and be open with Him about everything.
• We are not only to come to the light, but to walk in the light.
• It is like coming into a house with many dirty rooms.  Our progress from being born again to growing up into Christ is like someone going and cleaning each dirty room one at a time until the whole house is clean.

Vessels of Truth Broadcast

"Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." Proverbs 27:17

Every Tuesday evening at 8:00 pm CST, Bro. Rashid Tillis will be hosting the "Vessels of Truth" broadcast.  This is a live, streaming video forum where believers can discuss Bible topics and issues relevant to the Church today.

The goal of the channel is to open the eyes of the blind, set the captives free, restore the soul and equip the believer to succeed in warfare!

Each session is 30 minutes long, so feel free to log on whenever your time permits and share with those in your network.

The Magic Behind Disney

We have spoken before about how the "Wonderful World of Disney" uses its programs to indoctrinate children into accepting sexual perversion.  The following videos discuss this a little more.

One thing you will see below is how the name of the wizard who teaches Mickey Mouse his "magic" in the movie Fantasia was "Yen Sid".  Yen Sid is "Disney" spelled backwards.

This wizard character was even drawn to resemble Walt Disney himself.  Truly, Satan did not hide his hand in revealing Walt Disney as a high priest of the occult, a sorcerer intent on molding little "apprentices" to follow his Satanic ideals.

Yom Kippur

Just a Little Perversion is Okay, Right?

"Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." I Corinthians 5:6-8

"Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." Galatians 5:7-9

My family just finished participating in an awesome weekend of fellowship with the saints via an Omega Church & Ministry Center conference.  The night before the final day of the conference, God gave me a dream featuring the words "Yom Kippur."  I knew this was a Jewish holiday, but didn't know more than that.

The following was found on the Jewish FAQ site (emphasis added by me):

Yom Kippur is probably the most important holiday of the Jewish year. Many Jews who do not observe any other Jewish custom will refrain from work, fast and/or attend synagogue services on this day. Yom Kippur occurs on the 10th day of Tishri [September or October]. The holiday is instituted at Leviticus 23:26 et seq.

The name “Yom Kippur” means “Day of Atonement,” and that pretty much explains what the holiday is. It is a day set aside to “afflict the soul,” to atone for the sins of the past year. In Days of Awe, I mentioned the “books” in which G-d inscribes all of our names. On Yom Kippur, the judgment entered in these books is sealed. This day is, essentially, your last appeal, your last chance to change the judgment, to demonstrate your repentance and make amends.

...It is customary to wear white on the holiday, which symbolizes purity and calls to mind the promise that our sins shall be made as white as snow (Is. 1:18).

...It is interesting to note that these confessions do not specifically address the kinds of ritual sins that some people think are the be-all-and-end-all of Judaism. There is no “for the sin we have sinned before you by eating pork, and for the sin we have sinned against you by driving on Shabbat” (though obviously these are implicitly included in the catch-all). The vast majority of the sins enumerated involve mistreatment of other people, most of them by speech (offensive speech, scoffing, slander, talebearing, and swearing falsely, to name a few). These all come into the category of sin known as “lashon ha-ra” (lit: the evil tongue), which is considered a very serious sin in Judaism.

The concluding service of Yom Kippur, known as Ne'ilah, is one unique to the day. It usually runs about 1 hour long. The ark (a cabinet where the scrolls of the Torah are kept) is kept open throughout this service, thus you must stand throughout the service. There is a tone of desperation in the prayers of this service. The service is sometimes referred to as the closing of the gates; think of it as the “last chance” to get in a good word before the holiday ends. The service ends with a very long blast of the shofar.

As part of the rituals associated with Yom Kippur, the high priest would take two goats.  One would be sacrificed as a sin offering while the other would be a "scapegoat" sent out into the wilderness bearing the sins of the people.

We know that in the New Testament, Jesus became our scapegoat by shedding His blood for the remission of our sins once and for all (Hebrews 9:6-28).  As a result, those who believe in Him and await His Second Coming are being prepared to be clothed in pure white linen representing the righteousness of the saints (Revelation 19:8).  Yet, part of this preparation is our being cleansed within from that which defiles.

Believe God

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

Last year, I wrote what I called a no-brainer entitled, "Don't Believe the Devil."  I called it a no-brainer because who in their right mind would willingly believe the devil?  Yet in spite of that, we often find ourselves believing his lies & deceptions more than God's truths.

Now I have another no-brainer for you:  Believe God!

Ask any Christian, "Do you believe God?" and the answer will assuredly be, "Yes!"  We even call ourselves believers after all. But are we really believing God the way He commands us to? 

I have had areas where my faith has been tested before and I have seen God prevail every time.  God has always shown Himself faithful, even when He didn't answer in the ways I thought He should/would.  Knowing this has emboldened me to stand up straighter & stronger in subsequent trials, but has also shown me how much more I have to learn about this area called "faith."

"And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Mark 11:22-24

Cast any mountains into the sea lately?  I mean really.  Do we think Jesus was just joking here?

How do we believe?  How do we change our hearts to remove all doubts?  How do we adjust our eyes to see the way that God does?  How does faith in God go from being a mere proclamation into becoming a matter of substance?  How does our faith extend beyond our inner hope into becoming the evidence of even what is not seen?

evidence: a proof, that by which a thing is proved or tested

I am not trying to be flippant here; however Jesus never spoke of faith as being this ethereal, wispy, notion that we must simply grasp unto.  He spoke of faith as a living reality that had power to tangibly impact the very world in which we live.

Are we walking in that type of faith?  Are we praying with that type of faith?  I tell you, I have exercised the most faith when I simply was too ignorant of other things to know any better.  I wasn't "smart enough" to know why such and such wouldn't work; I just believed God.  Or sometimes you come by such faith only when you have exhausted every other option and failed.  Being too wise in the things of the world doesn't build faith; it just breeds fear and frustration.  We don't need to know a lot of stuff, we just need to know God.  If you want to increase in faith, then spend more time in God's word.

The God of Love

For God So Loved the World

Someone recently submitted a comment saying in part,  "God is love PERIOD...Are you sure YOU know God?"

I had to admit, as I read the person's comment that it was abundantly clear we did not serve the same God.  The idol god they endorsed was someone completely alien to the Father, because their perversion of "love" does not involve obedience to God's commands.  In this erroneous perspective, sin is of no consequence because God is love.  Holding to God's truths are merely academics in "biblical knowledge" which has nothing to do with a Christian's call to "show love."  Somehow, I don't think this is what God meant when He said that love covers a multitude of sins.  God is love, but God is also Truth.  You cannot separate the two without perverting who God is.

Christianity itself is being redefined to be about tolerance (of sin), diversity (of sin), and unity (with those willfully in sin).  Anyone who speaks about sin is therefore "judging" and "unloving."  The hatred coming against those who speak against sin has indeed become palatable.

Let me say unequivocally that I am not a servant of this idol "god of love" promoted by many in the churchworld which shies away from addressing sin and uses the grace of God to promote lasciviousness.  If that makes me your enemy, so be it.   

Get Ready

Until the Fulness of the Gentiles Be Come In

"For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." Romans 11:25

Last December, I recounted a dream I had where Google had decided to disable my associated accounts (i.e., Youtube, this Blog, etc.). The reason? Content about homosexuality being a sin.

In the dream, God told me not to try to reestablish those accounts, but to be ready to "transition" to the next thing He had for me.  I stated in the post that I did not know the time frame by which these things would happen, but it is interesting to note that it is starting already. 

This summer, Youtube has been systematically penalizing my account; rejecting or disabling videos, removing audio, etc.  Videos that have been hosted on Youtube for years have now all of a sudden become problematic and many of my posting privileges have been revoked.  Although for the past 2 years they have been asking me to become a Youtube Partner and receive advertising revenue from my videos (which I continuously refused), now my account is "not in good standing" and I cannot even load videos more than 15 minutes in length.  According to their Terms of Service, these are the steps which need to be taken in order to finally disable my account.  The Lord has already shown me what will happen; so be it.

The point of this post however is not to quibble about what is happening to me.  My reason for sharing this is that I want to reiterate again the serious changes I believe are coming for the church of God.  As I live, it seems more and more apparent to me that the Age of the Gentiles is wrapping up. Church "as usual" is simply not going to prepare many for the days to come. Now more than ever let us gird up our hearts and focus on Jesus.  While we may not all be called to walk the same path, I do believe that "transition" is coming to the Church as a whole.

Dark Night of the Soul

There are a number of brethren currently going through what has been called by some, "The Dark Night of the Soul."  I wanted to share some words of encouragement from the saints for those going through such trials.

"For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. 

He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain: So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat." Job 33:14-20

"Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." Isaiah 48:10

"Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." Acts 14:22

Remember, weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning!

A Message by Minister David Wilkerson

A friend of mine was at his wit’s end, despairing, wondering if God had forgotten him in his personal nightmare. He became so desperate one morning recently that he cried out to God, “Unless you send somebody to give me a word of hope, I cannot make it through the day. I simply cannot go on one more day.”

A few hours later, at the point of giving up on life, he went to his mailbox and found a printed message a friend had mailed a few days before. It was a message I released in 1992 entitled, “The Making of a Man of God.” It spoke hope and restoration to his sick soul, and he marveled at the timing of the Holy Ghost. God was right on time, with a word of hope especially for him.

Today I am led by God’s Spirit to send out just a few words of encouragement to certain few who will be receiving their own word of hope, at just the right time. See if one of the following mini-messages is meant for you:

Just A Sinner

I once had a conversation with a fellow Christian about what it means to be a "sinner" and whether it was appropriate for Christians to refer to themselves as such.  I mentioned that not once in the Bible is the word "sinner" used by God in reference to a Christian.  Their response was, "Yeah, but that doesn't mean we are not sinners.  We can't say we're not sinners if we still sin."

But my question is, "Can't we?"  Shouldn't we desire to know what God means by the words He uses?  Shouldn't our professions (and our reality) line up with His about who we are in Christ?

hamartōlos - Devoted to sin, not free from sin; pre-eminently sinful, especially wicked. Most common use of the word "sinner" in the New Testament.

opheiletēs - One who owes another, a debtor; one who owes God penalty or whom God can demand punishment as something due.  New Testament word.

chata' - miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness.  Old Testament word.

In the Old Testament, it is entirely appropriate to refer to God's people as still sinners as they had no way yet of being redeemed from that old nature.  They were simply to submit to the law as an outward control on that rebellious old man.

Yet in the New Testament, that old man of sin is to be crucified with Christ and we become a new man (Ephesians 4:17-32; Colossians 3:5-10).  The definition of being a sinner in the New Testament necessitates that one is outside of Christ.  Looking then at the definitions of the words translated as "sinner", are these apt descriptions for Christians?