Useful Resources
OMEGA-MINISTRIES.ORG
In this section are a number of websites which can help inspire you to seek the Lord in effective praying and in getting out there doing as well. As always, JESUS CHRIST is our greatest example and the one to whom we must compare ourselves and obey. The greatest resource is the Bible itself, so please spend your main study time in the Word of God, preferably the least corrupted King James Version!
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15
Websites: www.omega-ministries.org www.biblegateway.com www.biblehub.com www.spurgeongems.org www.heartcrymissionary.com www.propheticvision.org.uk www.thelastreformation.com www.insurgence.org/ www.propheticalert.net www.biblearchaeology.org www.creation.com
Free material to download, booklets and tracts. Online Bible versions for comparison Online Bible versions and Greek / Hebrew Lexicon and Interlinear Powerful messages from one of the great preachers of the 19th Century Equipping and mobilizing indigenous churches and missionaries David Hathaway evangelistic website - recommended! Join the network of believers who want to see power evangelism Frank Viola’s latest book details Insights into current affairs and how to avoid deception A useful site for the latest in Biblical related finds The best resource for creation material and news
If you have been blessed by anything in this magazine please be as generous as you can to any of these Christian ministries supporting the poor and needy: www.bhct.org.uk The Beachy Head Chaplaincy - on mission to prevent suicides www.matthew25mission.org Helping feed the wandering and homeless in Eastbourne UK www.opendoorsuk.org Supporting outreach globally and supporting Christians in persecution www.teenchallenge.org.uk Helping people escape the problems of drugs and addiction www.capuk.org Christians Against Poverty, bringing the good news to the poor in UK hopenow.org.uk Working with Orphans in the Ukraine kingdomwaytrust.org Ministry to aid the homeless and hurting in society
This no-compromise, biblical clarion call to revival is timeless. He clearly shows how the church can be brought from where it is to where it ought to be. The church still needs his message, first published in 1983. “We live in a generation which has never known revival— God’s way!”
Available from: Bethany House
Much of what we see expressed in the church today is built on more than just the New Testament. It’s built, instead, mostly on the Old Testament, Church culture, and Paganism. It is therefore imperative that we as God’s people dare to stop and take a closer look at the church today compared to the first church seen in Acts.
Available from: TheLastReformation.com
ISSUE: 09
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19
JESUS CHRIST SAVIOUR OF ISRAEL “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 15:24
T
he final prayer of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane is recorded by John through the Holy Spirit. John was very close to Jesus and often heard and saw things the others missed. His keen young mind watched and absorbed all he witnessed. This was Jesus’ plan for his closet disciples and those who would become apostles like him. His incredible prayer recorded in John 17 was not just a list of requests to the Father for those who believed he was indeed Messiah. More than this Jesus proclaims some foundational truths for those who followed him then and who follow him today.
The heavenly Mission Jesus is The Apostle of Faith because he was ‘sent’ from heaven by the will of the Father on a manifold mission. This is the definition of an apostle of God, one sent out with the word of God with power to do God’s will! (2 Corin 12:12).
When we understand Jesus manifold apostolic mission to Israel and the world we will also have a much clearer understanding of what our mission as believers is today. We need to be reminded of this because the mission of the church has been corrupted and manipulated by wolves in sheep’s clothing for centuries! Here is what Jesus commanded the 12 Apostles when he appointed them: These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying,The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. (Matt 10:5-8) Quite early on Jesus assigns the twelve as evangelistic missionaries, but importantly we must note that it was very targeted. ‘Go not into the way of the Gentiles or Samaritans but to the lost sheep of Israel’. Also to affirm this targeted mission Jesus
later said this when approached by a Canaanite (Gentile) woman: But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Jesus confirms that his mission was first and foremost to those he called ‘The Lost sheep of Israel’ and not to the other nations (Gentiles) at this point in the plan of the Father. Despite this he does still show mercy to the woman, but this was an extremely rare event in the ministry of Jesus and recorded to show us how targeted Jesus really was. Jesus was seeking out only those Israelites who had been lost, but what does this mean!? At this time Jesus seems uninterested in saving the other nations. He is focussed purely on only reaching true Israelites like Nathanael (John 1:47). Why was this the case? To confirm this targeted mission Jesus again confirms his purpose as recorded in the gospel of Mark: And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there continued on page 3
INSIDE A Message for our times Part 8 • The 2 Gospels • What God Cannot Do • The Final Persecution & more...
OMEGA-MINISTRIES.ORG
ISSUE: 01
Revival – God’s Way Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19
Revival times is a FREE publication offered to those who want to be encouraged and built up to know JESUS CHRIST as their Lord God and saviour. It is published by Omega Ministries which is a non-denominational prophetic movement of believers who want to see the Kingdom come on earth as in heaven. Please send all enquiries or questions to the email address given below. We recognise all material copyrights and thank God that all contributors take no wages for their work of faith in order to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world and to revive his true church in our day. All Scriptures are quoted from the King James Bible and or Greek and Hebrew, where appropriate, for clarity. This paper and other teaching material is offered online for downloading and printing free of charge. If you are inspired by the content of this paper please pass on to brothers and sisters for their encouragement. Revival is a long lost concept in our modern society because the true Gospel has been perverted, watered down and twisted for personal gain by wolves in sheep’s clothing. Enough is enough and now the sleepers must awake from their spiritual stupor. The dead dry bones must live and the faithful army of the Lord arise and shine the beauty of Christ in us, the hope of glory.
The Call Has Gone Out Soldiers of Christ, arise And put your armour on, Strong in the strength which God supplies Through His eternal Son; Strong in Lord of hosts And in His mighty power: Who in the strength of Jesus trusts Is more than conqueror They will soar on wings like eagles; They will run and not grow weary, They will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:28-31
Editor: Stephen Turnham © please copy and pass on Download the PDF here: www.omega-ministries.org email: info@omega-ministries.org
PAGE 2 REVIVAL TIMES
Where is the hope for Revival— God’s Holy Spirit outpoured Convicting of sin, and of judgement And righteousness of the Lord? When nothing else is important— Only God’s presence Divine, When Christians quit worldly pleasures, Then God, His ear will incline. Desperate prayer for Revival Will cleanse the Church by the Word. Then clothed in spotless, white linen, The Bride clears the way for her Lord. Prayer is the key to Revival, Prayer that is true Spirit-born, Nights of compassionate weeping— Intercession for all the forlorn. Then will the burdens be lifted, Then all the sinners will cry, Then all the chains will be loosened And worldly passions will die. The lost ones will yield to God’s Spirit When Christians, cleansed, weep and pray; God’s Living Water flows outward; This is “Revival—God’s Way”! —Estelle Gifford Jackson FIRST THOUGHTS How Luther’s lips must at first have trembled when he ventured to say that the Pope was Antichrist! Why, Man, how can you dare to say such a thing? Millions bow down before him! He is the vicar of God on earth! Do they not worship our Lord God the Pope? “Yet he is Antichrist and a very devil,” said Luther. And at first he must have felt his ears burn and his cheeks grow red at such a piece of apparent wickedness. And when he found himself shunned by the ecclesiastics who once had courted Doctor Martin Luther’s company, think of what emptiness he must have felt!. Charles Hadden Spurgeon #601 1860
he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken” (Luke 18:31-34). “This saying was hid from them.” (2 Corinthians 4:3) says, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost” (2 Corinthians 4:3). Since the Gospel “was hid” from the Disciples, it is clear that they were still lost (Luke 18:31-34). “If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost” – a perfect description of the confused, bungling, faithless Disciples before “he breathed on them, and saith unto then, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22).
“They understood none of these things” – that is, they understood nothing about the Gospel. The gospel was “hid from them.” They did not understand what He was talking about because they had never been born again. But on the night of the same day He rose from the dead He opened their understanding and they were converted. Look at Luke 24:36-45. “And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them,Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them. And he said unto them,These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures” (Luke 24:36-45). He “opened their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures” at the same time, on the same Sunday night, that “he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). I am totally convinced that this was when the Disciples were born again, never a chance that it happened earlier. “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). The Apostle Thomas was not there that night. Although he had heard Jesus preach about His death and resurrection, Thomas strongly refused to believe the Gospel. Look at John 20:24-31. “But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him,We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered
and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him,Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:24-31).
It is clear, from his own words and unbelief, that one of the 12 Disciples, Thomas, was not born again before he encountered Christ that night. Thus, I believe that he and the other Disciples were not born again until they encountered the risen Christ. Then, and only then, He “opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45). Then, and only then, He “breathed on them” and they were born again. Before that, they were struggling and trying to be Christians, sometimes doing well, at other times ready to give up, filled with constant doubts, finally running away from Jesus into the night. They came back very cautiously and reluctantly with no faith at all that Jesus had risen from the dead, although He had told them He would repeatedly before the crucifixion. They remind me of Luther, and John Bunyan, and George Whitefield, and C. H. Spurgeon before they were born again. And their encounter with the risen Christ, the opening of their understanding, and their regeneration by the Holy Spirit, are also reminiscent of the famous conversions of these great preachers. Remember, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). How about you? Do you expect to be born again without going through a struggle like these preachers and Christ’s Apostles? Do you think you can be born again without being deeply convicted of your sins? Do you think you can be born again without the Holy Spirit drawing you into a divinehuman encounter with Jesus Christ? I hope not, because that’s exactly what you are going to have to go through – to be born again, and become a real Christian! n
THE LAST WORD Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.
Romans 16:24-27 REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 23
my heart is as hard as the nether millstone, when my frames are bad, when I cannot pray, when I cannot sing, when I can do nothing good. To say, “He has promised and will perform; He has said that whoever believes in Christ is not condemned; I do believe in Christ, and there- fore I am not condemned”—this is genuine faith! Again, if we knew a man who could not lie, we would believe him in the teeth of 50 witnesses the other way. Why, we would say, “They may say what they will, but they can lie.” You might have good evidence that they were usually honest men, but you would say, “They can lie; they have the power of lying; but here is a man who stands alone, and cannot lie; then his word must be true!” This shows us, beloved, that we ought to believe God in the teeth of every contradiction. Even if outward providence should come to you, and say that God has forsaken you, that is only one; and even if another, and another, and another should come, and 50 trials should all say that God has forsaken you, yet, as God says, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you,” which will you take—the one promise of God who cannot lie, or the 50 outward providences which you cannot interpret? I know what the devil has been whispering in your ear—“The Lord has quite forsaken you, Your God will be gracious no more.” But then, remember who has said, “Fear you not, for I am with you: be not dismayed, for I am your God.” Which will you believe—the devil’s insinuation, or God’s own testimony? My dear sister, you have been praying for a certain
thing for years; you pray, you pray, and you pray again, and now discouragement arises! Unbelief says, “God will not hear that prayer! That prayer of yours does not come up before the throne of God, and there will be no answer.” But the Lord has said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” Which will you believe, your unbelief, the long months of weariness, and the anxieties which prompted you to discouragement, or will you believe in the naked promise? Why, if God cannot lie, let us give Him what we would give to a man if he were of the same character—our full confidence even in the teeth of contradiction—for He is “God, who cannot lie.” If a man were introduced to us, and we were certain that he could not lie, we would believe every- thing he said, however incredible it might appear to us. I shall have an appeal to every soul here present. It does seem very incredible at first sight that God should take a sinner, full of sin, and forgive all his iniquities in one moment simply and only upon the ground of the sinner believing in Christ. I remember the time when it seemed to me utterly impossible that I could ever have my sins forgiven; I had a clear sense of the value of pardon, and this thought would be always ringing in my ears—“It is too good to be true that you should be pardoned; that you, an enemy, should be made into a child! That you, who have gone on sinning against light, and against knowledge, should yet rejoice in union to Christ; the thing is too good to be true!” But,
beloved friends, supposing it should seem too good to be true, yet, since you have it upon the testimony of one who “cannot lie,” I pray you believe it! “But, sir,”—No, none of your “buts.” He cannot lie. “Ah, but.”—Away with your “ahs” and your “buts,” for Jehovah cannot lie! He has said it, “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved.” To believe is to trust Christ. If therefore you are trusting Christ, you must be saved; and whatever you may be, or whatever you may have done, if you will now trust Jesus Christ you have God’s word for it—and He cannot lie— that you shall be saved! Come now, will you kick against the promise because of its greatness? Do not! Let your doubts and fears be hushed to sleep, and now, with the promise of God as your pillow, and God’s faithfulness as your support, lie down in peace, and behold in faith’s open vision the ladder, the top of which leads to heaven! Trust the promise of God in Christ, and depend upon it that He will be as good to you, even to you, as His own word, and in heaven you shall have to sing of the “God, who cannot lie.” I would that these weak words of mine, for I am very conscious of their feebleness this morning, may nevertheless have comfort in them for any who have been doubting and fearing—that they may trust my Lord. And sure I am that if they begin a life of faith, they will begin a life of happiness and of security! “The just shall live by faith,” and well may they do so, when they have trust in a “God, who cannot lie.” n
continued from cover
also: for therefore came I forth. And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils. (Mark1:38) As Messiah to Israel Jesus was burdened to reach every town in the land with the message of repentance, the kingdom and judgement to come. He demonstrated the power of heaven by casting out Satan (devils), healing the sick and doing wonders such as multiplying food for the hungry. This, he said, was evidence to all Israelites of who he was and where he came from. Many believed, but incredibly many also refused to accept these credentials despite them being mentioned in ancient Scriptures! (How true this is even today. How many cessassionists there are in religious circles who deny the power of the Spirit to heal and deliver God’s people from evil powers!) However, Jesus explains that this ‘filtering’ or ‘sifting’ of those Israelites who believed is something the Father was doing deliberately. And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. (Luke 8:9-10) And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you,That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them ; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. (Matthew 13:14-17)
Through Messiah God the Father was keeping all his promises to Israel and drawing out those who were foreknown and predestined to believe at this time of the end PAGE 22 REVIVAL TIMES
of the ages. Because many Jews had succumbed to the secular hedonism of the Roman culture they were spiritually deceived and Jesus’ concern was that without repentance they would perish. A judgement on Israel was coming that he wanted to save them from in order to preserve the faith for the last generations and the world. The anti God spirit was coming against his people like never before as the feet of Nebuchadnezzar’s statue vision was taking shape as world history unfolded. As with John the Baptist, Jesus’ disciples also continued to baptise those who wanted to change their attitude (repent) and lifestyle and believe in God again. Under the oppression of the Romans many Israelites had probably given up hope despite having a new Temple restored by Herod the Great during his reign, but that came at a high price. Herod was a very evil cruel tyrant who had dominated their society and had even tried to murder Jesus from birth. His 4 children now ruled the 4 provinces (Tetrarchs) after his death, Herod Antipatros became ruler over Galilee & Perea whom Jesus knew well and who also wanted to kill him like his father (Luke 13:31-32). Herod’s name ‘Antipatros’ means ‘like the Father’ that is, like Herod the Great who was devilish, like his father the devil. Something Jesus accuses the Pharisees of because they rejected him, preferring instead to have Herod and Caesar as kings over them. Conversely Jesus was ‘like his Father in heaven’ and so we see the battle of kingdoms. Because the Israelite leadership had submitted to Rome and were compromising the Law of God for the sake of Roman money Jesus pronounced a severe judgement on them, Jerusalem and Israel. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures,The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Therefore say I unto you,The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them (Matt 21:42-45).
The Predestined remnant As in the time of Elijah, God had reserved for himself a holy remnant made from those who had rejected idol worship who had repented and were subsequently baptised by John (Despite the corrupted state of Jerusalem and the occupation by the Romans). This is what Mary had prophesied at the very conception of Christ in her womb some 30 years earlier. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. (Luke 1:50-55). These ‘chosen’ or ‘elect’ Israelites believed both the message of John and then followed Jesus. These are the two witnesses of God’s Kingdom of heaven to Israel. The first Jewish believers in Christ (first fruits) would eventually suffer the persecutions that Jesus warned them about and be thrust out from the city and the land then murdered. Jesus warned those remaining to flee when armies surrounded Jerusalem. This happened some 40 years later in AD 70 when Roman emperor Vespasian and son Titus destroyed the Jewish rebellion. The remaining Christians escaped but the rebels died in the 10’s of thousands. By this time all the 12 apostles and Paul were already martyred, but the church was growing fast in Minor Asia (Turkey). REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 3
So, the foundation of Christ’s Church or Bride was only made from the predestined remnant of Israelites from all tribes who were chosen by the Father based on their inheritance and their response in faith to Jesus call. John reveals this when sharing the vision of the bride, the new Jerusalem in his revelation: And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2) And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. (Revelation 21:10)
And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. (Revelation 21:12)
And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. (Revelation 21:14)
This vision reveals that the church of Christ is eternally linked with it’s Israelite foundation.
The Twelve Foundations John’s vision reveals that to complete his mission on earth Jesus goal was to establish the twelve man foundation and reach all those appointed by God from all the 12 tribes, starting then and throughout history, even up to this present day, the total number being saved will be just 144,000! (see Rev 14:1-4) Hence Jesus confident statement in his final prayer to his Father: I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. (John 17:4-6)
His completion of this work was twofold: manifesting (showing) the Name to the chosen twelve men and preach the kingdom to
every town (Luke 4:43). By this point Jesus was convinced that the chosen men had got it, that they had truly believed. All Israel had been told. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. (John 17:7-8) Jesus prays that these men (not the world) might be as one in him, but also recognised that one was lost. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. (John 17:12)
That missing apostle (Judas Iscariot) was later replaced by the other 11 apostles realising that it was essential for the foundation of the Church and the Kingdom (Acts 1:20-26). Matthew was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot as a credible eye witness of Jesus life. It was not Paul, who some suppose should be considered the real twelfth man, as he was not an eye witness like all the others. Paul’s mission, along with others like him, was to take the light of Christ to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15). This was to be how the church of the firstborn would open it’s doors wide to the multitudes in the pagan nations. This was to be phase 2 if you will of God’s plan of salvation for the rest of mankind. Puzzling to us today, but these first Jewish Apostles were surprised that the Gentiles were accepted into the Holy church of Christ purely by their faith. However they accepted this due to Peter’s rooftop vision, the conversion of Cornelius and his household (see Acts 10) and later the testimony’s of Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15). Paul knew the difference between converted Jews and Gentiles as he also speaks of the remnant of Jews that believed in his letter to the Roman (Gentile) church to remind them that Israelites are to be both treasured and respected,
PAGE 4 REVIVAL TIMES
not rejected as lost forever! Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved. For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality.” It is just as Isaiah said previously: “Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.”What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal.Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. As it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.” (Romans 9:27-33) I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah---how he appealed to God against Israel: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me” ? And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. (Romans 11:1-6) This passage does not refer to any Gentile believers but to the Jewish remnant in Paul’s time, i.e. before AD 67! Gentile believers are not the remnant but grafted into the remnant by Christ - that’s different.
The power of forgiveness The first apostles and others already believed Jesus was God in the flesh, even before the crucifixion even happened. They witnessed his power over sin, Satan, sickness and disease even death! He also showed them that he could forgive sins at will, an attribute that confirmed his deity. And when he saw their faith, he said
giving it nothing to feed upon in our temper, our conversation, or our deeds! III. But I shall now come to make a practical use of the text, in the third place, by observing HOW WE OUGHT TO ACT TOWARDS GOD IF IT IS TRUE THAT HE IS A “GOD WHO CANNOT LIE.” Brethren, if it is so that God cannot lie, then it must be the natural duty of all His creatures to believe Him. I cannot resist that conclusion. It seems to me to be as clear as noonday that it is every man’s duty to believe the truth of God, and that if God must speak and act truth, and truth only, it is the duty of all intelligent creatures to believe Him. Here is “Duty-faith” again, which some are railing at, but how they can get away from it, and yet believe that God cannot lie, I cannot understand! If it is not my duty to believe in God, then it is no sin for me to call God a liar. Will anyone subscribe to that—that God is a liar? I think not! And if to think God to be a liar would be a most atrocious piece of blasphemy, then it can only be so, on the ground that it is the natural and incumbent duty of every creature understanding the truthfulness of God to believe in God! If God has set forth the Lord Jesus Christ as the propitiation for sin, and has told me to trust Christ, it is my duty to trust Christ, because God cannot lie; and though my sinful heart will never believe in Christ as a matter of duty, but only through the work of the Holy Spirit, yet faith does not cease to be a duty; and whenever I am unbelieving and have doubts concerning God, however moral my outward life may be, I am living in daily sin; I am perpetrating a sin against the first principles of morality. If I doubt God, as far as I am able, I rob Him of His honour, and stab Him in the vital point of His glory; I am, in fact, living an open traitor and a sworn rebel against God, upon whom I heap the daily insult of daring to doubt Him. O my hearers, there are some of you who do not believe in Christ! I wish you would look at your character and position
in this light. You are not trusting in Christ for your salvation. Remember, “He who believes not God, has made Him a liar.” Those are John’s own inspired words, and you are, every day that you are not a believer in Christ, virtually writing upon your doorpost, and saying with your mouth, “God is a liar; Christ is not able to save me; I will not trust Him; I do not believe God’s promise; I do not think He is sincere in His invitation to me to come to Christ; I do not believe what God says.” Remember that you are living in such a state as this, and may God the Holy Spirit impress you with a sense of the sin of that state, and feeling this, your sin and misery, I pray God to lead you to cry, “Lord, I believe, help You my unbelief!” This, then, is our first practical conclusion from the fact that God cannot lie. Other thoughts suggest themselves. If we were absolutely sure that there lived on earth a person who could not lie, how would you treat him? You know there cannot be such a man; there may be a man who will not lie, but there cannot be a man of whom it may be said that he cannot lie, for alas, we have all the power of evil in us, and we can lie, and to a certain degree it is quite true that “all men are liars.” But if you could be certain that there was a man out of whose heart the black drop had been wrung, and that he could not lie—how would you act towards him? Well, I think you would cultivate his acquaintance. If you are true yourselves, you would desire his friendship; you would say, “He is the friend for me! I have trusted in such-andsuch a man and he has played the Judas; I asked counsel of another, and he was an Ahithophel; but if this man cannot lie, he shall be my bosom companion if he will accept me; and he shall be my counsellor if he will but have the goodness to direct me.” I would expect to see a pier of all the good in the world waiting at the man’s door! You know how the world, with all its sinfulness, reverences the man who is true! We had an instance in our streets
the other day, of the good man, and the true, who received homage of all, and yet that man could lie; but inasmuch as we never have seen that he did, but his life has been straightforward, therefore have we paid him honour, and deservedly so. Well now, if such is the case, should not all Christians seek more and more the friendship of God? “O Lord, be You my familiar friend, my counsellor, my guide; if You cannot lie I will lay bare my heart to You; I will tell You all my secrets, I will trust You with all the desires of my heart; I know You can never be- tray me, or be unfaithful; let there be a union established between my soul and Yours, and let it never be broken.” Let communion with God, be the desire of your hearts on the ground that He cannot lie! If we knew a man who could not lie, we should believe him, I think, without an oath. I cannot sup- pose that when he came into the court of justice they would pass him the Bible; no, his word would be better than the oath of ordinary men if he could not lie. You would not need any sign or evidence to prove what he said; you would take his word at once. So should it be with God. Ah, dear friends, God has given us more than His word, He has given us His oath; and yet, strange is it that we who profess to be His children are vile enough to distrust our own Father; and sometimes, if He does not give us signs and evidences, we begin to distrust Him so that, after all, I am afraid we rather trust the signs than trust God, and put more confidence in frames and evidences than we do in the naked promise, which is an atrocious sin, indeed! Many believers cannot be comfortable without signs and evidences; when they feel in a good frame of mind—ah, then God’s promise is true! When they can pray heartily, when they can feel the love of God shed abroad in their hearts, then they say, “How God has kept His promise.” Ah, but, my brethren, that is a seeingfaith. “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” Faith is to believe in God when REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 21
continued from page 18
“Lord, I know You cannot lie, therefore fulfil Your word to Your servant.” If the promises of God were not kept, God would lie, they must, therefore, be fulfilled; and let us believe that they will be and go to God, not with a wavering spirit which half hopes that the words may be true, but with the full assurance that they cannot fail! As certainly as we know that day and night shall not cease, and that summer will not fail, so surely let us be convinced that every word of the Lord shall stand! His threats are true, also. Ah, sinner, you may go on in your ways for many a day, but your sin shall find you out at last. Seventy years God’s longsuffering may wait over you, but when you shall come into another world, you shall find every terrible word of Scripture fulfilled; you shall then know that there is a place, “where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched.” You shall then experience the “wailing and gnashing of teeth” unless you repent. If you will believe in Jesus, you shall find the promise true! But if you will not, equally sure shall be the threat! This is a dreadful part of the subject to those who are out of Christ, who have never been partakers of the Holy Spirit. It will be in vain for you to cry to Him then, and ask Him, then, to change His mind. No, though you should weep oceans of tears, hell’s flames cannot be quenched nor can your soul escape from the place to which it is finally doomed! To- day, while mercy is preached to you, lay hold upon it! But remember, if you do not, as God cannot lie, He cannot allow you to escape, but you will feel the weight and terror of His arm. We might thus go through everything which concerns God, from prophesy to promises, and threats, and onwards and multiply observations, but we choose to close this point by observing that every word of instruction from God is most certainly true. It is astounding how much sensation is caused in the Christian Church by the outbreak, every now and then, PAGE 20 REVIVAL TIMES
of fresh phases of infidelity. I do not think that these alarms are at all warranted. It is what we must expect to the very end of this dispensation. If all carnal minds believed the Bible, I think the spiritual might almost begin to doubt it, but as there are always some who will attack it, I shall feel none the less confident in it. Really, the book of God has stood so many attacks from such different quarters, that to be at all alarmed about it shows a very childish fear. When a rock has been standing all our lifetime, and has been known to stand firmly throughout all the ages of history, none but foolish people will think that the next wave will sweep it away. Within our own short life—say some 25 years’ recollection—have we not remembered, I was about to say almost as many as 25 shapes of infidelity? You know it must change about every 20 years at least, for no system of infidelity can live longer than that! There was the witty system of objection which Voltaire introduced; and how short-lived was that! Then came the bullying, low-lived, blackguard system of Tom Paine; and how short-lived was its race! Then, in more modern times, unbelief took the shape of Secularism—what particular shapes it takes now we scarcely know—perhaps Colensoism is the most fashionable—but that is dying out, and something else will surely follow it! These creations of an hour just live their little day and they are gone. But look at belief in Scripture, and at Scripture itself. The Bible is better understood, more prized, and I believe, on the whole, more practiced than ever it was since the day when its author sent it abroad into the world. It’s course is still onward; and after all which has been done against it, no visible effect has been produced upon the granite wall of Scriptural truth by all the pickaxes and boring rods which have been broken upon it! Walking through our Museums nowadays, we smile at those who think that Scripture is not true. Every block of stone from Nineveh, every relic which
has been brought from the Holy Land, speaks with a tongue which must be heard even by the deaf adder of Secularism and which says, “Yes, the Bible is true, and the word of God is no fiction.” Beloved, we may rest assured that we have not a word in the book of God which is untrue! There may be an interpolation or two of man’s which ought to be revised and taken away, but the book, as it comes from God, is truth, and nothing but truth—not only containing God’s word, but being God’s word—being not like a lump of gold inside a mass of quartz, but all gold, and nothing but gold! And being inspired to the highest degree—I will not say verbally inspired, but more than that—having a fullness more than that which the letter can convey, having in it a profundity of meaning such as words never had when used by any other being, God having the power to speak a multitude of truths at once. And when He means to teach us one thing according to our capability of receiving it, He often teaches us 20 other things, which, for the time, we do not comprehend, but which, by-andby, as our senses are exercised, reveal themselves by the Holy Spirit. Every time I open my Bible I will read it as the word of “God, who cannot lie,” and when I get a promise or a threat, I will either rejoice or tremble because I know that these stand fast. Dear friends, this leads us, in closing this point, to say that when we read that passage— “God, who cannot lie”—we understand that His very nature cannot lie, for He hates lies! Wherever there is a lie, God is its enemy. It was to overcome the lie of sin that God sent His Son to bleed; and every day the thoughts of God are centred upon the extermination of evil and the extension of His own truth. Nothing can set forth in words to us the hatred and detestation which God has in His heart of anything which is untrue. Oh that we knew and felt this, and would glow with the same anger, seeking to exterminate the false, slaying it in our own hearts, and
unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying,Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them,What reason ye in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say,Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God (Luke 5:20-25). Seeing such divine power the disciples had wrongly assumed that Jesus would somehow setup his kingdom on earth by force in Israel. However, years later once they saw and heard from the resurrected Jesus about the real kingdom in heaven, they dropped this belief and instead they obediently waited to receive the same power of the Spirit that they had seen in Him. They were to be witnesses not warriors who would preach repentance just as he had done by the promise of the indwelling Spirit of Christ and of the Father, the One God. According to Jesus those apostles and those gathered with them were already clean by the word spoken into them, because they had been with him. They knew that people needed to be saved like themselves from the corrupted generation and that Jesus would bring the Kingdom back to Israel when he returned in glory - a distant future event. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. (John 13:10) Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. (John 15:3)
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone,
but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. (John 17:16-21) But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8) They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:10-11) In all of this Jesus had indeed completed his earthly mission to reach the Jewish remnant who believed and establish the foundation of the new holy nation in his name (12 eye witnesses). All this was even before he went to the cross! So why did he need to do that?
The Power of the Cross Again Jesus had already explained to them why he needed to obey the Father and allow himself to be killed by the Romans. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:14-21) Then said Jesus unto them,When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. (John 8:28-29)
evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Matthew 12:39-41)
And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. And his disciples asked him, saying,Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you,That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. (Matthew 17:9-12) Jesus said unto them,The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry. (Matt 17:22-23)
Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)
Remember also when Jesus was first dedicated in the temple: And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. (Luke 2:25-32) The final phase of Jesus mission will soon take place when he returns in glory to destroy his enemies and re-establish his kingdom on earth. n
But he answered and said unto them, An REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 5
The Final Persecution
Excerpt from chapter 10 What follows was the recording of a two and a half day prophetic experience I had in 1987, followed by two shorter experiences in 1988.
B
efore the great ingathering Christianity will experience a great humiliation. The enemy’s strategy is to so utterly degrade the church that she will begin to retreat just when she is about to make one of her greatest advances. The “accuser of the brethren” will go forth with unprecedented rage against the Body of Christ. The “revelations” of immoral and unethical behaviour by hundreds of highly visible ministries will bring about a loathing of Christianity throughout the world, for a time. These “revelations” will include child molesting, rape, and the most vile forms of perversion. Some of these will be true, but most will not be true.
The Need for Discernment There has never been a more critical need for the church to have the gift of discernment of spirits. In many cases, even when all of the evidence appears irrefutable, there will be entrapment and the accused will be innocent. Some of those who will appear as champions of righteousness by exposing others in order to “cleanse the temple” will be deceivers themselves who actually will have helped to set up the entrapments, or to have brought fabrications against Christian leaders. We must know each other after the Spirit, not rumours, or sometimes what even appears to be hard evidence. Satan’s hit list includes hundreds of Christian leaders. It will target some who have recently made mistakes which were publicly exposed, but the new charges will be contrived about even worse failings and perversions. After an atmosphere of revulsion is created, the enemy will then move against even the most respected Evangelical, Pentecostal, Protestant, Charismatic and Catholic leaders with charges of the most base forms of perversion and ethical failures. In conjunction with this, hoards of cults and satanic worshippers will begin attacking congregations and meetings. They will enter services en masse, spitting on people, urinating and performing lewd acts in order to humiliate the church. This practice
PAGE 6 REVIVAL TIMES
the prophetic
Book ‘The Harvest’ by Rick Joyner (Pub.1989)
will be publicised until it becomes a fad among the cults. What begins as a few isolated incidents will soon become common throughout the world. Again, Satan’s strategy is to so utterly humiliate the church that she will retreat and go into hiding, thus thwarting the coming move of God. It is an age old tactic of the enemy to try to devour what God is bringing forth while it is still in its infancy. We see this in Revelation 12:16 as the dragon waited for the woman to give birth so that he might devour the child. We see this principle with the birth of Moses and Satan’s attempt to destroy the deliverer by destroying the male infants of Israel. This was a prophetic parallel of his strategy to destroy the infant Jesus in the same way. We also see this in his attempt to destroy a coming last day ministry through abortion, drugs, pornography, etc.
The Purging of Leadership The Lord is allowing this onslaught for His own purposes. He is going to have a pure and holy church. In the first century it was a noble thing to desire a position of leadership in the church. Those who did so were putting their lives and families in jeopardy. This is still true throughout much of the world. But in the West a church leader now has more in common with a corporate executive than its Biblical counterpart. Instead of having the same mind that was in Christ Jesus, who “emptied Himself... and became of no reputation,” church leadership has often been used as one of the most vile forms of self-promotion. This misuse of ministry is coming to an end. There are many sincere and devoted men of God presently serving in positions of leadership, but there are also many who have attained such positions through political manipulation and self-promotion. To these church leadership is merely another profession rather than a calling. These will not be able to stand the humiliation which is coming; they will flee, demonstrating that they were in fact hirelings, not serving in devotion to the Lord but for their own personal interests. Some of those who were called and appointed by God will also be
humiliated and found powerless at times to deal with the onslaught. Even so, these will not run, but will remain faithful to their charge. Their failures will result in a greater determination to know the truth of God’s delegated authority over the evil one. By this they will be delivered from hindering delusions and begin to walk in a power and authority never before experienced. The enemy’s strategy of humiliating the saints into retreat will actually work to purify the ranks and inculcate in the faithful an even greater resolve. This humiliation will ultimately reduce many congregations and movements in the church to a figurative Gideon’s three hundred. Like. Gideon’s little band, who could no longer stand the humiliation of Israel at the hands of Midian, these will be pushed to the limit of what they can tolerate. They will then take their little lights and trumpets (messages) and attack the entire camp of the enemy beginning the rout. After this many of those who have departed out of fear and confusion will return helping to complete the victory to bring in a great harvest. Every bit of ground lost during his onslaught will be regained and much more, all within a very short period of time.
The Key to Our Victory The church’s posture towards this coming slander must be a determination for us to indeed humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, not man or Satan. The Lord “resists the proud, but gives His grace to the humble” (James 4:6). We must not let the revelations of sin drive us into hiding but rather to the throne of grace. We need not hide from or deny the true failures, but confess them and repent of our evil ways. The Lord’s ultimate victory over the accuser will be so great that the church will be esteemed and marvelled at by the entire world very soon after the peak of her humiliation. But the church’s exaltation will not come because we have started to look better in the sight of man, but because we will have embraced the cross and allowed the humiliation to drive us to the throne of grace, and God will then lift us up. What the world thinks of the church
continued from page 17
inbreathing and Pentecost] separate: the indwelling of the Holy Spirit began the day of the resurrection of Christ, John 20:22” (John R. Rice, D.D., The Son of God: A Verse-by-Verse Commentary on the Gospel According to John, Sword of the Lord Publishers, 1976 edition, p. 397, note on John 20:22). “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). Matthew Henry gave this comment, Christ here seems to refer to the Creation of man at first, by the breathing of the breath of life unto him (Genesis 2:7), and to intimate that he himself was the author of that work, and that the spiritual life [of] Christians are derived from him, as much as the natural life of Adam…As the breath of the Almighty gave life to man and began the old world, so the breath of the mighty Saviour gave life…and began a new world…the breath of Christ signifies the power of his grace (Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Hendrickson Publishers, 1996 edition, p. 984; note on John 20:22). “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). Dr. Charles John Ellicott said, The [Greek] word rendered “breathed” occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, but was familiar from its use in the Greek [LXX] of Genesis 2:7. St. John uses to describe this act of the risen Lord the striking word which had been used to describe the act by which God breathed into man’s nostrils the breath of life. He [John the Apostle] writes as one who remembered how the influence of that moment on their future lives was a new spiritual creation, by which they were called, as it were, out of death unto life (Charles John Ellicott, D.D., Ellicott’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Zondervan Publishing House, 1954 edition, Volume VI, pp. 543-544; note on John 20:22). “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). The Preacher’s Homiletic Commentary points out, It must be remembered that this divine “breathing” of the Spirit was not conferred on apostles alone; others were present. It is therefore typical…It is not baptism or church membership or knowledge of Scripture that makes men and women true disciples of Christ. Now, as of old, it is a gift of the Holy Ghost (W. Frank Scott, M.D., The Preacher’s Complete Homiletic Commentary on the New Testament, Funk and Wagnalls Company, n.d., Commentary on John, p. 566; note on John 20:22). “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). Dr. J. Vernon McGee said, I personally believe that at the moment our Lord breathed on them, and said, “Receive ye the Holy
Ghost,” these men were regenerated [born again]. Before this, they had not been indwelt by the Spirit of God…I believe here that Jesus Christ breathed into these men eternal life by giving them the Spirit of God (J. Vernon McGee, Th.D., Thru the Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1983, volume IV, p. 498; comment on John 20:22). “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). The Applied New Testament Commentary says, Then Jesus breathed on His disciples and gave them the Holy Spirit…it was then that they were born again of the Spirit… This is when they received true and full faith. This is when they received spiritual life. No man can be a true Christian without having received the Holy Spirit of Christ… “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” [he does not belong to Christ], Romans 8:9 (Thomas Hale, M.D., The Applied New Testament Commentary, Victor Books, 1997 reprint, p. 448; note on John 20:22). “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). If it is true that the Disciples were not born again until John 20:22, it would explain why they did not believe the Gospel when Christ preached it to them. “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men” (Matthew 16:21-23). Peter actually rebuked Christ for preaching the Gospel! At this point Peter did not believe the message of the Gospel – the death and resurrection of Christ! He not only refused to believe the Gospel, but rebuked Jesus and attacked Him for preaching it! Again, Christ made it very clear that He would die and be raised from the dead, the very essence of the Gospel. “And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them,The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry” (Matthew 17:22-23). When they heard the Gospel, “they were exceeding sorry” (Matthew 17:22-23). Again, look at Luke 18:31-34. We know that the Gospel is the death and resurrection of Christ, but the Disciples were utterly blind to the Gospel. “Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day continued on page 23
REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 19
His nature claims—“God, who cannot lie.” May I not add as another argument that you have found Him true! You have been to Him, dear friends, in many times of trial; you have taken His promise and laid it before His Mercy Seat; what do you say—has He ever broken His promise? You have been through the floods—did He leave you? You have passed through the fires—were you burned? You have cried to Him in trouble— did He fail to deliver you? O you poor and needy ones, you have been brought very low, but has He not been your Helper? You have passed hard by the gates of the grave, and hell has opened its horrid jaws to swallow you up, but are you not today the living monuments of the fidelity of God to His promise, and the veracity of every word of the Most High God? Let these things, then, refresh your memories that you may the more confidently know that He is “God, who cannot lie.” II. Let us pass on to look at THE BREADTH OF MEANING IN THE TEXT. When we are told in Scripture that God cannot lie, there is usually associated with the idea, the thought of Immutability. As for instance—“He is not a man that He should lie, nor the son of man that He should repent.” The word “lie,” here includes beyond its ordinary meaning the thought of change, so that when we read that God cannot lie, we understand by it not only that He cannot say what is untrue, but that having said something which is true, He never changes from it, and does not by any possibility alter His purpose or retract His word. This is very consolatory to the Christian, that whatever God has said in the divine purpose is never changed. The decrees of God were not written upon sand, but upon the eternal brass of His unchangeable nature. We may truly say of the sealed book of the decrees, “Has He said, and shall He not do it? Has He purposed, and shall it not come to pass?” We read in Scripture of several instances where God apparently changed, but I think the observation of the PAGE 18 REVIVAL TIMES
old Puritan explains all these; he says, “God may will a change, but He cannot change His will.” Those changes of operation which we sometimes read of in Scripture did not involve any change in the divine purpose! God, for instance, sent to warn Hezekiah that according to the common course of nature he must die, and yet afterwards, 15 years were added to his life— God’s purpose having been all along that Hezekiah should live till the end of the 15 years; but still His purpose equally included that Hezekiah should be brought so near to the gates of death, that in the ordinary course of nature he must die; and then that the miracle would come in was still part of the God’s purpose, that Hezekiah might be cured in a supernatural manner, and be made to live nearer to his God in consequence. God wills a change, but He never changes His will! And when the Last Great Day shall come, you and I shall see how everything happened ac- cording to that hidden roll wherein God had written with His own wise finger every thought which man should think, every word which he should utter, and every deed which he should do. Just as it was in the book of decree, so shall it transpire in the roll of human history. God never changes, then, as to His purpose, and here is our comfort. If He has determined to save us, and we know He has, for all who believe in Him are His elect, then we shall be saved. Heaven shall never by any possibility be defeated by hell. Hell and earth may combine together to destroy a soul which rests upon Christ, but while God’s decree stands fast and firm, that chosen soul is safe! And since that decree never can be removed, let us take confidence and rejoice. No promise has ever been altered, and no threat, either. Still is His promise sure. “I have not said unto the seed of Jacob, seek you My face in vain.” No new decrees have been passed repealing the past; we can never say of God’s book, as we can of old law books, that such-
and-such an act is obsolete. There is no obsolete statute in God’s book! There stand promises, as fresh, as new, as vigorous, and as forceful today as when they first dropped from the mouth of God. The words, then, “God, who cannot lie,” include the very gracious and precious doctrine that He cannot by any possibility change. But we must not, while talking in this manner, forget the primary meaning, that He cannot be false in His thoughts, words, or actions. There is no shadow of a lie upon anything which God thinks, or speaks, or does. He cannot lie in His prophecies. How solemnly true have they been! Ask the wastes of Nineveh! Turn to the mounds of Babylon! Let the traveller speak concerning Idumea and Petra; turn even to the rock of Sidon, and to Your land, O Immanuel! We may boldly ask the traveller, “Has He said and has He not done it? Have His words fallen to the ground? Has God’s curse been an idle word?” No, not in one single case! All the words of the Lord are sure. The prophecies will be as true as they have been, and the Book of Revelation, though we may not comprehend it today, will doubtless be fulfilled in every stroke and in every line, and we shall marvel how it was that we did not know its meaning. But at present it is enough for us to know its truth—its meaning shall only be learned as the events explain the prophesy. As God is true in His prophecies, so is He faithful to His promises. Have you and I, dear friends, a confidence in these? If so, let us try them this morning. Sinner, weeping and bemoaning yourself, God will forgive you your sin if you believe in Jesus! If you will confess that He is faithful and just to forgive you, He has promised to do so, and He cannot lie! Christian, if you have a promise today laid upon your heart, if you have been pleading it, perhaps for months, and it has not been fulfilled, I pray you gather fresh courage this morning, and again renew your wrestling. Go and say, continued on page 20
will have little to do with her exaltation or humiliation—God will determine her fate. The Lord is allowing this onslaught to deliver His people from the fear of man. When the church comes out of this period, she will have a changed concept of both humility and exaltation. We will never again use the world’s opinion of us as a barometer of our condition. The church’s exaltation will not come from public opinion but from above. The New Jerusalem comes down from heaven; she is not lifted up from below. When we cease to care what the world thinks of us and are wholly occupied with what God thinks of us, He will then pour out a grace upon us that is irresistible even to our most vehement enemies, a grace which cannot be prevailed upon by any power of darkness. The grace of God, purchased by the blood of Jesus, is the most powerful and irresistible force in all of creation. Through all of her trials the church is going to be so cast upon the grace of God and the power of the cross that she will walk in such power and demonstrations of the Spirit that the whole world will be shocked and even terrified for a period. The enemies of the church and the gospel, who will have exalted themselves through her humiliation, will themselves be humiliated and flee from the church in terror in the day of her power. Those who have been unjustly humiliated in the onslaught, who did not waste their trials but sought the grace of God with even more zeal, will be exalted to an unprecedented level of spiritual authority.
An Unholy Alliance It is important that we use this opportunity to embrace the discipline of the Lord. Nevertheless, He has us understanding “in order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes” (II Corinthians 2:11). As sensational as this may presently seem, there will be an unholy alliance which involves major denominations, organised crime, and even some government officials and agencies. The following is the scenario which will actually take place. Hundreds of millions of dollars stand to be made from the slanderous articles and transfer of property resulting from the failure of major ministries. When the potential for this kind of profit exists, evil men get involved.
Because of the money lost by having their publications removed from some of their more effective outlets, major pornography publishers will have a vendetta against specific ministries and Christians in general. These have been accumulating real information against some ministries; they have contrived false testimonies from paid witnesses against others. Their plan for releasing the stories is systematic and strategic for making the most on the publicity and the property transfers. Some denominations will get involved, seeing this as a chance to eliminate what they consider “the fringe element” of Christianity. These feel that the popular evangelicals, charismatics and televangelists have deprived them of resources and support. Some of these denominational officials have no fear of God and are well aware of what they are doing. Others will honestly believe that they are doing God a favour. Some government officials and agencies will see this humiliation of Christianity as a way to eliminate the tax exempt status of ministries (and possibly even the entire church) with popular support. This source of new income will be seen as a means of erasing the deficit without raising taxes. Major churches and ministries will be the object of audits and investigations. Many of these officials are sincere in wanting to eradicate impostors who bilk the public and the government of substantial resources. Some, hiding behind pious facades, are out to destroy the conservative Christian political clout. Others are outright antichrist. As the prophet Daniel foretold: And forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation. And by smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action. And those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many; yet they will fall by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder, for many days (Daniel 11:31-33). We live in enemy territory; “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (I John 5:19). We must not continue to judge each other by information received from the enemy’s own media.
It was prophesied of Jesus that “He will delight in the fear of the Lord, and He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor make a decision by what His ears hear” (Isaiah 11:3). The church must learn to walk by this same standard of spiritual perception. The love of those who do not do this will grow cold. It is time for the faithful to walk by the Spirit and to know each other only after the Spirit. Let us not be beguiled from the simplicity of devotion to Christ. We must seek first His kingdom and His purposes. Those following the Lord out of selfish ambition, who make decisions because of personal or political considerations will ultimately betray the faith and the faithful. Those who are given understanding of the enemy’s schemes will be made primary targets for entrapments in order to discredit their warnings. Some will “fall by the sword (murder) and captivity (imprisonment)”. But those who know their God will not retreat; they will “display strength and take action,” regardless of the consequences. This is a war and there will be casualties. Those who fall by the sword and the entrapments are martyrs to the Lord and He will keep that which they have entrusted to Him. We must not be concerned about what men, or even the church, may think of us. “The Lord knows those who are His.” Those who are conformed to the image of the Lord’s death, when he was alone and deserted by even His own followers, will soon come again in the power of His resurrection. Those who give their lives will be seed for the greatest victory over evil and ingathering of souls ever accomplished through the church. This will be a period of some of the darkest and most confusing days for the faithful. Some who have appeared to be the strongest will fall. Some of these will betray many while trying to save their own lives and reputations. This has been going on since the beginning throughout much of the world, but it will be a great shock to believers in the West who are accustomed to religious freedom. During this time paranoia would sweep the church were it not for the courage and boldness of individuals who refuse to retreat in the face of this onslaught. Some who are now considered mere “privates in God’s army” are about to become some of the greatest heroes of the faith in the last day church. continued on page 14
REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 7
A Message For Our Times PART 8 - By Stephen Turnham
“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (2 Corinthians 4:6-7) The eighth part of 12 parts looking at how the church reaches out to the lost.
PART 8 - WHO WILL OPPOSE HIS HOLY PEOPLE?
N
ow that we know what ‘church’ or ‘Ekklésia’ really is (a supernatural household of faith living by the Spirit), we will consider what will happen when the people of God live in this godly and holy manner. As Jesus has said in his John 17 prayer to the Father, the ‘World will hate us’ because of the Word (Spirit of holiness) in us. Included in this ‘world’ are the law makers, politicians and religious leaders who seek to conform us to their earthly, ‘Satanic’ ways. This is what Jesus experienced, what Saul executed and as Paul also then experienced and in fact what anyone who wants to live a ‘godly life’ will experience. It’s the battle between the two kingdoms, one visible the other as we have said is invisible. It’s an age old spiritual warfare that was seen many times in the history of Israel and the church: “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all (those of faith). For it is written, Rejoice, thou PAGE 8 REVIVAL TIMES
barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.” (Gal 4:19-29) Paul and the other apostles were persecuted not just by the Romans but mostly by their own people, the Jews, and this because they literally abandoned ALL the ceremonial Laws and rituals associated with the religion and Pharisaical add-ons, being justified by faith in Christ alone. The Romans and heathens attacked them because they preached against the idols and false demon gods that they worshipped through false religious rituals - Occultism and Satanism. Essentially any earthly system will oppose the gospel of grace because it simply does not fit into the mindset of secular humanism (Hierarchy) in which they superstitiously trust. The genuine body of Jesus will always come up against persecution in some form, especially if there is little prayer in the nation that they are in. This is why Paul urges us to prayer firstly for those in human authority that there might be peace. “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.” (1 Tim 2:1-3)
God is opposed to war and political unrest, because it hinders his purpose of saving people before Satan can kill them. The prayers of the church
can, and do force the spiritual powers of darkness to submit to God’s will, but it must be consistent and persistent to avoid disaster. Sometimes a nation rejects the gospel and follows some other belief system such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islamism, communism or atheism and thus cooperates with demons (who are the liars) and so that society collapses. History and even the news today show this to be a fact. There is no peace for the wicked world, because it’s out from under God’s protection. Even in the midst of all this (as we have seen) God’s people must not try to defend themselves, but must trust in the Father to defend them, pray fervently. It might even be that he allows some Christians to be martyred and go home to be with him, to spare them other unavoidable suffering, even so we must rely on God alone. This is the way of the Spirit and faith. Remember that great list of Hebrews 11? These are those great men and women of the past who gave up this life to stand on the truth, because they feared God more than men. When we meet them we will understand that they made the right decision as they shine like stars in the universe! “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” (D an 3:16-18)
Some Christians have literally lost their heads to Islamic groups like ISIS for taking just such a position of trust and faith in the God of Israel. However, even
continued from page 15 Central America (including Mexico, and most of Africa) will ultimately be swept up by it. This will be such a changed form of communism that communism will not really be an appropriate word for it, but it will be economic and political totalitarianism. There will be a period of time when the United States will have a “hot” border to the south with almost daily clashes and casualties. Internal pressures will have caused such a lack of resolve that she will even yield large sections of her own territory to invaders by failing to use the force required to stop them. At that time the enemies within will be greater than those without. In some of the countries taken by the communists there will be an attempt to completely wipe out Christianity as well as other religions. At the same time, in some communist countries religious tolerance will increase but seldom to the degree that it could be considered true religious freedom. In the nations that remain “free” or democratic, religious intolerance will increase until believers will be in some degree of danger in every nation on earth.
The False Church The most severe persecution against believers will come in countries which now enjoy religious freedom. A number of these governments will have aligned themselves with the false church. This false church will have allegiance and authority over most of the populations of what is left of the “free world.” This church will incite governments and populations against all Christians who do not submit to its authority The unfolding in some communist countries will have been very different. The false church will not have gained political power in most of these. Often in reaction to the false church, these governments will have given great liberty to true believers who will labor in the harvest in relative peace, their dark night already turned into day. Powerful apostolic teams will come out of Russia, China and Islamic countries giving strength to the persecuted church throughout the world. The great changes that are sweeping the world will bring many changes to communist doctrine, theory and
continued from page 9
• Ez. 37:1-10, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may come to life.” • The gospels indicate that many more than just the disciples were present when this happened (Luke 24:33) • The Holy Spirit could not be given prior to this point, because Jesus was not glorified before the resurrection (John 7:37-39). • Consider the wording from the passage above and from John 20:22, “receiving the Holy Spirit”, and compare to Acts 2:4, “being filled with the Holy Spirit”. • Note the definite change in Peter after this event on resurrection night, but before the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:15-22). In a nutshell, I believe that what we have happening in John 20:22 is Jesus imparting eternal life to his followers in the form of the Holy Spirit (regeneration), and what we have happening in Acts 2:4 is the followers of Jesus being filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered to be the testimony that Jesus said they would be. To put it simply, Jesus’ followers were regenerated by the Holy Spirit when Jesus breathed on them in John 20, and they were empowered to be Jesus’ witnesses by the filling of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. I studied 17 commentaries on this verse last Wednesday night. I stayed up studying until 5:00 in the morning. Nearly all of the commentaries I studied (including several not cited) reference
practice, as well as that of capitalism, free enterprise and democracy— capitalism is going to change just as radically as communism, but it will not become communistic—both will become economic and political hybrids. We must not be overly encouraged or discouraged by these changes. “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” it is not communism or capitalism that is the enemy, but humanism. This includes every “ism” as they all have their root in the Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil. The great changes and clashes which are coming in human philosophies will bring a more clear distinction between the light and darkness. It will be during the confusion of these times that the church will make her greatest advances in attaining the life and power in which she was called to walk. The church will be abiding so close to her Lord during these times that she will give almost no attention to what is going on in the world, except as it may relate to opportunities for spreading the gospel.
You
can buy the latest updated
version of the book on
Amazon.
Genesis 2:7 which says, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). Genesis 2:7 is referenced under “L” in the center column of the Scofield Study Bible, along with I Corinthians 15:45 which says, “The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit” (I Corinthians 15:45). This Scofield note implies that the “breath” of God which made Adam alive must come to fallen men, “dead in sin” (Ephesians 2:5) to “quicken” them or “give life” to them by the work of the Holy Spirit in the new birth. Dr. Walvoord’s commentary says, “So he breathed on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit.” The image and wording of breathing on them recalls God’s creative work in making Adam (Genesis 2:7). Now this post-Resurrection “breathing” was a new kind of creative work for they would… become new creations, Ephesians 2:8-10 (John F. Walvoord, Th.D., and Roy B. Zuck, Th.D., The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, Victor Books, 1984, p. 343; note on John 20:22). “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). The Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible (Zondervan, 2003) says, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Does not refer to empowerment for ministry, which took place later at Pentecost…” (note on John 20:22). Dr. John R. Rice said, “Keep these two things [this continued on page 19
REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 17
continued from page 13
states that which is not, but no wise man who can look far into the future ever thinks a lie to be profitable; he knows that truth may suffer loss at first, but that in the long run she is always successful. He endorses that worldly-wise proverb, that, “Honesty is the best policy” after all; and the man, I say, who has anything like foresight, or judgment, or wisdom, prefers always the straight line to the curve, and goes directly to the mark, believing that this is in the end the best. Do you suppose that God, who must know this, with an intensity of knowledge infinitely greater than ours, will choose the policy of the witless knave? Shall God, Only Wise, who sees the end from the beginning, act as only brainless fools will choose to behave themselves? Oh, it cannot be, my brethren! God, the All-Wise, must also be All-True! And the lie, again, is the method of the little and the mean. You know that a great man does not lie; a good man can never be false. Put goodness and greatness together, and a lie, is altogether incongruous to the character. Now God is too great to need the lie, and too good to wish to do such a thing! Both His greatness and His goodness repel the thought. My dear friends, what motive could God have for lying? When a man lies, it is that he may gain something, but “the cattle on a thousand hills” are God’s, and all the beasts of the forest, and all the flocks of the meadows. He says, “If I were hungry, I would not tell you.” Mines of inexhaustible riches are His, and treasures of infinite power and wisdom. He cannot gain anything by untruth, for “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” Why, then, should He lie? Men are false, oftentimes, to win applause. See how the sycophant cringes to the tyrant’s foot and spawns his villainy. But God needs no honour and no fame, especially from the wicked. To Him it were the greatest disgust of His righteous soul to be loved by unholy creatures. His glory is great enough even if there PAGE 16 REVIVAL TIMES
were no creatures! His own selfcontained glory is such that, if there were no eyes to see it, and no ears to hear it, He would be infinitely glorious! He asks nothing—no respect and no honour of man—and therefore, has He no need to stoop to the lie to gain it. And of whom, again, could He be afraid? Men will sometimes, under the impulse of fear, keep back or even contradict the truth, but can fear ever enter into the heart of the eternal God? He looks down upon all nations who are in rebellion against Him, and He does not even care to rise to put them down. “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision!” Are not the chariots of the Lord twenty thousand, even thousands of angels? Even these are but as a drop in a buck- et, when compared with the deep and infinite sea of His own power! Who, then, shall think that Jehovah needs to be afraid? “Fear” and “Jehovah,” are two words which cannot meet together. Therefore, since there can be no motive whatever which could possibly lead God to lie, we feel well assured that the declaration of Paul is most certainly true—“God, who cannot lie.” Moreover, dear friends, we may add to all this the experience of men with regard to God. It has been evident enough in all ages that God cannot lie. He did not lie when Adam fell. It seemed a strange thing, that after all the skill and labor which had been spent in making such a world as this, so fair and beauti- ful, God should resign it to the dominion of Satan, and drive the man whom He had made in His own image, out of his home, his Eden, to labor in sweat and toil, and suffering until he came to his grave. But God did it, and the fiery sword at the gate of Eden was proof that God could not and would not lie. He might come to Adam, and bemoan himself, crying, “Adam, where are you?” as if He pitied him and would, if it had been possible, have spared the stroke; but still it must be done, and Eden is blasted, and Adam becomes a wanderer upon the fruitless earth. Then
afterwards, to quote a notable instance of God’s faithfulness, when the flood swept away the race of men, and Noah came forth the heritor of a new Covenant, we have clear proof that God cannot lie. No flood has ever destroyed the earth since then. Partial floods there have been, and parts of provinces have been inundated, but no flood has ever come upon the earth of such a character as that which Noah saw—therefore the rainbow, every time it is painted upon the cloud—is an assurance to us that God cannot lie. Then He made an oath with Abraham that he should have a son, and that his seed should become possessors of all the land in which the patriarch had sojourned. Did not that come true? They waited in Egypt 200 years; they smarted under the tyrant’s lash; they lay among the pots, and yet, after all, with a high hand and with an outstretched arm He brought forth His people, led them through the wilderness, and divided Canaan by lot to them, having driven out the inhabitants of the land before them. Since that time He made His Covenant with David, and how fast has that stood! All the threats which He has uttered against the enemies of Israel—how surely have they been fulfilled! Last of all, and best of all, when the fullness of time was come, did not God send forth His own Son, born of a woman, made under the law? Did He not, according to His ancient promise, lay upon Him the iniquity of us all? Were not the Incarnation and death of our Lord Jesus the grandest proof of the truthfulness of God which could be afforded? His own Son must leave heaven emptied of His glory, must be given up to be despised and rejected of men, must be nailed to the accursed wood, and be forsaken in the hour of His bitterest grief—herein is truth, indeed! I say if this must be according to the promise, and if this was according to the fact, then we have the clearest and the surest evidence that God cannot, by any possibility, be false to His own Word. Rightly has He earned the title which
before Islam came, the Roman Catholic leaders sanctioned the murder of 50 million believers during the dark ages of the anti-Christ. These martyred saints will get a great reward at the resurrection and reign with Christ for a millennium! (Rev 20:4) Misguided beliefs can be so powerful that people even think they are serving God by killing those who live by faith and the Spirit alone. A demonic deception has gripped them and they do not know God, but rather they serve Satan who was a murderer from the beginning. Whatever Satan has done to try and stop the spread of the church he has failed, because the gospel has gone out to the whole world and millions have turned to Christ for salvation. God is patient to win a multitude to himself, but at some point the end will come! We keep praying that peace will reign in this land, but as more and more turn away from Christ to the doctrines of devils and false teachers, evil doors open for the devil and his demons to have their way. However, we must keep praying and keep preaching Christ alone. It’s hard to know
why people choose death, but rest assured it’s because of deception and for believing the lie. “For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.” (Rom 14:8) History has shown that the greatest opposition to Christ’s Spirit comes from those who follow religious traditions in place of the glorious Gospel. This is a powerful deception because people think they are serving God by opposing true Spirit led disciples who preach the kingdom of heaven. This is why Jesus greatest warning was not about the devil, but rather the teaching of the Pharisees! “When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.” Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand?
Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Matt 16:5-12)
Essentially the Pharisees introduce the error of ‘adding too’ what God has said, and the Sadducees ‘take away’ from what God has said. After the destruction of the Temple and disbanding of Israel by the Romans these groups morphed into new heretical groups, many of which we see today. The teaching of the Pharisees and the acceptance of worldly traditions and principles has infected the church created multitudes of false gospel messages. The plethora of denominations has resulted where divisions define the organisation rather than the unity of the Spirit. n
When were the disciples born again? by Dr. R. L. Hymers, Jr. A sermon preached on Saturday Evening, January 31, 2009 at the Baptist Tabernacle of Los Angeles “Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures” (Luke 24:45) “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22)
S
o, what I am really focusing on in this message is the point at which Jesus’ first followers were regenerated, or born from above, by the power of the Holy Spirit. As I am teaching through John’s gospel, and just covered chapter twenty, the subject of the disciples’ salvation (regeneration) is hard to ignore given what happens in verse twenty-two: On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. (John. 20:19-22)
This is quite an extraordinary thing that happens here, one that I think gets minimized far too often and reduced to something much less than it actually is. Many will say that this nothing more than a precursor, a foreshadowing, of what was to come a few days later on the day of Pentecost. I think it is much more than that, and is actually something completely different from what we see occurring in Acts chapter two. I believe that what we have here in John’s gospel is the followers of Jesus being regenerated – born from above. Following are some brief bullet points of things in support of this for your consideration: • Consider the imagery of Jesus “breathing” on the disciples in light of the OT. • Gen 2:7, “Then the Lord God formed man…and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” continued on page 17
REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 9
The Two Gospels “But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.” (Gal 2:7-9)
P
aul was not one of the Twelve, but had been called by Jesus, along with others, to reach the other nations with the good news of Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sin. “And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him,Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come. Do therefore this that we say to thee:We have four men which have a vow on them; Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law. As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.” (Acts 20:17-25) These two sections of Scripture reveal that in the minds of the first Apostles and all believers there was a different approach to bringing the Kingdom message to Jews and Gentiles. The first is called the Gospel to the ‘circumcision’ which was given to Peter as an apostle in Jerusalem which focussed on reaching the Jews who believed in Yeshua. The second was given to Paul by revelation of the risen Christ to reach the ‘uncircumcision’ or Gentiles (all other nations). Paul refers to these Gentiles as ‘the heathen’ because the Jews considered them un-sanctified or unclean, as they had never been purified by the Law and Temple sacrifice. This was the problem that Paul encountered when he went into Jerusalem for the Pentecost celebration where he met with James and other apostles. James explains that the Jews that believed had become even more zealous for the law now that they understood that Jesus was the sacrifice for their sins. The concern these Messianic believers had was that Paul was teaching Jews in the nations that they do not need to keep the laws and customs of Moses now that they had believed in Christ. One could argue the case that Paul in some sense did teach this when he was in the surrounding nations especially when reading Philippians 3. However, as we read in the Acts 20 passage Paul did travel to Jerusalem to partake of the Pentecost feast day, so what’s PAGE 10 REVIVAL TIMES
going on here? Was he for or against keeping the feasts and Sabbaths? These questions are hard for a westernised Christian because they are told that there is only one gospel. However as our opening passage reveals the first believers accepted two approaches to the grace of God in Christ, first for the Jew then for the Gentiles. As explained in my other teaching on ‘predestined remnant’ the first believers were predominantly Jews, the church of Jesus was essentially Jewish by foundation. This early remnant of approximately 8,000 people (mainly men) was composed of all levels of society with many being poor. Life and culture in Israel was still very much traditional Judaic (the priesthood and Sanhedrin were still functioning at that time), being permitted by Rome to keep the peace. It’s pretty clear from Scripture passages that the apostles never expected the Jews to stop keeping their traditional feasts etc, but they gave up sacrificing animal sin offerings at the temple. Other nations had never had any part in these customs as the covenant of Law had only been given to the Israelites. After the kingdoms divided only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin used the Temple (Jesus was from Judah & Paul was from the Benjamin). The other tribes and imported Babylonians had an apostate temple in Samaria (see John 4:20; Micah 1). Although the other ten tribes had been excluded many centuries before, individuals from these dispersed tribes still came to the feasts from every nation (Acts 2:5) of their dispersal (even as they do today). Like Paul some travelled months in advance to guarantee arriving on time. The point of all this is that, although Gentiles were now hearing about Jesus Messiah (Christ) through the preaching of Paul and others, they were not Jews by birth and so had no previous covenant with God. As such ALL the Apostles had agreed that there was no need for Gentiles to keep or attend the feasts in Jerusalem or elsewhere in order to be saved (grafted into God’s house via Christ). In fact Gentiles were forbidden to partake of the Passover and were forcibly opposed (Acts 21:28). Paul strongly defends his position as an apostle to the Gentiles (although he still went to Jews in dispersed lands first out of respect). His first letter to the Galatians brings this out very clearly, because zealous Jews were trying to persuade Gentile believers that unless they obeyed all the laws including circumcision they would not be considered saved or part of the Church. Paul nowhere teaches gentiles to obey the Law to be saved. For Paul this was another ‘false’ gospel and heresy! The apostles only accepted two gospels not
How many of us would have disfellowshipped David after the incident with Bathsheba, only to have later followed Absalom into deception and defeat along with the rest of Israel. Israel was led astray by Absalom because they walked after the flesh, judging by externals, instead of by the Spirit. We must seek to have the heart of Zadok the priest who did not regard David by his successes or failures, but by the anointing and commission of God. It was said of Zadok that he remained faithful even when all of Israel went astray, and for that he was blessed and promised that his sons would minister in the presence of the Lord. These sons of Zadok were not just his natural sons, but his spiritual sons as well—those who do not judge after appearances, and have the courage to risk everything to remain faithful to God’s anointed. It is true that God’s grace usually exceeds what men are able to comprehend or extend to others. Just as David was forgiven and restored after his sin, so can we be restored and healed. But just as David still had to reap what was sown, so will we. David and his family paid a terrible price for his few moments of passing pleasure. That we can be restored when we fall is a great grace, but it will be much easier for us, our families, and congregations if we resist and stand.
Forgiveness for Betrayal Even many who have denied and betrayed their brothers will repent and be restored. Some who have experienced the greatest weakness in denying the Lord will, like Peter, be restored and will love the Lord more because they will have been forgiven of mere. These will go on to give their lives for some of the great victories of the faith. Persecution will bring paranoia upon pretenders but true believers will grow in strength and trust. These will not become closed to people because of the persecution but more open, taking greater and greater chances with their lives in order to lead others to Christ or to heal and restore the fallen. Fire purifies the gold; it burns only the wood, hay and straw. During the times of greatest hate we will see demonstrations of the greatest love; during times of the greatest fear we will see the greatest champions of faith stand strong. Because many will stumble during these times of incredible pressure, we
must distinguish between remorse and repentance. The confusion over this issue has kept the church in much bondage and weakness. Judas felt remorse; Peter repented. It is not repentance to feel bad just because we were caught, or even to just feel bad about the sin. Repentance is to turn away from the sin and to accept the propitiation of the cross for it.
will be prison or death. In the parts of the world that have experienced the greatest persecution of religion, great freedom will come. Such a loss of religious freedom would seem to be a devastating blow to the gospel, but it will not thwart or even slow down its furtherance. All things do work to the good of those who love the Lord—even this.
The Lord could have forgiven Judas for his betrayal—that was not the unforgivable sin. We are probably all guilty of betraying Him; as we have done unto the least of His we have done it unto Him. What made Judas incorrigible was that he hung himself— he tried to pay the price for his own sin. Whenever we “hang ourselves” by trying to carry our own guilt, we are saying in effect that the cross was not adequate to pay for our sin and that we must pay for it ourselves. This does not strengthen our resistance to sin, it weakens it. The messages of repentance and restoration soon to permeate the church are in preparation for the dark times ahead. We must not go on hanging ourselves or others, but embrace the grace of God revealed through the cross.
The Bible is a most wonderful and precious gift; it is God’s personal letter to us written by the blood and tears of the best men this world has ever known. However, He never meant for it to take His place in our lives. The early church did not have the Bible; if a congregation had even one scroll of an Old Testament book they were blessed. Even so, we have not even come close to approaching the power of their faith. They were dependent on a living relationship with the Lord for their guidance which is vital. Jesus did not say that when He went away He would leave us a book to lead us into all truth; He said that He would send the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit can never be taken away from us, even when books can. It is not just knowing the book of the Lord that should be our goal, but knowing the Lord of the book. If we know Him, losing our Bibles will not affect our faith because we have the author of the Bible living within us.
Even the greatest spiritual leaders are but flesh. Peter began the church age with one of its most powerful messages, opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, and had been one of the most intimate of the Lord’s disciples. Yet he had to be rebuked by Paul because “he stood condemned” (Galatians 2:11). He was not being straightforward about the same gospel. Men are most vulnerable to a fall after a great spiritual victory. Immediately after Peter had his great revelation about Jesus being the Messiah, Jesus called him “Satan” for setting his mind on man’ s interests (Matthew 16:13-23). Leaders stumble in many ways just like everyone else. Our faith cannot be built upon any man, doctrine, or church, but upon the Lord Himself. He alone will never disappoint us. Those who provide leadership in these times will be under the greatest pressure and will need a generous measure of grace, mercy and support from those they serve.
Freedom and Persecution Will Change Sides In what are presently some of the most free countries, a time is coming when the penalty for owning or possessing a Bible or religious book
Today we have Bibles, books, tapes and a host of other aids which we must take full advantage of while we have them. Soon we will grieve over the time we wasted on worthless television programs, frivolous magazines or other diversions when we could have given ourselves to the Word. As a preacher once remarked, “One can find ten men who will give their lives for the Bible for every one who will read it!” While we have the Bible we would do well to give our attention to it. Even so, we must guard against having our faith dependent on the letter in place of the Spirit. It was the Spirit Who was given to guide, comfort and teach us. He will continue to do His job regardless of what aids we have or do not have.
Communist Changes and Advances There will be many changes in communism, and the world will have a brief respite from the unrelenting assault of the red tide. It will then make some further significant advances. South Korea, the Philippines, South and continued on page 17
REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 15
continued from page 7 These will take a stand while others are retreating, refusing to be moved by any onslaught of the enemy. Their courage will give courage to a few more, who will each strengthen a few more, until the lines hold and the raging tide will be stopped. Then the entire body of Christ will go on the offensive completely routing her enemies. Then all of the fear and paranoia which the adversary of Christ used against the church will flood their own souls.
Truth Is Stronger Than Lies Just when it appears that the harvest is over and the spirit of antichrist has prevailed the church will rise to her greatest victory. What is left of the previous revivals will have been pruned back to only a stump, but this little stump will bring forth shoots of life that will then fill the earth. The truth will begin to burn again. Like a spark lit in a dry wood it will burn and burn until all of the wood, hay and stubble in the entire world is aflame. The little stone (of Daniel’s prophecy) will strike the feet of iron and clay----the alliance of church and state. The remnants of all of the world’s empires and humanistic philosophies will begin to crumble while the little rock begins to prevail in every nation on earth. Truth uttered by the faithful will impact the world like great shock waves, levelling the mountains (governments) and hills (cults and societies), raising up and empowering the oppressed. The Lord will use the persecutions to shake the church from the dust and to prepare her for the work ahead. Persecution will separate the faithful from the false. It will help turn our theories and principles into the reality of true spiritual life. It will turn some of the most pompous and erudite Biblical expounders and theorists into spiritual beggars. Some of the most humble and ignorant believers will be transformed into giants of the faith whose steadfastness will lead multitudes into the kingdom of God. Some of the qualities which bring men into prominence during peacetime will disqualify them when the fire comes. When the trials come we will see many of our present leaders deserting and a different class of believer will take their places. It will then require sacrifice to lead and only true servants will lay down their lives to make that sacrifice. This is not to imply that all, or even most, members of the present leadership have presumed that
PAGE 14 REVIVAL TIMES
position. Many are true servants and have been both called and appointed. These have not used politics and manipulation to attain their position, but have faithfully waited for God to promote them and open every door, which they walked through with fear and trembling before Him. Those who have walked uprightly during the times of compromise and selfseeking will prove to be some of the strongest leaders of all when the fire of persecution comes. But even some of the most sincere and pure in the ministry will succumb to moral and ethical failures. Many of these will be destroyed by their sins. Some, like David who fell to one of the most grievous transgressions recorded, will be restored to even greater spiritual authority.
A Principle That Will Save Us There is a simple spiritual principle that will help to spare us during these difficult times: We will all reap what we have sown. We will all need grace to make it through so let us now begin to sow all of the grace that we can toward others. We are all going to need the Lord’s mercy so let us now begin to sow mercy. It is important that we not dilute the Biblical standards for discipline in dealing with sin in the church or the requirements for those whom we are to accept as leaders. But it is just as crucial that we know each other after the Spirit and not the flesh, the heart and not just externals. The Lord knew when He called David that sin was in his heart and that he would one day have a terrible fall. He loved and used David before the fall and after it. Not only did David fall to adultery but he murdered one of his most devoted and loyal men to hide it. Even this was not greater than the grace of God and after this David had a revelation of grace which may have exceeded that of any other Old Covenant prophet. In one of the most amazing testimonies in Scripture of the grace and forgiveness of God, the Lord raised up Bathsheba’s son, Solomon, to be David’s heir. The Lord really can redeem even our greatest mistakes; the power of the cross to redeem is much greater than most of us perceive. In the days to come we must all become vessels of grace and restoration because we will all need it. However, we must remember that David’s sin did also sow seeds in his
own family that were reaped with devastating tragedy. There is a great difference between trusting in God’s grace and presuming upon it. Those who presume on the grace of God trample under foot the blood of Christ by which we were purchased. The Lord can and will redeem and forgive beyond our comprehension, but those who test the Lord by carelessly falling into sin because they presume on His mercy will bear tragic consequences. As the power of the kingdom is increasingly revealed, the consequences of sin will be even greater. When the Lord moves in power, the discipline and judgment of the Lord must likewise be more swift and unyielding, as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira. They wanted to be identified as those who were sacrificing everything while they held back part of the price. There can be no such deception when the Lord comes in power. God’s grace is greater than most of us can comprehend, but let us never presume upon it.
Misunderstanding Grace I once attended a conference with a brother whom I have known for years would be a significant prophet to the last day church. This man has been rejected by much of the church because of the status of his marriage which has been one of many difficulties and at that time was in a state of separation. One night the Lord spoke to me in a dream about my own marriage, which I consider to be in compliance with Biblical standards. He said that this other man was more righteous in complying with His standards for marriage than I was. I had been given a godly wife who loved and sought Him and the condition of my marriage was purely the result of grace. I had given little effort to comply with His mandate in this and had been hard, unyielding and resistant to things He would have me do to improve my marriage. Against the most humiliating circumstances and resistance this other man had for years devoted himself to complying with the Biblical mandate and making his marriage work, even when he had every right, both Biblically and morally, to walk away from it. Yet, the church has judged him as a failure and me as acceptable in this area. God had a very different opinion. This does not minimize the importance of Biblical standards, but the letter kills when it is not used by the Spirit.
this third version presented by Pharisees. This proves without a doubt to those of us who are ‘gentiles’ that it is not necessary to keep any aspects of the law to be ‘more spiritual’ or doctrinally correct or even saved. Paul explains in his letters to us that the circumcision that counts is that of the heart or spirit (Rom 2:29, Gal 6:15; Phil 3:3; Col 2:11, 3:11). Jesus clearly accepts these gentile believers purely by faith in the cross sacrifice for sin without any Jewish traditions (Acts 10:44-45). However, what is amazing is that when Christ by his Spirit enters the believer by faith a new desire to be holy and righteous before God arises. This means that the motivation for life and relationships is love and mercy as opposed to greed and lust. When both Jews and Gentiles accept this foundational truth, that only Jesus brings, there is peace between Jew and Gentile and the old barrier of traditions is removed. Jews can keep their customs and feasts if they wish (apart from sacrifice) and Gentiles can live by the Spirit forsaking idol worship and paganism which Paul calls the traditions of men. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Col 2:8) One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. (Romans 14:1-10)
There is no need for the other races to follow Jewish (Israeli) customs in order to be accepted and Jews cannot be saved by only following their cultural traditions - they must believe in their Messiah Jesus and become NEW creatures! (Deut 18:18)
Another Gospel? So we see from this that there can be no ‘other Gospel’ for the nations which would bring them under any kind of Jewish law or custom keeping to be saved. However, if we choose to join in with the Jewish feasts, or Sabbaths in order to connect with unbelieving Jews (as sometimes Paul did), in order to ‘save some’, by all means (1 Corin 9:18-23). We must not see the purpose of the Gospel of Christ as bringing the gentiles under the law of the Jews - Paul says this is heresy and brings a curse upon those who do it because it’s impossible to be perfect! The purpose of both gospel messages was to bring all to Christ not to Moses! Gentiles do not have Hebrew roots but they are grafted into the Branch who is the risen supernatural Christ.
Traditions of the Apostles
As time progressed among the gentile believers Paul introduced some ‘church traditions’ to aid in the retaining of correct doctrine preventing paganism and legalism returning. This challenge of extremes was and is a constant battle to which history attests. “Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.” (2 Thess 2:14-15) These traditions were not Jewish, but rather related to Christlike behaviour and character - the fruit of the Spirit of grace in a converted heart. One of these is that people should not be lazy and rely on others to support them - even if an apostle! “And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” (2 Thess 3:5-10) True apostles are those who present the best example to others of how to live by the Spirit of love, mercy and grace towards all - even enemies! When we consider this truth our goal should be to become more humble and more servant minded as this was also the example of Christ. This does not mean that we become weak however as Paul also stood up for his rights and rejected heresy very strongly. He paid the ultimate price for this outspokenness being stoned and whipped on many occasions. This proves that he did not fight back, but often patiently waited years for God to bring him out of prison or to send him on another mission.
The corrupted church Both Jesus and Paul taught that once they left their flock wolves in sheep’s clothing would try to come in and deceive many away from the truth of the Gospel of grace drawing naive people back to law or license. These extremes are easily detected when you have a strong foundation of the apostolic teaching given by Jesus and especially Paul. Unfortunately over the last 1986 years since the Gospel was given to the wider world many such heresies have arisen and corrupted huge numbers. Organisations based on laws and rules have emerged that try to impose Judaic laws on the believers to fund their laziness and entrap them in their false doctrine. Paul warned of this many times in his letters because this is always the tactic of Satan to destroy believers genuine freedom. Some churches have gone the other way allowing licentious behaviour to exist in its walls with others falling into new age pagan beliefs. In all these cases we see both financial corruption and abusive dominant behaviour that is inconsistent with the message of Jesus. n REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 11
What God Cannot Do! A SERMON DELIVERED ON, MAY 8, 1864, BY C. H. SPURGEON, AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON
“God, who cannot lie.” Titus 1:2.
T
RUTH once reigned supreme upon our globe, and then earth was paradise. Man knew no sorrow while he was ignorant of falsehood. The Father of Lies invaded the garden of bliss, and with one foul lie he blighted Eden into a wilderness, and made man a traitor to his God. Cunningly he handled the glittering falsehood, and made it dazzle in the woman’s eyes—“God does know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Proud ambition rode upon that lie as a conqueror in his chariot, and the city of Mansoul opened its gates to welcome the fascinating enemy. As it was a lie which first subjugated the world to Satan’s influences, so, it is by lies, that he secures his throne. Among the heathen, his kingdom is quiet and secure, because the minds of the people are deluded with a false mythology. The domains of Mohammed and the Pope are equally the kingdom of Satan and his reign is undisturbed, for human merit, priestly efficacy, and a thousand other deceptions buttress his throne. The darkness of ignorance, the dungeons of falsehood, and the chains of superstition are the main reliance of that monster, which oppresses all the nations with his infernal tyranny! Since by the lie, Satan now holds the world and maintains his power, he everywhere encourages lies and aids their propagation. Look about you and see what a prolific family falsehood has! The children of the untrue are as many as the frogs of Egypt, and like those plagues, they intrude into every chamber. The slime of falsehood PAGE 12 REVIVAL TIMES
may be seen upon most things, both in secular and religious life. You have lying news and garbled reports in print; and as for the flying gossip of the tongue, if it touches the characters of good men, beware of believing a word it utters! If you would not have complicity with those who make the lie, be not hasty to entertain it. From the high places of the earth falsehood is not excluded. The untruth glides right royally from the kingly tongue, but is as much a lie as if the ragged beggar had blurted it forth with lowlived oaths and curses. What is diplomacy for the most part? Is it not “the art of lying”? Was not he thought to be the best politician who used language to conceal his thoughts? In how many a conference have the diplomats laboured who could overreach, dissimulate, and intrigue to the greatest degree? In the commerce of courts, who knows not that flatteries and lies are the most abundant commodities? The art of king-craft, as practiced by the most high and mighty Prince James, whose name dishonours our English Bible, was only and simply the science of lying in the neatest possible manner! In these modern times, the difference between the promises of the politicians, and the performances in the House of Commons, proves that the lie is still commonly patronized. Falsehood is everywhere; it is entertained both by the lowest and the highest; it permeates all society; it has ruined the whole of our race, and so defiled the entire world that upright men exclaim, “Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!” In the so-called religious world, which should be as the Holy of Holies, here, too, the lie has
insinuated itself. Of old there were prophets who prophesied lies, and dreamers of false dreams; and there were others who spoke the word of God with such bated breath, and after such a fashion, that it was no longer the truth as it came from God, but truth alloyed with human lies. It is so today. There are those wearing the vestments of God’s priests who do not hesitate to profess what they do not believe. Such men are the priests of hell! To wear a bishop’s miter, and teach infidelity—how shall I stigmatize it? It is nothing less than detestable hypocrisy and robbery! And what shall I say of men of all creeds, all subscribing to the same articles and catechism, when all the world knows they cannot all honestly believe the same thing, and yet differ as much from one another as light from darkness? What shall I say but that shame covers my face that there should be so many ministers of God who are untrue to their convictions, and continue to do and say what they feel to be unscriptural? In other quarters philosophy is believed and Christianity professed—the traditions of men are put in the place of God’s truth. The prophets prophesy lies, and the people love to have it so. Brethren, we have everywhere to battle with falsehood, and if we are to bless the world, we must confront it with sturdy face and zealous spirit. God’s purpose is to drive the lie out of the world, and let this be your pur- pose and mine. His Holy Spirit has undertaken to drive falsehood out of our hearts—be this our determination, in His strength— that it shall be cut up, root and branch, and utterly consumed; then let us walk in the truth of God; “Buy the truth and sell it
not,” hold fast the truth, speak the truth in love, and act the truth in all our deeds, for so shall we be known to be the children of that God of whom our text asserts, that He is “God, who cannot lie.” After wandering over the sandy desert of deceit, how pleasant it is to reach our text, and feel that one spot, at least, is verdant with eternal truth! Blessed be You, O God, for You cannot lie! We will use our text in the following manner this morning; first, while we do not attempt to prove it, we will remind you of a few things which may confirm your confidence that God cannot lie, so that our opening remarks shall be upon the truth of the text. Then secondly, we will speak upon the breadth of the text, endeavouring to show that we must give no narrow interpretation to the words before us, but must receive them with an extent of meaning not usual to the expression; and then, thirdly, we will try to use the text for our own improvement, arguing from it that if God cannot lie He ought to receive our loving confidence. I. First, then, let us commune together awhile concerning THE TRUTH OF THE TEXT, not, as we have said, to prove it, because we all believe it, but to confirm our confidence of it. I think we shall feel assured that God cannot lie, when we remember that He is not subject to those infirmities which lead us into falsehood. Lord Bacon has said, “There are three parts in truth—first, the inquiry, which is the wooing of it; secondly, the knowledge of it, which is the presence of it; and thirdly, the belief, which is the enjoyment of it.” In each of these three points, by reason of infirmity, men fail to be perfectly true. In the search after truth, our moral eye is not altogether clear, and therefore we fail to see what we love not. We do not follow truth in a straight line, but are very liable to turn aside to the right hand or to the left, either to obey our prejudices or advance our profit. “Truth lies in a well,” said the old philosopher; many go down into that well to find truth, but
looking into the water, they see their own faces, and become so desperately enamoured of their own beauty that they forget poor truth, or dream that she is the counterpart of themselves. Now the great God cannot be liable to this error, because there is no discovery of truth with Him. He needs not to search anything out, for “all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” When in Scripture that term is sometimes used—“Shall not God search this out?”—when we hear Him spoken of as “searching the heart, and trying the reins of the children of men,” it is not because He is not perfectly acquainted with all things, but only to set forth the certainty and accuracy of divine knowledge. God has no need to search, or if He had, having nothing in Him which should lead Him to make a dishonest search, He does not lie. When we have searched out the truth, there is the knowing of it. And here, the falsehood gets a footing in the form of a sin of omission, for we often refuse to know all that we might know. It would be inconvenient, perhaps, for us to be too well acquainted with certain arguments, for then our prejudices must be given up, and therefore we close our eyes to them for fear of knowing the truth. Do not many men leave passages of Scripture altogether unread because they have no wish to receive the doctrines which are taught in them? Every time you refuse to give a hearing to God’s truth, you do in effect lie because you prefer not to know the truth of God, which is really to prefer to hold error. Now nothing of this kind can ever happen with our only wise God. He knows all truth, seeing it all at a glance, and retaining it ever in His mind. In nothing is He ignorant, either willfully or otherwise. He receives truth as His own beloved, and when the world casts her out, she finds a happy shelter beneath His shield. We are quite clear that we frequently fall into the lie through a defect in our believing,
for we sometimes know more than we care to believe. Truth is grasped by the understanding, but thrust out by the affections. We know her as Peter knew his Lord, and yet deny it after the same fashion as that disciple did his Master. Moreover, through weakness, we are led to doubt what we know to be God’s truth, and even to speak unadvisedly with our lips. Now this can never occur with God, since God is one, and is not to be divided into parts and passions, and His tongue can never be diverse from His heart. God’s tongue is His heart, and God’s heart is His hand. God is one. You and I are such that we can know in the heart, and yet with the tongue deny; but God is one and indivisible; God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all; with Him is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Then again, the Scriptural idea of God forbids that He should lie. Just review your thoughts about God, if you can. What idea have you formed of Him? If you have read Holy Scripture, and have gotten the slightest shadow of an idea of God, I think you will see that it is utterly inconsistent with the thrice Holy One, whose kingdom is over all, that He could lie. Admit the very possibility of His speaking an untruth, and to the Christian, there would be no God at all! The depraved mind of the heathen may imagine a monster to be a god who can live in adultery, and in theft, and in lying, for such the gods of the Hindus are described as being; but the enlightened mind of the Christian can conceive no such thing. The very word “God” comprehends everything which is good and great. Admit the lie, and to us at once there would be nothing but the black darkness of Atheism. I could neither love, worship, nor obey a lying God. Again, we all know that God is too wise to lie. Falsehood is the expedient of a fool. It is only a short- sighted man who lies. For some present advantage the poor creature who cannot see the end as well as the beginning continued on page 16
REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 13
What God Cannot Do! A SERMON DELIVERED ON, MAY 8, 1864, BY C. H. SPURGEON, AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON
“God, who cannot lie.” Titus 1:2.
T
RUTH once reigned supreme upon our globe, and then earth was paradise. Man knew no sorrow while he was ignorant of falsehood. The Father of Lies invaded the garden of bliss, and with one foul lie he blighted Eden into a wilderness, and made man a traitor to his God. Cunningly he handled the glittering falsehood, and made it dazzle in the woman’s eyes—“God does know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Proud ambition rode upon that lie as a conqueror in his chariot, and the city of Mansoul opened its gates to welcome the fascinating enemy. As it was a lie which first subjugated the world to Satan’s influences, so, it is by lies, that he secures his throne. Among the heathen, his kingdom is quiet and secure, because the minds of the people are deluded with a false mythology. The domains of Mohammed and the Pope are equally the kingdom of Satan and his reign is undisturbed, for human merit, priestly efficacy, and a thousand other deceptions buttress his throne. The darkness of ignorance, the dungeons of falsehood, and the chains of superstition are the main reliance of that monster, which oppresses all the nations with his infernal tyranny! Since by the lie, Satan now holds the world and maintains his power, he everywhere encourages lies and aids their propagation. Look about you and see what a prolific family falsehood has! The children of the untrue are as many as the frogs of Egypt, and like those plagues, they intrude into every chamber. The slime of falsehood PAGE 12 REVIVAL TIMES
may be seen upon most things, both in secular and religious life. You have lying news and garbled reports in print; and as for the flying gossip of the tongue, if it touches the characters of good men, beware of believing a word it utters! If you would not have complicity with those who make the lie, be not hasty to entertain it. From the high places of the earth falsehood is not excluded. The untruth glides right royally from the kingly tongue, but is as much a lie as if the ragged beggar had blurted it forth with lowlived oaths and curses. What is diplomacy for the most part? Is it not “the art of lying”? Was not he thought to be the best politician who used language to conceal his thoughts? In how many a conference have the diplomats laboured who could overreach, dissimulate, and intrigue to the greatest degree? In the commerce of courts, who knows not that flatteries and lies are the most abundant commodities? The art of king-craft, as practiced by the most high and mighty Prince James, whose name dishonours our English Bible, was only and simply the science of lying in the neatest possible manner! In these modern times, the difference between the promises of the politicians, and the performances in the House of Commons, proves that the lie is still commonly patronized. Falsehood is everywhere; it is entertained both by the lowest and the highest; it permeates all society; it has ruined the whole of our race, and so defiled the entire world that upright men exclaim, “Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!” In the so-called religious world, which should be as the Holy of Holies, here, too, the lie has
insinuated itself. Of old there were prophets who prophesied lies, and dreamers of false dreams; and there were others who spoke the word of God with such bated breath, and after such a fashion, that it was no longer the truth as it came from God, but truth alloyed with human lies. It is so today. There are those wearing the vestments of God’s priests who do not hesitate to profess what they do not believe. Such men are the priests of hell! To wear a bishop’s miter, and teach infidelity—how shall I stigmatize it? It is nothing less than detestable hypocrisy and robbery! And what shall I say of men of all creeds, all subscribing to the same articles and catechism, when all the world knows they cannot all honestly believe the same thing, and yet differ as much from one another as light from darkness? What shall I say but that shame covers my face that there should be so many ministers of God who are untrue to their convictions, and continue to do and say what they feel to be unscriptural? In other quarters philosophy is believed and Christianity professed—the traditions of men are put in the place of God’s truth. The prophets prophesy lies, and the people love to have it so. Brethren, we have everywhere to battle with falsehood, and if we are to bless the world, we must confront it with sturdy face and zealous spirit. God’s purpose is to drive the lie out of the world, and let this be your pur- pose and mine. His Holy Spirit has undertaken to drive falsehood out of our hearts—be this our determination, in His strength— that it shall be cut up, root and branch, and utterly consumed; then let us walk in the truth of God; “Buy the truth and sell it
not,” hold fast the truth, speak the truth in love, and act the truth in all our deeds, for so shall we be known to be the children of that God of whom our text asserts, that He is “God, who cannot lie.” After wandering over the sandy desert of deceit, how pleasant it is to reach our text, and feel that one spot, at least, is verdant with eternal truth! Blessed be You, O God, for You cannot lie! We will use our text in the following manner this morning; first, while we do not attempt to prove it, we will remind you of a few things which may confirm your confidence that God cannot lie, so that our opening remarks shall be upon the truth of the text. Then secondly, we will speak upon the breadth of the text, endeavouring to show that we must give no narrow interpretation to the words before us, but must receive them with an extent of meaning not usual to the expression; and then, thirdly, we will try to use the text for our own improvement, arguing from it that if God cannot lie He ought to receive our loving confidence. I. First, then, let us commune together awhile concerning THE TRUTH OF THE TEXT, not, as we have said, to prove it, because we all believe it, but to confirm our confidence of it. I think we shall feel assured that God cannot lie, when we remember that He is not subject to those infirmities which lead us into falsehood. Lord Bacon has said, “There are three parts in truth—first, the inquiry, which is the wooing of it; secondly, the knowledge of it, which is the presence of it; and thirdly, the belief, which is the enjoyment of it.” In each of these three points, by reason of infirmity, men fail to be perfectly true. In the search after truth, our moral eye is not altogether clear, and therefore we fail to see what we love not. We do not follow truth in a straight line, but are very liable to turn aside to the right hand or to the left, either to obey our prejudices or advance our profit. “Truth lies in a well,” said the old philosopher; many go down into that well to find truth, but
looking into the water, they see their own faces, and become so desperately enamoured of their own beauty that they forget poor truth, or dream that she is the counterpart of themselves. Now the great God cannot be liable to this error, because there is no discovery of truth with Him. He needs not to search anything out, for “all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” When in Scripture that term is sometimes used—“Shall not God search this out?”—when we hear Him spoken of as “searching the heart, and trying the reins of the children of men,” it is not because He is not perfectly acquainted with all things, but only to set forth the certainty and accuracy of divine knowledge. God has no need to search, or if He had, having nothing in Him which should lead Him to make a dishonest search, He does not lie. When we have searched out the truth, there is the knowing of it. And here, the falsehood gets a footing in the form of a sin of omission, for we often refuse to know all that we might know. It would be inconvenient, perhaps, for us to be too well acquainted with certain arguments, for then our prejudices must be given up, and therefore we close our eyes to them for fear of knowing the truth. Do not many men leave passages of Scripture altogether unread because they have no wish to receive the doctrines which are taught in them? Every time you refuse to give a hearing to God’s truth, you do in effect lie because you prefer not to know the truth of God, which is really to prefer to hold error. Now nothing of this kind can ever happen with our only wise God. He knows all truth, seeing it all at a glance, and retaining it ever in His mind. In nothing is He ignorant, either willfully or otherwise. He receives truth as His own beloved, and when the world casts her out, she finds a happy shelter beneath His shield. We are quite clear that we frequently fall into the lie through a defect in our believing,
for we sometimes know more than we care to believe. Truth is grasped by the understanding, but thrust out by the affections. We know her as Peter knew his Lord, and yet deny it after the same fashion as that disciple did his Master. Moreover, through weakness, we are led to doubt what we know to be God’s truth, and even to speak unadvisedly with our lips. Now this can never occur with God, since God is one, and is not to be divided into parts and passions, and His tongue can never be diverse from His heart. God’s tongue is His heart, and God’s heart is His hand. God is one. You and I are such that we can know in the heart, and yet with the tongue deny; but God is one and indivisible; God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all; with Him is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Then again, the Scriptural idea of God forbids that He should lie. Just review your thoughts about God, if you can. What idea have you formed of Him? If you have read Holy Scripture, and have gotten the slightest shadow of an idea of God, I think you will see that it is utterly inconsistent with the thrice Holy One, whose kingdom is over all, that He could lie. Admit the very possibility of His speaking an untruth, and to the Christian, there would be no God at all! The depraved mind of the heathen may imagine a monster to be a god who can live in adultery, and in theft, and in lying, for such the gods of the Hindus are described as being; but the enlightened mind of the Christian can conceive no such thing. The very word “God” comprehends everything which is good and great. Admit the lie, and to us at once there would be nothing but the black darkness of Atheism. I could neither love, worship, nor obey a lying God. Again, we all know that God is too wise to lie. Falsehood is the expedient of a fool. It is only a short- sighted man who lies. For some present advantage the poor creature who cannot see the end as well as the beginning continued on page 16
REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 13
continued from page 7 These will take a stand while others are retreating, refusing to be moved by any onslaught of the enemy. Their courage will give courage to a few more, who will each strengthen a few more, until the lines hold and the raging tide will be stopped. Then the entire body of Christ will go on the offensive completely routing her enemies. Then all of the fear and paranoia which the adversary of Christ used against the church will flood their own souls.
Truth Is Stronger Than Lies Just when it appears that the harvest is over and the spirit of antichrist has prevailed the church will rise to her greatest victory. What is left of the previous revivals will have been pruned back to only a stump, but this little stump will bring forth shoots of life that will then fill the earth. The truth will begin to burn again. Like a spark lit in a dry wood it will burn and burn until all of the wood, hay and stubble in the entire world is aflame. The little stone (of Daniel’s prophecy) will strike the feet of iron and clay----the alliance of church and state. The remnants of all of the world’s empires and humanistic philosophies will begin to crumble while the little rock begins to prevail in every nation on earth. Truth uttered by the faithful will impact the world like great shock waves, levelling the mountains (governments) and hills (cults and societies), raising up and empowering the oppressed. The Lord will use the persecutions to shake the church from the dust and to prepare her for the work ahead. Persecution will separate the faithful from the false. It will help turn our theories and principles into the reality of true spiritual life. It will turn some of the most pompous and erudite Biblical expounders and theorists into spiritual beggars. Some of the most humble and ignorant believers will be transformed into giants of the faith whose steadfastness will lead multitudes into the kingdom of God. Some of the qualities which bring men into prominence during peacetime will disqualify them when the fire comes. When the trials come we will see many of our present leaders deserting and a different class of believer will take their places. It will then require sacrifice to lead and only true servants will lay down their lives to make that sacrifice. This is not to imply that all, or even most, members of the present leadership have presumed that
PAGE 14 REVIVAL TIMES
position. Many are true servants and have been both called and appointed. These have not used politics and manipulation to attain their position, but have faithfully waited for God to promote them and open every door, which they walked through with fear and trembling before Him. Those who have walked uprightly during the times of compromise and selfseeking will prove to be some of the strongest leaders of all when the fire of persecution comes. But even some of the most sincere and pure in the ministry will succumb to moral and ethical failures. Many of these will be destroyed by their sins. Some, like David who fell to one of the most grievous transgressions recorded, will be restored to even greater spiritual authority.
A Principle That Will Save Us There is a simple spiritual principle that will help to spare us during these difficult times: We will all reap what we have sown. We will all need grace to make it through so let us now begin to sow all of the grace that we can toward others. We are all going to need the Lord’s mercy so let us now begin to sow mercy. It is important that we not dilute the Biblical standards for discipline in dealing with sin in the church or the requirements for those whom we are to accept as leaders. But it is just as crucial that we know each other after the Spirit and not the flesh, the heart and not just externals. The Lord knew when He called David that sin was in his heart and that he would one day have a terrible fall. He loved and used David before the fall and after it. Not only did David fall to adultery but he murdered one of his most devoted and loyal men to hide it. Even this was not greater than the grace of God and after this David had a revelation of grace which may have exceeded that of any other Old Covenant prophet. In one of the most amazing testimonies in Scripture of the grace and forgiveness of God, the Lord raised up Bathsheba’s son, Solomon, to be David’s heir. The Lord really can redeem even our greatest mistakes; the power of the cross to redeem is much greater than most of us perceive. In the days to come we must all become vessels of grace and restoration because we will all need it. However, we must remember that David’s sin did also sow seeds in his
own family that were reaped with devastating tragedy. There is a great difference between trusting in God’s grace and presuming upon it. Those who presume on the grace of God trample under foot the blood of Christ by which we were purchased. The Lord can and will redeem and forgive beyond our comprehension, but those who test the Lord by carelessly falling into sin because they presume on His mercy will bear tragic consequences. As the power of the kingdom is increasingly revealed, the consequences of sin will be even greater. When the Lord moves in power, the discipline and judgment of the Lord must likewise be more swift and unyielding, as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira. They wanted to be identified as those who were sacrificing everything while they held back part of the price. There can be no such deception when the Lord comes in power. God’s grace is greater than most of us can comprehend, but let us never presume upon it.
Misunderstanding Grace I once attended a conference with a brother whom I have known for years would be a significant prophet to the last day church. This man has been rejected by much of the church because of the status of his marriage which has been one of many difficulties and at that time was in a state of separation. One night the Lord spoke to me in a dream about my own marriage, which I consider to be in compliance with Biblical standards. He said that this other man was more righteous in complying with His standards for marriage than I was. I had been given a godly wife who loved and sought Him and the condition of my marriage was purely the result of grace. I had given little effort to comply with His mandate in this and had been hard, unyielding and resistant to things He would have me do to improve my marriage. Against the most humiliating circumstances and resistance this other man had for years devoted himself to complying with the Biblical mandate and making his marriage work, even when he had every right, both Biblically and morally, to walk away from it. Yet, the church has judged him as a failure and me as acceptable in this area. God had a very different opinion. This does not minimize the importance of Biblical standards, but the letter kills when it is not used by the Spirit.
this third version presented by Pharisees. This proves without a doubt to those of us who are ‘gentiles’ that it is not necessary to keep any aspects of the law to be ‘more spiritual’ or doctrinally correct or even saved. Paul explains in his letters to us that the circumcision that counts is that of the heart or spirit (Rom 2:29, Gal 6:15; Phil 3:3; Col 2:11, 3:11). Jesus clearly accepts these gentile believers purely by faith in the cross sacrifice for sin without any Jewish traditions (Acts 10:44-45). However, what is amazing is that when Christ by his Spirit enters the believer by faith a new desire to be holy and righteous before God arises. This means that the motivation for life and relationships is love and mercy as opposed to greed and lust. When both Jews and Gentiles accept this foundational truth, that only Jesus brings, there is peace between Jew and Gentile and the old barrier of traditions is removed. Jews can keep their customs and feasts if they wish (apart from sacrifice) and Gentiles can live by the Spirit forsaking idol worship and paganism which Paul calls the traditions of men. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Col 2:8) One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. (Romans 14:1-10)
There is no need for the other races to follow Jewish (Israeli) customs in order to be accepted and Jews cannot be saved by only following their cultural traditions - they must believe in their Messiah Jesus and become NEW creatures! (Deut 18:18)
Another Gospel? So we see from this that there can be no ‘other Gospel’ for the nations which would bring them under any kind of Jewish law or custom keeping to be saved. However, if we choose to join in with the Jewish feasts, or Sabbaths in order to connect with unbelieving Jews (as sometimes Paul did), in order to ‘save some’, by all means (1 Corin 9:18-23). We must not see the purpose of the Gospel of Christ as bringing the gentiles under the law of the Jews - Paul says this is heresy and brings a curse upon those who do it because it’s impossible to be perfect! The purpose of both gospel messages was to bring all to Christ not to Moses! Gentiles do not have Hebrew roots but they are grafted into the Branch who is the risen supernatural Christ.
Traditions of the Apostles
As time progressed among the gentile believers Paul introduced some ‘church traditions’ to aid in the retaining of correct doctrine preventing paganism and legalism returning. This challenge of extremes was and is a constant battle to which history attests. “Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.” (2 Thess 2:14-15) These traditions were not Jewish, but rather related to Christlike behaviour and character - the fruit of the Spirit of grace in a converted heart. One of these is that people should not be lazy and rely on others to support them - even if an apostle! “And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” (2 Thess 3:5-10) True apostles are those who present the best example to others of how to live by the Spirit of love, mercy and grace towards all - even enemies! When we consider this truth our goal should be to become more humble and more servant minded as this was also the example of Christ. This does not mean that we become weak however as Paul also stood up for his rights and rejected heresy very strongly. He paid the ultimate price for this outspokenness being stoned and whipped on many occasions. This proves that he did not fight back, but often patiently waited years for God to bring him out of prison or to send him on another mission.
The corrupted church Both Jesus and Paul taught that once they left their flock wolves in sheep’s clothing would try to come in and deceive many away from the truth of the Gospel of grace drawing naive people back to law or license. These extremes are easily detected when you have a strong foundation of the apostolic teaching given by Jesus and especially Paul. Unfortunately over the last 1986 years since the Gospel was given to the wider world many such heresies have arisen and corrupted huge numbers. Organisations based on laws and rules have emerged that try to impose Judaic laws on the believers to fund their laziness and entrap them in their false doctrine. Paul warned of this many times in his letters because this is always the tactic of Satan to destroy believers genuine freedom. Some churches have gone the other way allowing licentious behaviour to exist in its walls with others falling into new age pagan beliefs. In all these cases we see both financial corruption and abusive dominant behaviour that is inconsistent with the message of Jesus. n REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 11
The Two Gospels “But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.” (Gal 2:7-9)
P
aul was not one of the Twelve, but had been called by Jesus, along with others, to reach the other nations with the good news of Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sin. “And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him,Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come. Do therefore this that we say to thee:We have four men which have a vow on them; Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law. As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.” (Acts 20:17-25) These two sections of Scripture reveal that in the minds of the first Apostles and all believers there was a different approach to bringing the Kingdom message to Jews and Gentiles. The first is called the Gospel to the ‘circumcision’ which was given to Peter as an apostle in Jerusalem which focussed on reaching the Jews who believed in Yeshua. The second was given to Paul by revelation of the risen Christ to reach the ‘uncircumcision’ or Gentiles (all other nations). Paul refers to these Gentiles as ‘the heathen’ because the Jews considered them un-sanctified or unclean, as they had never been purified by the Law and Temple sacrifice. This was the problem that Paul encountered when he went into Jerusalem for the Pentecost celebration where he met with James and other apostles. James explains that the Jews that believed had become even more zealous for the law now that they understood that Jesus was the sacrifice for their sins. The concern these Messianic believers had was that Paul was teaching Jews in the nations that they do not need to keep the laws and customs of Moses now that they had believed in Christ. One could argue the case that Paul in some sense did teach this when he was in the surrounding nations especially when reading Philippians 3. However, as we read in the Acts 20 passage Paul did travel to Jerusalem to partake of the Pentecost feast day, so what’s PAGE 10 REVIVAL TIMES
going on here? Was he for or against keeping the feasts and Sabbaths? These questions are hard for a westernised Christian because they are told that there is only one gospel. However as our opening passage reveals the first believers accepted two approaches to the grace of God in Christ, first for the Jew then for the Gentiles. As explained in my other teaching on ‘predestined remnant’ the first believers were predominantly Jews, the church of Jesus was essentially Jewish by foundation. This early remnant of approximately 8,000 people (mainly men) was composed of all levels of society with many being poor. Life and culture in Israel was still very much traditional Judaic (the priesthood and Sanhedrin were still functioning at that time), being permitted by Rome to keep the peace. It’s pretty clear from Scripture passages that the apostles never expected the Jews to stop keeping their traditional feasts etc, but they gave up sacrificing animal sin offerings at the temple. Other nations had never had any part in these customs as the covenant of Law had only been given to the Israelites. After the kingdoms divided only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin used the Temple (Jesus was from Judah & Paul was from the Benjamin). The other tribes and imported Babylonians had an apostate temple in Samaria (see John 4:20; Micah 1). Although the other ten tribes had been excluded many centuries before, individuals from these dispersed tribes still came to the feasts from every nation (Acts 2:5) of their dispersal (even as they do today). Like Paul some travelled months in advance to guarantee arriving on time. The point of all this is that, although Gentiles were now hearing about Jesus Messiah (Christ) through the preaching of Paul and others, they were not Jews by birth and so had no previous covenant with God. As such ALL the Apostles had agreed that there was no need for Gentiles to keep or attend the feasts in Jerusalem or elsewhere in order to be saved (grafted into God’s house via Christ). In fact Gentiles were forbidden to partake of the Passover and were forcibly opposed (Acts 21:28). Paul strongly defends his position as an apostle to the Gentiles (although he still went to Jews in dispersed lands first out of respect). His first letter to the Galatians brings this out very clearly, because zealous Jews were trying to persuade Gentile believers that unless they obeyed all the laws including circumcision they would not be considered saved or part of the Church. Paul nowhere teaches gentiles to obey the Law to be saved. For Paul this was another ‘false’ gospel and heresy! The apostles only accepted two gospels not
How many of us would have disfellowshipped David after the incident with Bathsheba, only to have later followed Absalom into deception and defeat along with the rest of Israel. Israel was led astray by Absalom because they walked after the flesh, judging by externals, instead of by the Spirit. We must seek to have the heart of Zadok the priest who did not regard David by his successes or failures, but by the anointing and commission of God. It was said of Zadok that he remained faithful even when all of Israel went astray, and for that he was blessed and promised that his sons would minister in the presence of the Lord. These sons of Zadok were not just his natural sons, but his spiritual sons as well—those who do not judge after appearances, and have the courage to risk everything to remain faithful to God’s anointed. It is true that God’s grace usually exceeds what men are able to comprehend or extend to others. Just as David was forgiven and restored after his sin, so can we be restored and healed. But just as David still had to reap what was sown, so will we. David and his family paid a terrible price for his few moments of passing pleasure. That we can be restored when we fall is a great grace, but it will be much easier for us, our families, and congregations if we resist and stand.
Forgiveness for Betrayal Even many who have denied and betrayed their brothers will repent and be restored. Some who have experienced the greatest weakness in denying the Lord will, like Peter, be restored and will love the Lord more because they will have been forgiven of mere. These will go on to give their lives for some of the great victories of the faith. Persecution will bring paranoia upon pretenders but true believers will grow in strength and trust. These will not become closed to people because of the persecution but more open, taking greater and greater chances with their lives in order to lead others to Christ or to heal and restore the fallen. Fire purifies the gold; it burns only the wood, hay and straw. During the times of greatest hate we will see demonstrations of the greatest love; during times of the greatest fear we will see the greatest champions of faith stand strong. Because many will stumble during these times of incredible pressure, we
must distinguish between remorse and repentance. The confusion over this issue has kept the church in much bondage and weakness. Judas felt remorse; Peter repented. It is not repentance to feel bad just because we were caught, or even to just feel bad about the sin. Repentance is to turn away from the sin and to accept the propitiation of the cross for it.
will be prison or death. In the parts of the world that have experienced the greatest persecution of religion, great freedom will come. Such a loss of religious freedom would seem to be a devastating blow to the gospel, but it will not thwart or even slow down its furtherance. All things do work to the good of those who love the Lord—even this.
The Lord could have forgiven Judas for his betrayal—that was not the unforgivable sin. We are probably all guilty of betraying Him; as we have done unto the least of His we have done it unto Him. What made Judas incorrigible was that he hung himself— he tried to pay the price for his own sin. Whenever we “hang ourselves” by trying to carry our own guilt, we are saying in effect that the cross was not adequate to pay for our sin and that we must pay for it ourselves. This does not strengthen our resistance to sin, it weakens it. The messages of repentance and restoration soon to permeate the church are in preparation for the dark times ahead. We must not go on hanging ourselves or others, but embrace the grace of God revealed through the cross.
The Bible is a most wonderful and precious gift; it is God’s personal letter to us written by the blood and tears of the best men this world has ever known. However, He never meant for it to take His place in our lives. The early church did not have the Bible; if a congregation had even one scroll of an Old Testament book they were blessed. Even so, we have not even come close to approaching the power of their faith. They were dependent on a living relationship with the Lord for their guidance which is vital. Jesus did not say that when He went away He would leave us a book to lead us into all truth; He said that He would send the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit can never be taken away from us, even when books can. It is not just knowing the book of the Lord that should be our goal, but knowing the Lord of the book. If we know Him, losing our Bibles will not affect our faith because we have the author of the Bible living within us.
Even the greatest spiritual leaders are but flesh. Peter began the church age with one of its most powerful messages, opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, and had been one of the most intimate of the Lord’s disciples. Yet he had to be rebuked by Paul because “he stood condemned” (Galatians 2:11). He was not being straightforward about the same gospel. Men are most vulnerable to a fall after a great spiritual victory. Immediately after Peter had his great revelation about Jesus being the Messiah, Jesus called him “Satan” for setting his mind on man’ s interests (Matthew 16:13-23). Leaders stumble in many ways just like everyone else. Our faith cannot be built upon any man, doctrine, or church, but upon the Lord Himself. He alone will never disappoint us. Those who provide leadership in these times will be under the greatest pressure and will need a generous measure of grace, mercy and support from those they serve.
Freedom and Persecution Will Change Sides In what are presently some of the most free countries, a time is coming when the penalty for owning or possessing a Bible or religious book
Today we have Bibles, books, tapes and a host of other aids which we must take full advantage of while we have them. Soon we will grieve over the time we wasted on worthless television programs, frivolous magazines or other diversions when we could have given ourselves to the Word. As a preacher once remarked, “One can find ten men who will give their lives for the Bible for every one who will read it!” While we have the Bible we would do well to give our attention to it. Even so, we must guard against having our faith dependent on the letter in place of the Spirit. It was the Spirit Who was given to guide, comfort and teach us. He will continue to do His job regardless of what aids we have or do not have.
Communist Changes and Advances There will be many changes in communism, and the world will have a brief respite from the unrelenting assault of the red tide. It will then make some further significant advances. South Korea, the Philippines, South and continued on page 17
REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 15
continued from page 13
states that which is not, but no wise man who can look far into the future ever thinks a lie to be profitable; he knows that truth may suffer loss at first, but that in the long run she is always successful. He endorses that worldly-wise proverb, that, “Honesty is the best policy” after all; and the man, I say, who has anything like foresight, or judgment, or wisdom, prefers always the straight line to the curve, and goes directly to the mark, believing that this is in the end the best. Do you suppose that God, who must know this, with an intensity of knowledge infinitely greater than ours, will choose the policy of the witless knave? Shall God, Only Wise, who sees the end from the beginning, act as only brainless fools will choose to behave themselves? Oh, it cannot be, my brethren! God, the All-Wise, must also be All-True! And the lie, again, is the method of the little and the mean. You know that a great man does not lie; a good man can never be false. Put goodness and greatness together, and a lie, is altogether incongruous to the character. Now God is too great to need the lie, and too good to wish to do such a thing! Both His greatness and His goodness repel the thought. My dear friends, what motive could God have for lying? When a man lies, it is that he may gain something, but “the cattle on a thousand hills” are God’s, and all the beasts of the forest, and all the flocks of the meadows. He says, “If I were hungry, I would not tell you.” Mines of inexhaustible riches are His, and treasures of infinite power and wisdom. He cannot gain anything by untruth, for “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” Why, then, should He lie? Men are false, oftentimes, to win applause. See how the sycophant cringes to the tyrant’s foot and spawns his villainy. But God needs no honour and no fame, especially from the wicked. To Him it were the greatest disgust of His righteous soul to be loved by unholy creatures. His glory is great enough even if there PAGE 16 REVIVAL TIMES
were no creatures! His own selfcontained glory is such that, if there were no eyes to see it, and no ears to hear it, He would be infinitely glorious! He asks nothing—no respect and no honour of man—and therefore, has He no need to stoop to the lie to gain it. And of whom, again, could He be afraid? Men will sometimes, under the impulse of fear, keep back or even contradict the truth, but can fear ever enter into the heart of the eternal God? He looks down upon all nations who are in rebellion against Him, and He does not even care to rise to put them down. “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision!” Are not the chariots of the Lord twenty thousand, even thousands of angels? Even these are but as a drop in a buck- et, when compared with the deep and infinite sea of His own power! Who, then, shall think that Jehovah needs to be afraid? “Fear” and “Jehovah,” are two words which cannot meet together. Therefore, since there can be no motive whatever which could possibly lead God to lie, we feel well assured that the declaration of Paul is most certainly true—“God, who cannot lie.” Moreover, dear friends, we may add to all this the experience of men with regard to God. It has been evident enough in all ages that God cannot lie. He did not lie when Adam fell. It seemed a strange thing, that after all the skill and labor which had been spent in making such a world as this, so fair and beauti- ful, God should resign it to the dominion of Satan, and drive the man whom He had made in His own image, out of his home, his Eden, to labor in sweat and toil, and suffering until he came to his grave. But God did it, and the fiery sword at the gate of Eden was proof that God could not and would not lie. He might come to Adam, and bemoan himself, crying, “Adam, where are you?” as if He pitied him and would, if it had been possible, have spared the stroke; but still it must be done, and Eden is blasted, and Adam becomes a wanderer upon the fruitless earth. Then
afterwards, to quote a notable instance of God’s faithfulness, when the flood swept away the race of men, and Noah came forth the heritor of a new Covenant, we have clear proof that God cannot lie. No flood has ever destroyed the earth since then. Partial floods there have been, and parts of provinces have been inundated, but no flood has ever come upon the earth of such a character as that which Noah saw—therefore the rainbow, every time it is painted upon the cloud—is an assurance to us that God cannot lie. Then He made an oath with Abraham that he should have a son, and that his seed should become possessors of all the land in which the patriarch had sojourned. Did not that come true? They waited in Egypt 200 years; they smarted under the tyrant’s lash; they lay among the pots, and yet, after all, with a high hand and with an outstretched arm He brought forth His people, led them through the wilderness, and divided Canaan by lot to them, having driven out the inhabitants of the land before them. Since that time He made His Covenant with David, and how fast has that stood! All the threats which He has uttered against the enemies of Israel—how surely have they been fulfilled! Last of all, and best of all, when the fullness of time was come, did not God send forth His own Son, born of a woman, made under the law? Did He not, according to His ancient promise, lay upon Him the iniquity of us all? Were not the Incarnation and death of our Lord Jesus the grandest proof of the truthfulness of God which could be afforded? His own Son must leave heaven emptied of His glory, must be given up to be despised and rejected of men, must be nailed to the accursed wood, and be forsaken in the hour of His bitterest grief—herein is truth, indeed! I say if this must be according to the promise, and if this was according to the fact, then we have the clearest and the surest evidence that God cannot, by any possibility, be false to His own Word. Rightly has He earned the title which
before Islam came, the Roman Catholic leaders sanctioned the murder of 50 million believers during the dark ages of the anti-Christ. These martyred saints will get a great reward at the resurrection and reign with Christ for a millennium! (Rev 20:4) Misguided beliefs can be so powerful that people even think they are serving God by killing those who live by faith and the Spirit alone. A demonic deception has gripped them and they do not know God, but rather they serve Satan who was a murderer from the beginning. Whatever Satan has done to try and stop the spread of the church he has failed, because the gospel has gone out to the whole world and millions have turned to Christ for salvation. God is patient to win a multitude to himself, but at some point the end will come! We keep praying that peace will reign in this land, but as more and more turn away from Christ to the doctrines of devils and false teachers, evil doors open for the devil and his demons to have their way. However, we must keep praying and keep preaching Christ alone. It’s hard to know
why people choose death, but rest assured it’s because of deception and for believing the lie. “For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.” (Rom 14:8) History has shown that the greatest opposition to Christ’s Spirit comes from those who follow religious traditions in place of the glorious Gospel. This is a powerful deception because people think they are serving God by opposing true Spirit led disciples who preach the kingdom of heaven. This is why Jesus greatest warning was not about the devil, but rather the teaching of the Pharisees! “When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.” Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand?
Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Matt 16:5-12)
Essentially the Pharisees introduce the error of ‘adding too’ what God has said, and the Sadducees ‘take away’ from what God has said. After the destruction of the Temple and disbanding of Israel by the Romans these groups morphed into new heretical groups, many of which we see today. The teaching of the Pharisees and the acceptance of worldly traditions and principles has infected the church created multitudes of false gospel messages. The plethora of denominations has resulted where divisions define the organisation rather than the unity of the Spirit. n
When were the disciples born again? by Dr. R. L. Hymers, Jr. A sermon preached on Saturday Evening, January 31, 2009 at the Baptist Tabernacle of Los Angeles “Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures” (Luke 24:45) “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22)
S
o, what I am really focusing on in this message is the point at which Jesus’ first followers were regenerated, or born from above, by the power of the Holy Spirit. As I am teaching through John’s gospel, and just covered chapter twenty, the subject of the disciples’ salvation (regeneration) is hard to ignore given what happens in verse twenty-two: On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. (John. 20:19-22)
This is quite an extraordinary thing that happens here, one that I think gets minimized far too often and reduced to something much less than it actually is. Many will say that this nothing more than a precursor, a foreshadowing, of what was to come a few days later on the day of Pentecost. I think it is much more than that, and is actually something completely different from what we see occurring in Acts chapter two. I believe that what we have here in John’s gospel is the followers of Jesus being regenerated – born from above. Following are some brief bullet points of things in support of this for your consideration: • Consider the imagery of Jesus “breathing” on the disciples in light of the OT. • Gen 2:7, “Then the Lord God formed man…and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” continued on page 17
REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 9
A Message For Our Times PART 8 - By Stephen Turnham
“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (2 Corinthians 4:6-7) The eighth part of 12 parts looking at how the church reaches out to the lost.
PART 8 - WHO WILL OPPOSE HIS HOLY PEOPLE?
N
ow that we know what ‘church’ or ‘Ekklésia’ really is (a supernatural household of faith living by the Spirit), we will consider what will happen when the people of God live in this godly and holy manner. As Jesus has said in his John 17 prayer to the Father, the ‘World will hate us’ because of the Word (Spirit of holiness) in us. Included in this ‘world’ are the law makers, politicians and religious leaders who seek to conform us to their earthly, ‘Satanic’ ways. This is what Jesus experienced, what Saul executed and as Paul also then experienced and in fact what anyone who wants to live a ‘godly life’ will experience. It’s the battle between the two kingdoms, one visible the other as we have said is invisible. It’s an age old spiritual warfare that was seen many times in the history of Israel and the church: “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all (those of faith). For it is written, Rejoice, thou PAGE 8 REVIVAL TIMES
barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.” (Gal 4:19-29) Paul and the other apostles were persecuted not just by the Romans but mostly by their own people, the Jews, and this because they literally abandoned ALL the ceremonial Laws and rituals associated with the religion and Pharisaical add-ons, being justified by faith in Christ alone. The Romans and heathens attacked them because they preached against the idols and false demon gods that they worshipped through false religious rituals - Occultism and Satanism. Essentially any earthly system will oppose the gospel of grace because it simply does not fit into the mindset of secular humanism (Hierarchy) in which they superstitiously trust. The genuine body of Jesus will always come up against persecution in some form, especially if there is little prayer in the nation that they are in. This is why Paul urges us to prayer firstly for those in human authority that there might be peace. “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.” (1 Tim 2:1-3)
God is opposed to war and political unrest, because it hinders his purpose of saving people before Satan can kill them. The prayers of the church
can, and do force the spiritual powers of darkness to submit to God’s will, but it must be consistent and persistent to avoid disaster. Sometimes a nation rejects the gospel and follows some other belief system such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islamism, communism or atheism and thus cooperates with demons (who are the liars) and so that society collapses. History and even the news today show this to be a fact. There is no peace for the wicked world, because it’s out from under God’s protection. Even in the midst of all this (as we have seen) God’s people must not try to defend themselves, but must trust in the Father to defend them, pray fervently. It might even be that he allows some Christians to be martyred and go home to be with him, to spare them other unavoidable suffering, even so we must rely on God alone. This is the way of the Spirit and faith. Remember that great list of Hebrews 11? These are those great men and women of the past who gave up this life to stand on the truth, because they feared God more than men. When we meet them we will understand that they made the right decision as they shine like stars in the universe! “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” (D an 3:16-18)
Some Christians have literally lost their heads to Islamic groups like ISIS for taking just such a position of trust and faith in the God of Israel. However, even
continued from page 15 Central America (including Mexico, and most of Africa) will ultimately be swept up by it. This will be such a changed form of communism that communism will not really be an appropriate word for it, but it will be economic and political totalitarianism. There will be a period of time when the United States will have a “hot” border to the south with almost daily clashes and casualties. Internal pressures will have caused such a lack of resolve that she will even yield large sections of her own territory to invaders by failing to use the force required to stop them. At that time the enemies within will be greater than those without. In some of the countries taken by the communists there will be an attempt to completely wipe out Christianity as well as other religions. At the same time, in some communist countries religious tolerance will increase but seldom to the degree that it could be considered true religious freedom. In the nations that remain “free” or democratic, religious intolerance will increase until believers will be in some degree of danger in every nation on earth.
The False Church The most severe persecution against believers will come in countries which now enjoy religious freedom. A number of these governments will have aligned themselves with the false church. This false church will have allegiance and authority over most of the populations of what is left of the “free world.” This church will incite governments and populations against all Christians who do not submit to its authority The unfolding in some communist countries will have been very different. The false church will not have gained political power in most of these. Often in reaction to the false church, these governments will have given great liberty to true believers who will labor in the harvest in relative peace, their dark night already turned into day. Powerful apostolic teams will come out of Russia, China and Islamic countries giving strength to the persecuted church throughout the world. The great changes that are sweeping the world will bring many changes to communist doctrine, theory and
continued from page 9
• Ez. 37:1-10, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may come to life.” • The gospels indicate that many more than just the disciples were present when this happened (Luke 24:33) • The Holy Spirit could not be given prior to this point, because Jesus was not glorified before the resurrection (John 7:37-39). • Consider the wording from the passage above and from John 20:22, “receiving the Holy Spirit”, and compare to Acts 2:4, “being filled with the Holy Spirit”. • Note the definite change in Peter after this event on resurrection night, but before the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:15-22). In a nutshell, I believe that what we have happening in John 20:22 is Jesus imparting eternal life to his followers in the form of the Holy Spirit (regeneration), and what we have happening in Acts 2:4 is the followers of Jesus being filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered to be the testimony that Jesus said they would be. To put it simply, Jesus’ followers were regenerated by the Holy Spirit when Jesus breathed on them in John 20, and they were empowered to be Jesus’ witnesses by the filling of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. I studied 17 commentaries on this verse last Wednesday night. I stayed up studying until 5:00 in the morning. Nearly all of the commentaries I studied (including several not cited) reference
practice, as well as that of capitalism, free enterprise and democracy— capitalism is going to change just as radically as communism, but it will not become communistic—both will become economic and political hybrids. We must not be overly encouraged or discouraged by these changes. “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” it is not communism or capitalism that is the enemy, but humanism. This includes every “ism” as they all have their root in the Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil. The great changes and clashes which are coming in human philosophies will bring a more clear distinction between the light and darkness. It will be during the confusion of these times that the church will make her greatest advances in attaining the life and power in which she was called to walk. The church will be abiding so close to her Lord during these times that she will give almost no attention to what is going on in the world, except as it may relate to opportunities for spreading the gospel.
You
can buy the latest updated
version of the book on
Amazon.
Genesis 2:7 which says, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). Genesis 2:7 is referenced under “L” in the center column of the Scofield Study Bible, along with I Corinthians 15:45 which says, “The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit” (I Corinthians 15:45). This Scofield note implies that the “breath” of God which made Adam alive must come to fallen men, “dead in sin” (Ephesians 2:5) to “quicken” them or “give life” to them by the work of the Holy Spirit in the new birth. Dr. Walvoord’s commentary says, “So he breathed on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit.” The image and wording of breathing on them recalls God’s creative work in making Adam (Genesis 2:7). Now this post-Resurrection “breathing” was a new kind of creative work for they would… become new creations, Ephesians 2:8-10 (John F. Walvoord, Th.D., and Roy B. Zuck, Th.D., The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, Victor Books, 1984, p. 343; note on John 20:22). “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). The Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible (Zondervan, 2003) says, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Does not refer to empowerment for ministry, which took place later at Pentecost…” (note on John 20:22). Dr. John R. Rice said, “Keep these two things [this continued on page 19
REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 17
His nature claims—“God, who cannot lie.” May I not add as another argument that you have found Him true! You have been to Him, dear friends, in many times of trial; you have taken His promise and laid it before His Mercy Seat; what do you say—has He ever broken His promise? You have been through the floods—did He leave you? You have passed through the fires—were you burned? You have cried to Him in trouble— did He fail to deliver you? O you poor and needy ones, you have been brought very low, but has He not been your Helper? You have passed hard by the gates of the grave, and hell has opened its horrid jaws to swallow you up, but are you not today the living monuments of the fidelity of God to His promise, and the veracity of every word of the Most High God? Let these things, then, refresh your memories that you may the more confidently know that He is “God, who cannot lie.” II. Let us pass on to look at THE BREADTH OF MEANING IN THE TEXT. When we are told in Scripture that God cannot lie, there is usually associated with the idea, the thought of Immutability. As for instance—“He is not a man that He should lie, nor the son of man that He should repent.” The word “lie,” here includes beyond its ordinary meaning the thought of change, so that when we read that God cannot lie, we understand by it not only that He cannot say what is untrue, but that having said something which is true, He never changes from it, and does not by any possibility alter His purpose or retract His word. This is very consolatory to the Christian, that whatever God has said in the divine purpose is never changed. The decrees of God were not written upon sand, but upon the eternal brass of His unchangeable nature. We may truly say of the sealed book of the decrees, “Has He said, and shall He not do it? Has He purposed, and shall it not come to pass?” We read in Scripture of several instances where God apparently changed, but I think the observation of the PAGE 18 REVIVAL TIMES
old Puritan explains all these; he says, “God may will a change, but He cannot change His will.” Those changes of operation which we sometimes read of in Scripture did not involve any change in the divine purpose! God, for instance, sent to warn Hezekiah that according to the common course of nature he must die, and yet afterwards, 15 years were added to his life— God’s purpose having been all along that Hezekiah should live till the end of the 15 years; but still His purpose equally included that Hezekiah should be brought so near to the gates of death, that in the ordinary course of nature he must die; and then that the miracle would come in was still part of the God’s purpose, that Hezekiah might be cured in a supernatural manner, and be made to live nearer to his God in consequence. God wills a change, but He never changes His will! And when the Last Great Day shall come, you and I shall see how everything happened ac- cording to that hidden roll wherein God had written with His own wise finger every thought which man should think, every word which he should utter, and every deed which he should do. Just as it was in the book of decree, so shall it transpire in the roll of human history. God never changes, then, as to His purpose, and here is our comfort. If He has determined to save us, and we know He has, for all who believe in Him are His elect, then we shall be saved. Heaven shall never by any possibility be defeated by hell. Hell and earth may combine together to destroy a soul which rests upon Christ, but while God’s decree stands fast and firm, that chosen soul is safe! And since that decree never can be removed, let us take confidence and rejoice. No promise has ever been altered, and no threat, either. Still is His promise sure. “I have not said unto the seed of Jacob, seek you My face in vain.” No new decrees have been passed repealing the past; we can never say of God’s book, as we can of old law books, that such-
and-such an act is obsolete. There is no obsolete statute in God’s book! There stand promises, as fresh, as new, as vigorous, and as forceful today as when they first dropped from the mouth of God. The words, then, “God, who cannot lie,” include the very gracious and precious doctrine that He cannot by any possibility change. But we must not, while talking in this manner, forget the primary meaning, that He cannot be false in His thoughts, words, or actions. There is no shadow of a lie upon anything which God thinks, or speaks, or does. He cannot lie in His prophecies. How solemnly true have they been! Ask the wastes of Nineveh! Turn to the mounds of Babylon! Let the traveller speak concerning Idumea and Petra; turn even to the rock of Sidon, and to Your land, O Immanuel! We may boldly ask the traveller, “Has He said and has He not done it? Have His words fallen to the ground? Has God’s curse been an idle word?” No, not in one single case! All the words of the Lord are sure. The prophecies will be as true as they have been, and the Book of Revelation, though we may not comprehend it today, will doubtless be fulfilled in every stroke and in every line, and we shall marvel how it was that we did not know its meaning. But at present it is enough for us to know its truth—its meaning shall only be learned as the events explain the prophesy. As God is true in His prophecies, so is He faithful to His promises. Have you and I, dear friends, a confidence in these? If so, let us try them this morning. Sinner, weeping and bemoaning yourself, God will forgive you your sin if you believe in Jesus! If you will confess that He is faithful and just to forgive you, He has promised to do so, and He cannot lie! Christian, if you have a promise today laid upon your heart, if you have been pleading it, perhaps for months, and it has not been fulfilled, I pray you gather fresh courage this morning, and again renew your wrestling. Go and say, continued on page 20
will have little to do with her exaltation or humiliation—God will determine her fate. The Lord is allowing this onslaught to deliver His people from the fear of man. When the church comes out of this period, she will have a changed concept of both humility and exaltation. We will never again use the world’s opinion of us as a barometer of our condition. The church’s exaltation will not come from public opinion but from above. The New Jerusalem comes down from heaven; she is not lifted up from below. When we cease to care what the world thinks of us and are wholly occupied with what God thinks of us, He will then pour out a grace upon us that is irresistible even to our most vehement enemies, a grace which cannot be prevailed upon by any power of darkness. The grace of God, purchased by the blood of Jesus, is the most powerful and irresistible force in all of creation. Through all of her trials the church is going to be so cast upon the grace of God and the power of the cross that she will walk in such power and demonstrations of the Spirit that the whole world will be shocked and even terrified for a period. The enemies of the church and the gospel, who will have exalted themselves through her humiliation, will themselves be humiliated and flee from the church in terror in the day of her power. Those who have been unjustly humiliated in the onslaught, who did not waste their trials but sought the grace of God with even more zeal, will be exalted to an unprecedented level of spiritual authority.
An Unholy Alliance It is important that we use this opportunity to embrace the discipline of the Lord. Nevertheless, He has us understanding “in order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes” (II Corinthians 2:11). As sensational as this may presently seem, there will be an unholy alliance which involves major denominations, organised crime, and even some government officials and agencies. The following is the scenario which will actually take place. Hundreds of millions of dollars stand to be made from the slanderous articles and transfer of property resulting from the failure of major ministries. When the potential for this kind of profit exists, evil men get involved.
Because of the money lost by having their publications removed from some of their more effective outlets, major pornography publishers will have a vendetta against specific ministries and Christians in general. These have been accumulating real information against some ministries; they have contrived false testimonies from paid witnesses against others. Their plan for releasing the stories is systematic and strategic for making the most on the publicity and the property transfers. Some denominations will get involved, seeing this as a chance to eliminate what they consider “the fringe element” of Christianity. These feel that the popular evangelicals, charismatics and televangelists have deprived them of resources and support. Some of these denominational officials have no fear of God and are well aware of what they are doing. Others will honestly believe that they are doing God a favour. Some government officials and agencies will see this humiliation of Christianity as a way to eliminate the tax exempt status of ministries (and possibly even the entire church) with popular support. This source of new income will be seen as a means of erasing the deficit without raising taxes. Major churches and ministries will be the object of audits and investigations. Many of these officials are sincere in wanting to eradicate impostors who bilk the public and the government of substantial resources. Some, hiding behind pious facades, are out to destroy the conservative Christian political clout. Others are outright antichrist. As the prophet Daniel foretold: And forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation. And by smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action. And those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many; yet they will fall by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder, for many days (Daniel 11:31-33). We live in enemy territory; “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (I John 5:19). We must not continue to judge each other by information received from the enemy’s own media.
It was prophesied of Jesus that “He will delight in the fear of the Lord, and He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor make a decision by what His ears hear” (Isaiah 11:3). The church must learn to walk by this same standard of spiritual perception. The love of those who do not do this will grow cold. It is time for the faithful to walk by the Spirit and to know each other only after the Spirit. Let us not be beguiled from the simplicity of devotion to Christ. We must seek first His kingdom and His purposes. Those following the Lord out of selfish ambition, who make decisions because of personal or political considerations will ultimately betray the faith and the faithful. Those who are given understanding of the enemy’s schemes will be made primary targets for entrapments in order to discredit their warnings. Some will “fall by the sword (murder) and captivity (imprisonment)”. But those who know their God will not retreat; they will “display strength and take action,” regardless of the consequences. This is a war and there will be casualties. Those who fall by the sword and the entrapments are martyrs to the Lord and He will keep that which they have entrusted to Him. We must not be concerned about what men, or even the church, may think of us. “The Lord knows those who are His.” Those who are conformed to the image of the Lord’s death, when he was alone and deserted by even His own followers, will soon come again in the power of His resurrection. Those who give their lives will be seed for the greatest victory over evil and ingathering of souls ever accomplished through the church. This will be a period of some of the darkest and most confusing days for the faithful. Some who have appeared to be the strongest will fall. Some of these will betray many while trying to save their own lives and reputations. This has been going on since the beginning throughout much of the world, but it will be a great shock to believers in the West who are accustomed to religious freedom. During this time paranoia would sweep the church were it not for the courage and boldness of individuals who refuse to retreat in the face of this onslaught. Some who are now considered mere “privates in God’s army” are about to become some of the greatest heroes of the faith in the last day church. continued on page 14
REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 7
The Final Persecution
Excerpt from chapter 10 What follows was the recording of a two and a half day prophetic experience I had in 1987, followed by two shorter experiences in 1988.
B
efore the great ingathering Christianity will experience a great humiliation. The enemy’s strategy is to so utterly degrade the church that she will begin to retreat just when she is about to make one of her greatest advances. The “accuser of the brethren” will go forth with unprecedented rage against the Body of Christ. The “revelations” of immoral and unethical behaviour by hundreds of highly visible ministries will bring about a loathing of Christianity throughout the world, for a time. These “revelations” will include child molesting, rape, and the most vile forms of perversion. Some of these will be true, but most will not be true.
The Need for Discernment There has never been a more critical need for the church to have the gift of discernment of spirits. In many cases, even when all of the evidence appears irrefutable, there will be entrapment and the accused will be innocent. Some of those who will appear as champions of righteousness by exposing others in order to “cleanse the temple” will be deceivers themselves who actually will have helped to set up the entrapments, or to have brought fabrications against Christian leaders. We must know each other after the Spirit, not rumours, or sometimes what even appears to be hard evidence. Satan’s hit list includes hundreds of Christian leaders. It will target some who have recently made mistakes which were publicly exposed, but the new charges will be contrived about even worse failings and perversions. After an atmosphere of revulsion is created, the enemy will then move against even the most respected Evangelical, Pentecostal, Protestant, Charismatic and Catholic leaders with charges of the most base forms of perversion and ethical failures. In conjunction with this, hoards of cults and satanic worshippers will begin attacking congregations and meetings. They will enter services en masse, spitting on people, urinating and performing lewd acts in order to humiliate the church. This practice
PAGE 6 REVIVAL TIMES
the prophetic
Book ‘The Harvest’ by Rick Joyner (Pub.1989)
will be publicised until it becomes a fad among the cults. What begins as a few isolated incidents will soon become common throughout the world. Again, Satan’s strategy is to so utterly humiliate the church that she will retreat and go into hiding, thus thwarting the coming move of God. It is an age old tactic of the enemy to try to devour what God is bringing forth while it is still in its infancy. We see this in Revelation 12:16 as the dragon waited for the woman to give birth so that he might devour the child. We see this principle with the birth of Moses and Satan’s attempt to destroy the deliverer by destroying the male infants of Israel. This was a prophetic parallel of his strategy to destroy the infant Jesus in the same way. We also see this in his attempt to destroy a coming last day ministry through abortion, drugs, pornography, etc.
The Purging of Leadership The Lord is allowing this onslaught for His own purposes. He is going to have a pure and holy church. In the first century it was a noble thing to desire a position of leadership in the church. Those who did so were putting their lives and families in jeopardy. This is still true throughout much of the world. But in the West a church leader now has more in common with a corporate executive than its Biblical counterpart. Instead of having the same mind that was in Christ Jesus, who “emptied Himself... and became of no reputation,” church leadership has often been used as one of the most vile forms of self-promotion. This misuse of ministry is coming to an end. There are many sincere and devoted men of God presently serving in positions of leadership, but there are also many who have attained such positions through political manipulation and self-promotion. To these church leadership is merely another profession rather than a calling. These will not be able to stand the humiliation which is coming; they will flee, demonstrating that they were in fact hirelings, not serving in devotion to the Lord but for their own personal interests. Some of those who were called and appointed by God will also be
humiliated and found powerless at times to deal with the onslaught. Even so, these will not run, but will remain faithful to their charge. Their failures will result in a greater determination to know the truth of God’s delegated authority over the evil one. By this they will be delivered from hindering delusions and begin to walk in a power and authority never before experienced. The enemy’s strategy of humiliating the saints into retreat will actually work to purify the ranks and inculcate in the faithful an even greater resolve. This humiliation will ultimately reduce many congregations and movements in the church to a figurative Gideon’s three hundred. Like. Gideon’s little band, who could no longer stand the humiliation of Israel at the hands of Midian, these will be pushed to the limit of what they can tolerate. They will then take their little lights and trumpets (messages) and attack the entire camp of the enemy beginning the rout. After this many of those who have departed out of fear and confusion will return helping to complete the victory to bring in a great harvest. Every bit of ground lost during his onslaught will be regained and much more, all within a very short period of time.
The Key to Our Victory The church’s posture towards this coming slander must be a determination for us to indeed humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, not man or Satan. The Lord “resists the proud, but gives His grace to the humble” (James 4:6). We must not let the revelations of sin drive us into hiding but rather to the throne of grace. We need not hide from or deny the true failures, but confess them and repent of our evil ways. The Lord’s ultimate victory over the accuser will be so great that the church will be esteemed and marvelled at by the entire world very soon after the peak of her humiliation. But the church’s exaltation will not come because we have started to look better in the sight of man, but because we will have embraced the cross and allowed the humiliation to drive us to the throne of grace, and God will then lift us up. What the world thinks of the church
continued from page 17
inbreathing and Pentecost] separate: the indwelling of the Holy Spirit began the day of the resurrection of Christ, John 20:22” (John R. Rice, D.D., The Son of God: A Verse-by-Verse Commentary on the Gospel According to John, Sword of the Lord Publishers, 1976 edition, p. 397, note on John 20:22). “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). Matthew Henry gave this comment, Christ here seems to refer to the Creation of man at first, by the breathing of the breath of life unto him (Genesis 2:7), and to intimate that he himself was the author of that work, and that the spiritual life [of] Christians are derived from him, as much as the natural life of Adam…As the breath of the Almighty gave life to man and began the old world, so the breath of the mighty Saviour gave life…and began a new world…the breath of Christ signifies the power of his grace (Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Hendrickson Publishers, 1996 edition, p. 984; note on John 20:22). “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). Dr. Charles John Ellicott said, The [Greek] word rendered “breathed” occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, but was familiar from its use in the Greek [LXX] of Genesis 2:7. St. John uses to describe this act of the risen Lord the striking word which had been used to describe the act by which God breathed into man’s nostrils the breath of life. He [John the Apostle] writes as one who remembered how the influence of that moment on their future lives was a new spiritual creation, by which they were called, as it were, out of death unto life (Charles John Ellicott, D.D., Ellicott’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Zondervan Publishing House, 1954 edition, Volume VI, pp. 543-544; note on John 20:22). “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). The Preacher’s Homiletic Commentary points out, It must be remembered that this divine “breathing” of the Spirit was not conferred on apostles alone; others were present. It is therefore typical…It is not baptism or church membership or knowledge of Scripture that makes men and women true disciples of Christ. Now, as of old, it is a gift of the Holy Ghost (W. Frank Scott, M.D., The Preacher’s Complete Homiletic Commentary on the New Testament, Funk and Wagnalls Company, n.d., Commentary on John, p. 566; note on John 20:22). “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). Dr. J. Vernon McGee said, I personally believe that at the moment our Lord breathed on them, and said, “Receive ye the Holy
Ghost,” these men were regenerated [born again]. Before this, they had not been indwelt by the Spirit of God…I believe here that Jesus Christ breathed into these men eternal life by giving them the Spirit of God (J. Vernon McGee, Th.D., Thru the Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1983, volume IV, p. 498; comment on John 20:22). “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). The Applied New Testament Commentary says, Then Jesus breathed on His disciples and gave them the Holy Spirit…it was then that they were born again of the Spirit… This is when they received true and full faith. This is when they received spiritual life. No man can be a true Christian without having received the Holy Spirit of Christ… “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” [he does not belong to Christ], Romans 8:9 (Thomas Hale, M.D., The Applied New Testament Commentary, Victor Books, 1997 reprint, p. 448; note on John 20:22). “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). If it is true that the Disciples were not born again until John 20:22, it would explain why they did not believe the Gospel when Christ preached it to them. “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men” (Matthew 16:21-23). Peter actually rebuked Christ for preaching the Gospel! At this point Peter did not believe the message of the Gospel – the death and resurrection of Christ! He not only refused to believe the Gospel, but rebuked Jesus and attacked Him for preaching it! Again, Christ made it very clear that He would die and be raised from the dead, the very essence of the Gospel. “And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them,The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry” (Matthew 17:22-23). When they heard the Gospel, “they were exceeding sorry” (Matthew 17:22-23). Again, look at Luke 18:31-34. We know that the Gospel is the death and resurrection of Christ, but the Disciples were utterly blind to the Gospel. “Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day continued on page 23
REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 19
continued from page 18
“Lord, I know You cannot lie, therefore fulfil Your word to Your servant.” If the promises of God were not kept, God would lie, they must, therefore, be fulfilled; and let us believe that they will be and go to God, not with a wavering spirit which half hopes that the words may be true, but with the full assurance that they cannot fail! As certainly as we know that day and night shall not cease, and that summer will not fail, so surely let us be convinced that every word of the Lord shall stand! His threats are true, also. Ah, sinner, you may go on in your ways for many a day, but your sin shall find you out at last. Seventy years God’s longsuffering may wait over you, but when you shall come into another world, you shall find every terrible word of Scripture fulfilled; you shall then know that there is a place, “where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched.” You shall then experience the “wailing and gnashing of teeth” unless you repent. If you will believe in Jesus, you shall find the promise true! But if you will not, equally sure shall be the threat! This is a dreadful part of the subject to those who are out of Christ, who have never been partakers of the Holy Spirit. It will be in vain for you to cry to Him then, and ask Him, then, to change His mind. No, though you should weep oceans of tears, hell’s flames cannot be quenched nor can your soul escape from the place to which it is finally doomed! To- day, while mercy is preached to you, lay hold upon it! But remember, if you do not, as God cannot lie, He cannot allow you to escape, but you will feel the weight and terror of His arm. We might thus go through everything which concerns God, from prophesy to promises, and threats, and onwards and multiply observations, but we choose to close this point by observing that every word of instruction from God is most certainly true. It is astounding how much sensation is caused in the Christian Church by the outbreak, every now and then, PAGE 20 REVIVAL TIMES
of fresh phases of infidelity. I do not think that these alarms are at all warranted. It is what we must expect to the very end of this dispensation. If all carnal minds believed the Bible, I think the spiritual might almost begin to doubt it, but as there are always some who will attack it, I shall feel none the less confident in it. Really, the book of God has stood so many attacks from such different quarters, that to be at all alarmed about it shows a very childish fear. When a rock has been standing all our lifetime, and has been known to stand firmly throughout all the ages of history, none but foolish people will think that the next wave will sweep it away. Within our own short life—say some 25 years’ recollection—have we not remembered, I was about to say almost as many as 25 shapes of infidelity? You know it must change about every 20 years at least, for no system of infidelity can live longer than that! There was the witty system of objection which Voltaire introduced; and how short-lived was that! Then came the bullying, low-lived, blackguard system of Tom Paine; and how short-lived was its race! Then, in more modern times, unbelief took the shape of Secularism—what particular shapes it takes now we scarcely know—perhaps Colensoism is the most fashionable—but that is dying out, and something else will surely follow it! These creations of an hour just live their little day and they are gone. But look at belief in Scripture, and at Scripture itself. The Bible is better understood, more prized, and I believe, on the whole, more practiced than ever it was since the day when its author sent it abroad into the world. It’s course is still onward; and after all which has been done against it, no visible effect has been produced upon the granite wall of Scriptural truth by all the pickaxes and boring rods which have been broken upon it! Walking through our Museums nowadays, we smile at those who think that Scripture is not true. Every block of stone from Nineveh, every relic which
has been brought from the Holy Land, speaks with a tongue which must be heard even by the deaf adder of Secularism and which says, “Yes, the Bible is true, and the word of God is no fiction.” Beloved, we may rest assured that we have not a word in the book of God which is untrue! There may be an interpolation or two of man’s which ought to be revised and taken away, but the book, as it comes from God, is truth, and nothing but truth—not only containing God’s word, but being God’s word—being not like a lump of gold inside a mass of quartz, but all gold, and nothing but gold! And being inspired to the highest degree—I will not say verbally inspired, but more than that—having a fullness more than that which the letter can convey, having in it a profundity of meaning such as words never had when used by any other being, God having the power to speak a multitude of truths at once. And when He means to teach us one thing according to our capability of receiving it, He often teaches us 20 other things, which, for the time, we do not comprehend, but which, by-andby, as our senses are exercised, reveal themselves by the Holy Spirit. Every time I open my Bible I will read it as the word of “God, who cannot lie,” and when I get a promise or a threat, I will either rejoice or tremble because I know that these stand fast. Dear friends, this leads us, in closing this point, to say that when we read that passage— “God, who cannot lie”—we understand that His very nature cannot lie, for He hates lies! Wherever there is a lie, God is its enemy. It was to overcome the lie of sin that God sent His Son to bleed; and every day the thoughts of God are centred upon the extermination of evil and the extension of His own truth. Nothing can set forth in words to us the hatred and detestation which God has in His heart of anything which is untrue. Oh that we knew and felt this, and would glow with the same anger, seeking to exterminate the false, slaying it in our own hearts, and
unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying,Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them,What reason ye in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say,Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God (Luke 5:20-25). Seeing such divine power the disciples had wrongly assumed that Jesus would somehow setup his kingdom on earth by force in Israel. However, years later once they saw and heard from the resurrected Jesus about the real kingdom in heaven, they dropped this belief and instead they obediently waited to receive the same power of the Spirit that they had seen in Him. They were to be witnesses not warriors who would preach repentance just as he had done by the promise of the indwelling Spirit of Christ and of the Father, the One God. According to Jesus those apostles and those gathered with them were already clean by the word spoken into them, because they had been with him. They knew that people needed to be saved like themselves from the corrupted generation and that Jesus would bring the Kingdom back to Israel when he returned in glory - a distant future event. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. (John 13:10) Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. (John 15:3)
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone,
but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. (John 17:16-21) But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8) They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:10-11) In all of this Jesus had indeed completed his earthly mission to reach the Jewish remnant who believed and establish the foundation of the new holy nation in his name (12 eye witnesses). All this was even before he went to the cross! So why did he need to do that?
The Power of the Cross Again Jesus had already explained to them why he needed to obey the Father and allow himself to be killed by the Romans. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:14-21) Then said Jesus unto them,When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. (John 8:28-29)
evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Matthew 12:39-41)
And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. And his disciples asked him, saying,Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you,That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. (Matthew 17:9-12) Jesus said unto them,The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry. (Matt 17:22-23)
Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)
Remember also when Jesus was first dedicated in the temple: And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. (Luke 2:25-32) The final phase of Jesus mission will soon take place when he returns in glory to destroy his enemies and re-establish his kingdom on earth. n
But he answered and said unto them, An REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 5
So, the foundation of Christ’s Church or Bride was only made from the predestined remnant of Israelites from all tribes who were chosen by the Father based on their inheritance and their response in faith to Jesus call. John reveals this when sharing the vision of the bride, the new Jerusalem in his revelation: And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2) And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. (Revelation 21:10)
And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. (Revelation 21:12)
And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. (Revelation 21:14)
This vision reveals that the church of Christ is eternally linked with it’s Israelite foundation.
The Twelve Foundations John’s vision reveals that to complete his mission on earth Jesus goal was to establish the twelve man foundation and reach all those appointed by God from all the 12 tribes, starting then and throughout history, even up to this present day, the total number being saved will be just 144,000! (see Rev 14:1-4) Hence Jesus confident statement in his final prayer to his Father: I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. (John 17:4-6)
His completion of this work was twofold: manifesting (showing) the Name to the chosen twelve men and preach the kingdom to
every town (Luke 4:43). By this point Jesus was convinced that the chosen men had got it, that they had truly believed. All Israel had been told. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. (John 17:7-8) Jesus prays that these men (not the world) might be as one in him, but also recognised that one was lost. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. (John 17:12)
That missing apostle (Judas Iscariot) was later replaced by the other 11 apostles realising that it was essential for the foundation of the Church and the Kingdom (Acts 1:20-26). Matthew was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot as a credible eye witness of Jesus life. It was not Paul, who some suppose should be considered the real twelfth man, as he was not an eye witness like all the others. Paul’s mission, along with others like him, was to take the light of Christ to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15). This was to be how the church of the firstborn would open it’s doors wide to the multitudes in the pagan nations. This was to be phase 2 if you will of God’s plan of salvation for the rest of mankind. Puzzling to us today, but these first Jewish Apostles were surprised that the Gentiles were accepted into the Holy church of Christ purely by their faith. However they accepted this due to Peter’s rooftop vision, the conversion of Cornelius and his household (see Acts 10) and later the testimony’s of Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15). Paul knew the difference between converted Jews and Gentiles as he also speaks of the remnant of Jews that believed in his letter to the Roman (Gentile) church to remind them that Israelites are to be both treasured and respected,
PAGE 4 REVIVAL TIMES
not rejected as lost forever! Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved. For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality.” It is just as Isaiah said previously: “Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.”What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal.Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. As it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.” (Romans 9:27-33) I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah---how he appealed to God against Israel: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me” ? And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. (Romans 11:1-6) This passage does not refer to any Gentile believers but to the Jewish remnant in Paul’s time, i.e. before AD 67! Gentile believers are not the remnant but grafted into the remnant by Christ - that’s different.
The power of forgiveness The first apostles and others already believed Jesus was God in the flesh, even before the crucifixion even happened. They witnessed his power over sin, Satan, sickness and disease even death! He also showed them that he could forgive sins at will, an attribute that confirmed his deity. And when he saw their faith, he said
giving it nothing to feed upon in our temper, our conversation, or our deeds! III. But I shall now come to make a practical use of the text, in the third place, by observing HOW WE OUGHT TO ACT TOWARDS GOD IF IT IS TRUE THAT HE IS A “GOD WHO CANNOT LIE.” Brethren, if it is so that God cannot lie, then it must be the natural duty of all His creatures to believe Him. I cannot resist that conclusion. It seems to me to be as clear as noonday that it is every man’s duty to believe the truth of God, and that if God must speak and act truth, and truth only, it is the duty of all intelligent creatures to believe Him. Here is “Duty-faith” again, which some are railing at, but how they can get away from it, and yet believe that God cannot lie, I cannot understand! If it is not my duty to believe in God, then it is no sin for me to call God a liar. Will anyone subscribe to that—that God is a liar? I think not! And if to think God to be a liar would be a most atrocious piece of blasphemy, then it can only be so, on the ground that it is the natural and incumbent duty of every creature understanding the truthfulness of God to believe in God! If God has set forth the Lord Jesus Christ as the propitiation for sin, and has told me to trust Christ, it is my duty to trust Christ, because God cannot lie; and though my sinful heart will never believe in Christ as a matter of duty, but only through the work of the Holy Spirit, yet faith does not cease to be a duty; and whenever I am unbelieving and have doubts concerning God, however moral my outward life may be, I am living in daily sin; I am perpetrating a sin against the first principles of morality. If I doubt God, as far as I am able, I rob Him of His honour, and stab Him in the vital point of His glory; I am, in fact, living an open traitor and a sworn rebel against God, upon whom I heap the daily insult of daring to doubt Him. O my hearers, there are some of you who do not believe in Christ! I wish you would look at your character and position
in this light. You are not trusting in Christ for your salvation. Remember, “He who believes not God, has made Him a liar.” Those are John’s own inspired words, and you are, every day that you are not a believer in Christ, virtually writing upon your doorpost, and saying with your mouth, “God is a liar; Christ is not able to save me; I will not trust Him; I do not believe God’s promise; I do not think He is sincere in His invitation to me to come to Christ; I do not believe what God says.” Remember that you are living in such a state as this, and may God the Holy Spirit impress you with a sense of the sin of that state, and feeling this, your sin and misery, I pray God to lead you to cry, “Lord, I believe, help You my unbelief!” This, then, is our first practical conclusion from the fact that God cannot lie. Other thoughts suggest themselves. If we were absolutely sure that there lived on earth a person who could not lie, how would you treat him? You know there cannot be such a man; there may be a man who will not lie, but there cannot be a man of whom it may be said that he cannot lie, for alas, we have all the power of evil in us, and we can lie, and to a certain degree it is quite true that “all men are liars.” But if you could be certain that there was a man out of whose heart the black drop had been wrung, and that he could not lie—how would you act towards him? Well, I think you would cultivate his acquaintance. If you are true yourselves, you would desire his friendship; you would say, “He is the friend for me! I have trusted in such-andsuch a man and he has played the Judas; I asked counsel of another, and he was an Ahithophel; but if this man cannot lie, he shall be my bosom companion if he will accept me; and he shall be my counsellor if he will but have the goodness to direct me.” I would expect to see a pier of all the good in the world waiting at the man’s door! You know how the world, with all its sinfulness, reverences the man who is true! We had an instance in our streets
the other day, of the good man, and the true, who received homage of all, and yet that man could lie; but inasmuch as we never have seen that he did, but his life has been straightforward, therefore have we paid him honour, and deservedly so. Well now, if such is the case, should not all Christians seek more and more the friendship of God? “O Lord, be You my familiar friend, my counsellor, my guide; if You cannot lie I will lay bare my heart to You; I will tell You all my secrets, I will trust You with all the desires of my heart; I know You can never be- tray me, or be unfaithful; let there be a union established between my soul and Yours, and let it never be broken.” Let communion with God, be the desire of your hearts on the ground that He cannot lie! If we knew a man who could not lie, we should believe him, I think, without an oath. I cannot sup- pose that when he came into the court of justice they would pass him the Bible; no, his word would be better than the oath of ordinary men if he could not lie. You would not need any sign or evidence to prove what he said; you would take his word at once. So should it be with God. Ah, dear friends, God has given us more than His word, He has given us His oath; and yet, strange is it that we who profess to be His children are vile enough to distrust our own Father; and sometimes, if He does not give us signs and evidences, we begin to distrust Him so that, after all, I am afraid we rather trust the signs than trust God, and put more confidence in frames and evidences than we do in the naked promise, which is an atrocious sin, indeed! Many believers cannot be comfortable without signs and evidences; when they feel in a good frame of mind—ah, then God’s promise is true! When they can pray heartily, when they can feel the love of God shed abroad in their hearts, then they say, “How God has kept His promise.” Ah, but, my brethren, that is a seeingfaith. “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” Faith is to believe in God when REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 21
my heart is as hard as the nether millstone, when my frames are bad, when I cannot pray, when I cannot sing, when I can do nothing good. To say, “He has promised and will perform; He has said that whoever believes in Christ is not condemned; I do believe in Christ, and there- fore I am not condemned”—this is genuine faith! Again, if we knew a man who could not lie, we would believe him in the teeth of 50 witnesses the other way. Why, we would say, “They may say what they will, but they can lie.” You might have good evidence that they were usually honest men, but you would say, “They can lie; they have the power of lying; but here is a man who stands alone, and cannot lie; then his word must be true!” This shows us, beloved, that we ought to believe God in the teeth of every contradiction. Even if outward providence should come to you, and say that God has forsaken you, that is only one; and even if another, and another, and another should come, and 50 trials should all say that God has forsaken you, yet, as God says, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you,” which will you take—the one promise of God who cannot lie, or the 50 outward providences which you cannot interpret? I know what the devil has been whispering in your ear—“The Lord has quite forsaken you, Your God will be gracious no more.” But then, remember who has said, “Fear you not, for I am with you: be not dismayed, for I am your God.” Which will you believe—the devil’s insinuation, or God’s own testimony? My dear sister, you have been praying for a certain
thing for years; you pray, you pray, and you pray again, and now discouragement arises! Unbelief says, “God will not hear that prayer! That prayer of yours does not come up before the throne of God, and there will be no answer.” But the Lord has said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” Which will you believe, your unbelief, the long months of weariness, and the anxieties which prompted you to discouragement, or will you believe in the naked promise? Why, if God cannot lie, let us give Him what we would give to a man if he were of the same character—our full confidence even in the teeth of contradiction—for He is “God, who cannot lie.” If a man were introduced to us, and we were certain that he could not lie, we would believe every- thing he said, however incredible it might appear to us. I shall have an appeal to every soul here present. It does seem very incredible at first sight that God should take a sinner, full of sin, and forgive all his iniquities in one moment simply and only upon the ground of the sinner believing in Christ. I remember the time when it seemed to me utterly impossible that I could ever have my sins forgiven; I had a clear sense of the value of pardon, and this thought would be always ringing in my ears—“It is too good to be true that you should be pardoned; that you, an enemy, should be made into a child! That you, who have gone on sinning against light, and against knowledge, should yet rejoice in union to Christ; the thing is too good to be true!” But,
beloved friends, supposing it should seem too good to be true, yet, since you have it upon the testimony of one who “cannot lie,” I pray you believe it! “But, sir,”—No, none of your “buts.” He cannot lie. “Ah, but.”—Away with your “ahs” and your “buts,” for Jehovah cannot lie! He has said it, “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved.” To believe is to trust Christ. If therefore you are trusting Christ, you must be saved; and whatever you may be, or whatever you may have done, if you will now trust Jesus Christ you have God’s word for it—and He cannot lie— that you shall be saved! Come now, will you kick against the promise because of its greatness? Do not! Let your doubts and fears be hushed to sleep, and now, with the promise of God as your pillow, and God’s faithfulness as your support, lie down in peace, and behold in faith’s open vision the ladder, the top of which leads to heaven! Trust the promise of God in Christ, and depend upon it that He will be as good to you, even to you, as His own word, and in heaven you shall have to sing of the “God, who cannot lie.” I would that these weak words of mine, for I am very conscious of their feebleness this morning, may nevertheless have comfort in them for any who have been doubting and fearing—that they may trust my Lord. And sure I am that if they begin a life of faith, they will begin a life of happiness and of security! “The just shall live by faith,” and well may they do so, when they have trust in a “God, who cannot lie.” n
continued from cover
also: for therefore came I forth. And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils. (Mark1:38) As Messiah to Israel Jesus was burdened to reach every town in the land with the message of repentance, the kingdom and judgement to come. He demonstrated the power of heaven by casting out Satan (devils), healing the sick and doing wonders such as multiplying food for the hungry. This, he said, was evidence to all Israelites of who he was and where he came from. Many believed, but incredibly many also refused to accept these credentials despite them being mentioned in ancient Scriptures! (How true this is even today. How many cessassionists there are in religious circles who deny the power of the Spirit to heal and deliver God’s people from evil powers!) However, Jesus explains that this ‘filtering’ or ‘sifting’ of those Israelites who believed is something the Father was doing deliberately. And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. (Luke 8:9-10) And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you,That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them ; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. (Matthew 13:14-17)
Through Messiah God the Father was keeping all his promises to Israel and drawing out those who were foreknown and predestined to believe at this time of the end PAGE 22 REVIVAL TIMES
of the ages. Because many Jews had succumbed to the secular hedonism of the Roman culture they were spiritually deceived and Jesus’ concern was that without repentance they would perish. A judgement on Israel was coming that he wanted to save them from in order to preserve the faith for the last generations and the world. The anti God spirit was coming against his people like never before as the feet of Nebuchadnezzar’s statue vision was taking shape as world history unfolded. As with John the Baptist, Jesus’ disciples also continued to baptise those who wanted to change their attitude (repent) and lifestyle and believe in God again. Under the oppression of the Romans many Israelites had probably given up hope despite having a new Temple restored by Herod the Great during his reign, but that came at a high price. Herod was a very evil cruel tyrant who had dominated their society and had even tried to murder Jesus from birth. His 4 children now ruled the 4 provinces (Tetrarchs) after his death, Herod Antipatros became ruler over Galilee & Perea whom Jesus knew well and who also wanted to kill him like his father (Luke 13:31-32). Herod’s name ‘Antipatros’ means ‘like the Father’ that is, like Herod the Great who was devilish, like his father the devil. Something Jesus accuses the Pharisees of because they rejected him, preferring instead to have Herod and Caesar as kings over them. Conversely Jesus was ‘like his Father in heaven’ and so we see the battle of kingdoms. Because the Israelite leadership had submitted to Rome and were compromising the Law of God for the sake of Roman money Jesus pronounced a severe judgement on them, Jerusalem and Israel. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures,The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Therefore say I unto you,The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them (Matt 21:42-45).
The Predestined remnant As in the time of Elijah, God had reserved for himself a holy remnant made from those who had rejected idol worship who had repented and were subsequently baptised by John (Despite the corrupted state of Jerusalem and the occupation by the Romans). This is what Mary had prophesied at the very conception of Christ in her womb some 30 years earlier. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. (Luke 1:50-55). These ‘chosen’ or ‘elect’ Israelites believed both the message of John and then followed Jesus. These are the two witnesses of God’s Kingdom of heaven to Israel. The first Jewish believers in Christ (first fruits) would eventually suffer the persecutions that Jesus warned them about and be thrust out from the city and the land then murdered. Jesus warned those remaining to flee when armies surrounded Jerusalem. This happened some 40 years later in AD 70 when Roman emperor Vespasian and son Titus destroyed the Jewish rebellion. The remaining Christians escaped but the rebels died in the 10’s of thousands. By this time all the 12 apostles and Paul were already martyred, but the church was growing fast in Minor Asia (Turkey). REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 3
OMEGA-MINISTRIES.ORG
ISSUE: 01
Revival – God’s Way Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19
Revival times is a FREE publication offered to those who want to be encouraged and built up to know JESUS CHRIST as their Lord God and saviour. It is published by Omega Ministries which is a non-denominational prophetic movement of believers who want to see the Kingdom come on earth as in heaven. Please send all enquiries or questions to the email address given below. We recognise all material copyrights and thank God that all contributors take no wages for their work of faith in order to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world and to revive his true church in our day. All Scriptures are quoted from the King James Bible and or Greek and Hebrew, where appropriate, for clarity. This paper and other teaching material is offered online for downloading and printing free of charge. If you are inspired by the content of this paper please pass on to brothers and sisters for their encouragement. Revival is a long lost concept in our modern society because the true Gospel has been perverted, watered down and twisted for personal gain by wolves in sheep’s clothing. Enough is enough and now the sleepers must awake from their spiritual stupor. The dead dry bones must live and the faithful army of the Lord arise and shine the beauty of Christ in us, the hope of glory.
The Call Has Gone Out Soldiers of Christ, arise And put your armour on, Strong in the strength which God supplies Through His eternal Son; Strong in Lord of hosts And in His mighty power: Who in the strength of Jesus trusts Is more than conqueror They will soar on wings like eagles; They will run and not grow weary, They will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:28-31
Editor: Stephen Turnham © please copy and pass on Download the PDF here: www.omega-ministries.org email: info@omega-ministries.org
PAGE 2 REVIVAL TIMES
Where is the hope for Revival— God’s Holy Spirit outpoured Convicting of sin, and of judgement And righteousness of the Lord? When nothing else is important— Only God’s presence Divine, When Christians quit worldly pleasures, Then God, His ear will incline. Desperate prayer for Revival Will cleanse the Church by the Word. Then clothed in spotless, white linen, The Bride clears the way for her Lord. Prayer is the key to Revival, Prayer that is true Spirit-born, Nights of compassionate weeping— Intercession for all the forlorn. Then will the burdens be lifted, Then all the sinners will cry, Then all the chains will be loosened And worldly passions will die. The lost ones will yield to God’s Spirit When Christians, cleansed, weep and pray; God’s Living Water flows outward; This is “Revival—God’s Way”! —Estelle Gifford Jackson FIRST THOUGHTS How Luther’s lips must at first have trembled when he ventured to say that the Pope was Antichrist! Why, Man, how can you dare to say such a thing? Millions bow down before him! He is the vicar of God on earth! Do they not worship our Lord God the Pope? “Yet he is Antichrist and a very devil,” said Luther. And at first he must have felt his ears burn and his cheeks grow red at such a piece of apparent wickedness. And when he found himself shunned by the ecclesiastics who once had courted Doctor Martin Luther’s company, think of what emptiness he must have felt!. Charles Hadden Spurgeon #601 1860
he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken” (Luke 18:31-34). “This saying was hid from them.” (2 Corinthians 4:3) says, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost” (2 Corinthians 4:3). Since the Gospel “was hid” from the Disciples, it is clear that they were still lost (Luke 18:31-34). “If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost” – a perfect description of the confused, bungling, faithless Disciples before “he breathed on them, and saith unto then, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22).
“They understood none of these things” – that is, they understood nothing about the Gospel. The gospel was “hid from them.” They did not understand what He was talking about because they had never been born again. But on the night of the same day He rose from the dead He opened their understanding and they were converted. Look at Luke 24:36-45. “And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them,Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them. And he said unto them,These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures” (Luke 24:36-45). He “opened their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures” at the same time, on the same Sunday night, that “he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). I am totally convinced that this was when the Disciples were born again, never a chance that it happened earlier. “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). The Apostle Thomas was not there that night. Although he had heard Jesus preach about His death and resurrection, Thomas strongly refused to believe the Gospel. Look at John 20:24-31. “But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him,We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered
and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him,Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:24-31).
It is clear, from his own words and unbelief, that one of the 12 Disciples, Thomas, was not born again before he encountered Christ that night. Thus, I believe that he and the other Disciples were not born again until they encountered the risen Christ. Then, and only then, He “opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45). Then, and only then, He “breathed on them” and they were born again. Before that, they were struggling and trying to be Christians, sometimes doing well, at other times ready to give up, filled with constant doubts, finally running away from Jesus into the night. They came back very cautiously and reluctantly with no faith at all that Jesus had risen from the dead, although He had told them He would repeatedly before the crucifixion. They remind me of Luther, and John Bunyan, and George Whitefield, and C. H. Spurgeon before they were born again. And their encounter with the risen Christ, the opening of their understanding, and their regeneration by the Holy Spirit, are also reminiscent of the famous conversions of these great preachers. Remember, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). How about you? Do you expect to be born again without going through a struggle like these preachers and Christ’s Apostles? Do you think you can be born again without being deeply convicted of your sins? Do you think you can be born again without the Holy Spirit drawing you into a divinehuman encounter with Jesus Christ? I hope not, because that’s exactly what you are going to have to go through – to be born again, and become a real Christian! n
THE LAST WORD Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.
Romans 16:24-27 REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 23
Useful Resources
OMEGA-MINISTRIES.ORG
In this section are a number of websites which can help inspire you to seek the Lord in effective praying and in getting out there doing as well. As always, JESUS CHRIST is our greatest example and the one to whom we must compare ourselves and obey. The greatest resource is the Bible itself, so please spend your main study time in the Word of God, preferably the least corrupted King James Version!
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15
Websites: www.omega-ministries.org www.biblegateway.com www.biblehub.com www.spurgeongems.org www.heartcrymissionary.com www.propheticvision.org.uk www.thelastreformation.com www.insurgence.org/ www.propheticalert.net www.biblearchaeology.org www.creation.com
Free material to download, booklets and tracts. Online Bible versions for comparison Online Bible versions and Greek / Hebrew Lexicon and Interlinear Powerful messages from one of the great preachers of the 19th Century Equipping and mobilizing indigenous churches and missionaries David Hathaway evangelistic website - recommended! Join the network of believers who want to see power evangelism Frank Viola’s latest book details Insights into current affairs and how to avoid deception A useful site for the latest in Biblical related finds The best resource for creation material and news
If you have been blessed by anything in this magazine please be as generous as you can to any of these Christian ministries supporting the poor and needy: www.bhct.org.uk The Beachy Head Chaplaincy - on mission to prevent suicides www.matthew25mission.org Helping feed the wandering and homeless in Eastbourne UK www.opendoorsuk.org Supporting outreach globally and supporting Christians in persecution www.teenchallenge.org.uk Helping people escape the problems of drugs and addiction www.capuk.org Christians Against Poverty, bringing the good news to the poor in UK hopenow.org.uk Working with Orphans in the Ukraine kingdomwaytrust.org Ministry to aid the homeless and hurting in society
This no-compromise, biblical clarion call to revival is timeless. He clearly shows how the church can be brought from where it is to where it ought to be. The church still needs his message, first published in 1983. “We live in a generation which has never known revival— God’s way!”
Available from: Bethany House
Much of what we see expressed in the church today is built on more than just the New Testament. It’s built, instead, mostly on the Old Testament, Church culture, and Paganism. It is therefore imperative that we as God’s people dare to stop and take a closer look at the church today compared to the first church seen in Acts.
Available from: TheLastReformation.com
ISSUE: 09
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19
JESUS CHRIST SAVIOUR OF ISRAEL “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 15:24
T
he final prayer of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane is recorded by John through the Holy Spirit. John was very close to Jesus and often heard and saw things the others missed. His keen young mind watched and absorbed all he witnessed. This was Jesus’ plan for his closet disciples and those who would become apostles like him. His incredible prayer recorded in John 17 was not just a list of requests to the Father for those who believed he was indeed Messiah. More than this Jesus proclaims some foundational truths for those who followed him then and who follow him today.
The heavenly Mission Jesus is The Apostle of Faith because he was ‘sent’ from heaven by the will of the Father on a manifold mission. This is the definition of an apostle of God, one sent out with the word of God with power to do God’s will! (2 Corin 12:12).
When we understand Jesus manifold apostolic mission to Israel and the world we will also have a much clearer understanding of what our mission as believers is today. We need to be reminded of this because the mission of the church has been corrupted and manipulated by wolves in sheep’s clothing for centuries! Here is what Jesus commanded the 12 Apostles when he appointed them: These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying,The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. (Matt 10:5-8) Quite early on Jesus assigns the twelve as evangelistic missionaries, but importantly we must note that it was very targeted. ‘Go not into the way of the Gentiles or Samaritans but to the lost sheep of Israel’. Also to affirm this targeted mission Jesus
later said this when approached by a Canaanite (Gentile) woman: But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Jesus confirms that his mission was first and foremost to those he called ‘The Lost sheep of Israel’ and not to the other nations (Gentiles) at this point in the plan of the Father. Despite this he does still show mercy to the woman, but this was an extremely rare event in the ministry of Jesus and recorded to show us how targeted Jesus really was. Jesus was seeking out only those Israelites who had been lost, but what does this mean!? At this time Jesus seems uninterested in saving the other nations. He is focussed purely on only reaching true Israelites like Nathanael (John 1:47). Why was this the case? To confirm this targeted mission Jesus again confirms his purpose as recorded in the gospel of Mark: And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there continued on page 3
INSIDE A Message for our times Part 8 • The 2 Gospels • What God Cannot Do • The Final Persecution & more...