The Resurrected Bride by wickibro

Introduction This book has been on my heart since the days I sat in the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital where my wife, Shelley, laid, miraculously recovering from her stroke in late January, 2004. One sleepless night in Shelley’s room I heard the Holy Spirit say, “You’re going to write a book about this.” At that time, besides some simple journaling, I had never written much of anything. Throughout the weeks of Shelley’s rehabilitation and recovery, the Lord began to share His heart with me regarding the current condition of His Bride. He revealed much concerning her purification and preparation before His return. I also received a revelation regarding the final revival of her in America that will affect the entire world. It was revealed to me that though she appeared in our nation to be almost dead, as with Shelley, that she too will be resurrected through the difficult circumstances that she will encounter. The reason the darkness has increased with lightning speed across our land is because of the absence of light coming through God’s people. The issue at hand is not the ungodly in the world, but the ungodly in the church. We need to repent of our dead religion and useless rituals. This writing began about one year after Shelley’s stroke. A short time later, after hitting a wall where I wasn’t receiving any direction from the Holy Spirit on what to write next, I laid this book aside. It idly sat for the next fourteen years while I wrote other books. In January of 2019, the Lord began to stir my heart that it was now time to finish this one. As I spent time with the Lord, new revelations came to me that have been added to the older ones. This exhortation was birthed out of the extremely difficult times the Lord placed our family in. The fiery trials that we are all now experiencing will be used to purify and prepare the chosen Bride of Christ before His glorious return. Our prayer is that as you read you would be deeply moved by the Lord to draw close to Him while the door of His mercy remains open. May the Holy Spirit place within you a fresh determination to submit to His leading in your life, and to walk in holiness and purity in preparation to meet our Heavenly Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, without shame. I want to thank our five children who have been through this with us. It's part of your training to lead you into a deeper walk and trust in the Lord. Always keep your eyes fixed on Him, continually submitting to His Lordship over you. Mom and I are very proud of you for all your continued support to us and growth in the Lord. His promise to me years ago concerning your walks with Him will be accomplished. His hands are

on all of your lives. We praise the Lord for the great things He has done in our lives, and will continue to do for His name's sake. May our story and the revelations from the Lord that were given to us be used for His glory. “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing… Great and marvelous are Thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Thy ways, Thou King of the nations. Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? For Thou alone art holy; For all the nations will come and worship before Thee, For Thy righteous acts have been revealed.” (Revelation 5:12, 15:3-4/NASU) In His name and for His glory, Tim Bauer

Table Of Contents Chapter

Title

Page

One

A Divine Crucible

Two

The Sleeping Bride

Three

A Missed Opportunity

Four

A Spirit Of Deep Sleep

Five

The Daily Portion

Six

Alert And Sober Minded

Seven

The Healing Of The Bride

Eight

Unbelieving Believers

Nine

In Recovery

Ten

Who Will You Deny?

Eleven

Freedom In Christ

Twelve

Potential vs. Reality

Thirteen

Acting Wickedly Toward The Covenant

Fourteen

The Perfect Result

Fifteen

Wholly Illumined With No Dark Part

Sixteen

Denying The Power Of Liberty

Seventeen

Walk While You Have The Light

Eighteen

Shelleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dream

105

Nineteen

Falling From Your Secure Position

111

Twenty

The Test

115

Twenty One

Get Ready!

119

Twenty Two

Trimming Our Lamps

125

Twenty Three The Search For The Willing Bride

130

Twenty Four

The Shame Of Nakedness

134

Twenty Five

Uncovering Nakedness

139

Twenty Six

Drinking The Harlot’s Wine

143

Twenty Seven The Man Of Shame

147

Twenty Eight Disappearing Ink

150

Twenty Nine

The Marriage Of The Lamb

153

Thirty

The Day Of Covering

157

Thirty One

The Morning And Evening Sacrifice

161

Thirty Two

Clothed With Power

166

Thirty Three

The Contented Church

169

Thirty Four

Eternal Security

174

Thirty Five

The Goodness Of God

178

Thirty Six

Listening To God’s Voice

182

Thirty Seven

Brides And Wells

187

Thirty Eight

The Response Of The

193

Trusted Servant Thirty Nine

Joined Together

199

Forty

Remaining In Christ

204

Forty One

Life Through Death

207

Forty Two

Lift Up Your Eyes!

212

Forty Three

Mending The Nets

217

Forty Four

Raising The Dead Church

223

Forty Five

Arise And Shine

227

Forty Six

The Aaronic Blessing

232

Forty Seven

Extending His Hand

237

Forty Eight

The Dry Bones Revival

241

Forty Nine

An Exceedingly Great Army

246

Fifty

Carrying The Presence Of God

251

Fifty One

Come To The Other Side

255

Fifty Two

The Place Of Renewal

263

Fifty Three

The Summons Of The King

267

Fifty Four

The Beautification Process

272

Chapter One

A Divine Crucible “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. Remember therefore what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. If therefore you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you.’” (Revelation 3:1-3/NAS)

“I

'm dizzy!” my wife Shelley exclaimed as she sat up in bed. “What?” I said as I awoke from being sound asleep. It was 3am on Monday, January 19, 2004. With noticeably slurred speech she again said, “I'm dizzy.” “Lay down” I said, trying to figure out what was happening. Wanting to go to the bathroom which was on my side of the bed, she sat up and attempted to come over towards me. Her body appeared as if she had little control. She was experiencing an extreme case of vertigo. I had to literally pick her up as she faced me and carry her into the bathroom. I then carried her back into the bedroom and carefully sat her on the edge of the bed. As I did, her eyes rolled back in her head as she lay back down. I was extremely alarmed at this point, thinking that I might be losing her, and decided to immediately call 911 for an ambulance. Being cost conscious, my wife said to me with her slur, “Don't, it will cost too much.” This time I didn't listen to her. Just two months before, in November of 2003, we had flown to China with my in-laws to adopt our precious little China doll, Ana. It had been an incredible trip that we had been anxiously anticipating for 13 months. The thought to adopt had been placed within us a couple of years earlier by

the Lord as we were returning from a family vacation. On the way we had stopped in Waterford, Michigan where I was born and raised to see some friends who had also moved away but were visiting their mother. They had recently adopted a beautiful little girl from China. As I picked her up to say hello the Holy Spirit suddenly stirred within me. I thought to myself, “Lord, are you trying to tell me that we too are going to adopt a Chinese child?” That thought was kept to myself as we drove off to continue home across the state to West Michigan where we live. Half way home, Shelley looked over at me and said to my surprise, “So what do you think about adopting?” “Well,” I responded, “let me tell you what just happened back there.” As I proceeded to explain to her my experience, we both knew that we should seek the Lord and see what He said we should do next. Within a couple of prayerful days, He had confirmed that this was definitely His will for us. We have four biological children whose ages, at the time, ranged from 12 to 19. The Lord led us to a local adoption agency and the mountain of paperwork began. I had been interested in China for quite awhile. The Lord had placed that interest within me through different avenues, the most prominent being the information given through The Voice Of The Martyrs magazine. Their founder, Richard Wurmbrand, had been imprisoned for 14 years in a communist Romanian prison where he was brutally tortured for his faith in Jesus Christ. The ministry supports the persecuted church throughout the world through various means. Little did we know that in just a couple of months after going to China to receive our daughter that Shelley would be fighting for her life. As I waited for the ambulance to arrive, I hurriedly woke up the kids to tell them what was happening. They could tell by my voice that something was terribly wrong and soon came to see their mother who was slumped over on our bathroom floor. I called one of Shelley's friends who quickly came over to be with our children while we rushed off to the hospital. I will never forget the worried looks on their faces as they watched the paramedics working on their Mother. All our lives had in an instant taken a drastic turn. Looking For An Answer It was a long day at the hospital as doctors tried to figure out what was happening with Shelley. They waited for the results of an MRI to confirm what appeared to be a stroke. Because she was only 44 years old, they wanted to be certain before proceeding. Early Tuesday morning, as I walked into her room, Shelley softly said to me, “My head hurts.” Her headache would build with intensity throughout the day because of the spinal fluid that was being trapped within her brain cavity.

Her cerebellum had swollen due to the stroke, blocking the fluid from flowing down. The result was an excruciating headache. By early afternoon, the doctors wanted to do an angiogram to get a better look at the vessels in the back of her head. They had determined that it was a bilateral stroke affecting both sides of the cerebellum, the lower portion of the brain in the back of the head. It had affected the right side of the brain the most. As they were preparing to do the test, they changed their minds because of the severe pain she was in and decided to do a CAT scan instead. This would be one of the many interventions by the Lord. The scan revealed the quickly progressing swelling. They hurriedly took her away to surgically place a shunt in her forehead that would relieve the now dangerously building pressure from the trapped spinal fluid. Shelley's immediate family and our children nervously waited as they operated on her. While anxiously waiting to hear how my bride was doing, I continually talked with the Lord. We are sometimes rudely awakened to the fact that life is truly but a vapor (James 4:14). You never know what tomorrow holds which is why you and I MUST be sure that our hearts are right before the Lord. We must allow the Master Physician, Jesus Christ, to surgically remove the cancer of sin within us by His Holy Spirit before it's too late. I'm not just talking about the â&#x20AC;&#x153;sinnersâ&#x20AC;? in the world, but also those who have turned to Christ. A false sense of security, which has been promoted by false doctrines within the church, has many resting on the couch of apathy while they precariously stand in the place of great judgment with the rest of the world (1 Corinthians 11:32). We must cry out for the Holy Spirit to search our hearts in this midnight hour. The King is coming and many virgins are sleeping without oil in their lamps. Wake up church and draw near to God with a humble, repentant heart before the door is shut and you find yourself in a situation and place you never thought possible. While there is time draw near to the Lord so that He may draw near to you before the doors of His ark of deliverance are shut. Our window of opportunity is quickly closing. A Time Of Testing The surgeon's assistant soon came out and informed us that the operation had gone well, but the doctor now wanted to perform an emergency craniotomy. Shelley's brain had fluid in more inaccessible areas that had to be quickly reached. The assistant then rather bluntly informed us that if they did not operate immediately that Shelley would die. Die!!! We had not even been close to going that extreme with our thoughts. It was now late afternoon. The next few hours would be the most intense moments of my life up to that time. It would

be a severe time of testing and proving. With my approving signature, they quickly took Shelley away to prepare her for a four hour surgery in which they would remove a portion of her damaged cerebellum to create space and relieve pressure on her ever swelling brain. The neurosurgeon quickly gathered our immediate family into a small room to explain what was happening within Shelley's brain and what he had discovered while placing the shunt. I will never forget the looks on everyone’s faces as he solemnly explained the unthinkable situation we now faced. The doctor told me that he would like to try and save her life because she was so young, “if I wanted him to”, but he believed that she was already too far gone. Some broke out sobbing, others sat there with wide open mouths in unbelief that we had come to this point so quickly. Without hesitation we all agreed that he should operate. He then told us we could see her before they began the operation. We knew that he was kindly telling us to, in all probability, say our last goodbye. We walked into a dimly lit room with Shelley's Mother, Father, brother and sister, and our four oldest children. My Mother and Father stayed at our home with Ana. I was in the front with my arm around our daughter, Erika, who was crying. I can still see the faces of those who were standing in a line off to the side of Shelley that would, as soon as we left the room, be involved with her surgery. They all had masks on but I could see their eyes. They looked at our family coming in to tell Shelley we love her and they all began to cry. I wanted to give them a hug. The Salvation Of The Lord My heart went out to my in-laws, as well as my brother and sister-in-law, as they tearfully spoke to their daughter, and sister, who lay unconscious before them. They had already lost one son to lung cancer on February 25, 1984. He was only 27 years old. It now appeared as though they might lose another child. It was through Shelley’s brother, Dale’s death that I turned to the Lord. At his showing, I came under intense conviction as I looked at him lying in the casket. Seeing someone close to my age who had died reminded me of my own mortality. I knew that I wasn’t ready to face the Lord. The exposed condition of my rebellious heart toward Him made it impossible to sleep that evening. Late that night, while standing outside my in-laws home under the stars of a cold northern winter, I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ. I simply looked up and said to the Lord, “It won’t be easy, but if You’ll help me I’ll do it.” I instantly felt the presence of extreme evil leave me, and then the overpowering presence of Almighty God who came rushing into my life to take over.

Being overwhelmed by what had just occurred, I quickly went inside to wake up Shelley and share with her my experience. I think that she thought she was dreaming when I said we needed to pray. We both cried together, praising the Lord for His great love and mercy revealed to a young man who just received forgiveness for his sins through acceptance of Jesus Christ as his Savior. Three days before Dale died he asked Shelley how I was doing. She replied, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Not very well. He still hangs out at the bars partying with his friends, coming in late at night.â&#x20AC;? It was the mercy of God that Shelley stayed in our marriage. She had packed her bags more than once, planning to walk out. Dale told her that the Lord would bring someone into my life. Little did he know that in a couple of days it would be him. The Lord Of The Storm As we walked into the dimly lit room to say goodbye to Shelley, I immediately noticed the shunt sticking out of her forehead as she lay unconscious, on her back. They had already cauterized the major artery in the back of her neck on her right side which they diagnosed as having released a blood clot. Her blood pressure monitor was showing a dangerously low pressure that was quickly dropping. They were occasionally bagging her, pushing oxygen within her lungs to help her breathe. The incision in the back of her neck must have been loosely taped because the top of the bed she was lying on was soaked with blood and fluid that was draining out of the back of her head. My wife was dying right before my eyes. The strength the Lord gives you in this type of situation is incredible. I do not consider myself a strong person, mentally speaking. I was always a follower which usually got me into much trouble. Praise God that by His mercy I now follow Him. My immediate concern as we left that room, not knowing if I would ever see my wife alive again or not, was for my children. Shelley was in the hands of the Lord. There was nothing I could do for her but pray. My children, on the other hand, needed to be comforted. As you can imagine, it was a terrible scene. We all broke down in the hallway with a feeling of utter despair. I went around to my children, hugging and consoling them. When everyone calmed down, I told them that we must go to the Lord in prayer. What a prayer meeting that was! Have you ever heard children begging God to spare their mother's life? If angels cry, their tears where spilling in the heavenlies. Desperate people do desperate acts. The next four hours involved much prayer. At times I would pray with family, at other times with friends, and sometimes alone with God. I remember crying out very loudly to the Lord,

reminding Him of the promise He had given Shelley years ago regarding our future ministry together. I said to Him, “That was WE not just me!” I know that He didn't mind me yelling. In fact, I believe He likes it when we hold Him to His promises. It reveals our trust and dependence upon Him to fulfill them. The Bible tells us of a time when Jesus purposely led His disciples into a great storm in the sea (Matthew 8:23-27). They found themselves in a place of great danger with no place to hide. It would become an opportunity for Jesus to reveal to His disciples that He was the Lord of the storm and would be there with them in the future. In fact, He was so calm the Scriptures tell us He was actually sleeping in the boat. It revealed the level of trust He had in the Father that, whether in life or death, He was in good hands. In my numerous life experiences walking together with the Lord, I have come to understand that so are all those who commit their lives into His care. He has the power, as I have personally witnessed, to say to the winds that are strongly assailing you even now, “Peace, be still.” We are beginning to feel the global effects of a storm that will forever change the economic, political, and spiritual landscape as we have known it. It is a Providential reset occurring through a predetermined plan (Acts cc), preparing the way for that which has been prophesied for the last days before the return of Jesus Christ. As the storm of the Lord builds with intensity across the entire earth, our lone hope of survival will be under the protective covering of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is, I believe, His last move to turn the hearts of the stubborn within mankind before His wrath is poured out. He is the only secure place of protection, as the prophets foretold us, in the extremely challenging days preceding His return. While there is still time, turn to the Lamb of God with a repentant heart and He has promised to keep you in the hour of testing that is coming upon the entire earth (Rev. 3:10). There will be no place to hide from His wrath. The Lord declared through the prophet Isaiah; “Come, my people, enter into your rooms, and close your doors behind you; hide for a little while, until indignation runs its course. For behold, the LORD is about to come out from His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; and the earth will reveal her bloodshed, and will no longer cover her slain.” (Isaiah 26:20-21/NAS) In these perilous times, may we listen to what the Spirit is saying to the church so as to be a people that are made ready for the Lord, not shrinking back in shame at His return.

Chapter Two

The Sleeping Bride

he Scriptures record for us, in the Old Testament, the story of someone else who was sleeping in the boat. Unlike Jesus, though, his slumber was not due to his obedient walk, but rather because of his rebellion. In the book of Jonah we read about a prophet who was called by God to cry out against the sin of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. It was a very large city that was filled with wickedness, much like our nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital. Jonah refused and tried to run from the presence of God. I see in this a picture of the American church that is, presently, running from their calling from the Lord to warn others of what God has already begun to do in the wicked cities of our nation. She too is sleeping in the ship while a great storm is taking place around her. Because of her rebellion, the Lord has placed a spirit of deep sleep over her (Isaiah 28:9-10). In this spiritual state of slumber she is oblivious of the raging sea that is about to shipwreck her faith and destroy others. It will take a great shaking, one that has in fact already begun, to awaken her. In the meantime, our entire nation is being affected by her sin. Like the sailors on the ship with Jonah, fear will grip many hearts in the multiple calamities that will strike us if she does not turn from her wickedness. As weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see, the cry of impending judgment is actually the mercy of God to let us know what He is about to do. Through it He is offering a window of opportunity to repent and be spared, whether that be an individual, a community, or even a nation. If, like the leaders of Nineveh, the leadership in these cities will issue a similar proclamation, asking its citizens to earnestly fast and seek the Lord, turning from their evil ways and their violence, and the people turn from their wickedness, God will relent concerning the calamity which He has declared He would bring upon them. If the proclamation of repentance were to come from Washington DC, as some have in the past, an entire nation could be spared. May those with ears

to hear be burdened by the Lord to pray for their families, their city, and their nation. If My People Because of the great increase of wickedness across our nation, I often hear people quoting 2 Chronicles 7:13-14. It is a declaration to Solomon from God, after building the temple, of granting forgiveness and healing when the blessing over His people is removed. He said that if “My people who are called by My name [i.e. Christians, not the world] humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” If we truly believe that these verses are applicable today, which I do, then the responsibility for removing the judgments that we, as His people, now find ourselves submersed in, including pandemics (2 Chronicles 7:13), is ours alone, not the governments or some other health agency. They may develop a temporary measure of relief from the suffering, but it will only be as Christians repent of “their sin” that full restoration will come. You rarely, if ever hear someone expound on the rest of the text in second Chronicles, chapter seven. After giving Solomon a conditional promise of healing, based on His people repenting, the Lord then declares what will occur if they do not turn back, but continue in rebellion against Him. This would become obvious, then, that the lack of blessings from God on a land are due to the disobedience of His people, if we truly believe these verses apply today (see Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26 for the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience). God continued His warning to Solomon, saying; “But if you turn away [“to turn back, to apostatize”] and forsake [“to leave, to let go, to loosen from”] My statutes and My commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot you from My land which I have given you, and this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight and I will make it a proverb and a byword [“a sharp (cutting) word, a taunt”] among all peoples. As for this house, which was exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?’ And they will say, ‘Because they forsook the Lord, the God of their fathers who brought them from the land of Egypt, and they adopted other gods and worshiped them and served them; therefore He has brought all this adversity on them.’” (2 Chronicles 7:19-22/NASU) Per “the rest of the story” in this passage, the current adversity in our land is

due to the forsaking of God by His people and our worshipping “other gods.” We have forsaken the God of our Founding Fathers who brought us out from the bondage of tyrants into the freedom that only the Spirit of liberty found in Christ can provide. It is not the wicked rulers in our government, or even the multiple groups among us who wish to destroy our nation, but the wicked found among God’s people that is the root issue. Our walls are down because we, the Christians of this nation, have forsaken our allegiance to Christ and gone after other gods. Our national borders are a manifestation of our hearts. The reason for insecure borders are, like the children of Israel, the insecure, unguarded hearts within God’s people. Notice in God’s warning that He will “uproot” His people from the land which He gave them, the place of their inheritance given freely to them, as well as the house consecrated for His name. The Hebrew for this means, “to tear away, to expel, to pull or pluck up.” This same expression is found in the book of Jude in the New Testament. Creepers In The Church In His warning to Christians regarding the guarding, or the keeping of their place in Christ, Jude warns against those who have “crept in unnoticed” into the church, “ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness [“unbridled lust, excess, shamelessness, absence of restraint”] and deny [“to contradict, to disown”] our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 4). He says that “the Lord after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe” (Jude 5). This does not mean they did not believe that God existed, but, per the Greek definition, were not continuing to place their confidence in Him, to trust Him through a submissive, obedient heart while on their journey to the Promised Land. They exceeded God’s established boundaries with no fear of reprisal or consequence for their actions. The Bible tells us that after Israel saw the great power of God used against the Egyptians when He released them from their enslavement that they “feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses” (Exodus 14:31). Further on in their wilderness journey, which represents the journey of every Christian to the promised eternal inheritance in Christ, their fear of God had disappeared. The Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people spurn Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst?” (Numbers 14:11) Through rebellion to His leading they had become what I refer to as “unbelieving believers” (I will discuss this further in chapter seven). In so doing they were disinherited by God (Numbers 14:12), never obtaining their place of destiny in Him they had been destined to receive. Their dead bodies were strewn

across the wilderness. In part of His warning, Jude uses the example of angels who did not keep, or guard carefully their place, their domain near God and are now “kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day” (Jude 6/NASU). He then reinforces his point by referring to those in Sodom and Gomorrah who “indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh” (Jude 7/NASU). The NIV version of the Bible says, “they gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion.” Both of these are New Testament warnings to Christians concerning the need to guard our hearts so as not to end up as angels who rebelled against God and were cut off from Him and imprisoned in eternal chains under the power of darkness, or the wicked inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah who were incinerated. Jude says that these “creepers,” those who “crept in unnoticed” in the church, are “hidden reefs in your love feasts [meaning they will cause others in the body of Christ to shipwreck their faith] when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever [like the angels who did not guard their place near God].” These “uprooted,” shameless people found among God’s people are said to be “doubly dead,” or “twice dead” in other versions. Through continued disregard of the Holy Spirit’s conviction to return through repentance, they are given over to their sin and acquire a seared conscience, one that no longer feels conviction of right and wrong. The only person, scripturally speaking, that can possibly become twice dead is a Christian that was originally, as all mankind, dead in their sins and trespasses (Colossians 2:13). Once repentant, they have been made alive in Christ, but then turn away and forsake God with an apostate spirit. It is a spiritual death, a spiritual separation from God that, without repentance, leads to death, again. This falling away from Christ, AFTER the receiving of His invitation for salvation, has been accelerated at the end of this age through well established doctrines of demons in the church. They have produced a yielding to the broadway theology of salvation that leads to physical destruction (Matthew 7:13-14). God’s offer of repentance is given to His people, those within the church, first. If they reject it, thereby judging themselves as being “not worthy” of the invitation to the marriage supper of the Lamb that they received sometime earlier in their life, He has then commanded His servants to give the invitation of repentance to others outside the church, both evil and good, compelling them to come to the feast (Matthew 22:1-10). It’s interesting to note that Jesus said in this parable of the wedding feast, His wedding feast actually, that after those who had received Him and then

rejected the call to come when everything had been made ready for them at the end of this age, the king became enraged. They had seized His slaves, mistreated them and even killed them. Jesus said that the king then “sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire” (Matthew 22:7). At the very moment I am writing this, some of our major American cities are on fire from the hands of lawless protestors. This parable is a picture of His wrath that occurred because of those who had received His invitation but “paid no attention and went their way” (Matthew 22:5). Wake up church!

Chapter Three

The Missed Opportunity

ooking at Luke 1:68-79 which is the declaration of hope from God through Zacharias regarding the call of his son, John the Baptist, and Luke 19:41-44 which is Jesus’ frightful declaration of missed opportunity, we see what will occur for all in the church in America who reject our current “opportune time” to repent before the Lord and the door into His ark of deliverance is shut. For Israel, their rejection of Jesus as their deliverer was destruction by their enemies. Why should it be any different for His people, in the church, today? Due to unbelief of the angel Gabriel’s proclamation to Zacharias that his barren wife, even though elderly, would become pregnant with a son, he would become unable to speak (Luke 1:18-20). After their son was born, Elizabeth was questioned as to her choice of John as her son’s name. Zacharias then wrote on a tablet, “His name is John.” Immediately his tongue was loosed and he began to speak in praise of God. He was then filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying; “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David His servant — As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old — Salvation FROM OUR ENEMIES, And FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US; To show mercy toward our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to Abraham our father, to grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS; to give to His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins [see 2 Chronicles 7:14 which refers to His people and that He will “forgive their sin”], Because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit

us, TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:68-79/NASU) At the moment of this prophecy, Israel was under the heavy hand of rule by the Romans. It was a word of hope for an oppressed people, God’s people. After a lifetime of preparation by God, John’s public ministry would only last about six months before he would be beheaded. It was short but filled with an eternal impact on all of mankind. He was sent ahead of the Lord, preparing His way with a message of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. John, as a forerunner, proclaimed a form of liberty and justice for all that began from within. Mankind desires to be set free, rightfully so, from external oppression, but the greatest freedom is from within by the Spirit of God. External liberty without internal liberty from God is only temporal and, as we are seeing in America, can quickly change at any moment. Internal liberty is eternal freedom in Christ, no matter the external circumstance. The Jewish people believed per the prophets that, as the Messiah, Jesus had come to conquer their enemies. The first enemy to be dealt with, though, was the oppression of a sinful nature that enslaved all people. This is the way of the Lord. His kingdom starts from within and then manifests itself outwardly. Man, without God, attempts to only work outwardly, without an inward change. In chapter five which is called The Underground Church, in my book Small Groups And Discipleship, I wrote the following; “The Israelites came out of Egypt looking for an external change in the form of who ruled over them. Most, though, failed to recognize and submit to the internal change the Lord desired first from within. It would take another forty years of wandering before that inner issue would be resolved. They would not be allowed to enter Canaan, the Promised Land, until Egypt was driven out of them. Many would rebel against the Lordship of God, forfeiting their right of entrance into the place of their inheritance. External reform alone is not why God is presently calling His people out of the corrupt church system in America. After having their eyes enlightened by the Holy Spirit to the questionable practices within the Body of Christ, many are being led to come out to the home church movement. The problem, though, is that most end up looking only for the right external form of “doing church.” That is not God’s first priority for this pilgrimage. His ultimate purpose is to cleanse the hearts of His people from the contamination of the worldly religious system (i.e. “Babylon”) they came out of in preparation of what is to come. He is bringing us out, preparing His people to govern the world after He judges the earth. In Deuteronomy 6:23 Moses told God’s people, “He brought

us out from there in order to bring us in, to give us the land which He had sworn to our (fore)fathers.” According to the Word of the Lord, it is time for God’s people to gather at the “Jordan”, in preparation to cross over to the other side. All of His true sheep will hear His voice to come out from “Egypt”, leaving the bondage of denominational slavery behind them to enter into the promised rest and freedom of their Master’s Kingdom. “There” in Deuteronomy 6:23 is Egypt, the house of bondage where God’s people were building a house for someone else. It was the wrong master, a slave-driver. The houses were being made with man-made bricks. The Most High, however, does not dwell in houses made by human hands (Acts 7:48). Many laborers are presently laboring in vain, plastering whitewash on walls that stand upon a shifting-sand foundation. It’s all coming down with a great crash. The Lord declared to Pharaoh through His servant Moses, “Let My people go that they may serve Me”. He says the same today. In time, God brought them out with an outstretched arm and great judgments. He will do it again in this land. The “pharaoh’s” will not let them go except under compulsion.” The increasing chaos that we are currently experiencing in America is not just a rebellious coup against the principles of God that our nation was founded upon, but against God Himself. The pressure we are feeling is, I believe, from God to move His people out from their comfortable place of spiritual lethargy, preparing HIS WAY within us. It has been too easy in America to be a Christian. A faith that has not been tested in the fire cannot be trusted. As with Lot and his family, the pressure is also being used to get God’s people out of “there,” that which He is about to judge. As John heard in his revelation; “Then I heard another voice from heaven say: ‘Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Mix her a double portion from her own cup. Give her as much torture and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, “I sit as queen; I am not a widow, and I will never mourn.” Therefore in one day her plagues [“pandemics”] will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.” (Revelation 18:4-5/NIV) The persecution that is building will reveal all of our hearts. It will manifest who we really serve, ourselves and a corrupt religious system that exists to

serve and glorify itself, or Jesus Christ. The truth regarding “the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their [God’s people] sins” for the last days is now being revealed to the church through the John the Baptist’s of our day. Understanding the time we are in, they have been given the knowledge of what God’s people must do in order to be saved. Unfortunately, not many are listening which is why the pressure will continue to increase. It is out of God’s mercy to get our full attention. The Visit From The Sunrise On High “…Because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:78-79) The Greek for “Sunrise,” referring to Jesus Christ, is anatole (an-at-ol-ay'). It’s defined as “a rising of light, i.e. dawn.” Like the morning sunrise, it’s a picture of God coming to visit His people. This rising of light is the mercy of God, “to guide our feet into the way of peace,” out of the ever-increasing chaos. The Greek word interpreted in Luke 1:78 as “visit” means “to look upon or after, to inspect, examine with the eyes.” It wasn’t that He didn’t already know what was happening in their midst, but I believe mainly to allow mankind to look upon Him with their own eyes so as to be given an opportunity to see for themselves and repent and be saved. Jesus was a burst of light in a very dark world. When Jesus came to visit the Jewish people He was saying, “I am here to have you inspect Me, to look at Me and choose Me that I may guide you into the way of peace.” He came to save them from their sin. “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own [“pertaining to oneself, used universally of what is one's own as opposed to belonging to another”], but his own did not receive him.” (John 1:10-11/NIV) Jesus’ visitation was for their benefit, their salvation. He gave the Jewish people, His own, a chance first, among all other people groups, to be saved before bringing judgment. He does the same today among His people. He’s not willing that anyone should perish, especially among His own children (i.e. the church), but that all would turn in repentance and receive the knowledge of His salvation in these last days (Luke 1:77). The Opportune Time To Repent As we will see in the next passage from Luke, chapter 19, we, the church,

are in an “opportune time,” a “seasonable time” to repent, before it’s too late and the door of His mercy is shut. Unfortunately, like the Jewish people, not all of His children in the church are willing. Remember, He came unto His own, but they were not willing to receive Him and be delivered. Are you and I willing in this opportune time of mercy? What was once a prophecy of hope now became, through the sobbing declaration of Jesus, a tragically missed opportunity. Their rejection of Jesus as their Messiah who is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6) would allow their enemies to destroy them. “When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept [“to sob, i.e. to wail aloud”] over it, saying, ‘If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize [1097- “to know, understand, perceive”] the time of your visitation.’” (Luke 19:41-44/NASU) There are three specific things Jesus declared that were specifically spoken of in Zacharias’ prophecy. The first is in regards to “the things which make for peace.” In Luke 1:79 Zacharias said concerning the visitation of the “Sunrise from on high,” which referred to Jesus, that He would “guide our feet into the way of peace.” Like the church in America today, those referred to as “His own,” many refused to be led by Jesus and would perish. The second thing to observe is what Zacharias, and then Jesus, declared about Israel’s enemies. Zacharias said, “Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us… To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear.” Because of their rejection of Jesus as their Messiah, He said, “For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another…” He offered to protect them from their enemies, if they would turn from “their sins,” but they were unwilling. In His rebuke of the religious leaders, Jesus declared; “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!” (Matthew 23:37-38/NASU)

The desolate houses of worship across our nation testify of the desolate hearts within the church. The enemies of our nation wait for an opportune moment to pounce on us. It all depends on how the church in this nation reacts to our opportune moment to repent. “If My people” never meant more than it does at this present moment in our history. The promises of either protection or destruction now lie before us. Our borders will be as secure as the hearts of God’s people are in Christ through obedience. Jesus said the enemy of the Jewish people would level them and kill their children within them. We better take this statement very seriously. Could this occur to the families of God’s people in our nation? If we stubbornly and arrogantly deny Jesus’ present call to draw near to Him we will find out. The offer of protection from their enemies did not apply to many among the Jewish people because they refused to submit to the Way to receive it. Rebellion to Christ’ leading after receiving Him removes His wall of protection (Hebrew 10:26-31). Repentance and continued obedience keep it intact. The third promise proclaimed through Zacharias to examine is “of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death.” Jesus indictment against the Jewish people in Luke, chapter 19, as He rode into Jerusalem sobbing as he prophesied their imminent destruction at the hands of their enemies was, “because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” The Greek for “time” is defined as “an occasion, i.e. set or proper time; opportune or seasonable time, the right time.” Jesus’ coming to them at that time in history was all of these. While Zacharias was performing his priestly office before God, the angel Gabriel appeared before him, declaring that his wife, Elizabeth, who was barren, would give birth to a son. When Zacharias questioned Gabriel because of their age, he answered him, saying; “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.” (Luke 1:19-20/NASU) The Greek for “proper time” is the same word interpreted “time” in Jesus’ declaration above. Remember, John the Baptist’ ministry was “to turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God” (Luke 1:16). It was their opportune, or seasonable time to return to God, their God, before the season changed and the door of mercy shut. It is the same for the sons and daughters

of God in America at this very moment. To not return to the Lord in this time of “tender mercy” of your God is to be unprotected in the horrific judgments coming upon our soil. Before the justice of God is poured out, though, I have been shown a revival that will occur during the most “difficult” times, times which we have begun to encounter. The pressure the Holy Spirit has begun to apply to God’s children is to awaken us, to move us out of our spiritual lethargy back to the Lord. He has intentionally moved us out of our buildings to expose the popular business of dead religion and useless rituals that has leavened the church in America. Christian, to not turn back in this last call is to forfeit the grace of God that was yours originally, when you first received Christ, but have now received in vain. Jesus said that it will result in your being assigned to “a place with the unbelievers” (Luke 12:46). Jesus actually said that not only will your place be reassigned, but that you would be “cut in pieces”! Not many of our man-pleasing hireling preachers would dare proclaim this truth today because it would most likely hurt their offering plates, and their numbers. That’s not what you do to build a megachurch. Instead, as the Holy Spirit spoke to me while watching a church in a stadium filled with people, you simply “Tell them what they want to hear.” Jesus’ words of destruction from their enemies was fulfilled a few years later when the Romans came into Jerusalem and leveled it. How much time do we have left? Many watchmen on our walls have been crying out for a long time, warning us of impending judgment if we, the church, would not turn from our wicked ways. Based on what is now occurring, not many have been listening. There are so few these days with ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the church. Like Zacharias, unbelief has shut their mouths (and their ears!). The good news in this is that God, in mercy, is about to visit us in the most powerful way ever seen on our soil so as to wake up His sleeping bride in His last call. Church, REPENT for the Kingdom of God draws near!

Chapter Four

A Spirit Of Deep Sleep

he biblical account of Jonah’s story begins with this;

“The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh [the capital of Assyria] the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.’ But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.” (Jonah 1:1-3/NASU) Instead of obeying God’s command to go to Nineveh and cry out against it, Jonah “paid the fare” for a ship to Tarshish in an attempt to flee from His presence, which is impossible. He would soon learn that when choosing to flee from the calling of God there is always a price to pay. His sin would then affect all those who were near him. The Bible continues, saying; “The Lord hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up. Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen sound asleep. So the captain approached him and said, ‘How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish.’” (Jonah 1:4-6/NASU) The storm of the Lord was so fierce that the ship was about to be destroyed. The strange thing in this is that Jonah was below deck, fast asleep. The

unbelievers in the ship, as well as myself, wondered how this could be at such an extremely tumultuous moment. After they discovered through the casting of lots that the storm was because of Jonah, he confessed to them, saying, “on account of me this great storm has come upon you.” (Jonah 1:12/NASU) Although this applies to an individual or a group, I see in this a picture of what our nation will go through because of the rebellion among God’s people. As a whole, the church in America has rejected her call from God to go out and warn others of God’s wrath in the day of the Lord that will soon occur. We used to lead the world in sending out many missionaries to many different people groups. Now, the majority of the church sits back in a selfglorifying state of apathetic indifference, asleep in the hold. Unless they are soon awakened, their faith will be shipwrecked and they, along with those near them who they refused to warn, will perish. During one of the low states of spirituality in Israel, the Lord raised up the prophet Isaiah to cry out against the rebellion of His people. At one point he declared something that applies to us today. He said; “Be delayed and wait, Blind yourselves and be blind; They become drunk, but not with wine, they stagger, but not with strong drink. For the Lord has poured over you a spirit of deep sleep, He has shut your eyes, the prophets; And He has covered your heads, the seers.” (Isaiah 29:9-10/NASU) In the Lord’s indictment against Jerusalem, He says that He will pour over them a spirit of “deep sleep,” shutting their eyes, meaning the prophets, and covering their heads, the seers, so that they could not understand the vision. Because of their rebellion against the Lord it would be hidden from them. The Hebrew word we interpret in English as “deep sleep” is tardemah (tarday-maw'). It’s described as “a lethargy or trance.” Lethargy is defined as a lack of energy and enthusiasm, of abnormal drowsiness. It’s also described by Merriam-Webster as; “the quality or state of being lazy, sluggish, or indifferent.” This aptly describes the present spiritual condition of the church in America concerning our call from God. The prophets, who are the eyes of the Body, have been shut in most denominations. Often, they are told they are not for today thereby blinding the Body of Christ. A preacher can give you a nice three point sermon looking back from today, but only the prophet is given the eyes to see what lies ahead through the word of the Lord. The Lord continues in Isaiah with His rebuke of His people, saying; “Because this people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me

consists of tradition learned by rote, Therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous; And the wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the discernment of their discerning men will be concealed.” (Isaiah 29:13-14/NASU) Jesus quoted this passage when He rebuked the Pharisees and scribes in Matthew 15:7-9, calling them hypocrites. Much of our reverence today in the church is of the same spirit. We too have become filled with religious traditions of worship that consist of rules taught by men. Like these religious leaders in Jesus’ day, the majority of the leadership in the church today have invalidated the word of God for the sake of their traditions (Matthew 15:6). Invalidating The Word Of God Biblically speaking, to invalidate God’s word is to render it void, to deprive it of force and authority. Useless traditions of man have caused it to be of no effect in the lives of those who remain in these congregations. The word of God makes no progress in those who are under these blind leaders. Jesus told His disciples; “Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” (Matthew 15:14/NASU) In his letter to the believers in the city of Ephesus, Paul encourages them to be imitators of God in their walks. After warning them to not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but to even expose them, he then declares; “Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:14/NASU) To awake is to arouse from sleep, from a lethargic state. The captain of the ship was used by God to do this with Jonah. I see a great shaking coming to our land by the Captain of the Lord of hosts (Joshua 5:13-15). It will be used to arouse the church in America from her spiritual slumber. On the night of His arrest, Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane with His disciples to pray. He went a short distance away from them to be alone. After a time of fervent prayer, knowing what agony lie ahead for Him, He came back to the disciples and found them sleeping. He said to them something very similar that the captain of the ship said to Jonah; "Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into

temptation." (Luke 22:46/NASU) The Greek for “Get up” in this passage is defined as “to rise, to stand up.” It’s used of a physical change of position or posture. It can also refer to being raised up from death. This defines the midnight shout that is now being proclaimed by the Lord through His trusted servants to those who are sleeping in the church. We MUST be awakened from our lethargic posture before it’s too late. To arise from the dead (in heart) is to stand up, or to make a stand by not participating with the unfruitful deeds of darkness, separating yourself from them lest you be separated with them when the Lord acts (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43). When we do this, in an act of consecration unto the Lord, sanctifying Christ as Lord in our hearts (1 Peter 3:15), He will shine on us for others to see His light. Without this we, and they, will not see the Way of salvation in Christ. This is why we who have received Jesus Christ as our Messiah must be careful how we walk, not foolishly but to understand what the will of the Lord is in order to then do it (Ephesians 5:15-17). The Lord’s salvation of His people draws near and many are sleeping. God in His mercy will use a great shaking in the world at the end of this age to awaken those that have become lazy in their Christian walks and been given over to the spirit of deep sleep through continued participation with the works of darkness. As Paul declared in his letter to the Romans; “…it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” (Romans 13:11-14/NASU) Removing The Bride To Be There is another event, a hidden one of great joy that is taking place during the deep sleep that has blanketed the Body of Christ in America. The Bible reveals it for us in Genesis when God formed Eve, the first bride. It says; “The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The Lord God fashioned [“to build, establish, construct, rebuild”] into a woman the rib

which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.” (Genesis 2:20-22/NASU) While the Body of the second Adam, who is Christ, is in a deep sleep that has been induced by the Lord Himself, He has removed His chosen ones who, because of their love and devotion to Him, will be established as His Bride. Like Eve, they are in the process of being built up in Him and will be presented back to Him as His beloved. They will be His perfected Bride, the pure children of the One who bore them (Song of Solomon 6:9). Her unveiling to the world will be for the glory of her Heavenly Bridegroom. God’s Life-givers The Bible tells us that Adam gave his newly presented bride the name Eve which means “life-giver.” She would be the one who, once implanted with the seed of her husband, would be used to bring forth, through labor and hardship, new life on earth in the image of her husband (Genesis 3:16). This new birth is being painfully continued on earth through those who are also known by the second Adam as His life-givers. John declares that Jesus’ life is the light of men; “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.” (John 1:4-9/NASU) This life-giving light does not originate from man, but from God. Jesus said; “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” (John 8:12/NASU) His light-bearing followers are sent into the darkness of the world to testify about His Son so that those living in darkness may see that Jesus Christ is the Messiah that was sent to all mankind for our salvation. When we walk in disobedience, His light remains hidden from those who do not yet possess Him. This is why Jesus exhorts His followers, saying; “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16/NASU)

Indeed, church, WE are His light for the world that must not be hidden through careless neglect and spiritual laziness of heart. LET your light shine before mankind before the deep darkness engulfs them in the great and terrible Day of the Lordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vengeance on all wickedness. They must see and understand through His witnesses that the Savior of the world gave Himself at Calvary for their salvation.

Chapter Five

The Daily Portion

t’s been said that we are what we eat, meaning if we eat unhealthy foods we will in all probability become an unhealthy person. If, on the other hand, we eat that which is good and healthy for our bodies we will be a much healthier person. It’s a matter of discipline and consistency. The same can be said regarding what we feed our spirits. The health of our spiritual lives is determined upon that which we habitually partake of. Are we regularly feeding ourselves on the Bread of Life, or that which makes our hearts and minds obese and lethargic? In whose presence do we most often receive our daily meals, the Lord or the world? There is a wonderful picture of this revealed for us within the Old Testament. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem while his servants were besieging it. Israel had, once again, wandered from obedience to the Lord’s commands thereby removing their hedge of protection from their enemies. Jehoiachin, the young king of Judah, went out to Nebuchadnezzar in the third year of his reign and was taken captive. He was then led into a long period of exile in Babylon. In the thirty-seventh year of his exile, the newly crowned king of Babylon, Evil-merodach (ev-eel' mer-o-dak'), the son of Nebuchadnezzar, released Jehoiachan from prison. It’s recorded that he spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor above the other kings who were with him in Babylon. The Bible doesn’t tell us why this occurred but you have to wonder if the years of sitting in prison had softened the heart of Jehoiachan giving him favor from God with his enemies to the point where he would not only be released but receive his meals in the presence of the king of Babylon. The Bible tells us that, after his release; “Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes and had his meals in the king's presence regularly all the days of his life; and for his allowance [“a meal, a ration of food”], a regular allowance was given him by the king, a portion for

each day, all the days of his life.” (2 Kings 25:29-30/NASU) Jehoiachan’s name means “Jehovah will establish.” This passage of Scripture is a picture of the way a Christian is established in Christ. The biblical definition of establish is, “to rise up, to stand up, to confirm, to be proven, to place firmly.” The establishing of the covenant, therefore, is a separation from the old way of life and a joining together with Christ in His new way. It is the proving of our faith, thereby firmly establishing us in Him, resulting in our rising up. After turning to Christ with a repentant heart, we enter the sanctifying process of the Holy Spirit. This lifelong process of change removes our “prison clothes” that were gained when we were bound in sin without parole, to the garments of those who have been miraculously set free. The Bible guides us, explaining how to put off the garments of death and put on the righteous garment of Christ. In his letter to the church in Rome, Paul gave the following exhortation in regards to the putting off of our prison clothes and putting on the Lord Jesus Christ; “The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” (Romans 13:12-14/NASU) In this process of change we learn that we are not just commanded by God to do something, but that He helps us in our areas of weakness through the available power of the Holy Spirit. In this manner of working together with Him by hearing and then doing we become dressed, spiritually speaking. The issue a Christian struggles with is in learning that just because something is available doesn’t mean that it is automatically going to happen. We still have the right of choice to accept or reject His power that is now available to us. It is in choosing to do God’s will that the prison clothes are removed, establishing the covenant within us, and we become free indeed (John 8:36) which, by definition, is to be free in actuality rather than theory or doctrine. In his letter to the church in Ephesus (also see Colossians 3:1-17), Paul spoke of this matter of laying aside the corrupt garments of our old way of life that held us in bondage and putting on what he referred to as “the new self.” He said;

“…that in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” (Ephesians 4:22-24/NASU) As you can see we have been given a part, a responsibility of working together with the Holy Spirit in the changing of our spiritual garments. Eating In The King’s Presence As already stated, after changing out of his prison clothes, Jehoiachan, we are told; “…had his meals [“bread, food”] in the king's presence regularly all the days of his life; and for his allowance [“a meal, a ration of food”], a regular allowance was given him by the king, a portion for each day, all the days of his life.” (2 Kings 25:29-30/NASU) The Hebrew for “portion” is dabar (daw-baw'). It’s defined as “a word, a matter (as spoken of), a thing.” Our King has also set aside a daily ration of Himself, the Bread of Life, specifically for each one of His children. It is His specific life-sustaining word, His breath of life for every matter of our life, each and every day, that will establish His Kingdom within us, and our trust in Him. Leonard Ravenhill once said, “Men give advice; God gives guidance.” This is where the church often fails today. We are more willingly to receive the advice of men that is void of the Spirit than we are to wait upon the Lord for His wisdom. The lack of discernment among the Body regarding who is speaking is an indication of what we have been feeding on. Regarding the issue of maturity in Christ, the writer of Hebrews said the following; “We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:11-14/NIV)

Our dullness in hearing, in particular “the teaching about righteousness,” is a result of our lack of putting into practice what we have already heard. Like a child, an infant in Christ is one who is still feeding on milk (i.e. elementary truths) rather than “solid food” that a mature person would feed on. As with an adult versus a child, as we mature we are more aware and discerning of that which we hear. You and I graduate to more “meatier” subjects as we put into practice what we have already heard and, as a result, “grow up” in Christ. The more we hear and disobey the harder it becomes to hear God’s voice. Disobedience creates separation from Him. Obviously, the closer you are to someone the easier it is to hear and understand what they’re saying. The prophet Isaiah declared; “…the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him... Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” (Isaiah 30:18, 21/NIV) If we truly desire to hear the word of the Lord as His sheep then we will learn that obedience results in our ability to listen with discernment. Paul wrote that, according to the Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, the question is not if He is able to establish us in Himself (Romans 16:25), but are we willing? It is through our continued refusal to obey the Holy Spirit and take off the prison garment of sin that we, like Judas, excuse ourselves from the Lord’s table. Solomon declared; “A man will not be established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous will not be moved.” (Proverbs 12:3/NASU) Man Does Not Live By Bread Alone May we learn, with childlike dependence, to pray every day as Jesus taught us, saying; “Give us each day our daily bread” (Luke 11:13/NASU) He will not reject our obedience to this humble prayer of dependency upon His daily guidance. You have to believe that He longs to converse with His children more than we do with Him. Job 23:11-12 declares; “My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.”(NIV)

Solomon, in confessing his heart’s desire, pleaded with the Lord; “Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.” (Proverbs 30:7-8/NIV) The good news is the Lord never gives His children day old bread. It’s fresh and alive each and every day for the spiritual nourishment of all those who would come and dine with Him. The daily bread of His presence is able to give us His life all the days of our lives. This is the only way for us to become Christ’ “life-givers” unto others. It is only through the victorious life of Christ that mankind is saved (John 1:4). Jesus said; “I am the bread of life… I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh [“body”].” (John 6:48, 51/NASU) To partake of Him is to partake of His life-giving body that is for the salvation of the world. This life is not only for us, but is to also be given to others. His body of followers are, through obedience, to make visible His offer of life to those who are dying in their sin. Jesus continued sharing about the life that comes through Himself, saying; “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6:57-58/NASU) Right after His baptism, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. When He had fasted for forty days and nights He became hungry. It was then that the devil said to Him; “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:3-4/NASU) Jesus was quoting Moses who had warned the Israelites, right before

entering the Promised Land, to remember the ways through which God had led them in their wilderness journey of forty years. He said; “He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 8:3/NASU) Interestingly enough, both accounts of Jesus and the Israelites involved the wilderness and food as a test. The difference between them is that while Jesus remained faithful to the Father’s will rather than His human passions and desires (Galatians 5:23), the Israelites did not. Jesus stood firm, resisting the devil, and returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14). Those among the children of Israel who saw the power of God release them from the bondage of Egypt, and then rebelled against His leading in the wilderness, died in the corrupt power of their own spirit, never entering the Promised Land. They reveal to us that the promise alone of entering in wasn’t enough. It would require their working together with the Lord by not receiving His grace shown toward them in vain, which means without the desired effect of conformity by the Spirit to the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 6:1). Removing The Daily Sacrifice/The Regular Allowance We must understand that this lack of waiting before the Lord for our daily portion, our daily word from Him is an independent spirit that denies Jesus Christ as our Lord (i.e. lordship). It is the spirit of antichrist that desires to reign in the children of God, defiantly fighting against Christ’s lordship over us, grieving the Holy Spirit. In essence, what we are saying when we do not eat daily from the King’s table is that we can walk this life in Christ without Him. What we soon learn is the absolute truth from Jesus that, “apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). In the Bible we are told that after Daniel’s vision of a ram and a goat, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to give him understanding (Daniel 8). The ram had two horns which represented the kings of Media and Persia. The shaggy goat with a large horn between his eyes that came from the west, he was told, represented the kingdom of Greece. When the male goat magnified himself after defeating the ram, his horn broke and four others grew in its place. Out of one of the four came another horn which started small but grew in power. I know there is a lot of symbolism in all this, but I want to point something out that I believe is

significant to our discussion. Daniel says that the small horn, as it grew in power, magnified itself to be equal with the Commander of the host of heaven. It then removed the daily sacrifice from Him and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down (remember 2 Chron. 7:19-22 on p.8 which said “…and this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight…”). Paul refers to this same thing in 2 Thessalonians, chapter two. He says in reference to the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction who opposes God and exalts himself that, “he takes his seat in the temple of God [which, today, is within His people], displaying himself as being God.” It is through the act of self-glorification within the hearts of God’s people that the place of His sanctuary within us is destroyed. We declare ourselves as lord when we choose to follow our will over God’s. The Hebrew for daily sacrifice is the same word interpreted in English as the “regular allowance” in 2 Kings, chapter twenty five. This self-glorifying leader who presents himself in Daniel as God before the sheep is similar to many shepherds in the church today who lord their position over others. Their doctrines teach that a daily ration of the Bread of Life and our daily sacrifice unto God is really not necessary after turning to Christ for you to be saved/delivered from the evil that desires to master you. Like the Pharisees, their authority originates from themselves instead of God. By their arrogance they are destroying the sheep of His pasture. The evidence of their rebellion is the apathy in the Body of Christ that now plagues us. There is little concern for the necessity of Christ’s life being daily infused within us so as to keep us from the danger of becoming, as I said earlier, “twice dead” (Jude 12). They give a false sense of security to those who resist the Lord’s reign over their daily life, telling them they have “Peace, peace” when there is none; “They keep saying to those who despise Me, ‘The Lord says: You will have peace.’ And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, ‘No harm will come to you.’” (Jeremiah 23:17/NIV) In other words, “You are secure in your salvation. You will be delivered from evil even though you walk in the stubbornness of your heart.” There will be much blood on their hands if they continue without repentance. Our acceptance of falsehood has created a false sense of security within the majority of the church in America. There is very little understanding regarding the necessity of diligence in our Christian walk to “make certain about His calling and choosing you” (2 Peter 1:10). Many are no longer concerned about Peter’s exhortation to “be diligent to be found by Him [Jesus Christ] in peace, spotless and blameless” so as to be

saved when the heavens and earth are destroyed by fire (2 Peter 3:10-15). A reverent fear of God and His judgment among His people is rare these days. The evidence is the low spiritual state of the church in America. At the end of chapter eight Gabriel describes what the king, pictured by the small horn, will be like. He had started by telling Daniel that the vision he had been given pertained to “the time of the end” (Daniel 8:17). Gabriel stated that this self-centered, egotistical king will destroy mighty men and “the holy people.” He continues by saying; “He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure [a false sense of security], he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.” (Daniel 8:25/NIV) Judging by the great falling away from the truth in our day, we appear to be close to this time of the end Gabriel referred to. May we all examine ourselves, allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal the true condition of our hearts. The only way for the church to be built up in Christ is through “the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 9:31) Instead of a demonstration of the Spirit and of power so that people’s faith might rest on God, their faith, more often than not, rests on the wisdom of men. The Lord will soon remove the hirelings that have led us into the spiritual wilderness we now find ourselves in, and will raise up shepherds with His heart. Currently, most are unknown because they do not attend man’s schools of dead religion and useless rituals. They may be unknown to man but the devil fears their appearing. He knows who speaks with the authority of God and who speaks on their own behalf.

Chapter Six

Alert And Sober Minded

o be awakened as a Christian is to become alert (watchful) and sober minded. You are cautious in regards to your Christian walk, being careful not to become slothful, indulging in sin with those who walk in darkness. This is particularly crucial in these last days before the return of Christ when He comes to deal with the wickedness on this earth. Paul said to the Thessalonian Christians; “Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert [“to keep awake, to watch, i.e. give strict attention to”] and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on [“to enter into, get into, as in clothes”] the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11/NASU) Paul compares this place of being slothful in our devotion to Christ to the darkness of night when most people do their sleeping and drinking. He exhorts us to be careful, living a life of self-control and obedience, putting on the provision of the Lord, His garment of salvation, so as to be ready for His

return. The day of the Lord is a day of His wrath, a day of deep darkness that will cover the earth (Isaiah 60:2). Without the light of His word illuminating the way in which we should go, we will find ourselves dwelling in the dark, unable to see the path leading to our salvation. We are in the day of His mercy now. It is a door in the ark of His deliverance, though, that will not be open forever. Forfeiting God’s Grace; Receiving It In Vain After being in the stomach of the great fish for three days and three nights, Jonah repented. The Bible records his prayer for us. To be truthful I wonder why it took that long. You would have thought that this would have happened much sooner. Then again we are talking about a man who was also upset when the citizens of Nineveh repented. He would rather have seen God wipe them out. There was an obvious issue here regarding Jonah’s attitude towards these people. Humility does not appear to have been one of his strengths. Toward the end of his prayer Jonah declared; “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit [“to loosen, to leave, to forsake, to depart from, to let go”] the grace that could be theirs.” (Jonah 2:8/NIV) The NKJV version of the Bible says; “Those who regard worthless idols forsake their own mercy.” Is this possible for New Testament believers to let go of their saving grace by the mercy of God? Many would say, “No, because the Lord said that He would never leave us or forsake us.” (I will discuss this further in Chapter Thirty Eight; Remaining In Christ.) What if, though, we choose, through continued disobedience without repentance or the fear of the Lord, to leave and forsake (forfeit) Him, as the children of Israel often did? The Lord told faithless Judah; “And you will, even of yourself, let go [“to release, to let drop or loose or rest or fall”] of your inheritance that I gave you.” (Jeremiah 17:4/NASU) That which we, through our own stubbornness, have loosed on earth will then be loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19, 18:18). This is why the New Testament explicitly warns us in more than one place to “hold firmly” onto what we have heard and “received.” Paul said to the church in Corinth that had received the gospel; “Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have

believed in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-2/NIV) The phrase “hold firmly” is defined in the Greek as “to hold fast, to keep secure, to retain.” Thankfully, we are not commanded to do this by our own strength. The Holy Spirit is there to help us in our weakness. He is more than able to help us guard the “good deposit” within us (2 Timothy 1:12-14), if we will look to Him in our time of need. Also, to believe “in vain” is defined as to believe “without reason or effect.” Remember, in an earlier discussion we read when Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of His day that had invalidated the word of God for the sake of their traditions (Matthew 15:6). We saw that to invalidate God’s word is to render it void, to deprive it of force and authority, resulting in it having no effect on people’s lives. Transformation is not automatic. It is a result of our working together obediently with the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 6:1). So yes, by the authority of these verses, and many more (Hebrews 3:6, 14, 4:14, 10:23; Rev. 2:13, 3:11), it is possible to let go of God’s grace. Understanding the fallen nature of man and our tendency to drift away from the Lord is crucial in our walks with Him. As Paul revealed in his letters, the Holy Spirit is very patient with us, convicting us to repent and return when we sin, but we must understand that there is a line with God. His grace is not a license to continue in sin without repentance and should be treated with great respect lest we loose ourselves from it. The truth of this matter, for those who still have ears to hear, should place the fear of the Lord in our hearts in order to keep us near Him, pursuing the holiness without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). Knowing this, may we be on guard so that we may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from our “secure position.” (2 Peter 3:16-18/NIV) A Second Chance Having spent three days and three nights in the stomach of the fish, Jonah readily went where he was told to by God; “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you.’ So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days' walk. Then Jonah began to go through the city one day's walk; and he cried out and said, ‘Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.’” (Jonah 3:1-4/NASU) Often when God calls you to proclaim something in His name He will not

give you the full proclamation until you “arise and go.” The same thing happened to Moses. God told him that on his way back to Egypt He would teach him what to say and what to do (Exodus 4:12, 15). First, though, he had to get going. The Hebrew for “overthrown” is haphak (haw-fak'). Its definition reveals something very interesting. It means “to turn, to overthrow, to overturn; by implication, to change, overturn, return, pervert.” We see through this that when God sends a message of coming judgment it comes with an offer to repent. His mercy is to let us know first before He acts. If we repent we’ll be spared, like Nineveh. If not we will suffer the consequences, no matter what we claim to be with our mouth. The Proclamation This part of the narrative is incredible to me. It shows the desired result of crying out against wickedness. The Bible states that after Jonah walked through Nineveh, declaring that God’s judgment would occur in forty days, that they miraculously repented and God relented; “Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes. He issued a proclamation and it said, ‘In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands. Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.’ When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way [see 2 Chron. 7:14], then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.” (Jonah 3:5-10/NASU) When an individual repents, they are forgiven and protected from God’s judgment. When a father repents, he and those under the covering of his home are protected. When the leader of a city or nation proclaims a fast for its citizens under their care to earnestly call upon God and to turn from their wicked ways, a much greater segment of the population, even a nation, can be spared. This has, in fact, been witnessed numerous times by our nation throughout our history.

America’s Previous National Proclamations Due to the increasing resistance against their rule, England declared on June 12, 1775 that the American colonies would now be under martial law. In response, the Continental Congress, on July 20th recommended to Christians of all denominations to assemble for public humiliation, fasting and prayer. (America’s Providential History [APH], p. 142) In response to a miraculous victory during our fight for independence, the Continental Congress again proclaimed a Day of Thanksgiving and Praise to God. On October 17, 1777 British General Burgoyne was defeated by Colonial forces at Saratoga. In part of their national declaration, Congress made the following statement; “Forasmuch as it is the indispensable duty of all men to adore the superintending providence of Almighty God,… and it having pleased Him in His abundant mercy… to crown our arms with most signal success… it is therefore recommended… to set apart Thursday, the 18th of December, for solemn thanksgiving and praise… They [Continental Congress] recommended for everyone to confess their sins and humbly ask God, ‘through the merits of Jesus Christ, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of remembrance’ and thus He then would be able to pour out His blessings upon every aspect of the nation.” [APH, p.162-163] At the beginning of America’s civil war, the South was enjoying phenomenal success in almost every major battle. This caused President Abraham Lincoln to seek God for the reasons why. He came to the understanding that our nation’s chief sins were slavery and pride which resulted in his issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862. It declared all slaves to be free in the states that were still in rebellion as of January 1, 1863. He then called for a national Day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer throughout the North on April 30, 1863. In part of his proclamation he declared; “…It is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God; to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord… we have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown; but we have forgotten God… we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with

unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God who made us. It behooves us, then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, and confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.” [APH, p.236-237] Within two days of this national Day of Prayer, God intervened in an unexpected way. The great southern General Stonewall Jackson, who had never lost a battle, was accidently shot by his own troops. It would result in his left arm being amputated. On May 10, 1863, he died. Soon afterward, the Battle of Gettysburg would take place, marking the turning point of the war, and the fall of the South. Without Jackson, and God’s assistance in their effort, they would soon be defeated. There would be other governmental proclamations for our citizens to seek God in our nation’s critical moments, imploring us to humbly confess our sins and admit our dependence upon Him to intervene on our behalf. It has been awhile, but for the sake of many souls in need of salvation through that which we have begun to experience, we need it to occur once again.

Chapter Seven

The Healing Of The Bride "Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day that we may live before Him. So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth." (Hosea 6:1-3/NAS)

any of our friends and family had gathered in the family waiting room of the hospital during Shelley’s four hour surgery. At one point, I went into a room and had prayer with two brothers in the Lord. I have never cried out with every single fiber of my being as I did that day. Through this extremely difficult situation with my wife, the Lord gave me the desire of His heart for His Bride. He revealed to me that though she presently appears in the majority of our nation as if she is about to die, through some very difficult circumstances we will enter, like my bride did, she too will be brought back to life. Praise the Lord for his immeasurable mercy and loving kindness toward those who are His. Even in judgment there can be mercy with the Lord. In fact, His mercy always precedes His judgments. He is reaching out now as He did in John, chapter 13, where it says that He revealed the full extent of His love when He washed the feet of the disciples, including the one who was about to betray Him. The hand of the one who betrays Him is at the table even today, and Jesus is still saying to those of His disciples who will listen and obey; “If I do not wash you, you have no part [“division or share, lot or destiny”] with Me.” (John 13:8/NASU)

Remember, these words were spoken to Peter, one of His followers. Peace That Passes Understanding About halfway through Shelley's operation, the Holy Spirit reminded me of a promise that He had recently given me. I was in prayer one morning on my way to work, about one month before Shelley's stroke. He suddenly spoke to me saying, “I'll be with you every step of the way.” I said, “Thank-you Lord,” not really sure what He meant. At one point during Shelley’s surgery, while off to the side by myself in the family waiting room, the Holy Spirit reminded me of this previous promise. Suddenly, I had a wave of peace roll into my heart. I had this overwhelming sense that Shelley was going to live, and that she and I would have many more steps together with the Lord. What a Savior! As I sat there alone praising the Lord, my oldest son Brandon came up to me and said, “Dad, you aren't going to believe what just happened to me. I was just praying in another part of the hospital and all of a sudden a great wave of peace came over me. Mom is going to be alright!” As the Bible says, let everything be confirmed by two or three witnesses. I started proclaiming on the rooftops what the Lord had just whispered in my ear. The entire spirit in that waiting room immediately changed. There was a sense of great relief. The Master had just stood up in the boat, seemingly aroused from sleep, and said “Peace, be still.” We finally received the no longer dreaded phone call from the operating room. They informed me that they were sewing up the incision, and that the doctor would soon come out and speak with us. Per the word of the Lord, Shelley was alive and well. We all listened as the doctor explained what had happened in surgery, and what to expect next. He had removed a sizeable amount of tissue from Shelley's cerebellum, the lower portion of the brain, to make room for the swelling. When the brain is expanding, it only has so much room to go before it proceeds downward into the opening at the base of the head, near the neck which, I was told, almost always ends in death, if not significant nerve damage. The doctor gave us very little hope for any considerable recovery. Not only were they surprised that Shelley survived the operation, but that she even survived being flipped over on her stomach at the beginning of her surgery. We were told that it took a great amount of time just to accomplish that maneuver. We were then informed that if she did wake up, there was a good chance that she might not be in anything greater than a vegetable type state the rest of her life. The neurosurgeon never had anyone go as far as Shelley had with the

swelling of the brain and respond favorably. In fact, most had died. I remember thinking to myself, “Lord, it does not matter what man says. I have heard Your word spoken to my heart.” I only heard a small portion of what the doctor said after that because the God of all hope had already informed me otherwise. As he spoke, I was thanking Jesus for sparing my wife's life. When the Lord speaks, it is finished. I began to walk in the promise that was given, thanking the Lord for calming the storm. There would be many times in the immediate days following her surgery that the Holy Spirit would need to remind me of His promise to be with us every step of the way. It would be a gradual recovery filled with ups and downs. Through it all He has faithfully fulfilled His word. There would be many significant events while in rehab the next few weeks. For example, Shelley would cry in speech therapy when she heard her normal tone of voice for the first time. There would be more tears the day of her first step as she learned how to walk again. I remember watching her at our son’s high school graduation party that Spring as she sat down off to the side, by herself, exhausted and a little shaky, but thankful to be alive. Each day truly is a gift from the Lord. Shelley and I pray that the testimony of our personal journey will bring glory and honor to His name. Surely, our Lord Jesus Christ is worthy to be praised!

Chapter Eight

Unbelieving Believers

rue faith isn't something that you have to work up. It isn't faith in my faith, which is birthed in the will of man's flesh. Romans 10:17 says; “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” When you have heard a word that is from the Lord, you still have the choice to act upon it in obedience or to reject it in unbelief. The writer of Hebrews warns believers about allowing an unbelieving heart to take hold of them, after turning to Christ, causing them to fall away from Him (Hebrews 3:12). When we do this, we become what I referred to earlier as “unbelieving believers.” The author’s subject within Hebrews 3:1 is made very clear for us. He says; “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling...” You will never hear of an unbeliever in the Scriptures being called “holy brethren,” or “partakers of a heavenly calling.” Without question he is writing to his fellow Christian believers. The Greek word we interpreted in English as “partakers” is metochos (met'-okh-os). It’s defined as “a participant, a sharing in, a partner or associate.” Clearly, these are not spectators but those who have entered as a participant of the race in Christ. As anyone who has ever run in a race knows, a good start does not ensure a good finish. Endurance is the key, especially in a long distance race. Spiritually, this finishing characteristic is developed within us as we submit to the training of the Holy Spirit during our Christian experience. Without endurance in the very difficult days that lie ahead, you simply will not stand firm. Many are jumping the restraining fences in the corral of God's dealings, refusing the work of the cross in their life for the open fields of least resistance. They would rather run free under the control of their own will then remain in submission to the will of God, believing that the Lord works all things, even a stroke, for the good of those who love Him, who are called

according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). I mentioned what I am about to say briefly in chapter two, but because of the crucial need to understand, and for the sake of clarity, I will say it again, with a little more depth of understanding. As you read the Bible you will see that the Lord, in His book, would often repeat Himself for the sake of emphasis so I’m not in bad company in that regard. When the Israelites were released from the bondage of Egypt by the power of God, they believed in Him; “When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.” (Exodus 14:31/NASU) Further along in their journey their hearts had changed. After hearing the bad report of the spies who had sneaked into the Promised Land, they began to cry and complain against Moses and Aaron for leading them to this place where they would die. Not only did they want to appoint a new leader and return to Egypt, but they said to all the Israelites to stone them to death. The glory of the Lord then appeared in the tent of meeting, breaking up their pity party. The Lord said to Moses; “How long will this people spurn Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst?” (Numbers 14:11/NIV) They had now gone from believing to unbelieving. Their children would suffer with them for their unbelief, wandering in the desert for the next forty years until their parents died. Only Joshua and Caleb who gave a good report and believed God, along with the new generation, would enter in. Their rebellion against the Lord and the consequences of not continuing in belief as a Christian is the main subject in the book of Jude. He warns us, saying; “Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.” (Jude 1:5/NASU) Again as I stated earlier, the unbelieving believers who were saved and then destroyed were also described by Jude as being “twice dead.” Before believing in Christ we are said to be “dead in your trespasses and sins.” Once we repent we are then “made alive in Christ” (Ephesians 2:1-5). To then fall

away in unbelief as the Israelites did is to become dead again, or “twice dead.” They are our example to be careful how we walk with the Lord after receiving Him. Rebellion against His leading will cause us not to finish the race, but to be disqualified. Running The Race Without self-denial you will not be able to develop the spiritual stamina needed to finish. Paul wrote about this in his letter to the Christians in the city of Corinth. He said; “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27/NAS) There are many who will read this and totally miss what Paul just said. He talked about HIMSELF being disqualified. Does your doctrine allow for what the Bible declares in this passage? If not, don't excuse it by saying, “Well, I know that it sounds like Paul is saying that you could be excluded from Christ after receiving Him as your Lord and Savior, but that's not really what he meant.” Paul would not make such a bold statement, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, without meaning exactly what he said. This is why he stresses the importance of buffeting his body, not allowing for the fleshly desires to rule over us and then say that we are safe and secure under grace. Being under grace has become an excuse to continue in sin, not looking for the way of escape. All we, the church, have to do for proof is to look at the fruit of our labors over the last few years. The nation is getting darker by the second because the light of Christ is simply not being allowed to shine through His people. We are the problem. The Lord is warning His people to consider their ways. In recent years we have sown much, but harvested little spiritual fruit (Haggai 1:5-7). Many have readily bought into doctrines that exalt self instead of Christ, thereby blinding them with a false sense of security. A God Made Into Our Image The church of today is guilty of making God into our likeness. The Lord has

said, “Enough!” The church in America is about to be severely judged for turning our backs on Him and foolishly wading even deeper into depravity. Many of God's people continue to act like those on the Titanic, partying while the ship is sinking. All the while our non-confrontive shepherds strengthen the hands of evildoers among us (Jeremiah 23:7). We have become like Samson who, when his enemies came upon him, said in assumption, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free” (Judges 16:20). He, like many in the church, did not realize that the Lord had departed from him. This will happen in the coming days as our enemies cross our borders and we go out to engage them. Woe to all who will not repent, and do so quickly. Don’t misunderstand me. As an American I am extremely grateful for what our Forefathers have established through God’s providential intervention, but you do not thumb your nose at the Lord God Almighty, legislating Him out of your society, and expect nothing to happen. His patience toward us up until now has been to lead us to repentance. His window of opportunity will soon close, leaving all who reject the ark of His righteous covering unprotected from the biggest storm of heavenly judgment our land has ever witnessed. (See my book 911; God’s Last Offer To The Church for the warning God gave me for the church.) The writer of Hebrews gives us a very stern warning, saying; “Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end.” (Hebrews 3:12-14/NAS) The word “if” in this passage makes the promise of being partakers of Christ conditional. Are you still holding fast to Christ like you did at the beginning of your Christian journey? If not, you must repent of the sin that has hardened your heart or you will be numbered with those who fall away from the assurance of faith in Christ at the end of this age, revealing yourself as a “son of destruction” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). This is a hard word, and I will not make apologies for that. Many in this great nation have become like those in Titus 1:16 which says; “They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient, and worthless for any good deed.” It's been said that prosperity breeds apathy. As a whole, this defines the church in America. If you read any of our Founding Fathers writings, it will

be hard to get by the fact that many of them wrote of the necessity of Divine intervention as our nation was forming. From the beginning they recognized the need for His guiding hand in every decision. Our nation’s foundational framework is filled with the influence of Christian thought and the basic assumption that man, apart from the control of a holy God, is at best a vicious beast. This is why they so wisely wrote our Constitution with the checks and balances of having three separate branches of government. It would take into account what the Puritans referred to as “the utter depravity of man.” The Way Of Victory The battle we are engaged in within this nation will only be won by those who choose the way of the cross of Jesus Christ in self-denial. Peter Marshall and David Manuel explain this way in their book The Light And The Glory. They ask the question; “…Why are so many Christians reluctant to move into a deeper relationship with Christ? Because the way to deepening in Christ is the Way of the cross: the way of self-denial, of unconditional surrender of one's own will to God's will, and of true covenant commitment to one another. This is the Way to which He has called all serious Christians (“If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” Luke 9:23), and from all that our Christian experience shows us, it is the only way to spiritual maturity. It is also the only way that we Christians can yet fulfill our nation's call. Individually, and corporately, we need to re-enter the covenant relationship which our forefathers had with God and with one another. As we have seen, the vertical aspect of the Covenant Way requires that we all consider ourselves to be soldiers in Christ's army, to be sent when and where He directs, for whatever purpose He might have, and to receive our orders cheerfully and without murmuring, setting our wills to carry them out to the best of our abilities...” (p.357) The spiritual battle we are in will be won by those who are fully committed to the Lord. They will not bow to the spirit of this age. The soldiers of Christ that will be used to bring about victory will be the ones who, like Moses, have chosen by their own free will to be mistreated with God’s people. The Bible says; “…when he [Moses] had grown up, [he] refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin; considering the reproach

of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.” (Hebrews 11:24-26/NASU) The present day army of God is being sifted through the heat of fiery trials and temptations. Those who pass the test of their Valley Forge experience by submitting to the discipline of the Lord will be forged together by the work of His hands into the special forces of the Kingdom. They will not stray from their objective until victory has been secured. This rod of iron in the hands of Almighty God will smash all other kingdoms in the great and terrible day of the Lord that is soon approaching. The refining process of our Commander-In-Chief will separate the weakwilled and fearful from those who having done all will stand firm to the end, no matter how intense the battle becomes. They have become convinced of what they are fighting for, and of the One whose name’s sake they are willing to forsake all. They will not move out or settle down without the command of their Lord Jesus Christ in whom they have placed their entire confidence to lead them in His victory. Without an understanding of the heavy burden He will lay upon you, you will soon fall under its weight. The grueling demands will be used to wear down and expose any fleshly, natural abilities that are being used. The joy of the Lord and the sense of His presence will be the only source of strength that will enable you to finish the race that is set before you. Along the way you will be forced to put off the excess weight of self which will make you stumble, until you come to the loosing point where you say, “Not what self will, but what the Lord will!” It is at this point where we understand the Lord's words; “My yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). This happens as we come to the end of self-effort and work together with the Holy Spirit, following His lead. Final-phase Fighting The remnant of “Finishing Fathers” within the United States of America are being prepared for the battle of survival which will be fought on our soil. Those who stand on the spiritual ridge of indifference will not be used in this campaign. It will be “final-phase fighting” for the soldiers of Christ. According to Bobby Welch, a former Green Beret who wrote You, The Warrior Leader; “…final-phase fighting means there is nothing left for you to do but go faceto-face and hand-to-hand with your enemy with a fixed bayonet, which serves as an extended knife blade. It is your last resort and final means of defeating your would-be killer in an assault... Final-phase fighting must be executed

aggressively; hesitation will result in your sudden and horrible death.” In this type of fighting it is kill or be killed. The same can be said of the ever-increasing warfare within the spiritual realm in this world. Our enemy must be destroyed, within our hearts first and then without. Paul made the following exhortation in his letter to the church in Ephesus, reminding them of the true identity of our enemy we face as believers. He said; “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” (Ephesians 6:12-13/NAS) It is time for the body of Christ to suit up for war by putting on the Lord Jesus Christ as commanded in His word. This battle is His battle and can only be won through Him. His victory was secured by the cross at Calvary. It is ours, therefore, when we join Him in the crucified life. Paul said to the church in Corinth; “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18/NIV) There is no other way to obtain the power of God in our life except by choosing to follow Christ and submitting to His will. We, the church, must engage our enemy through hand-to-hand combat in the prayer closets across America. To be sure, the fronts seem to be numerous and increasing daily, but we must remember that in Christ all things are possible. As we continue to stand firm in Him, we will overcome!

Chapter Nine

In Recovery

'll never forget the first night that Shelley was in I.C.U. My mother-in-law and I slept (barely) in the not-so-comfortable waiting room chairs. We could only go in to see Shelley a little at a time so that there would be limited brain stimulation from our presence. We were told that it was especially important for her brain to rest while it was in the process of healing. As a quick side note, I believe this is the way it is in the spiritual realm as well. It is only when we learn to rest in Christ that we can receive the inner healing of our Great Physician. In the middle of the night, my mother-in-law came out from a short visit with a smile. She said that as she approached Shelley's room, the nurse met her shaking her head. While she was down in the cafeteria eating lunch, the buzzers had gone off on her floor, indicating an emergency situation. She ran upstairs to see the entire floor staff assembled in my wife’s room. Shelley had her hands placed into partial restraints so that she wouldn't reach up and try to pull out her breathing tube. Because of the strong medicines that she was on, she didn't realize what she was doing. All she knew was that the large object shoved down her throat had to go. While the nurse watching over her closely was gone, Shelley bent down to her hands and pulled the tube right out. The reason for the scare is that it is doing the breathing for them and no one knows if they will be able to breathe on their own once it’s removed. Thankfully, she did. The nurse laughingly said, “Man, is she going to have a sore throat.” There is an inflated cuff on the bottom of the tube to keep it down. The proper procedure is to deflate it before removal. Shelley found a short cut, and yes, she did have a horrific sore throat afterwards. Over the next two weeks that she spent in I.C.U., it was amazing to see how the Spirit of God within her was still sharp and active when her spirit was so dull. It was this very gift of discerning spirits that I have always looked to for

confirmation over the years as we engaged the enemy. During her stay at the hospital and rehabilitation facility she would sense different spirits that were coming from the different nurses and therapists. At one point soon after her brain surgery, when her brain was still not as sharp, I had to request a different nurse because of Shelley's obvious apprehension about this particular person. A different one came in and so did a different spirit. It was very noticeable in Shelley's eyes and body language. I believe that due to the vulnerable condition of a patient, the enemy is very active in hospitals. I would find this out first hand in the days to come. I also witnessed the Spirit of God working through His servants that were employed there. For Such A Time As This One day the doctor pulled me off to the side, telling me that there appeared to be some blood flow problems in Shelley's front carotid arteries. We had to go for an ultrasound to check it out. On the way, I was anxiously talking to the Lord. The Holy Spirit reminded me of His promise to be with me every step of the way. I said thank-you and felt the peace of God returning within my heart. On our way to the procedure I began a conversation about the Lord with the nurse. She told me that she was also a believer. We continued talking in the ultrasound room. As we shared about Esther, Shelley, who was still half out of it, suddenly said, “For such a time as this.” I teared up and so did the nurse. As expected, the ultra sound turned out negative. This type of thing would happen a few other times as we went on. Solomon writes in Proverbs the following well known exhortation; “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6/NASU) I would lean on this promise often. Unlike the Lord, human feelings and emotions can’t always be trusted. I want to mention at this time the great strength and encouragement that was coming from the people of our town, Cedar Springs. When they first found out about Shelley's condition, they called an emergency prayer meeting. Our little home church at that time was packed. The Lord spoke to many people's hearts during the prayer meeting which lasted for about three of the four hours during surgery. I will be forever grateful to the small town with a big heart. They brought so much food that a schedule had to be set up. One day a refrigerator showed up in my garage and they started packing it with more food. Someone was doing our laundry, others were sending me food cards,

gas cards, and money. I was off work for five weeks with my employers blessing. Also, a local man plowed our driveway which was no small thing. Living in Michigan, we receive a fair amount of snow during the winter months. We live in the country and my driveway is nine hundred feet long. My wife had influenced many in our area with her work in the Parents as Teachers organization within the public school. Basically they teach young couples parenting skills. She also works through the public schools with the pregnant teens. Her straight forward, loving approach had touched many. Shelley had already established a good witness of Christ to many people. Like Moses, she had been faithful in all God's house as a servant for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later (Hebrews 3:5). It's a simple but true saying that people don't care what you know until they know that you care. This was proven to be true in my wife's life. Rehabilitation After two weeks of steady improvements in the hospital, Shelley was released to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is an incredible place that was used to help her in the process of recovery. Among many other normal functions, she had to learn how to walk and talk again. Everything was new and usually had a wall of fear that would have to first be dealt with. I remember the first steps that she took. It was hard watching your wife, who had always been so capable of doing many things at once, learning to walk with the aid of a walker. Little things such as making a bed, or even getting dressed, had to be tackled one day at a time. Even though her balance was coming back, it would take a little time before she felt confident enough to go on her own. I would be so proud of her as she did these now difficult tasks with great determination. Having our newly adopted daughter at home was good incentive for her to get better. She wanted to get well as fast as possible to get home and take care of her. There were some very discouraging days filled with many tears, but the Lord was sustaining her through them all. I would come to the hospital in the morning while she was in rehab, finding her laying there with a big smile on her face reading her Bible. She would say to me, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Guess what the Lord said to me this morning?â&#x20AC;? Shelley would then proceed, with slurred speech, to tell me a promise that the Lord had just given her. They were for our town, herself, and others. The Lord is truly good, far beyond our comprehension.

“Where Is There God Now?” During this trying time, someone in our town made the comment, “Where is there God now?” This is nothing new. The psalmist heard the same thing many years ago, causing him to write; “As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries revile me, while they say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’ Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance, and my God.” (Psalm 42:10-11/NAS) Indeed, we shall yet praise Him! Some might ask what kind of God would allow His children to suffer. Most do not understand the wounds of God and their purpose. Some are simply for His glory while others are to get the attention of His wayward children. In the Scriptures, there is a difference between the wounds of an enemy and the wounds of God. An enemy will wound you to hurt or even kill you. The Lord wounds us at times in order to deal with the fleshly nature. It is because of His love for us that we are disciplined, when necessary. It’s part of the lifelong process of being conformed to His image. Our flesh would like an easier way. We have a tendency to desire the power of Pentecost without the suffering of Calvary. Hebrews 12:5-14 says; “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives. It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” (NASU)

The wounds of Jesus that He inflicts us with produce His mark upon our lives. We share in His sufferings in order that we may also be glorified with Him (Romans 8:16-19). Oh, the wisdom of God! Shelley always says: “If you have a God that you can understand, you have a God no greater than yourself.” I will never forget the first message I spoke after Shelley's stroke at the little church we were attending. I titled it The Calling Of The Bride. As I walked toward the pulpit, the Holy Spirit came upon me like He never had before. For a few minutes, all I could do was weep. I remember saying, “Lord, it's so deep.” I said this because, in that moment, I understood that He was allowing me to feel His heart for the current condition of His Bride within our nation. It was a love that is incomparable to any that is on earth. Oh how He loves you and me! The Promised Revival As mentioned earlier, through Shelley’s stroke the Lord revealed to me a final revival that is coming to the church. Though His bride appears to be almost dead within the majority of the church in America, as Shelley appeared to be, she too will be raised to life through the very difficult circumstances we will go through. The good news is that through the Lord's wounds He inflicts upon His Body, we will be healed!

Shelley's Perspective Waking up in a hospital room, not knowing why you were there in the first place was a real shock. After the first week, I remember coming to my senses. I vaguely remember the days after my stroke. They had me on some heavy medicines to relieve all the pain that I was in. A couple of days after my surgery, I remember a few doctors standing at the foot of my bed. They were having me do things like placing my finger on my nose, and tracking their fingers from one side of the room to the other. It was then that I asked my husband what had happened to me. He leaned over the bed and whispered in my ear that I'd had a stroke. I knew that having a stroke wasn't good and I remember shutting my eyes. “A stroke?” I said. One day, a couple of therapists came to start some rehabilitation. They needed to get me up walking. I remember the room spinning around. It was a dizziness that wouldn't leave for a few weeks. They were on either side of me. With a walker and their holding on to me, I took ten steps. I was exhausted! I didn't know at the time how important those steps were. God reminds us in Proverbs 20:24; “A man's steps are directed by the Lord.”

I still wasn't that coherent. My speech was garbled. In fact, when I tried to talk it didn't sound like me. I knew what I wanted to say but it took too much effort, so I limited my talking. One of the things that I remembered the most was the sense of family. My husband and children were what I thought about daily. The thought of when I would come home to be with them never occurred to me. Perhaps it was God's way of easing the pain. It would be some time before I could go home and be the wife and mother that I once was. The day finally came for me to go to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. I still didn't have the capacity to fully realize why I was going there. After they had transported me, they assigned me a cheery room with a large window overlooking a sitting area. Shortly after my arrival, they gave me a copy of my rehabilitation sessions. Every day, I would wake up promptly at 7:30am. After breakfast someone would come to help me dress myself. I had to relearn how to brush my hair and my teeth, as well as other bathroom needs. I did this with very little balance as I could barely walk, feeling quite dizzy. I needed assistance with everything I did. I would begin my first session at 9:30am with my Occupational Therapist. I was very apprehensive when they came to wheel me down to a large room where others were. As I looked at all the people, I felt as if they were staring at me. My therapist assured me that what I was experiencing was all very normal. The stimulation that my brain was experiencing was almost too much for me to bear. At 10:30am it was time for my session with a Physical Therapist, followed by an 11:30am session with a Speech Therapist. This was repeated after lunch and a short nap. Needless to say, I was exhausted by 5:00pm. These grueling sessions lasted for two weeks. I went to every one of them. I knew that this would help me to get better. Some of the patients, including my roommate, didn't feel that these sessions were necessary. I looked at it not only as a way for me to get better, but also a way to minister to others. I always had a good attitude. The Lord gave me the grace I needed. James 4:6 says; “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” I had some wonderful Christian nurses while in Mary Free Bed. We would often read Scriptures together. My husband brought The Message Bible for me to read because it was easier to comprehend. I tried to get my Bible reading in before my sessions. One morning while I was reading, the Lord spoke to me. He was very near while I was sick. Many people wouldn't understand this, but I felt His presence at the end of my bed. In Joshua 1:5 God was talking to Joshua when He said; “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” This really was true! He was not only with Joshua and Moses, but He was with me too.

That morning, I turned to Isaiah 41:10-12. In The Message it read like this; “You're my servant, serving on my side. I've picked you. I haven't dropped you. Don't panic. I'm with you. There's no need to fear for I'm your God. I'll give you strength. I'll help you. I'll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.” Down further in the chapter He said; “That's right. Because I, your God, have a firm grip on you and I'm not letting go. I'm telling you, “Don't panic. I'm right here to help you.” What words of comfort! They brought me great encouragement when I finally realized that my family was home without me. It was basketball season for my oldest son who was a senior in high school. My husband was trying to juggle the children, me, and the things at home. He needed to go to his game. He only had four games left to play. I knew that it was important. He kissed me goodbye and proceeded down the hallway. That was probably the loneliest evening I had. I remember looking out the window with the snow gently falling down, wondering if I would ever be the same again. When the enemy was coming in like a flood, the Lord was there with a firm grip on me. In that moment He reminded me that He was right there to help me and He would give me the strength that I needed. Walking and talking came rather slowly. They had me out of my wheelchair and using a walker. The belts that they used came in handy too. I was still really dizzy and asked my doctor what I could do. He told me that there were pills I could take to alleviate the dizziness. I prayed to the Lord and asked Him to take it away. Remembering that He was keeping a firm grip on me, I mentioned my concerns to a Christian nurse one evening. She said, “Shelley, my mother has experienced a stroke. They encouraged her to drink plenty of water.” So I began my water regiment. Soon, the dizziness left! I started feeling better. Later, I went from a walker to a cane. My Speech Therapy was difficult. After waking up from the stroke, I had a thick, German-like accent. I couldn't pronounce anything that made any sense. You really had to listen. My therapist had me pronouncing my children's names. One morning, while in session, I repeated a few words she gave me. As I began to recite them, I started to cry. The therapist immediately stopped. She asked me why I was crying. I said, “For the first time, I heard myself in the words I just spoke.” What a sweet sound! It reminded me of the first time the birds chirped in the Spring. After that session, I heard myself talking more. My voice was coming back.

After the third week, my husband felt it was time for me to read some of the e-mails that people had sent to me. The hospital had a room that we could use. He wheeled me down and sat me before a computer. I began to pour through the many get well messages. I could hardly believe my eyes! I never knew the impact I had made on the peoples lives. My husband got called away for a brief moment. While he was gone, I landed on his. This is what he wrote: “For richer or poorer, for better or worse, in sickness and in health.” Shelley, I made that vow May 30, 1981. I will keep my vow. We have been through many things together already, we will be through many more together. There were so many things that came to my mind as I sat in the waiting room Tuesday night, January 20, with friends and family as you were being operated on. It was the longest 4 hours of my life. I will never forget the looks on everyone’s faces as we sat in a small room with the neurosurgeon. He told us that he thought that you were too far gone already, but with our permission he would still like to try and save your life. We quickly said “Yes!” After we told you we loved you through many tears, we came out and had a family prayer meeting like we always have done in the past. Our commitment to each other is strong because our commitment to Jesus Christ is our strong foundation. He promises us in His word that, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” I walked through the valley of the shadow of death, and I can say with all confidence, “I fear no evil, for Thou art with me.” I remember having a conversation with my brother about the difference between the delivering hand of the Lord, and the sustaining hand of the Lord. He sustained me as I waited to hear the outcome of the operation, then He delivered us with the good news of your life being spared. I was driving to work one morning about a month ago, when the Lord had spoken to my heart. As I was talking to Him, I heard Him very clearly say within me, “I will be with you every step of the way.” I thought to myself, “Thank-you Lord”, not really sure why He had said that. I then knew why. As I thought about that moment, great faith welled up within me. He had said, “Every step of the way”, which meant to me that we were going to have more steps together! The peace of the Lord swept over me and I found the eye of the storm in the sustaining words of life of our Lord. Romans 8:28 says, “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” This verse was just as true Tuesday night as it was the night before your stroke came. Praise Jesus! We are a team. Remember the words the Lord spoke to you a few years ago while you were in prayer? He has a work for us which is yet to be fulfilled in

its entirety. We came to Cedar Springs because the Lord sent us here. We know that this town will see the glory of our Lord. My love for this town has expanded a hundred fold through this! Their outpouring of love towards you and our family is unbelievable. The food, the gas cards, the money, plowing our driveway, the many cards, the phone calls, the cleaning of our house, the watching of our baby, Ana, and many more things has been above and beyond anything I could ever have imagined. I love the people of Cedar Springs. What a testimony of their love for you Shelley. You have sown fields of kindness, and are now reaping what you have sown. Your love for your family, your friends, and your community has not been in vain. All of us are praying for a full recovery. The Lord our Healer will show himself faithful once again. As I look back on what I was feeling within me that night of your surgery, I had some thoughts come to me. My heart literally ached for you, my bride, as I was in agony over your condition. The Lord revealed to me His heart for His bride, the church, and her condition. He longs, He aches for us to come back from being dead spiritually. He wants to hug and love on us and to commune with us. We have become apathetic in our commitments to Him and are like those in the Scriptures who were, “dead even though they were alive.” You know that we talk about this often, but now I have been able to feel Jesus’ heart towards His people. It brings tears to my eyes even as I write this. As the parable in the Scriptures says, the storms in our lives test the foundation. We have chosen Christ as our solid rock. In Him, we will stand firm no matter what may come. The joy of the Lord, of spending time in His presence, is our strength. I have been so proud of our kids in their response through all of this. They have just witnessed in Christ what we have been teaching them for many years. They will grow spiritually by leaps and bounds as they reflect in the days ahead of the goodness of the Lord. You have been so faithful in teaching them not just by word but in deed what it means to serve and love Jesus by serving others. Your servant heart has been an inspiration to me many times, pointing out the selfish desires within. I love you with all of my heart and look forward to what the Lord has for us together in the days ahead. Your greatest work lies just ahead. A “great and mighty work” is about to be birthed. You are truly a Proverbs 31 woman; “An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels.” Thankyou Jesus for Shelley. Forever yours Shelley, forever yours Jesus, Tim I didn't understand those words that my husband had written to me back then. As I read them now, I can't help but think of the tremendous struggle he

must have been going through. The words that were written, “Your greatest work in Christ lies just ahead,” were words of prophecy. Little did he know then what was just around the corner for us. God was about to take us on a wonderful journey. At times it would be difficult, but the message of Paul in Philippians 3:8 would become much more personal as the weeks and months progressed; “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”

Chapter Ten

Who Will You Deny? "Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever shall deny [“disown”] Me before men, I will also deny [“disown”] him before My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33/NAS) “And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.’” (Luke 9:23-24/NAS) “It is a trustworthy statement: for if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him; If we endure, we shall also reign with Him; if we deny [“disown”] Him, He also will deny [“disown”] us...” (2 Timothy 2:11-12/NAS)

very day, while walking out our Christian faith, we make a decision of who we will deny, ourselves or the Lord. Everything the Lord creates must be proven. That which has not been tested cannot be trusted. It must go through the fire of His “quality control” to reveal strengths and weaknesses. The Scriptures clearly state that this will happen to every child of God. Peter tells us that the testing of our faith is a normal occurrence; “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you.” (1 Peter 4:12/NASU)

The tests of God prove what is truly within our hearts. The Lord already knows, but it is for our sakes, so that we know exactly where we stand. It is what the Bible defines as the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire. The true baptism of the Holy Spirit always involves His leading you into the fiery trials in order to burn off the impurities within. The false, or counterfeit baptism of the Holy Spirit, never involves the fire, just an experience. Satan wants to create confusion with this in order to keep us from the cleansing property of the fire. False teachings are a doctrine with no cross or suffering. Our enemy will give people all the experiences they want, as long as they don't follow Jesus to His cross. Reason being the cross represents the place of defeat for him. Paul said in Colossians 2:15; “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” Jesus’ victory is ours through the cross, not around it. Repairing The Altar In the Scriptures, the sacrifice unto the Lord was always placed on an altar. The place of the altars now is within His people. With some of us, due to neglect, they must be restored. As Elijah told the Israelites when he had the showdown with 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the Asherah on Mount Carmel; “‘Come near to me.’ So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD which had been torn down.” (1 Kings 18:30/NAS) The Lord is, once again, declaring this message to His people within our nation so as to get them ready before He acts further. We must draw near to God through repentant hearts and repair what has been torn down within us through spiritual apathy. The Lord desires to draw near to us, which requires us to first draw near to Him (James 4:8). At a time when Israel had turned away from Him, the Lord said through the prophet Zechariah; “Return to Me,” declares the Lord Almighty, “and I will return to you.” (Zechariah 1:3/NASU) This is one of the many conditional statements the Lord declares to His

people. He is always the one who initiates the needed return of His people back to Himself. If He didn’t reach out first we would never repent. He starts the conversation and then waits for our response. In every revival throughout history, God’s people become burdened over the low spiritual condition of the church and begin to pray and seek His face, turning from their wicked ways, thereby preparing the way for Him to come. Many talk of the second coming of Christ in our time, believing that it is near, but never prepare their hearts. They are the foolish virgins Jesus spoke of in Matthew 25:1-13. Those who, after hearing the midnight shout, are obediently cleansing their hearts by faith “today” will be the ones through whom the Spirit of God will usher in His Kingdom “tomorrow.” The Spirit Of Antichrist Elijah had told the Israelites; “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” (1 Kings 18:21/NASU) Their problem was a divided heart. They were trying to serve two masters at the same time. Many Christians in America are doing the same. This is, in fact, the spirit of antichrist. The Greek for “antichrist” in the New Testament is antichristos (an-tee'khris-tos) which means “an opponent of Messiah, the adversary of the Messiah.” Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words states that it can mean either “‘against Christ’ or ‘instead of Christ,’ or perhaps, combining the two, ‘one who, assuming the guise of Christ, opposes Christ.’” In one of his letters, John, after encouraging us to not love the world but to do the will of God in order to abide forever, then warns us concerning the spirit of antichrist. He says; “Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour.” (1 John 2:18/NAS) The spirit of antichrist is always at work within the hearts of God’s people. It looks for a place to lodge in among those who, like the Israelites in their wilderness journey to the Promised Land, are fighting against the leading of the Holy Spirit. If allowed to remain, it will end up shipwrecking your faith by undermining the power and authority of Christ within you. Concerning denying Christ, John goes on to say;

“Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.” (1 John 2:22/NASU) You deny that Jesus is your Christ, your Messiah, when you say “No” to His power within you. This inalienable right in Christ that is granted to all who turn to Him is meant to deliver His followers from their sinful nature in order that we may “become the children of God” (John 1:12). As we are now learning in America, though, rights can be lost through our negligence in defending them to those whose desire is to gain greater control over us. This is exactly how the devil works in the lives of God’s people. His desire is to remove our power of choice (one of the definitions for “right” in John 1:12) through unguarded, apathetic hearts within Christians. As Samson discovered, our disobedience to the will of God grants our enemy the right to bind and afflict God’s anointed (Judges 16:5). Through continued disobedience, his heart was hardened and the strength of the Lord to defeat the enemy taken away from him. In one of Paul’s letters to Timothy he describes the hearts of people in the last days. He says that, among many other things, they will have a form of godliness but will deny its power (2 Timothy 3:5). Again, they have said “No” to the power of God within them to transform them into the image of Christ. They are anti, or against Christ, in opposition against His lordship over them. When Joseph was thinking of divorcing Mary because she was pregnant, an angel of the Lord told him, “that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” Every person who has turned to Christ is in the same state. We have become pregnant with the holy seed of God in Christ Jesus. It is through this seed that the Holy Spirit desires to give birth to the image of Christ within us. Satan’s desire is to cause a spiritual abortion before the new birth is fully gained. This is why Paul stated; “My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you.” (Galatians 4:19/NASU) The good news is that all who have received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior have received the right of access to the power of God over sin. But, as all who have chosen to follow Christ will learn, access alone is not enough to overcome wickedness. It is only as we work together with the Holy Spirit, choosing that which is right per the revealed will of the Lord, rather than opposing Him with a spirit of antichrist, that His power is released on our behalf within us and we are saved.

Chapter Eleven

Freedom In Christ

hat is freedom in Christ? In the next couple of chapters I will share with you what the Lord revealed to me in regards to the answer to this question. I pray that it opens your eyes and stirs your heart as it

did mine. The citizens in the United States, where I live, have been blessed with a great amount of freedom, as long as they abide by the laws that govern it. To break the law is to possibly forfeit that freedom and be placed into prison. The Bible, though, reveals a different freedom, a freedom in Christ that occurs from within as we abide in Him, no matter what your external situation may be. A person can be living in a free nation and yet be bound in an internal prison that they cannot escape from. Another may be living under an extremely oppressive government, or even in an actual prison cell, and because of their acceptance of Jesus as their Messiah be living free from within with unexplainable joy and hope. The good news in this is that Jesus Christ came to set the captives free, in all nations, under any circumstance. Freedom To Choose The Gospel of John begins by proclaiming the deity of Jesus Christ, and that all things came into being through Him. It declares what occurred when He, the Light which enlightens every man, came into the world He made. As briefly discussed in the previous chapter, John tells us that; â&#x20AC;&#x153;He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.â&#x20AC;? (John 1:11-13/NASU)

In this passage, John’s subject is clearly those who “received” Christ. They “believed in His name” and were “born of God.” By definition of the Greek word that we interpret into English as “received,” they have laid hold of Christ, making Him their own. Those who receive Him, thereby becoming a citizen of the kingdom of God, are given “the right to become children of God.” Per John, though, there is more in regards to bringing this right to completion in Him. The Greek that we interpret as “right” is exousia (ex-oo-see'-ah). It’s defined as “privilege, power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases, the power of rule or government.” Freedom in Christ, therefore, is a right granted only to those who turn in repentance to Jesus Christ, taking Him as their Lord and Savior. The unbelievers do not have this freedom to choose and become His child. Without Christ, all of mankind is said to be slaves to sin and are held captive to do the devil’s will (2 Timothy 2:26). They are his children, he is their father (John 8:44). The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus came to give freedom to the prisoners and to release the oppressed (Luke 4:18). Receiving Him as your Lord and Savior grants you the right of access to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. When we say “no” to sin we are saying “yes” to the power of God that enables us to become an overcomer and partake of His Divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4). This choice to change isn’t even an option for the unbeliever. They could choose to not take part in certain sins but it will not change their status or image before God. The Father must see the image of His Son, Jesus Christ, in us because it is only His sacrifice on the cross at Calvary that is acceptable in His sight. This is why it is so crucial for a Christian to not fight against the work of the Holy Spirit within us to transform us, but to “work together” with Him, not receiving the grace of God in vain which means “empty, vain, fruitless, and without effect.” The Second Death And The Overcomer In one of His letters written to the seven churches in Revelation, Jesus warned the church in Smyrna of what they were about to go through. He said to them; “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.” (Revelation 2:10-11/NIV)

After warning them of their coming persecution, Jesus then says that if they overcome by being faithful, even when faced with death, that they “will not be hurt at all by the second death.” There are two questions that come to mind here; “What is the second death?” and “What is an overcomer?” Since the Bible is in and of itself its best commentary, let’s look at some Scripture passages. In Revelation, chapter twenty, John says that he saw an angel come down from heaven who threw Satan into the abyss and bound him for a thousand years. He then saw thrones where judgment was taking place. He also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and the word of God. Because they had not worshipped the beast or received his mark, they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years (Revelation 20:1-4). John then writes; “The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:5-6/NASU) There is an old saying; “Born once, die twice. Born twice, die once.” To die on earth in Christ, having been born again, is to partake of the first resurrection. For these saints the second death has no power. But we still have not read exactly what the second death is. John says that when the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison and will once again deceive the nations. He will gather them together to go fight against the saints. It’s described as a very short campaign. Fire comes down from heaven and devours them. It is at this point that the devil is thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false prophet are also (Revelation 20:7-10). John then saw God on a great white throne where the dead were being judged. Books were being opened, including the book of life, and they were being judged from the things which were written in them, “according to their works” (Revelation 20:11-13). He then declares; “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:14-15/NASU)

And there it is; “the second death is the lake of fire.” Possibly to reinforce what it is, John repeats the identity of the second death as well as the “overcomer” who not will partake of it a few verses later; “He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:7-8/NASU) May the fear of the Lord overwhelm our hearts in order to move us quickly under His wings of protection while His invitation to draw near through repentance is still attainable.

Chapter Twelve

Potential vs. Reality

ne of the definitions for potential is, “having or showing the capacity to become or develop into something in the future.” According to the Collins English Dictionary;

“If you say that someone or something has potential, you mean that they have the necessary abilities or qualities to become successful or useful in the future… If you say that someone or something has potential for doing a particular thing, you mean that it is possible they may do it.” Having the potential to become something does not mean that you automatically develop into that something. You can have the potential to become many things in life, but never develop into that which was possible. For example, a man or woman could have been born with incredible athletic or musical abilities but that does not mean that they will excel in either. If they lack the character qualities necessary to be successful in their area of possibility they will most likely never become what they could have been. Peter tells us that God’s Divine power has given us everything we need (i.e. the potential) in regards to life and godliness through the “true knowledge,” or truth of Christ that, when applied, causes us to become partakers of the Divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). A follower of Christ (i.e. Christian) has been given the potential, or the “right to become the sons of God” which, as I said, is the right of access to the power of the Holy Spirit. This privilege, this potential in Christ is a right that can be denied, though, through rebellion and disobedience. Peter then gives us a list of qualities that, when becoming ours in increasing measure, will keep us from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ. These qualities are the potential that we have to be an overcomer in Christ, thereby qualifying us to receive the crown of life (Revelation 2:10-11). Peter continues, saying;

“For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent [“to hasten, to exert oneself”] to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.” (2 Peter 1:9-11/NASU) Potential alone, which are the promises alone, are not enough to have the entrance into eternal life in Christ “abundantly supplied” to you and I. It is only through our diligence in putting these qualities into practice, working together with the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 6:1), that we will never stumble and fall away from Christ. Not only will we never stumble but it is the only way that we will be qualified to reign and rule with Christ in the coming age. Jesus said to the church in Thyatira; To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery’— just as I have received authority from my Father. (Revelation 2:26-27/NIV) Jesus clearly states that the key to receiving His authority over the nations is in becoming an overcomer who does His will, “to the end.” In the same manner, the key to Jesus’ authority while on earth was His submission to the Father’s will. When we stumble it is because we did not work together with the Holy Spirit. It is mankind’s fallen, independent spirit that fights against God’s will (i.e. the spirit of anti-Christ), thereby not allowing us to fully enter into our potential in Christ. One of the definitions for charis (khar'-ece), the Greek word we interpret as “grace,” is “the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life” (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance). The divine influence upon the heart is the receiving of the potential in Christ granted to all who turn to Him through repentance. The reflection in the life, of His life, is the desired reality that can only occur as we walk in obedience. Sin and rebellion in the Christian’s heart are what cut off the flow of God’s life within us and, therefore, to the world. Stained Garments In His message written to the church in Sardis, the Lord warned them to wake up and strengthen the things that were about to die. They had not yet

completed their works. The Lord then told them to remember what they had received and to repent or they would not know at what time He would come to them. Many today within the church are in the same state of spiritual blindness. There were some who were considered to be worthy because they had not “soiled their clothes,” symbolizing their walk of purity with the Lord. They had not stained their garment of salvation. Jesus then declared to them; “He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 3:5-6/NASU) This is an extremely serious statement that many have, unfortunately, erased from their book of truth. By not persevering in Christ, desiring to do His will to the end so as to become an overcomer, they had caused some heavenly ink written in their name to disappear (in Chapter Twenty Six, Disappearing Ink, we will discuss this further). May we be encouraged to keep the faith, persevering in obedience to Christ so as not to shrink back in shame at His return which, I believe, is very close. Knowing the time is late, even the midnight hour, the Lord would encourage all of us to remain near Him. To the faithful among His children He declares; “Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 3:10-13/NASU) In the New Testament, James describes the difference between a hearer and a doer of the word of God. He exhorts us, saying; “…get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” (James 1:21/NIV)

Being able to hear and understand the word of God is not the end itself, but rather the revealing of the way of life that a person who has turned to Christ must still choose whether or not he or she will obey. To obey is to be set free. To disobey after turning to Christ is to remain in bondage. The word of God CAN save us, IF we hear and then DO what the Spirit is saying. This struggle is every Christian’s. Some sins are easier to overcome while others take longer, possibly even a lifetime. The Word Of God’s Grace In his farewell to the elders of the church in Ephesus, Paul warned them that after he left men who were “savage wolves” would come into their midst who would alter the truth. They would do this in an attempt to gain disciples for themselves; “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Acts 20:29-32/NIV) The word of God’s grace is that which “can build you up” and give us our inheritance in Christ. The Greek for “build you up” is oikodomeo (oy-kodom-eh'-o). It’s defined as “to build a house, erect a building.” Metaphorically speaking it means, “to promote growth in Christian wisdom, affection, grace, virtue, holiness, blessedness.” The Greek for the simple word “can” or, “is able” in other versions of the Bible, is even more significant. It is dunamai (doo'-nam-ahee) which is described as “to be able or possible, to have power.” In this passage of Scripture we understand that it is through the grace of God that we receive access to the power of God that is able to build us up in Christ thereby qualifying us to receive the eternal inheritance in Him. The issue that I see presently within the church in America, and many other countries where we have exported our harlotries, is the lack of “true knowledge.” God’s people are not being taught the truth from our spiritual leaders pertaining to the matter of God’s building codes. Most have little understanding of the necessity of looking for themselves to have the way revealed in which we MUST go so as to stand firm until the end thereby gaining God’s approval and receive eternal life in Christ.

The truth regarding “the right [“power”] to become the sons of God” (John 1:12) has been removed by savage wolves who have been deceived by the devil. Their false gospel that has been readily accepted as truth by so many in the church who are too lazy to look for themselves will cause them to shipwreck their faith in the great falling away right before the return of Christ if they do not repent (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4). The exhortation of Paul to, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved [“accepted, pleasing”], a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth [i.e. the gospel]” (2 Timothy 2:15/NIV) is, because of a false sense of security, not taken seriously. Many do not see or understand the need to diligently continue in obedience to Christ in order to be brought to completion, or “perfection” in Him. The storm that has begun within our land, and our world, will test the integrity of what each of us has built. Only that which has been built up per the Holy Spirit’s guidance rather than the wisdom of men will be left standing. When Paul and Silas went to the synagogue of the Jews in Berea they found those who looked in the Scriptures to see if what they were being taught was the truth; “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed…” (Acts 17:11-12/NASU) Their eagerness to know the truth resulted in many believing in Jesus Christ, the Truth, as their Messiah. Their searching of the Scriptures “to see whether these things were so” revealed their heart’s desire to know the truth. Because of this they were not seduced and taken captive “through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” (Colossians 2:8) It has been said that we must be careful to not measure the Scriptures by what the man says, but to measure the man by what the Scriptures say. In order to be considered as being “noble-minded” in God’s eyes we must, therefore, take the time to know and understand His word so as to measure properly.

Chapter Thirteen

Acting Wickedly Toward The Covenant

n chapter nine we read in Revelation 2:10-11 that, “He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.” The Greek for “hurt” is adikeo (ad-ee-keh'-o) which means “to hurt, damage, harm.” It’s also defined as “to act unjustly or wickedly, to sin; to wrong someone, to act wickedly toward him.” Interestingly, in the book of Daniel which goes handin-hand with Revelation in regards to prophesying about the last day events, he mentions certain people who “act wickedly toward the covenant.” (Daniel 11:32/NASU) In a very detailed account revealed to Daniel regarding future conflicts on earth, he is told of a continuous struggle that lasts for a period of years between a certain king of the North and a king of the South. At one point these two kings whose hearts, he says, are bent on evil will sit down together at a table and lie to each other. This sounds very similar to all of our modern day peace agreements which are always broken. They will never bring peace on earth because only Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, can and will eventually do that. Daniel is then told the following scenario that will take place between these two kings; “Then he [the king of the North] will return to his land with much plunder; but his heart will be set against the holy covenant, and he will take action and then return to his own land. At the appointed time he will return and come into the South, but this last time it will not turn out the way it did before. For ships of Kittim will come against him; therefore he will be disheartened and will return and become enraged at the holy covenant and take action; so he will come back and show regard [“respect, favor”] for those who forsake the holy covenant. 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. By smooth words [“flattery, fine promises”] he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength [“to fasten upon, to be strong, to be firm, to be courageous, to conquer”] and take action.” Daniel 11:28-32/NASU) The Hebrew for “forsake” is `azab (aw-zab'). It is defined as “to leave, to loose, to forsake, to let go, to depart from, to apostatize.” Those who “forsake the holy covenant” are those who through negligence in their Christian walks have loosed themselves from Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. That which through rebellion and disobedience has been loosed on earth is then loosed in heaven. The great falling away from the faith right before the return of Christ that Paul prophesied of will be by those who “forsake the holy covenant” in Christ. The smooth words (flattery) of this king that he will use to “turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant” are the same manpleasing, demonic methodology of the “ear-tickling” preachers Paul referred to in his letter to Timothy; “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled [“desirous of hearing something pleasant”], they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4/NASU) In his letter to the Romans, Paul would once again warn the church of these smooth-talking deceivers that would surely show up in their midst, just as they have today in the church; “I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.” (Romans 16:17-18/NIV) This is nothing new among God’s people. His indictment of the Israelites in Isaiah who were rebellious against Him included their desire for smooth words;

“For this is a rebellious people, false sons, sons who refuse to listen to the instruction of the Lord; Who say to the seers, ‘You must not see visions’; and to the prophets, ‘You must not prophesy to us what is right, speak to us pleasant words [“smoothness, flattery”], prophesy illusions.’” (Isaiah 30:9-10/NASU) The Hebrew for “act wickedly” in Daniel, chapter eleven, is rasha‘ which means “to be wicked, act wickedly.” According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words; “This verb is derived from the noun rasa‘. There is a similar root in Ethiopic and Arabic, with the respective meanings “to forget” and “to be loose.” This verb appears in 2 Chronicles 6:37: “Yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly.” This is the second definition within the Hebrew words in this passage in Daniel that refers to being loosed. From this we can see that those who can be swayed with smooth words, in particular during the great falling away from Christ at the end of this age, will be those who have acted wickedly toward their covenant with Christ. They have “hurt” their relationship with Christ by turning away from Him and will therefore be “hurt” by the second death. False doctrines have led them to falsely believe, in presumption, that they are secure even when walking in rebellion against Christ. Covenant breaking is still a serious offence. In contrast, “the people who know their God will display strength [“to fasten upon, to be strong, to be firm, to be courageous, to conquer”] and take action.” They are the conquerors, the overcomers in Christ who will do great and mighty acts in the last days. The King James Version says; “but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” These are the “doers” of God’s word who will “take action” in the end and do great exploits. To know God is “to perceive, to know by experience, to confess, to acknowledge.” As we learned earlier through Romans 1:28, those who suppressed the truth in unrighteousness, who knew God but did not honor Him as God in their life and had exchanged His glory and truth for a lie, were then given over to a depraved mind to do that which was sinful in God’s eyes. Paul said this took place because “they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God,” or “to acknowledge God any longer.” Remember, to acknowledge in this passage is “to have, to hold fast, keep, own, possess.” To be given over is “to be given into the hands, or power, of another.” Because they did not think it worthwhile to keep God in their lives

through a diligent walk of obedience to His commands, they, like those in Daniel, chose to “act wickedly toward the covenant” thereby loosing themselves from their inheritance in Him (Jeremiah 17:4). By letting go of Christ and not repenting they were given into the power and control of Satan. By their actions they have denied Jesus Christ from being their Lord (Titus 1:16). Because they did not confess Him before mankind through an exchanged life that they were given access to, revealing themselves as an overcomer, they were overcome by the spirit of antichrist (1 John 4:1-3). The Power Of God And The Abilities Of Man In the parable of the talents, Jesus spoke to His disciples about a man who was about to go on a long journey. He said; “For it [the Kingdom of Heaven] is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey.” (Matthew 25:14-15/NASU) This man, referred to as the master, had entrusted what he owned to his slaves. Jesus said he gave to each of them according to their own ability. When he returned, they would be required to give an account of what they had been given to take care of. There are a couple of words to define in this passage that stood out to me. The first word is the Greek for “entrusted” which is paradidomi (par-ad-id'o-mee). According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, it’s defined as “to give over into (one's) power or use; to deliver to one something to keep, use, take care of, manage.” The second Greek word is dunamis (doo'-nam-is) which is interpreted as “ability.” It just happens to be taken from dunamai (doo'-namahee) which is the Greek interpreted in Acts 20:32 as “can”, or “is able” which we spoke of in the previous chapter. Dunamis is described as “force, strength, ability, power.” Through these words, I believe that Jesus is saying He has entrusted to each one of His servants abilities that, when combined with His available power, empower us to fulfill our God-given purpose and call. It’s not by human might or power but by His Spirit that we are able to do His will, as we work together, and become a good and faithful servant. Within the rest of the parable Jesus shows us that it is these abilities given to us by Him that every Christian will give an account of. We will not be held accountable for what others have been given, but only for our usage of the abilities that we have received from Him.

The Bible tells us the first two servants took what they had received and gained more. Their master then said to them, “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” (Matthew 25:19-23) The third servant, Jesus said, dug a hole and hid his master’s talents in it. When it was his turn to explain what he had done with His master’s possessions entrusted to him the response was not in the least bit favorable. Jesus said; “Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless [“useless, unprofitable, good for nothing”] servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” (Matthew 25:24-30/NIV) Obviously, Jesus is referring to Himself in this parable. While He has been gone, He has entrusted His servants with His possessions. This parable should cause all Christ followers to take a serious look at our lives to determine what kind of servant we are. To obediently work together with the Holy Spirit who gives us the strength to do what we have been called to do is to also be granted great authority in the age to come, and to enter into “the joy of your Master.” The writer of Hebrews refers to this joy, saying; “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1-3/NIV)

Jesus, who in this parable is referring to His followers, said the wicked, lazy servant who did nothing with that which he was entrusted with had it taken away from him and given to the one with many talents. As if this wasn’t enough, the “worthless slave” was then cast out into the outer darkness, “where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” This same place of terrible suffering is described multiple times by Jesus (Matthew 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13). One of them is similar to the passage we have been looking at. The disciples had asked Jesus about His return and the end of the age. During His discussion with them He again spoke of the faithful and wise servant and the wicked servant. Because the servant was faithful in giving food at the “proper time” to those with whom he had been given charge of, Jesus said; “I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.” (Matthew 24:47/NIV) The wicked servant who was not so attentive to his Christian walk, Jesus said, was not so fortunate; “But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 24:48-51/NIV) We dare not miss what Jesus warned His disciples of in these two passages. In the first one He clearly states that if His servants do nothing with what He has given them, that even what they have will be taken away and they will be cast out from His presence into a horrific place. The second is even more alarming. Jesus said that not only will the wicked servant be assigned a place with the hypocrites where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, but that they will be cut in pieces! This should place the fear of the Lord to keep our wandering hearts in check. Where is the doctrine of eternal security in this!? All that doctrine of demons has done in the Body of Christ is to produce a whole lot of unprepared servants of Jesus who, with a false sense of security, will shrink back in shame at His coming. Interestingly enough, according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, one of the definitions for the Greek word we interpret in English as “wicked” in Matthew, chapter 25 where Jesus describes the lazy servant of Jesus is

“hurtful.” This is another description of those in the Body of Christ who have “acted wickedly toward the covenant” and will be hurt by the second death. A Heart Condition In the parable of the sower, Jesus describes various heart conditions, soil being the picture, of those who hear the word (seed) of His invitation to turn to Him in repentance and be saved. One of the heart types is compared to that of rocky soil. Jesus said; “Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy [the same ones who received Him in John 1:12]; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away.” (Luke 8:13/NASU) Rocky soil Christians are those who believe for a while, but instead of trusting God during the time of temptation, looking to Him for strength to stand firm and thereby grow more deeply rooted in Christ through their access to the power of the Holy Spirit, they give in. In so doing they become a “shallow-root” Christian that cannot withstand the strong winds of opposition. Every Christian, especially early on in their walk, has experienced this moment of defeat. It is not meant to condemn us but rather to reveal our need of dependence upon the Lord to be an overcomer, in particular in our area of weakness. Standing firm allows for the roots in Him to grow deeper, bringing us to a greater level of maturity and stability in Him. This is what trials are designed by God to do. Times of testing are the Divine method of growing up in Christ. When we choose to obey, our hearts are strengthened, developing our trust in His faithfulness toward us. When we choose to not obey, we can be restored through repentance, learning in the process what to do, or not to do, when faced with our next trial or temptation. Believers in Christ who continue in sin without repentance, after turning to Him, are those whom Paul describes in the great falling away from the faith that will take place right before His return (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). They are the sons and daughters of destruction who exalted themselves rather than Christ, shipwrecking their faith. They chose to sit on the seat of His throne within them, making themselves lord. Their continuous rebellion against Christ’ lordship caused them to drift away from the love of the truth that could have saved them if they would have stood firm until the end (2 Thess. 2:10; Matthew 10:22, 24:13; Rev. 3:11). They have the appearance of being godly but, by choice, have denied the power of God within them to be an overcomer. Because of this they are always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of truth which they

oppose vigorously. They have been given over to their corrupt mind. As far as the completion of their faith is concerned, they have been disqualified from the race of salvation and the prize of eternal life (2 Timothy 3:1-9, 1 Corinthians 9:27). This is the extreme danger in resisting and thereby grieving the Holy Spirit.

Chapter Fourteen

The Perfect Result

ccording to James, our trials are designed to produce endurance, which means, like a runner, to keep going in the race we have entered in Christ, with steadfastness of spirit. He says;

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing [“proving”] of your faith produces endurance [“steadfastness, a patient enduring, a cheerful or hopeful endurance”]. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect [“complete, finished”] and complete [“complete in every part, entire, whole”], lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4/NASU) As every runner knows, a good start does not guarantee a good finish. Endurance developed through training is necessary for completing the race. We must remain near the Lord, trusting Him during our times of proving so that our roots in Him will grow deep thereby enabling us to weather the storms of life and complete the course laid out before us. As stated more than once already, as we obediently work together with the Holy Spirit, not receiving His grace toward us in vain (2 Corinthians 6:1), He will bring us to completion, or perfection in Himself, at His return. This is our hope of gaining His glory, of becoming His sons through hearing and doing the truth (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). James goes on to say in his discussion of being a doer of the word, not just a hearer; “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude [“to deceive by false reasoning”] themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was [2 Peter 1:9]. But one who looks intently

[“to look carefully into, inspect curiously”] at the perfect [same Greek word in James 1:2-4] law, the law of liberty, and abides by it [NKJV- …and continues in it], not having become a forgetful [“negligence”] hearer but an effectual doer [KJV/NKJV – a doer of the work], this man will be blessed in what he does.” (James 1:22-25/NASU) The law of liberty, the law of freedom in Christ is the freedom to choose. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines liberty as; “The quality or state of being free, freedom from physical restraint, the power to do as one pleases, the power of choice.” The English by Oxford Dictionary defines it as; “The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behavior, or political views.” A free nation, therefore, is one that allows for its citizens to freely make choices, within the boundaries of the laws that govern it. This is the picture of the Kingdom of God that has been expressed throughout history within free nations. Their fall is the other example of what occurs when a free people misuse and neglect their freedom. It is this same neglect of their freedom in Christ through which Christians can also fall away with an apostate heart. One day, while teaching His disciples, Jesus made the following declaration to them regarding the connection between not doing what He says and the great falling away from Him among His followers; “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell — and great was its fall.” (Matthew 7:21-27/NASU) Per Jesus, the falling away from Him will occur among His disciples who have been given ears to hear His word, but do not do what He says. The quickly approaching storm of His righteous judgment will reveal the truth regarding the foundation of our faith. If we have given the Lord lip service

without obedience we will fall during the flood of His wrath, and as He said, great will be that fall. After declaring the supremacy of Christ over angels, and of His authoritative word over theirs, the author of Hebrews says; “For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Hebrews 2:1-3/NASU) To “neglect” our salvation is, by definition, “to be careless of it, to make light of it.” The writer of Hebrews is warning us to be careful not to “drift away” from what we have heard, believing that we are above judgment when we walk in careless neglect of the right to His salvation granted to those who have received Him. Freedom in Christ is not a free pass to continue in sin with an unrepentant heart. Later in the book of Hebrews we are given an even stronger warning concerning our negligence in handling this great salvation we have been given the right to. It says in chapter ten; “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received [again, these are those who received Him in John 1:12] the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled [which means “to treat with rudeness and insult, to treat with insulting neglect”] the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ and again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:26-31/NIV) We cannot say this warning is strictly for unbelievers. This passage clearly states the context of those who will receive this judgment as those who have “received the knowledge of the truth,” making it their own, and are then disrespectfully treating the blood of the covenant that sanctified them (an unbeliever is never referred to as being sanctified in the Bible), and “insulted the Spirit of grace.” To make his point even clearer the writer of Hebrews says; “The Lord will judge his people.” This warning is irrefutably directed toward those of us who

have turned to Christ, telling us to be careful how we respond to the words of God spoken to us through Jesus and the freedom we possess in Him. The fear of the Lord is to keep us from drifting away from our secure place in Christ. The doctrine of demons remove this healthy guardrail of fear and respect, stating it can never happen, even when you continue in willful rebellion after receiving Christ. The Law Of Liberty Countries with oppressive governments do not allow much freedom for their citizens. They are told what they can and cannot do by those who rule over them with an unyielding hand of control. This is a picture of those who are held in bondage to sin and, therefore, the oppression of the devil. In their book America’s Providential History, Mark Beliles and Stephen McDowell give the following explanation of what they refer to as “God’s Pathway To Liberty”; “God’s pathway to liberty is from the internal to the external. God’s desire is for an eternal expression of His Kingdom on earth. Yet it must first begin in the heart of man, and then it will naturally express itself externally in all aspects of society. The Bible reveals that ‘where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty’ (2 Corinthians 3:17). When the Spirit of the Lord comes into the heart of a man, that man is liberated. Likewise, when the Spirit of the Lord comes into a nation, that nation is liberated. The degree to which the Spirit of the Lord is infused into a society (through its people, laws, and institutions), is the degree to which that society will experience liberty in every realm (civil, religious, economics, etc.). Christ came to set us free (Gal. 5:1, 3). Spiritual freedom or liberty ultimately produces political freedom. External political slavery reflects internal spiritual bondage… Christian reforms within a nation do not begin with external or violent means (quite a contrast to Marxist/Communist “reforms” we see today), but they begin within… Through Christ, God releases the “Law of Liberty” into society through the cleansed hearts of men (James 1:25 and 2:12). The self-governing Christian is governed by the internal law written on his heart interpreted by the Holy Spirit… The more a nation applies His law, the more that nation will prosper and walk in liberty. The degree which a people apply the law personally [doers of the word, not hearers only] will be reflected through their governmental institutions, for the law flows from the heart of man out to the nation.” (p.2627)

As we just saw in James 1:22-25, blessings in what we do flow through those who continue abiding in the law of liberty. Jesus said to a group of Jews that had believed in Him; “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham's descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:31-36/NASU) The Greek we interpret in English as “continue” is meno [men'-o] which means “to remain, abide, to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy).” For the Christian, continuing in the word through obedience, repenting when we sin, is the way to continued freedom in Christ. Remaining near Him is to remain in Him. We have been given the promises of God in His word that if we will persevere, getting back up when we stumble through confession of our sin, that eventually He will set us free indeed. This is why the devil attacks me when I sin against God’s word. He knows that I desire to obey, and have been given much in regards to the truth of God’s will. When I fall into a sin, feeling terrible because of conviction, he then heaps great condemnation on me in hope that I will not turn back to the Lord with a repentant heart and be restored. I believe His plan is to get us so discouraged that we will give up looking for deliverance, even justifying our sin in some way, and to stop working together with the Holy Spirit in His pruning process of sanctification. In other words, he wants us to quit in hopes of having us remain in bondage under his power of influence. John exhorts us not to walk in agreement with the devil, saying; “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8/NASU) To be “free indeed” (John 8:36) is, by definition of the Greek, to be that which is “truly, in reality, in point of fact [free], as opposed to what is pretended, fictitious, false, or conjectural [“hypothetical, speculative, theoretical”].” This is the power of truth, and the reason why the devil works so hard at injecting falsehood into the church. It is only by the hearing, and

then doing of the truth that we will, in actuality, be set free rather than in doctrinal theory only. Thankfully, unless we resist Him, the Holy Spirit is there to help us by providing His strength for our weakness. The Spirit of the Lord is the only way for mankind to experience true freedom, an eternal freedom. Paul said; “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2 Corinthians 3:17/NASU) As I said earlier, a person can be living in a free country and yet be enslaved on the inside. Conversely, someone may be living in an oppressive nation and experiencing the freedom within that only Christ can supply. It is only through our continuing in obedience to “the perfect law, the law of liberty” that we, the Body of Christ will receive the “perfect result” of being made “perfect [“mature”] and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:4) This is the ultimate goal of our faith; complete freedom in Christ! Paul refers to this Divine liberty when he writes of the building up of the Body of Christ, of our attaining “to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness [“completion”] of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-13) This is the perfecting of the Body of Christ, of our being made complete in every part, a body without blemish or defect, wholly sanctified. I see this glorious moment drawing near. In his letter to the church in Thessalonica, Paul said; “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely [“complete to the end”]; and may your spirit and souls and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23/NASU) This is the “perfect result”; our eternal preservation as a people “without blame” at the coming of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!

Chapter Fifteen

Wholly Illumined With No Dark Part

he Bible declares that when Jesus returns, His Body will finally be a complete, perfected Body that is full of light, with no darkness in it. We will be wholly illumined, full of God’s glory, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays. This is the promised hope of gaining God’s glory that those who the writer of Hebrews described as having great faith never received. We are told this occurred so that apart from us they would not be made “perfect” (Hebrews 11:39-40). I believe the day draws near when we will finally become one complete Body in Christ that is full of His light. In a discussion with His disciples regarding light and darkness, Jesus made the following statement; "If therefore your whole [“complete”] body is full of light, with no dark part [“a division or share”] in it, it will be wholly [“completely”] illumined, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays." (Luke 11:36/NASU) In order for the Body of Christ to gain God’s glory and be “wholly illumined” there will have to be the removal of all darkness from our midst. The intense trials of the final days of this age will accomplish this. It will be used to cleanse all remaining “dark parts” from within each one of us who are alive and remain at Christ’ return. We will either allow the fire of God to purify us, separating us from internal darkness, or it will separate us from Christ. Either way, as in the beginning of creation, God will once again separate the light from the darkness per our choice.

In John we read of Jesus’ last supper with His disciples. During their time together, Jesus washed their feet, giving them an example of what He wanted them to do to each other; “Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. And so He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, ‘Lord, do You wash my feet?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What I do you do not realize now, but you shall understand hereafter.’ Peter said to Him, ‘Never shall You wash my feet!’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part [“a division or share, lot, destiny”; same Greek word interpreted as “part” in Luke 11:36] with Me.’ Simon Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.’ Jesus said to him, ‘He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.’ For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’” (John 13:5-11/NAS) When Jesus tried to wash Peter’s feet he strongly objected. Jesus answered him, saying; “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” In other words, “Peter, if you don’t allow me to wash your dirty feet, the part that is the closest to the earth and therefore becomes ‘unclean’ through close contact, you will have no part, or share in Me. You will never reach your destiny (potential) in Me.” The present issue of the Body of Christ needing cleansing from all dark parts within us is that serious. This is the last washing by Jesus of His “feet,” the portion of His Body on earth. We dare not refuse Him. (For much more regarding the final cleansing of the Body of Christ, see my book 911; God’s Final Offer To The Church. In 2013 I was given a strong warning from God to let His people know that we are in the last window of opportunity to prepare our hearts in obedience in order to be prepared and protected when He brings judgment on our land.) One day a large crowd came to Jesus and He taught them many things in parables. One of them was about tares being sown among wheat in a certain man’s field. He said that while his workers were sleeping his enemy came and sowed the undesirable plants that resemble wheat but are actually weeds. Once the wheat matured and bore grain, the tares became obvious. When the workers asked whether or not they should gather them up the owner of the field said; “No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the

harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.’” (Matthew 13:24-30/NASU) Again, harvest time is a time of separation. At the end of this age, we will separate ourselves from the darkness or be separated from the Body of Christ and thrown into the fire. This is the final gathering of God’s people. Up until this point, both the righteous and the wicked have been allowed by God to grow together in His church. That has begun to change. Because the Lord is about to act in an extremely decisive manner, and is not willing that any should perish, especially among His own people, He is crying out through His messengers, saying, “Come out and be separate!” so as to be a people made ready for His return (Rev. 18:4-5, 2 Cor. 6:17-18, Math. 25:6). After leaving the crowds, Jesus’ disciples came to Him and asked for an explanation of the parable of the tares. His disciples do the same thing today. He said to them; “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” (Matthew 13:36-43/NASU) This parable is one more teaching of Jesus about the “dark parts” being removed from His kingdom at the end of this age. They are defined as “all stumbling blocks and those who commit lawlessness” that are removed at harvest time and thrown into the furnace of fire. It’s a place where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Because the darkness has been removed, the willing Body will then be filled with the light of God, spotless and blameless before Him. The Greek for “stumbling blocks” is skandalon (skan'-dal-on). It’s defined as, “a trap-stick, or snare, any impediment placed in the way and causing one to stumble or fall.” Metaphorically speaking, it’s “any person or thing by which one is drawn into error or sin (‘entrapped’).” The Greek for “lawlessness” is anomia (an-om-ee'-ah) which means, “illegality, contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness.” Through these two definitions it becomes obvious that all those who reject God’s truth

and are used by the devil to lure others away from devotion to Christ through their error, choosing to not believe the truth revealed to them so as to be saved, will be gathered up and thrown into the fiery furnace of God’s judgment in the final harvest. They are the ones Paul said who “did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:12) Because of their removal, the rest of the Body will now “shine forth as the sun,” filled with the glory of God. In the previous verses from Matthew, chapter 13, Jesus quotes from Daniel which also refers to the time of the end; “Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued [“to save, to deliver, to preserve (1 Thess. 5:23; “preserved complete”)]. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. Those who have insight will shine brightly [“to gleam, to enlighten (by caution), to admonish, to warn”] like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” (Daniel 12:1-3/NASU) It was revealed to Daniel that in the time of great tribulation at the end of the age, Michael will rise up and rescue all whose names are written in “the book.” Like the star that led the wise men to Christ, those who have been given insight from the Lord will be used to enlighten others with the light they have received, leading them to righteousness in Christ. The Hebrew has the sense of not just giving insight, but of warning. Their word of warning will be used to awaken the sleeping church so as to make them ready for the Lord’s return. The Bible says these messengers filled with insight from God will shine brightly, “like the stars forever and ever.” Amen. The Sons Of Lawlessness Jesus said that those in His kingdom who commit lawlessness will be removed by the angels and thrown into the furnace of fire. As I mentioned earlier in chapter seven, He referred to these same people, saying; “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many

miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’” (Matthew 7:21-23/NASU) By definition, to depart from Christ is to be removed from being near Him. These “dark parts,” or people in the Body who practice lawlessness and are not doing the will of God, will be separated from Him. One of the definitions for “lawlessness” is “illegality.” While driving in the car one day, I heard a discussion on the radio regarding the issue of illegal aliens in America. As I was listening, the Lord revealed to me that there are also illegal aliens in His kingdom. They too want the benefits of living under His government without adhering to the laws that govern it. If they do not repent they will be removed. Many would say at this point that obviously these are not Christians since Jesus said He never knew them. Here’s something to think about in regards to that. Paul said in his letter to Timothy; “If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us.” (2 Timothy 2:12/NASU) The NIV version of the Bible says; “If we disown him, he will also disown us.” According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, to disown is “to refuse to acknowledge as one’s own; to repudiate [“to refuse to accept or have anything to do with”] any connection or identification with; to deny the validity or authority of.” The Cambridge English Dictionary defines disown as “to state that you no longer have any connection with someone that you used to be closely connected with.” From these definitions we can see that to disown someone is to reject them after having been close to them. Unfortunately, when this occurs in the world it’s usually a family member who is rejected due to a deep rooted conflict or argument. It’s as if the person who disowns never knew the one they were at one time very close too. They are treated as an outsider from the family. And so it is in the family of God per the inspired word of God. If we disown the Lord through our actions (Titus 1:16), He will disown us. It will be as if He never knew us. The spirit of denial is the spirit of antichrist that, if allowed to remain within the heart of someone who has received Christ, will cause them to be rejected and disowned by Him (1 John 2:22-24). Yes, He has promised to never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), and is extremely patient with us, but we can choose to deny His power to change us thereby forsaking Him. This is how serious it is as a Christian to deny the power of God within us (2 Timothy 3:5).

The Rest Of The Story The rest of the story regarding the Lord never leaving or forsaking us is found in Deuteronomy, chapter 31. I don’t believe that I have ever heard anyone preach from this. After his encouraging word to Joshua that the Lord would not leave or forsake him as he led the children of Israel into the land of their promised inheritance (Deuteronomy 31:7-8), the Lord said to Moses; “You are going to rest with your fathers, and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them. On that day I will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide my face from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and difficulties will come upon them, and on that day they will ask, ‘Have not these disasters come upon us because our God is not with us?’ And I will certainly hide my face on that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods.” (Deuteronomy 31:16-18/NIV) The Bible makes it clear, in the New Testament, that spiritual prostitution is still considered by God as a covenant breaking offense that will cause Him to leave and forsake the rebellious among His children. It is demonic that this warning of truth is never presented with the first portion. After quoting Hebrews 13:5 we then like to quote Hebrews 13:8 which says; “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” If we truly believe this then we have to also believe that “yesterday” He said that He would forsake those who forsake Him. In Paul’s comforting of the church in Thessalonica regarding the coming of the Lord, he gave the following exhortation; “Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together [“a complete collection, a gathering together in one place”] to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy [“defection from truth, a falling away, a revolt”] comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes [“lie opposite to, to oppose, an adversary”] and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he

who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless [“departing from the law, wicked”] one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming.” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-8/NASU) Paul clearly states that the “man of lawlessness/the son of destruction/that lawless one” will be revealed at the coming of Christ. I believe this is another reference to the dark parts in the Body of Christ who have disowned their Lord and not repented, as Peter did. Whether or not you believe the antichrist is a system, a specific individual, or both, know for certain that the spirit of antichrist is alive and well, preparing the way for this evil among those in the Body of Christ who act disrespectfully toward the covenant they willfully entered into with Christ (Daniel 11:32). The ones who take their seat in the temple of God, which is now within us (2 Cor. 6:16), are those who make themselves lord through their choices. Due to the fallen nature that resides within mankind, all followers of Christ will have their moments of revolt in the process of sanctification, but the ones who will gain God’s glory in the end are those who will choose to not remain there and will instead look for deliverance. Jesus said, “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.” (John 12:46/NASU) Covenant breakers are those whose hearts have become hard, again, through willful rebellion with no intent of turning back to the light. May we fearfully understand that the Bible makes it clear there is a line that, once crossed, makes it impossible to be brought back to repentance (Hebrews 6:4-6). Selfexaltation without repentance will cost many their place in Christ. This passage of Scripture also refers to the time of our being gathered together as one at the end of this age. It’s the gathering together of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13:30). He will slay the lawless ones in His kingdom with the breath of His mouth at the appearance of His coming. The Greek for “appearance” in 2 Thessalonians 2:8 above is epiphaneia [ep-if-an'-i-ah] from which we derive our English word epiphany. It’s defined as “a manifestation.” In the New Testament it occurs as the shining forth of the glory of the Lord. In His response to the disciples question about the signs of His coming and of the end of the age, Jesus said; “For just as the lightning [“bright shining”] comes from the east and flashes [“to bring forth into the light, cause to shine, to become evident”] even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matthew 24:27/NASU) At His return, the glory of the Lord will shine forth as the sun on His righteous ones that have remained near Him.

Chapter Sixteen

Denying The Power Of Liberty

or emphasis sake, let’s briefly look again at what Paul said in his second letter to Timothy, describing what it will be like in the last days, before the return of Christ. He says;

“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied [“to deny, renounce, reject, to disown, to refuse to acknowledge”] its power; Avoid such men as these.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5/NASU) One of the many descriptions from Paul is that men will be “holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power.” As we already saw, one of the definitions in the Greek for denied is “to disown.” It’s to reject what is offered. You cannot disown that which you have never owned, or been a part of the ownership of. Remember, in John’s letter he spoke of those who have received Christ and believed in His name. These believers have said “no” to the power of the Holy Spirit on the inside to be conformed to the likeness of Christ (i.e. the right to become children of God). After turning and gaining the ultimate privilege of being an owner (possessor) of Christ, they have, through great carelessness, forfeited the saving grace that was granted them. Through their opposition of the truth (again, the spirit of antichrist) they received His grace in vain which means it was “fruitless, without effect” (1 Cor. 15:10, 2 Cor. 6:1) God showed them grace and they rejected its inner working resulting in their being rejected.

It is only as we join Christ in His death, not living for our wills, that the power of God’s covenant is manifested in and through us. The writer of Hebrews confirms this, saying; “For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. For a covenant is valid [“firm, secure”] only when men are dead, for it is never in force [“to be strong, to have power”] while the one who made it lives.” (Hebrews 9:16-17/NASU) When we continue to do as we please after turning to Christ, we negate His resurrection power. The covenant is firm and secure in Christ when I no longer live, but allow Christ to live in me (Galatians 2:20). Otherwise, we may, through continued resistance, become guilty of being a covenant breaker within whom the power of God makes no progress. God is extremely patient with His children for which I personally am very thankful, but the Bible is clear that He does possess a line that we dare not toy with. It helps to keep our wandering, fallen natures in check. The Body of Christ is currently in a window of opportunity to deal with sin and rebellion. It’s our last one before the judgment of God, and is closing quickly. Understanding the seriousness of the times we are in, may we all be encouraged to examine ourselves and truly sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts. (Again, see my book 911; God’s Last Offer To The Church for more insights.) The doors of the ark of His deliverance will soon close, ushering in the Day of the Lord’s wrath. He is a just and righteous God who will not let sin reign forever. His current patience with us, in particular the rebellious church in America, is to lead us to repentance. As the Lord declared to His people through the prophet Isaiah; “For the sake of My name I delay My wrath, and for My praise I restrain it for you, in order not to cut you off.” (Isaiah 48:9/ NAS) Jesus said in Matthew 10:32-33; “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns [denies] me before men, I will disown [deny] him before my Father in heaven.” (NIV) As previously emphasized, to deny the power of God is to deny the right granted through His power to transform us into a son and daughter of God. His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness so that we may become partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:2-4). Those who continue in the disowning of Christ by their actions of disobedience to His perfect law and the conviction of the Holy Spirit, thereby

allowing sin to harden their hearts, live in a dangerous state of delusion. In fact, Paul commanded us to “avoid such men as these.” Like rogue cancer cells in the human body, if left unchecked they will negatively affect many in the Body of Christ, causing some to even fall with a great crash in the apostasy prophesied for the final moments of this age before the Lord’s return. They are the “hidden reefs” within our assemblies that will cause others to shipwreck their faith (Jude 12). Knowing the return of Christ and the judgment of His Body draws near, we must lovingly confront for the sake of all involved. It is only by the power of God that we are protected through faithful obedience “until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:5/NIV) To Will And To Work For His Good Pleasure In his letter to the church in the city of Philippi, Paul exhorts the believers to continue in obedience, saying; “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear [“fear, dread, terror, respect, reverence”] and trembling [“a trembling, quaking with fear”]; for it is God who is at work in you [by His power], both to will and to work for His good pleasure [“will, choice”].” (Philippians 2:12-13/NASU) In this passage Paul exhorts us to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling.” It is very rare to hear anyone preach about this. The reason being most of our current doctrines do not teach the truth of these two verses. We like to proclaim the love of God, and rightfully so, but not the fearful side of Him because it makes people “uncomfortable.” For the salvation of His people, God will deal with this man-pleasing spirit that is so prevalent within the church in America. The devil’s doctrines remove ALL fear and trembling with the intent that we will become indifferent in our walk and not work together with the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 6:1) regarding the completion of our salvation (James 2:22). Because of this, the majority of the church now sleeps in apathy with a false sense of security, believing they are rich and in need of nothing. Praise God that, in His mercy, He has sent forth His minsters that are raising their voice like a trumpet, warning His people to wake up and get ready so as to be protected in the extreme judgments that will soon be poured out on earth. The definition in the Greek for “work out” in Philippians 2:12 is “to perform, accomplish, achieve, by implication to finish.” The majority of modern Christianity doesn’t believe that we have any work to do in the matter of finishing salvation. When reading these verses they never hear or see what

the Spirit is saying in order to produce the fear of the Lord in the church, so as to keep us from sinning (Exodus 20:20) and work together with the Holy Spirit. This is because they will not receive the truth regarding works as taught in the Bible. The question we need to answer is; “If someone says he has faith but he has no works, can that faith save him?” (James 2:14) The Bible actually mentions two different types of works in the New Testament. One is referred to as the works of law (Romans 3:28, Galatians 3:1-5), and the other, works of faith (James 2:14-26). The first type of works is led by the will of man, the second by the Spirit of God. Where there is no doing what the Spirit is saying, there will be no perfecting, no completion of our faith (James 2:22). This is the solemn significance of listening to the Lord, especially as we near the end of this age (Luke 8:18). (I have written a book about this called Works And Salvation for those who desire a greater depth of understanding.) In the book of Acts we read; “…the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.” (Acts 9:31/NASU) The reason we need to fear, as did the early church, is because of what we have already discussed. The right to become the children of God can be forfeited after receiving Christ (John 1:12) because of our denying the power of God that is at work in us, “both to will [“to desire, to be resolved or determined, to purpose”] and to work [“to be operative, be at work, put forth power”] for His good pleasure [“will, choice, delight, pleasure, satisfaction, desire”].” In His rebuke of Israel’s rebellion against Him, the Lord made the following declaration through Isaiah the prophet; “Sharon will be a pasture land for flocks, and the valley of Achor a resting place for herds, For My people who seek Me. But you who forsake the Lord, who forget My holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune [Gad], and who fill cups with mixed wine for Destiny [Meni; a god of fate who the Jews worshiped in Babylonia], I will destine you for the sword, and all of you will bow down to the slaughter. Because I called, but you did not answer; I spoke, but you did not hear. And you did evil in My sight and chose that in which I did not delight [“to be pleased with, to take pleasure in, to desire”].” (Isaiah 65:10-12/NASU)

Similar to what Paul spoke of in Philippians, the Israelites were not working “for His good pleasure,” for His will. They had forsaken the Lord and chose that which was not pleasing in His sight. Instead of working together with the Holy Spirit’s destiny for them, they chose to follow the Babylonian gods. The clear warning of the Bible is that without the doing of God’s will which is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit after we receive Christ, we will not receive what was promised (Hebrews 10:26). As pictured in type by the children of Israel in their wilderness journey, the promise alone was not enough to gain entrance into the Promised Land. Because of disobedience, after being set free from the bondage of Egypt, they rebelled in their journey, becoming enslaved again, and never entered in. The writer of Hebrews solemnly warned us of this, saying; “See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first… Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful [“to fear, be afraid”] that none of you [brothers in verse 12] be found to have fallen short [“to be in want of, lack”] of it.” (Hebrews 3:12-14, 4:1/NIV) The power of God within those who receive Christ is meant to bring our will into conformity to the will, or choice of God so that we will be saved. It is only as we submit to the Holy Spirit’s refining process of sanctification that we are conformed to the image of Christ. This does not mean that you will be perfectly obedient in your walk with Christ. You will, though, not excuse sin but repent as you look for the way of escape and long to be set free. Thankfully the Lord looks at the heart, judging the thoughts and intentions within us. Those who truly long to be set free from the sin that dwells within our imperfect spirits, believing the promise of perfection in Christ, will be more careful in regards to remaining near the Lord with a humble spirit of continued devotion to Him. Paul declared to us; “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men.” (2 Cor. 5:10-11/NIV)

As we near the end of this age and the completion (perfection) of the Body of Christ, may we be encouraged to â&#x20AC;&#x153;hold firmly till the endâ&#x20AC;? through continued obedience to the revealed will of God, repenting when necessary, so as not to shrink back in shame at His return (Hebrews 10:37-39).

Chapter Seventeen

Walk While You Have The Light

n a discussion with a crowd that had, once again, gathered around Him, Jesus said the following;

“For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have [“to have (hold) in the hand, to hold fast, to own, possess”] the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.” (John 12:35-36/NASU) Right before this, Jesus had given them a hint of how He was to die. To be sure, He would soon be gone from among them, but I also see a warning in this for those of us who walk with Him today (i.e. received Him, possess Him). As I have stressed numerous times already, we too are warned in the New Testament to be careful how we walk, after receiving Christ. In our earlier discussion regarding those who have received Christ and been given the right to become children of God (John 1:12), we saw that having the power to choose does not automatically mean that we will choose what is pleasing to the Lord. The daily battle within every Christian is to determine who will be Lord, Him or us. In the verse right before Luke 11:36 (see chapter fourteen) which spoke of the body being full of light with no dark part in it, Jesus made a seemingly strange warning. He said; “watch out that the light in you is not darkness.” How could the light in us become darkness? The answer is by not walking in obedience to what we have been given eyes to see and ears to hear. To believe in the light while we possess it is to trust and obey for there’s no other way to

become a son of light. To walk in disobedience is to cover His light that enlightens everyone and allow the darkness to remain empowered within. John continues in chapter twelve, saying; “though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him.” (John 12:37) He said this was to fulfill the word of Isaiah that spoke of the Lord hardening the hearts of those whom He had revealed Himself too because of their unbelief. He then quotes Isaiah 6:10 which says; “He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart and be converted [“to turn round, to bring back”] and I heal them.” (John 12:40/NASU) To heal is “to make whole (i.e. to free from error and sins).” It will only be those who turn around in repentance, when necessary, in these last moments of this age that will hold onto their place within the “wholly illumined” Body of Christ that will be full of light with no “dark part” in it. In His conversation regarding His Light in us, Jesus continued, as I quoted earlier, saying; “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.” (John 12:46/NASU) To not remain in darkness is, by Greek definition, “to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy), to abide, to remain as one is.” This is the intent of our right; to not remain in darkness, continuing to be the slave of sin, but to walk in the freedom that Christ granted us through His death and resurrection. It’s the Divine right of freedom to be free indeed. Jesus said; “If you continue [same Greek word as remain] in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:31-32/NASU) As stated, in Christ we have been given the freedom to choose whether or not we will continue in obedience to Christ’ commands. To continue in His word is to continue walking in His freedom through the power of the Spirit of liberty. To rebel against the leading of the Spirit is to remain, or be taken back into bondage. Paul said to the church in Corinth; “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that

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Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4/NASU) To hold fast the word by which we are saved is to retain it, to keep it secure by, again as I have said multiple times for reinforcement, working together with the Holy Spirit. In the parable of the lamp, Jesus warns His disciples concerning the extreme significance of listening through the picture of a lamp. He said; “Now no one after lighting a lamp covers [“to hide, veil, i.e. to hinder the knowledge of a thing”] it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light. So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.” (Luke 8:16-18/NASU) To be a good listener is to not only hear the word of the Lord but to then obey it. The right to hear and choose, remember, is only given to those who receive Him, to those who “believe in His name” and are “born of God” (John 1:12). To put the light we have received in Christ on a lamp is to make Him known publicly, before man, as we do in this world the good works we were created for in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:10). His works exalt Him. Our works led by the flesh rather than the Spirit exalt us. It is only when Jesus is lifted up that man can be drawn to Him. Otherwise, we draw people to ourselves, our church, our group, our thing, etc. To not do what we have heard from God is to cover His light before the world, hindering them from coming to the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus said; “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16/NASU)

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Keep Standing Firm Paul warned the church in Galatia to stand firm against the false brethren who had infiltrated their midst and desired to take them back into the bondage of following the law without the Spirit. He said; “…it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.” (Galatians 2:4-5/NASU) There will always be those who desire to take God’s people back into Egypt, the house of religious bondage. On the other hand, there will also be those who claim to have freedom in Christ but do not abide within the perfect law of liberty that leads to the freedom of Christ likeness. The Holy Spirit gives us discernment in these matters so as not to be deceived by either error. While warning the church of false teachers that will always be among us, Peter gave this solemn warning in regards to becoming entangled again in the defilements of the world, after turning to Christ; “These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity — for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing [“recognition, precise and correct knowledge”] our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known [“to become thoroughly acquainted with, to know accurately, to understand”] the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: ‘A dog returns to its vomit,’ and, ‘A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.’” (2 Peter 2:17-22/NIV) These false teachers that, at one time were given the same opportunity as the faithful to remain in Christ, but did not do what they first heard, will soon be exposed by the Holy Spirit as the modern day Ishbosheth’s, the “man of shame” (we’ll talk about him more later). The Lord has been mercifully calling out to them to repent but they will not listen. Their stiff-necked folly will be exposed and they will be destroyed.

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Paul warned the Christians in Galatia, and us today, to be careful how we handled this liberty from God. He told them; “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13/NASU) Peter also warned us concerning how to rightfully exercise our freedom in Christ. He said; “Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.” (1 Peter 2:16/NASU) Interestingly, it is as we willingly choose to become bondslaves of God that mankind finds the greatest expression of freedom on earth. As Paul said; “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm [“to persist, persevere”] and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1/NASU) The Answer So, to answer our original question at the beginning of chapter ten, “What is freedom in Christ?”, by biblical definition it is the “authority, power (of choice), privilege, liberty of doing as one pleases” that is only granted to those who turn in repentance to Jesus Christ. As discussed, the unbelievers do not have this “law of liberty” within to even choose. They are held captive by the devil to do his will (2 Timothy 2:26), and of the law that keeps mankind in the bondage of iniquity. After receiving this right of liberty through accepting Christ as your Lord and Savior, we now have the freedom, the power of choice to say “yes,” or “no” to His commands. To abide by God’s law, continuing in it through perseverance, is to experience the greatest freedom ever offered on earth. To walk continually in disobedience is to say no to the Divine privilege of choosing Christ’ offer of freedom from inner bondage, resulting in an apostate heart that falls away from Him. The believer that has continuously denied the conviction and power within of the Holy Spirit to say no to their ungodly desires (2 Timothy 3:5, Titus 2:11-14), and of being conformed to His image, is the one who is defined by God as receiving His grace in vain. It has had little to no effect within them. It would have been better that they never understood the way of righteousness and freedom in Christ than, having been given the “precise and correct knowledge” from God of it, to turn away from the holy commandment

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revealed to them (2 Peter 2:20-22). Their last state has become worse for them than the first state which was lost and not knowing. Judgment will be worse for those who know and then choose to turn away from what the Holy Spirit reveals as the way of liberty. After receiving Christ, they have treated with great insult His precious blood that purchased their freedom. When, as a Christian, we continue in sin without repentance, our hearts become hardened to the Spirit’s conviction. In so doing we are in grave danger of grieving Him and falling away with an apostate heart (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). This is the destructive spirit of antichrist (1 John 4:13) that, when allowed to remain within us, will shipwreck our faith. It is extremely critical that, after being set free by Christ, we heed Paul’s plea to keep standing firm and not be subject again to a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1). Be encouraged, church, to keep seeking things above in order to not shrink back in shame at the Lord’s imminent return. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, stay on the narrow path that leads to eternal life in Christ. There is another way, a broad way of least resistance which may seem right but in the end it will lead to death (Proverbs 14:12). “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.” (Revelation 22:14/NASU) May we be encouraged to live our lives in submission to the will of God, keeping our garments clean with the intent to one day, soon, hear Him declare, “Well done good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.” To God be the glory.

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Chapter Eighteen

Shelley’s Dream

while after her stroke, Shelley had a dream that would be followed by two more over a period of nearly one year, each one picking up where the other left off. In the initial dream she was walking on a well-defined path with other people. Along the way there were benches that you could sit on. Next to each one was an exit. She noticed that no one was taking advantage of the benches. In the dream, she became very fatigued as she was walking. She knew this path represented the Christian’s walk of salvation. At one point she sat down on one of the benches, telling the Lord that she was tired. While sitting, she watched as some of the people who came along exited off the path, choosing to not sit down and rest. She knew that once they exited they could never get back on the path. In her heart she knew that she was not exiting, but needed to stop and rest. Isn’t this true for all of us who are following Christ? Sometimes you just need to sit for a short time and get your strength back. Others leave the path, unfortunately, because of the difficulties encountered while on the journey. This necessary place of rest is from the Lord. He knows what we need at just the right moment if we’ll just surrender and trust Him. With or without Christ, difficult times to one degree or another are a guarantee in our walks through life. For the Christian, though, it is for a different reason. It is through these that we can grow, learning to walk by faith, not by sight. This is how we are stripped of self-reliance. He alone desires to be our Provider. It is crucial that we hold fast to Him along the way, looking for His promise of provision. Yes, He does promise to never leave us or forsake us, bringing us into the Promised Land, but, as I already said, the promise alone isn't enough for us to enter. The children of Israel also had a promise of entering in, but along the way most perished. The Bible tells us the reason they were unable to enter in was due to unbelief (Hebrews 3:19), which we discussed earlier, causing them

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to become “unbelieving believers.” Part Two A couple of weeks later, Shelley had another part of the same dream. She was sitting on a bench looking behind her. This time she could see where the exit path led to. It went down into a valley where there was a broad, paved road. Many people were going back and forth on this flat road, apparently laughing and having a good time. Shelley even recognized some of the people on this road that were from our town and claimed to be Christians. It was a party-like atmosphere where everyone was eating and drinking with no concern for what lie ahead. There also appeared to be what looked like concession stands where one could buy food and drinks. All of the people were oblivious to the paths destination. It was leading them to destruction! They had left the difficulties of the less defined, and increasingly steeper path that Shelley was on for the easier terrain of the broad road down below in the valley. I was reminded of Jesus’ warning to His disciples in Matthew; “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matthew 7:1314/NAS) Exiting the path of the sometimes difficult, confining ways of the Holy Spirit, for what appears to be the unrestricted freedom of the desires of the flesh, is too tempting for many. If we do not count the cost before committing to Jesus Christ, understanding through the revelation of the Holy Spirit that our journey of salvation includes fiery trials when necessary, we most likely will not finish. Difficult situations reveal exits in our hearts. They are escape routes of the flesh that can be used in case of emergency. To the upright in heart who are committed to the Lord and desire to stand firm, Proverbs declares; “Discretion will guard you, understanding will watch over you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things; from those who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; who delight in doing evil [2 Thessalonians 2:12], and rejoice in the perversity of evil; whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways.” (Proverbs 2:11-15/NASU) While Shelley was observing this scene before her in the valley, an older gentleman came up the narrow path and sat directly across from her on

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another bench. He told her his name was John and that his wife had died a couple of years before. They never had any children, leaving him with no immediate family for comfort and support. He was a retired business owner struggling with feelings of loneliness. Shelley was struggling with financial concerns. They both appeared to have what the other needed. It's interesting to me how much detail there was in the dream. The terrain on the path was now different from the first dream. It had become a narrow, straight path on a steep hill. The land was desolate this time, and there were no other people in sight. The further you walk with the Lord, the less traveled the path is. The path of least resistance is the broad path that many in the church will choose to travel on. Shelley said that it was interesting to her that he faced the valley, but never looked down towards it. Before he came, she had been looking behind her where she sat, noticing the scene below. As they talked, she asked him how he kept going. He said he kept his eyes on the path, explaining his apparent lack of concern for those on the broad road down in the valley. As they got up to leave together, Shelley reached out to get her big backpack that she was carrying with her. In it were water, food, a sleeping bag, and a big pillow. He told her to leave it behind. She said to him, “What will we do if we get thirsty, or hungry, or even tired along the way?” It was a barren path with nothing in sight. The older gentleman replied, “The Lord will provide for you what you need.” The weight of the pack, he said, would just end up tiring her out on the journey. She would have to leave behind all visible means of support, trusting the Lord for all her future needs. This is what has been happening to Shelley and I as we have traveled along the path of the Lord laid out before us. He has been slowly weaning us from all of man’s support in this world. We are learning the difficult lesson of leaving all behind and totally trusting Him for every provision, even in America. In reality, it is the only real secure place there is. We are very thankful, even though it has been so difficult. The glory that is yet to be revealed within us, and everyone else who totally commits to the Lord, will be worth it all. We will be forever grateful to Him for His grace and love that He so freely gives to those who are called by His name and remain faithful until the end. Part Three Almost one year later, Shelley had the third part to this dream. Strangely enough, each dream would start where the other left off. She had wrestled with God all night, pleading with Him for money to pay our bills. We desperately needed a breakthrough in our finances. She woke up crying many times throughout the night.

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The dream happened very early the next morning. It began with the elderly man, John, and her were walking up a narrow path. Eventually they reached a flat, grassy plain that looked almost like a park. It was a place where they could get a drink and rest. She couldn’t see the broad road behind her anymore. They had reached a height where it was no longer visible. Soon, another couple entered the plain. They looked to be middle aged. Shelley said that she wasn’t sure why they were there. She knew that she was there because of the financial need and that John was there because he needed companionship. Everyone had a need and this was the end of the path where all needs were met. The point of sharing this dream (of which there was more personal revelation given to us) is to reinforce the fact that there is a place in your journey on the path of salvation where, because of the hardship encountered while following Jesus Christ, a person can choose to exit, turning off to their own destruction. Proverbs 10:17 says; “He is on the path of life who heeds instruction, but he who forsakes reproof goes astray.” The Hebrew for astray is ta` ah (taw-aw'). It means “to err, to wander, to go astray.” It’s also used in speaking of a person who staggers about like a drunkard. Proverbs 21:16 declares; “A man who strays from the path of understanding comes to rest in the company of the dead.” Some in the Body of Christ need to quickly sober up before it’s too late and they exit, finding themselves in the “broad-road” congregation of the living dead. It’s a place of no return. This is the place Esau found himself in, rejected with no place for repentance (Hebrews 12:16-17).

Shelley's Perspective: I came home the latter part of February. It felt so good to be home. Through the Lord’s strength I had accomplished so much, and yet, so much more had to be done! I was happy to be home with our daughter from China. I knew that her distance from me was because of my absence for five weeks. I was fortunate to have our family watch her. She attached to them, and it took some time for her to get reacquainted with me. With much love and patience, she bonded relatively quickly. I still had a lot of therapy. I went three days a week, for three hours. I would come home exhausted. I slept most of the time. One assignment for my Speech Therapy was to read as many children's books out loud as possible. This was not only beneficial for me, but for Ana as well. She has a wonderful

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vocabulary with excellent language skills. I like to tell people that we learned to walk and talk together. She, along with my four other children, were my inspiration. I had to keep up with a toddler. It wasn't easy. Thank the Lord, that she was a tiny girl. She weighed only 11 pounds at 13 months old! God certainly knew what He was doing. March and April were not only a transition time for me, but for my family as well. Our oldest son, Brandon, was graduating from High School. We had planned a family vacation to Virginia before my stroke. We didn't want to disappoint the kids so we decided to pack our bags and go. This was extremely difficult for me, but I tried not to complain. I still got tired easily. I didn't know if I could manage the long fifteen hour car ride. Because of the brain trauma, my head felt like it was being squeezed. I've heard this is quite common for head injury patients. The vacation was not without complications, but it was what we needed as a family. During my illness, I tried to journal what I was feeling. On April 16, little did I know that what I was reading would in fact apply to what God was about to do in our family. I was reading out of the Streams In The Desert devotional, written by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman. The reading for that day was talking about Abraham's faith in Hebrews 11:8 when he heard the call of God to go, not knowing where he was going to. Here is an account of what I read; “Whither he went, he knew not; it was enough for him to know that he went with God. He leant not so much upon the promises as upon the Promiser. He looked not on the difficulties of his lot, but on the King, eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, who had deigned to appoint his course, and would certainly vindicate Himself. O glorious faith! This is thy work, these are thy possibilities; contentment to sail with sealed orders, because of unwavering confidence in the wisdom of the Lord High Admiral; willinghood to rise up, leave all, and follow Christ, because of the glad assurance that earth's best cannot bear comparison with heaven's least. F.B.M.” When Tim came home that evening, he told me what his work had offered him. [They had, per the Lord’s design, asked me to either commit long term with them or they would have to indefinitely let me go. I knew it was the Lord telling me that it was time to move on with Him. I had been feeling that it was time to go, but was waiting for Him to confirm it. He most definitely had!] I thought, “How are we going to manage without insurance?” Unlike Abraham, I was looking at the difficulties of my lot. I knew that Tim was a man of prayer and he never did anything without seeking the Lord first. How could he commit to something long term outside of the will of God? I wanted to know that he definitely would do nothing apart from hearing

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from Him. He assured me that he wouldn't. I knew that his commitment was to God alone. After everything God had taken us through, we knew this was His leading. Like Abraham, the life of faith would begin. Where God was leading us, we didn't know. My journal reading went on to say; “It is by no means enough to set out cheerfully with your God on any venture of faith. Tear into smallest pieces any itinerary for the journey which your imagination may have drawn up. Nothing will fall out as you expect. Your guide will keep to no beaten path. He will lead you by a way such as you never dreamed your eyes would look upon. He knows no fear, and He expects you to fear nothing while He is with you.” Besides me and a few faithful friends, Tim didn't receive any Godly advice about his decision. In fact, I found a letter addressed to him a few months later in our bathroom drawer that he had not shared with me. It was from a man with a large ministry who we had looked up to in the past. The letter stated that throughout his years of ministry, everyone he knew that had left their jobs as Tim was about to had made a grave mistake. It went on to warn him of the consequences he would face. Never once was there any reference to prayer or the leading of the Holy Spirit. I questioned Tim about the letter and why he hadn't said anything about it. He said that he did not want me to get upset about something that he knew was not from the Lord, but a man's heart. That's why the letter was ignored. Be careful of the advice you give in the name of Jesus. Don't give any if it's void of the Spirit! We soon found ourselves at the Family Independent Agency office, where we qualified to sign up for government help. What an eye opening, humbling experience that was. It was God's way of letting us know how others felt. We have learned to praise God for His provision, even when it's through Medicaid and food stamps. As I would often say in Mary Freebed, “Thank God for God.” God's ways are not our ways. I've often quoted something I learned in a Bible Study. It was a quote that God would bring up many times in the months ahead. It said, “If you believe in a God that you can understand, then you believe in a God no greater then yourself.” My understanding of God would certainly be challenged in the months and years ahead. [To read Shelley’s devotional called Comfort For The Suffering, which journals her recovery process and the insights the Lord gave her, go to http://capstone-ministries.com/comfort-for-the-suffering-shelleysdevotional/.]

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Chapter Nineteen

Falling From Your Secure Position

n the New Testament, Peter gives us a warning concerning those who distort the Scriptures to their own destruction. He warns the church brethren, saying;

“You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness [NIV- …fall from your secure position.].” (2 Peter 3:17/NASU) There are four key words in this passage that I need to break down in order to fully understand the scope of Peter’s statement. The first word is actually interpreted into the two English words, “carried away.” The Greek word for this is sunapago (soon-ap-ag'-o). It means “to lead away with or together.” Metaphorically, it means “to be carried away with, to experience with others the force of what carries away.” This is the danger of fellowshipping with those who are walking in error. You will either stand up against the seducing spirit in their midst or be swept away with them out an exit. The same word is also used in Galatians by Paul when he records the time he publicly stood up against Peter; “…prior to the coming of certain men from James, he [Peter] used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.” (Galatians 2:12-13/NASU)

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By not standing firm through being straightforward about the truth of the Gospel, Peter led many others, including Barnabas, into great hypocrisy. Being more concerned about the approval of man, even this seasoned apostle was “carried away” by a seducing spirit. If these men who literally walked with Jesus and were taught by Him, and witnessed the power of God through miracle after miracle could be carried away, how much more you and me! The next word is “error.” The Greek for it is plane (plan'-ay). It’s defined as “a wandering, a straying about, one led astray from the right way, who roams hither and thither.” Metaphorically, it means “a mental straying; an error, a wrong opinion relative to morals or religion, an error which shows itself in action, a wrong mode of acting.” The third Greek word is athesmos (ath'-es-mos) which we interpret in English as “unprincipled men.” It’s described as “one who breaks through the restraint of law and gratifies his lusts.” This is the lawless crowd that Shelley saw in her dream down on the broad road. It is revealed through their party spirit, a party spirit that has seduced many in the church. The final English word to define is “fall.” The Greek for it is ekpipto (ekpip'-to). It means “to fall out of, to fall down from, to fall from a thing, to lose it.” It also means “to perish, to fall from a place from which one cannot keep, to fall from a position.” This is another truth destroying the number one doctrine of demons, “eternal security.” There is eternal security in Christ, but only, as Jesus taught, for the one who stands firm, abiding in Him, until the end (Matthew 10:22, 24:13). From this one verse it becomes obvious that we must be extremely careful of who or what doctrine we are following. In the company of deceived Christians, we could easily be carried away by the error of their lawlessness, exiting into a place of no turning back where their will be great weeping and gnashing of teeth. Earlier in his second letter, Peter had warned the church, saying; “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them [the spirit of antichrist], bringing swift destruction upon themselves. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way [which means “a traveled way, a journey”] of the truth will be maligned… forsaking the right way [the right pathway] they have gone astray… speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error...” (2 Peter 2:1-2, 15, 18/NAS)

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By walking in agreement with those who are following false prophets, you and I risk falling from our “secure position” in Christ, exiting the path that leads to life. The gospel truth of the Word of God speaks loud and clear to those who desire it. The good news of the Gospel is if we will persevere, standing firm in the truth until the end, the Lord will eventually lead us to a place of rest, as in Shelley’s dream, where “my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) The greatest of all needs is for the deliverance from our fallen, fleshly natures through the salvation that comes from the God of all mercy. After Paul strongly urged fellow believers to work together with the Lord and not to receive His grace in vain, he then told them how in the rest of the chapter. They were to separate themselves from the “unclean” things in the world and serve God with an undivided heart. If we do this, Paul goes on to say that the Lord promises that He will then, after we obey, welcome us as a Father and we will be sons and daughters to Him (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). This is why Paul then makes the serious statement to the church in Corinth; “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." (2 Corinthians 7:1/NAS) Do you now understand the reason why he said, “in the fear of God”? As Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the commandments of God, the children of Israel experienced something very powerful for their future journey. The Bible tells us that; “…they saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, and they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, ‘Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.’ Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.” (Exodus 20:18-20/NIV) I truly believe that as the end of this age draws near we too, out of mercy, will behold something very powerful from God so that the fear of Him will be strongly etched in our hearts to get our attention, and to keep us from sinning in preparation for His return. He loves us and reaches out as necessary, per His children’s hearts. To turn away from Him at that point is to miss our last call. Because of the demonic strongholds gained through falsehood, many within the church will read this and still have no fear of God and His righteous

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judgments. Their conscience has been seared, producing an insensitive heart toward the loving warnings of the Lord. If necessary, you must repent while there is still time and get out of Babylon, the religious prostitute, before the Lord judges her. Today is the â&#x20AC;&#x153;acceptable dayâ&#x20AC;? to turn to the Lord and have the veil removed from your heart. Afterwards, the lies of the Devil that have blinded us for years from the truth will then be exposed, and the truth will be revealed that will truly set you free.

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Chapter Twenty

The Test “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.” (1 John 4:1-3/NASU)

n this hour, it is very important to understand what this passage means when it tells us to test the spirits. John is warning the church on how to identify false prophets in our midst who have the spirit of antichrist controlling them. I once had a man who was challenging me about my beliefs ask me, “Did Jesus Christ come in the flesh?” This was his test for John’s statement above. What he meant was, “Did Jesus Christ come down from heaven and manifest Himself in a human body?” Some cults, filled with much error, believe this. In my opinion, simply verbalizing that Jesus has come in the flesh is not the test to see if someone is from God or not. Even Satan himself would say yes and not be lying! I believe the test will be the witness of a life that shows they are getting victory over sin through the power of God (John 1:12) which is within them. The fruit of the Spirit is being manifested in their spirit which proves that Jesus Christ has come into their flesh. It is revealed through the change that is taking place within them as they are being conformed into His likeness. They are not denying the power of God within them, but are instead allowing the leading of the Holy Spirit to put to death the deeds of their flesh. You will know the internal presence of the Lord Jesus Christ by the external fruits of the Spirit that are being manifested in their life. Simply put, the external is a

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manifestation of the internal. Jesus, our pattern and example to follow, was led by the Spirit into the wilderness right after he was baptized and the Spirit descended upon Him. He was led into a place where the Devil would be allowed to test Him. It was the qualifying fire of God that would be used to reveal Him as a true witness. Luke 4:14 tells us; “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit.” The greater the fire, the greater the anointing. No fire, no anointing, no witness of Christ within you. The anointing is necessary to be a witness of Jesus. The Lord told Moses in Exodus, chapter 30, not to pour the anointing oil for a priest on anyone's body, or flesh. The priests had to go through a cleansing ritual first, preparing them for the oil. So must we. It is not a cheap perfume to be placed on anyone’s fleshly nature. Only those qualified by the Lord will receive it. Right before Jesus ascended to the Father, after His resurrection, He gave the disciples specific instructions regarding their witness to the nations. They were to proclaim repentance for forgiveness of sins in His name, but not in their own strength. Jesus said; “And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49/NASU) Some are unwilling to stay in the designated place of the Lord, waiting to receive their clothing from above. Believe when I say, “I understand, more than you know.” But the promise is certain that if you will submit to the Holy Spirit's leading; “…you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8/NASU) The Lord has not asked us to be His witnesses without Him. We are in need of His power within us to proclaim His name. A Life Of Faith On December 24, 2002, the Lord spoke to my heart while I was reading a book on the life of Jonathan Goforth who, with his family, went to China in the early 1900's as missionaries. At one point during his ministry he was clothed with power from on high and a revival broke out. So as not to forget, I wrote it down in a journal. I read how Goforth’s faith never seemed to waiver, even when, as a family,

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times of severe testing came. He would never borrow, nor ever go in debt, and God always honored His servant’s trust in Him. The thought came to my mind; “Lord, are you preparing my family for a life of faith?” This question would soon be answered. A few years earlier, on January 22, 1993, the Holy Spirit spoke to me when I was very concerned about the welfare of my family in the days ahead. He had been taking me through a process of revealing my sin, the church’s sin, and then the sins of our nation. As I cried out to the Lord in great distress I heard Him say, “Turn to Isaiah 54.” When I turned to the passage my eyes immediately went to verse 11 which says; “O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted.” That was me for sure. As I read further the Holy Spirit gave me a promise in verse 13. It says; “And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” I praised God for His promise to me concerning my children! The “life of faith” He spoke of was about to be entered into. Faith is always essential for victorious Christian living, but this was something on a deeper level than what we had been walking in up to that moment. The Call To Come Follow The Lord On April 12, 2004, three months after Shelley's stroke, I was called into the office where I worked as a tool designer, and talked with the three owners. They reminded me that I was the last one to be trained on the new software in our design department. It would involve time and money on their end and they needed me to commit long-term to them in order for this to happen. Understandably, they didn't want to train me and then have me leave soon afterwards. My other option, if I wouldn't commit long-term, was that I would be indefinitely laid off. I understood and said that I would pray about it and let them know. My immediate response, when given these options, was that the only thing I was committed long term to was Jesus Christ and His work. That was the only thing I knew for sure. Right after Shelley had her stroke, I almost left work to launch out, but the Lord laid upon my heart to continue waiting a little longer. I was not going to budge until I felt the Lord nudging me. This, though, seemed more like a shove. After much prayer, Shelley and I felt that the Lord was now moving us out into whatever was next. Hebrews 11:8 tells us; “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he

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was going.” We too, like Abraham, had no idea where the Lord was now going to lead us. It appeared to be the life of faith the Lord had placed upon my heart sixteen months before. Whatever the Lord had next for our family, I did not want to be guilty of looking back after putting my hand to the plow. Having nothing before us but the Word of the Lord, we set out. I thought of the words of Paul in Philippians when he said; “…forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14/NAS) Following the Lord’s leading, it was time to go forward. Likewise, it is time for the Body of Christ to move forward, per His leading, so as to be a people that are made ready for our Master’s return.

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Chapter Twenty One

Get Ready!

few years ago, every time I went to prayer the Holy Spirit would say to me, “Get ready!” This went on for quite awhile. A couple of months after leaving my job as a tool designer, I thought that it might be time to begin something new. Soon, I began organizing what I called “Get Ready Ministry.” It wasn’t long afterwards that it was discontinued. I had to learn the lesson of being careful not to go ahead of the Lord, but to wait for His direction rather than mine. The “Get ready!” message is still strong within me. It just wasn’t God’s will to put a title on it. At the beginning I thought I was supposed to start the way other ministries are started in this nation. As the Lord would eventually show me, I wasn’t to do it the “normal” way of the western church business models, but rather His way which He would reveal to me in time. It would be a couple of years before Capstone Ministries, a somewhat hidden ministry even now, would be birthed (capstone-ministries.com). Even now it isn’t our nonprofit name we were led into which is Network 153. In America we organize way too much, believing this makes us a legitimate ministry. The only official word we need is the call from the Lord to go and proclaim in His name where He leads us. As with Jonah and Moses, He’ll give further details after you first step out in obedience per His direction. One day, while reading the Scriptures, I was led to Revelation 19:7-9 which refers to the marriage of the Lamb and the preparation of the Bride. As I began to read it, the Holy Spirit witnessed within me that this was what He was talking about in regards to “get ready.” Our heavenly Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, is soon coming for His Bride within the church. The problem is that, as we discussed earlier, many of God's people are sleeping, spiritually, as all the virgins were in Matthew, chapter 25. We are in need of a final, great awakening. Jesus said to His disciples about His return;

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“Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose, and trimmed their lamps.” (Matthew 25:5-7/NASU) The midnight shout is being heard this very day. Praise the Lord for His mercy of crying out loudly to His people who are spiritually sleeping. He is now, in this late hour, giving us time to prepare His way within our hearts. The question is, are you and I going to be a foolish or a wise virgin? I often hear people in the church say they believe Jesus is coming soon and that they can’t wait to be with Him. It’s His mercy that He hasn’t appeared yet. The current dysfunctional mess within the family of God proves that we are far from being ready. Are You Ready For The Day Of The Lord? In the book of Amos the Lord gives us a serious warning concerning those who say they’re looking for His return, but in reality are not prepared for it. He says; “Alas, you who are longing for the day of the LORD, for what purpose will the day of the LORD be to you? It will be darkness and not light; as when a man flees from a lion, and a bear meets him, or goes home, leans his hand against the wall, and a snake bites him. Will not the day of the LORD be darkness instead of light, even gloom with no brightness in it?” (Amos 5:18-20/NASU) Expecting to see the Lord in all His glory, many in the church who are not listening to what the Spirit is saying in regards to the purification and preparation of their heart will instead be cast out of His kingdom into outer darkness. While continuously walking in stubbornness toward the Lord’s leading in their life, many have been told by deceived ministers for years, “Peace, peace” when there is no peace. They are simply not prepared for what they’re about to face and will, as the Lord spoke to Shelley one day, curse God and die in the extreme moments that lie ahead. The Current Need For Consecration The moments we have left before the return of Christ should be spent by all of God’s people in heart preparation. We must prepare His way within us through consecration. In Exodus 19, when Moses led the people out of their

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camps to meet the Lord at Mount Sinai, he was instructed to tell them to prepare by consecrating themselves and washing their garments. This applies to us as well. We need inner cleansing before entering His presence at the end of this age (again, see my book 911; God’s Last Offer To The Church for more on the Lord’s warning that we are in the last opportunity to be cleansed by Him before He acts and the door of His mercy is shut). Before meeting with the children of Israel on Mount Sinai, the Lord gave specific instructions to Moses on what they should and should not do. In part of His guidelines He gave this warning; “And also let the priests who come near to the LORD consecrate themselves, lest the LORD break out against them.” (Exodus 19:22/NAS) The Hebrew word used for consecrate also means “to sanctify, to prepare, to separate.” Let us separate ourselves from the things of this world in preparation of our King’s arrival. Those who do not prepare their hearts are represented by the man without the proper wedding clothes in Matthew 22:1113. They will be bound and thrown into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The “outer darkness” is the place outside of Christ who is the “Light of men” (John 1:4). Within the majority of the church in America we have become more concerned about making things ready for people to visit our building then we are the Lord to visit His people. Do I really believe that Jesus is coming back soon? If I truly do then I will prepare my heart by faith. According to Revelation 19:7-8, when the appointed time arrives for the marriage of the Lamb, the Bride will prepare herself through purity and holiness. It is not our own righteousness, because the Bible makes it clear that there is no one who is righteous on his own. It is hearing the word of the Lord that He is soon coming and then responding by cleansing our hearts through faith. The true Bride will make the necessary alterations within her as the day draws near. These acts are said to clothe us in fine linen, bright and clean. The Holy Spirit is calling His people to repentance, preparing the King’s way within us. We must remove the obstacles within our hearts as the Spirit of God leads. The pressure of the Holy Spirit will continue to build in order to turn back His people that have drifted from Him. Our full attention must be focused toward Him in order to be prepared for His return and be spared from His wrath. Preparing The Lord’s Possession In the last book of the Old Testament we are given the following exhortation;

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“Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who esteem His name. ‘And they will be Mine,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.’” (Malachi 3:16-18/NAS) The Hebrew word used for “prepare” means “to fashion, to make, to press, to squeeze.” As a Christian, when you feel great pressure in your life circumstances, look to the Holy Spirit who is probably squeezing more of your fleshly nature into submission to prepare you for the final infilling of His Spirit. The greatest outpouring of the Holy Spirit is about to be poured into those who have heard and obeyed the call to consecrate themselves. They have heard the word of the Lord to “get ready” and, like the wise virgins, are making sure there is the oil of the Spirit in their lamp. The Bible tells us that John the Baptist’s father, Zacharias, prophesied over him when he was born. In part of his recorded prophecy he declared; “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways; to give to His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the sunrise from on high shall visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:76-79/NAS) The Greek for the word “prepare” in this passage is drawn from the oriental custom of sending persons on their journeys ahead of kings to level the roads and make them more passable. To level something, in this case a road, refers to uprightness, a place of firm footing which will not cause you to stumble. It is often interpreted as the straight way. This is why the John the Baptist type of ministry is always sent ahead of the Lord, preaching repentance. It clears, or prepares the way for the Master. This goes for those who have never turned to the Lord, as well as those who have turned and then drifted in their obedience to Christ. The Lord said through Malachi; “Behold, I am going to send My messenger [“angel, representative”], and he will clear [“prepare”] the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will

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suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts. “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. And He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness.” (Malachi 3:1-3/NAS) This means that the day of the Lord’s return will be preceded by the messengers of the Lord. These representatives of Christ are crying out today for God’s people to prepare His way with a cleansed, repentant heart. Judgment begins in the house of the Lord. It will then move out into the world. When it moves outward, the judgment has been set for His people. Those destined for suffering will suffer, and those destined for protection will be protected. No one will be able to say that they didn’t have time or know that He was coming. He gives His people plenty of time and warning to get ready so that, if necessary, they will get out of the place of judgment that they have drifted into by way of spiritual lethargy and continued disobedience (Revelation 18:4-8). To refine is to test and to prove true. It is God’s “Quality Control.” Anyone in the area of manufacturing understands the vital importance of this department. It ensures the quality and integrity of what is being produced. You do not know the genuineness of something until it is tested. Otherwise, you could be producing bad parts. This is why Peter tells us; “…you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:6-7/NAS) The words “if necessary” speak of those areas in our lives that need to be tested and proven to expose the faults that must be dealt with. The Lord exposes them so that we will repent and then be strengthened through His Spirit in our area of weakness. It is all part of being conformed to His image. It is a painful process at times, but the only way in which to become like our Savior. In my preparations, I have learned that I must be careful to not get distracted. At times, the object of my affection shifts from Jesus to something else if I don’t guard my heart. I’m glad to see mentioned within the Scriptures those who also dealt with this issue.

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Distractions The Bible describes a time when Jesus entered a certain village and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home; “And she had a sister called Mary, who moreover was listening to the Lord's word, seated at His feet. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him, and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10:38-42/NAS) Not only was she distracted, but she was upset that others weren’t distracted with her. To some who can’t sit still, even sitting at the feet of Jesus seems to somehow be wrong to them. They think that if you aren’t involved in some activity, you’re wasting time. You might know someone like this, or even be that person. It’s very difficult for the Lord to get them to slow down, but He has His ways. Shelley, admittedly, was always a mover and a shaker. She was very capable of making things happen. After her stroke, while lying on her back in a hospital bed for a few weeks, she was a captive audience for the Lord to share some promises with. She now realizes the importance of slowing down and taking more time to sit at the feet of Jesus. It is in this quiet place where the Lord often speaks to her. Praise Him that He loves us so much to sometimes forcefully slow us down and put us in a position where He can then share His heart and great love with us. It is a spiritual discipline that many of us in today’s hectic pace of life struggle with in America. His great love always compels me to come and spend time with Him. It is the only real place of peace and calm in an ever increasing world of chaos. “For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, ‘In repentance and rest you shall be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength.’ But you were not willing.” (Isaiah 30:15/NAS) Lord, if necessary, make us willing.

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Chapter Twenty Two

Trimming Our Lamps “But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. And later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But he answered and said, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.” (Matthew 25:6-13/NASU)

n Jesus’ teaching of the ten virgins, He spoke of them trimming their lamps. When you trim a lamp, you remove the carbon that has built up on the wick. This allows the light to burn cleaner, which in turn makes it brighter. We do the same thing in our lives. The “dark part” within our hearts must also be removed in order for the light of Christ to shine brighter to those living in darkness. Until the day we enter the fullness of Christ, which is our hope of glory, regular heart maintenance is required in order for the light within to continue being seen clearly by others. Within the holy place of the tabernacle, there were lamps that would go out if the priests did not occasionally add oil to them. The age we are presently in still requires us to work together with the Holy Spirit in the maintenance of the light. A day is soon coming when we will physically go behind the veil, into the holy of holies, where the only light will be the glory of God that will fill those who are His vessels of honor. The Scriptures say that He is coming back for a pure and spotless bride. Those who have ears to hear and understand the will of the Lord, but will not

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listen and prepare by faith, becoming spotless and pure through the blood of Jesus that is applied to a repentant heart, will not be allowed into the wedding feast. This includes MANY within the church today. Praise God that He loves us enough to apply whatever pressure is necessary to get our attention so that we “put on” the proper wedding garments. There will be no excuses for any of us the day we stand before Him and give an account. A Shut Door While in prayer one day, the Holy Spirit spoke to me about a shut door. As Noah found out, when the Lord shuts the door, it is shut. Whenever this is spoken, the doctrines of demons that are well entrenched within many hearts of those within the church quietly whisper in return, “He's not talking about you. You repented years ago. You’re safe.” You will not find one verse in the Bible that says a person who has turned to Christ, and then turns their back on Him in stubborn rebellion, is safe. Actually, it is quite the contrary. As mentioned earlier, the Word of God says that all who have been given eyes to see and turn to Jesus, and then walk away after having been given this saving knowledge by the Holy Spirit, are now worse off then those who never turned. Your judgment will be more severe than a “lost person” (2 Peter 2:2022). Understanding our vile natures and what they are capable of, we need this fearful warning from the Lord to keep us from the independent pride and arrogance that has leavened the church in America. While we have been sleeping, many have been set up for the kill by the devil’s doctrines. You must believe the written Word and repent. According to Paul, any doctrine that does not conform you to Godliness, but allows you to walk in sin and not repent, is a false doctrine (1 Timothy 6:3). May God grant you repentance if necessary, leading to the knowledge of the truth, and you come to your senses before the Lord shuts the door to His wedding feast and you are locked out because of an unrepentant heart (2 Timothy 2:25-26). The good news is that; “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9/NASU) A Salvation Ready To Be Revealed In His mercy, the Lord is commanding those who blow His trumpets of warning to proclaim His return. The purpose of this is to move us in the direction of preparing our hearts for a great end time deliverance that is now being revealed. Peter prophesied about this last day salvation when he said;

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“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God [His clothing in Luke 24:49] through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3-5/NASU) It was the third day since Jesus had been crucified. Two of His disciples were walking to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. Luke, in chapter 24, tells us that Jesus joined them in their journey, but that they were kept from recognizing Him. As they discussed with Jesus the events that had just taken place concerning the crucifixion, they shared their confusion due to things turning out not quite as they thought it was going to. They said to Jesus, whom they didn’t recognize yet; “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened.” (Luke 24:21/NASU) Jesus then rebukes them by answering; “‘O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?’ And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:25-27/NASU) You see, Jesus had the plan for the redemption of mankind within the Scriptures, but until He revealed it to them, they were unable to understand what was happening. It’s the same lack of understanding for us today that has resulted in the numerous teachings concerning the return of Christ. Things have a way of rarely turning out like we thought they were going to. How many of us have wasted time worrying about something that never happened, or missed something else we should have been more concerned about? Often, our problem is that we walk in presumption, not looking for the counsel of God. Jesus has made it clear in his Word that we, His Body, should not be caught unaware of coming events, but rather that as children of light we should be alert and watchful. The problem is not the Scriptures lack of information, but rather the lack of discernment amongst God's people who are currently sleeping in apathy when

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we should be watching. Our redemption is drawing near and we have our eyes fixed on the things of this world. We should be looking to Jesus for His guidance and direction that will lead us to His “last time” salvation. Recognizing The Time Of God’s Coming Near the end of His days on earth, Jesus wept over Jerusalem as He approached it. He cried out, saying; “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace-but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you.” (Luke 19:41-44/NIV) The Jewish people were looking to be delivered from the Romans, but Jesus came to deliver them from their sin. Due to their hardness of heart they failed to recognize the Way of deliverance who stood right in front of them. In his book, Mark gives us another account of the Emmaus encounter between Jesus and two of His followers; “He appeared in a different form to two of them, while they were walking along on their way to the country.” (Mark 16:12/NAS) The Greek for the word “form” is morphe (mor-fay') which has to do with “the form by which a person or thing strikes the vision, the external appearance.” Somehow, He appeared in a different manner to these disciples who knew Him. What about those of us within the church today? If He comes in a different way or form then what we expect Him to, or have been taught, will our eyes be prevented from seeing Him? I believe that, yes, many will not recognize Him. We have had the end time events figured out for years, or so we thought. They are well entrenched within our doctrines. In America, we have become like the church of Laodicea who said; “‘I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,’ and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.” (Revelation 3:17/NASU)

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My wife and I have said that we often feel like we are on the Titanic where most of the people were partying as the ship was sinking, totally blind to the disaster that is about to occur. Many seem to be more concerned about what kind of coffee and cookies are being served before the service than they are the condition of their hearts before God. Fortunately, the mercy of God always precedes His judgments. He reaches out continuously to a stubborn and rebellious people, warning them to prepare their hearts. May God grant repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth so that we may come to our senses and escape from the snare of the devil BEFORE the disciplining hand of the Lord rightly falls on our nation in the time of His judgment and wrath. Get ready church, your Bridegroom is coming!

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Chapter Twenty Three

The Search For The Willing Bride “Now Abraham was old, advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in every way. And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he owned, ‘Please place your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live, but you shall go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.’” (Genesis 24:1-4/NASU)

n Genesis 24 we have a beautiful picture, in type, concerning the search for the bride of Christ that has been in progress for centuries. The main characters of this passage are the master, his son who is the bridegroom, the trusted servant, and the prospective bride. Isaac, as the son, is a picture of Jesus, the Bridegroom Son of God the Father. Two chapters earlier, God tested Abraham by telling him to take his son to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering. What a test! As a parent, can you imagine what must have gone through his mind? What would our response be? He proved his heart when he said to his servants; “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.” (Genesis 22:5/NASU) Abraham knew the power of God, even when told something that seemed to go against the promises he had received earlier from Him concerning his son Isaac. By his statement to his servants we can see he believed that, even if the

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Lord did allow his son to be killed, He had the power to raise him back from the dead. This is confirmed in Hebrews which says; “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac; and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your descendants shall be called.’ He considered that God is able to raise men even from the dead; from which he also received him back as a type.” (Hebrews 11:17-19/NAS) The Lord appeared to be proving whether or not Abraham would believe what was promised, no matter what direction things appeared to be going. I witnessed something similar through our experience with Shelley's stroke. The Lord had given us a promise years before concerning future ministry together, and now it appeared, with the natural eye, that Shelley would not be there to fulfill it with me. Concerning the fulfillment of Joseph's dream of his family bowing down to him, the Psalmist writes; “…until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him. (Psalm 105:19/NASU) The promise would refine the one whom it was given to before its manifestation. This has happened in our life as well. The Death Of A Vision You might find out like Joseph that the very promise of God spoken to you will not come to pass without the Lord first putting it to an apparent death. The Lord seems to bring about the death of the vision first, only to then resurrect it in His perfect timing. He tests us to see if we will believe what He spoke, no matter how bad things appear. I believe He also wants to make sure that when the promise is fulfilled it will be by His Spirit alone, apart from any human intervention. As with Abraham and God’s promise of a son, there will be a temptation to help God out in the fulfillment of His promise thereby creating an “Ishmael.” There seems to often be a delay between the promise being given and the promise being fulfilled. It’s as if the Lord waits until we almost forget about it, then He suddenly brings it to pass. This way everyone knows that it was the Lord, not us, and He receives His rightful glory.

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Waiting On The Call To Be Fulfilled The greater the call on someone's life, the greater the tests incurred upon them for that call. David had a great call on his life, but he did not immediately enter into it. The Lord allowed very difficult trials to come upon him in order to shape within him the character he would need. Our flesh fights this rough road that lies ahead, possibly even looking for the nearest exit. Only in the breaking of our stubborn wills can the call be brought forth. A wise employer would not give a new employee who has no experience great authority in their particular business. They must first go through a period of training to help them become better suited to handle greater authority. Once proven, advancement is then possible. This is what occurs to all who have turned to the Lord thereby entering the training of the Holy Spirit. The problem is when God's people do not submit to the training. Our continued resistance can disqualify us from a position in the Kingdom of God that could have been ours. It is only in the breaking of our will that the covenant promises are established. In Genesis we read a time when Abraham was given an almost unimaginable test by God. He was commanded to offer his son, Isaac, in the land of Moriah on a mountain which He would tell him to. The Bible says; “On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance. And Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.’ And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together.” (Genesis 22:4-6/NASU) Our Heavenly Father also took some wood, the cross, and laid it on the back of His Son, Jesus, who willingly laid down His life for us. When Isaac asked his father where the lamb was for the sacrifice Abraham responded; “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” (Genesis 22:8/NASU) This is the good news of the gospel. Jesus, the Lamb of God, has been provided as a sacrifice for our sin. When we become like Isaac, the living sacrifice, by willingly placing our lives on the Lord's altar, His sacrificial blood is then provided before the Father on our behalf.

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Sending Out The Trusted Servant As we now go into Genesis, chapter 24, we have a better understanding of the picture laid out before us. The father sends out the trusted servant who is looking for a bride for the resurrected son who, in type, is Isaac. He is a foreshadowing of Christ, the resurrected Son of God. This wasn't just any servant who was entrusted with this assignment. It was Abraham’s oldest, or chief servant, who was in charge of all that he owned. He was a faithful servant who had proven over time that he could be entrusted with great authority. He had been around his master for some time, becoming quite familiar with his heart’s desire, as well as that of his son. He represents those who make up the trusted servant ministry in the Body of Christ today. They are intimate in their relationship with their heavenly Master. Their desire is to obediently carry out their Master’s commands through the direction and strength that He provides. If you will notice, the servant’s name is never given. There is no title for his ministry. Those with his calling are humble servants whose only desire is to obey and honor their Master. They are not looking to gain any personal notoriety. Their only mission is to obey and glorify the name of the Father and the Son. This temptation has been the downfall for many of God's servants. They failed the testing and had to be replaced. The pride in our hearts must be exposed by the Holy Spirit and put to death. We can become rebellious in our attitudes, walking in an independent heart of disobedience to the King’s commands.

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Chapter Twenty Four

The Shame Of Nakedness

efore the knowledge of good and evil was experienced by Adam and Eve, they had no shame of being naked. It was in the partaking of that which God forbid, through willful rebellion enticed by the serpent, that revealed in the conscience of mankind conviction (i.e. the knowledge of good and evil) and shame for the first time. Mankind then knew, experientially, what was right and wrong, as well as the consequences of disobedience. With this new knowledge came the new experience of choice, as well as the desire within fueled by their sin against God to sin even more. The frustration of having two natures, one wanting to do good and the other the very evil that we do not want to, is every Christian’s struggle. Paul wrote about his experience with this issue in the New Testament. In his letter to the Romans he said; “For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:14-25/NASU)

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This new experience of Adam and Eve resulting from their disobedience would lead to the understanding of their need to be “clothed” by God which would point to the spiritual need for a Savior (putting on Christ), without which we will surely die as God had warned Adam (Genesis 2:17). We would need His help to combat against this wickedness within us so that it would not overcome us, but that we could overcome it. This heavenly Helper is revealed in the New Testament as the Holy Spirit, sent from God to all who would receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7; 1 John 2:1). The knowledge of good and evil is the knowledge of the law of God which cannot be fulfilled without the Holy Spirit’s help (Roman 8:4). We learn to work together with Him through submission to His will so as not to fulfill the desires of the flesh, which is our fallen nature. This is what Paul referred to in Galatians, chapter five, as walking in the Spirit. He wrote; “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16/NASU) To continue to fight against the Holy Spirit, resisting God’s will, is to not get fully dressed as we ought to. To not get fully dressed, in particular in the last days when God judges all wickedness, is to be unprotected from that which could be very harmful to us. Many in the church in America now stand exposed with a false sense of being covered in Christ. In another letter of his, Paul tells us that the law is not of faith (Galatians 3:12). Works of the law are cursed works of our hands. They are born from our will. The Lord says; “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord.” (Jeremiah 17:5/NIV) Cursed works are religious works that are accomplished through all that we can see and do, what we can organize and put together by our own strength and wisdom. The result of these self-driven efforts of religion apart from God are an apathetic church with little influence on a nation that is spiraling out of control into more and more bizarre, unnatural behavior. Put On The Lord Jesus Christ As our salvation draws near, whether that be the end of this age or the end of our lives, it is imperative to not become indifferent in our Christian walk. Continued disobedience to God’s will, without repentance, removes our covering garment in Christ, causing us to become naked in His eyes. In this midnight hour it is crucial to do what is right per God’s commands and put on

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the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul exhorted us in this, saying; “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed [or, “when we first believed”]. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds [“works”] of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” (Romans 13:11-14/NASU) The lukewarm church in America is being warned to do this very thing. The Lord is holding back His judgment on us so as not to cut off His own people that are living in rebellion against His lordship over them (John 15:2). Their deceived spiritual leaders are telling them, “Peace, peace” when they are on the verge of shipwrecking their faith while clinging to a false sense of security. Paul tells us that to have faith in Christ is to have clothed ourselves with His covering garment. We have “put on” the Lord Jesus Christ through our baptism in Him (Galatians 3:27). To be clothed in Christ, therefore, is to be clothed with His garments of salvation. Isaiah declared; “I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10/NIV) The Adorned Bride In Paul’s instructions to Timothy regarding the beautification of women he said; “Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.” (1 Timothy 2:9-10/NASU) Paul states that women should “adorn themselves with proper clothing”, which, he explains is to not just put on that which draws attention to your

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outward appearance but to let their inner beauty from Christ shine through to others by means of their good works (Matthew 5:16). Within this I see a principle that applies to the Bride of Christ as well. To “adorn” is “to put in proper order, to arrange, make ready, prepare.” The Bride of Christ consists of those who adorn themselves internally, making themselves ready, by faith, for the appearing of Christ at the end of this age. By putting their spiritual life in the “proper order” of God, proving themselves as “doers” of His word, they are not only ready for every good work, but appropriately clothed for the marriage of the Lamb. John refers to this properly dressed Bride when describing “the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready [“the act of preparing, readiness”] as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Revelation 21:2/NASU) The Greek for “proper” is similar. It’s defined as “orderly, well-arranged, seemly, modest.” In 1 Timothy 3:2 Paul uses it in reference to a man who lives a well ordered life. In like manner the Bride of Christ will hear the midnight call to get ready and get their lives in the “proper order” so as to be made ready for the return of their Heavenly Bridegroom. Interestingly, the same Greek word is interpreted “trimmed” in Matthew 25:7 when Jesus spoke of the ten virgins trimming their lamps after hearing the midnight shout to get ready for the coming Bridegroom. Trimming, therefore, is associated with preparing yourself. It is the actions of those who are being called out to meet the Bridegroom. Unfortunately, Jesus said the foolish virgins had also trimmed their lamps but possessed no oil for their lamps. I believe this speaks of their actions being only external. There wasn’t any inner heart preparations that would allow them to receive the oil of the Holy Spirit. It will cause them to be excluded from the wedding feast of Christ (Matthew 25:1-13). Dressed and Ready Once dressed it is important to remain in that condition. Many in the church would say that it is not possible to become undressed, to lose your garment of salvation. Let’s see if the Bible says anything about this. While teaching His disciples one day about His return, Jesus encouraged them regarding being “dressed,” saying; “Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit. Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks.” (Luke 12:35-36/NASU) The actual Greek definition for “dressed in readiness” in this passage is, “to fasten garments with a girdle.” Obviously, to not fasten your garments

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with a belt is to risk having them be loosed, publicly revealing that which we would rather not have exposed. I wrote the following in chapter 10, Pants On The Ground, in my book Babylon’s Counterfeit Glory; “…Revelation 1:13 states that Jesus was girded across His breast with a golden girdle. The Greek for “girded” is perizonnumi (per-id-zone'-noo-mee). It means “to fasten garments with a girdle or belt.” Metaphorically, it speaks of “fastening a garment with truth as a girdle; to equip oneself with knowledge of the truth.” I believe it’s more than just the knowledge of the truth. To put it on is to apply it, or to DO it. To obey the truth, therefore, is equivalent to fastening a golden belt around our covering tunic in Christ. It keeps everything intact. In Paul’s letter to the Christians in the city of Ephesus, he exhorted them to put on the full armor of God, so that they would be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. He said to them; “Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness.” (Ephesians 6:14/NASU) Without truth, we cannot stand firm against the cunning deceit our enemy continually attempts to trip God’s people with. Once accepted as truth, false teachings strip us of our covering garment in Christ. We then become part of the deceived Laodicean church who thought she was rich in Christ and in need of nothing. Due to spiritual lukewarmness, she had become blinded to her true state of nakedness before God. Because of the great increase of adherence to falsehood within the American church, she now stands there with her pants down at her ankles, exposed and unable to move as she ought to. In this pathetic state, she will inevitably trip and fall (away).”

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Chapter Twenty Five

Uncovering Nakedness

n Genesis we read that, after the flood God sent to cleanse the earth of wickedness, Noah began farming and planted a vineyard. He drank of the wine, became drunk, and then uncovered himself inside his tent. What happened next affected entire people groups; “Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were turned away, so that they did not see their father's nakedness. When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him. So he said, ‘Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brothers.’ He also said, ‘Blessed be the Lord, The God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant. May God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant.’” (Genesis 9:22-27/NASU) Because of the extreme repercussions, there are many discussions around this pertaining to what exactly happened between Ham and Noah, causing him to be cursed by his father. I’ll just bring up a couple of passages that I believe will keep to our discussion. In the Mosaic law, uncovering nakedness is related to sexual perversion. In His law for immoral relations the Lord said to Moses; “None of you shall approach any blood relative of his to uncover nakedness; I am the Lord. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, that is, the nakedness of your mother. She is your mother; you are not to uncover her nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness.” (Leviticus 18:6-8/NASU)

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Was there any sexual perversion committed by Ham? Only the Lord and Noah know what exactly he did to his father, or his mother, to justify being cursed. The point is that immoral relations, those outside the established boundaries of God, turn the blessings of God into curses in your life. During a time when Israel was walking in rebellion against the Lord, He told Ezekiel to let her know her abominations. He told the prophet to say to them that on the day they were born, when no one showed compassion on them, He did. In their infant state their cord had not been cut, they had not been washed with water to make them clean, nor were they rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths (Ezekiel 16:4). The Lord said that He did these things for them and entered into covenant with them. After bathing them with water, washing off the blood (i.e. cleansing from sin), and anointing them with oil (i.e. the Holy Spirit), He then clothed them (i.e. putting on Christ’ garment of salvation). All of this is a picture of what God does for us today by faith in Jesus Christ. The Lord then rebuked them, saying; “And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor [“honor, glory”] I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign Lord. But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his. You took some of your garments [“covering, i.e. clothing”] to make gaudy high places, where you carried on your prostitution. Such things should not happen, nor should they ever occur.” (Ezekiel 16:14-16/NIV) Israel had taken the honor and glory God had given them and used it for self-glorification among the nations with whom they came into contact. America has done the same, both within and without the church. With pride and arrogance we have used the blessings God has granted to us to gain worldwide renown for ourselves. Within the church, many have used the blessing of our world prominence to gain a name for their own kingdoms instead of God’s. They built “gaudy high places” where they have carried on their spiritual prostitution around the globe. The majority in our nation no longer give God the credit for our great prosperity. We think that it was by our efforts and ingenuity alone that our nation was raised to world dominance. It is no longer “In God we trust,” but rather the money it is engraved on. We worship the blessings of prosperity rather than the Giver of the blessings. “Such things should not happen, nor should they ever occur!”

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Spiritual Idolatry To commit spiritual idolatry when in covenant with God is to become naked, uncovered, and unprotected. The Lord said to Ezekiel that He would gather all Israel’s lovers with whom she took pleasure and expose her nakedness in front of them. That is an interesting statement. If she is naked, why couldn’t she see it? The answer is blindness of heart caused by rebellion. The deceitfulness of sin hardens the heart, blinding you to your true state before God. The Lord said to Ezekiel; “Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.” (Ezekiel 12:2/NIV) Israel had the outward appearance before others as being led by God, but inside they were full of harlotries against Him. Because of their unfaithfulness, they had lost their covering garment of protection and security. God was going to allow her enemies to see when He judged her. He even went so far as to say; “Thus I will judge you like women who commit adultery or shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy.” (Ezekiel 16:38/NASU)) Earlier in their history, Israel had something similar occur among them. While Moses and Joshua were on Mount Sinai receiving the law of God, Aaron had let the Israelites get out of control (Exodus 32:25). The Hebrew for “out of control” is para` (paw-rah'). It’s defined as “to loosen, to let go, to ignore, to show a lack of restraint.” They had, to their shame among their enemies, loosed themselves from all restraint in regards to their devotion to God and obedience to His commands. The different interpretations into English of this verse are interesting. The NKJV of the Bible interprets it as “unrestrained.” The KJV says the people “were naked.” As their leader, Aaron was responsible for the shame of their nakedness. Through this we can see that when God’s people are unrestrained in their actions, they become “naked” so to speak before Him. They have loosed themselves from His covering giving the unbelievers reason to scornfully mock them and God. So what about the church today? Does this Old Testament passage not apply to us, even if we walk in the stubbornness of our hearts against His Lordship

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over us? The answer is found in the last book of the Bible. Jesus word of warning to the Christians in Laodicea included a rebuke of their works which were a manifestation of their apathetic hearts. He said to John; “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: ‘I know your deeds [“works”], that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,’ and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.’” (Revelation 3:14-19/NASU) The church in Laodicea, like the church in America, thought that everything was great between them and the Lord. In their lukewarm state they were not even aware of their naked condition before Him. Due to the blindness caused by their hard hearts, they had no idea that Christ’s covering had been removed. Obviously this was not a reference to their physical state, but their spiritual condition. They were not DOING the good works which God had prepared in advance for them to do (Ephesians 2:10). Their devotion to Christ had been lost to spiritual indifference. The result of their disobedience was the loss of their covering garment of Christ. To keep God’s commandments is to keep your place in Him, to remain in Him, thereby retaining His garment of salvation (John 15:1-10, 1 John 2:24-25).

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Chapter Twenty Six

Drinking The Harlot’s Wine

n Revelation, chapter 17, an angel describes to John the judgment of the spiritual harlot, referring to her as; “Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth.” (Rev. 17:5) He begins by saying; “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, ‘Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality.’” (Revelation 17:1-2/NASU) The definition for porneuo (porn-yoo'-o), the Greek word we interpret above into English as “immorality,” is, “to act the harlot, i.e. (literally) indulge in unlawful lust (of either sex), or (figuratively) to practice idolatry.” Similarly, the definition of uncovering the nakedness of someone as described in Leviticus 18:6-19 is “to commit acts of immorality; i.e. to indulge in unlawful lust.” As you can see, when the Bible refers to immorality it’s not just in a physical sense, but also in a spiritual sense. Spiritual fornication is idolatry among God’s people that, without repentance, results in the loss of our covering in Christ. It refers to unfaithfulness toward God, to breaking covenant with Him through prostitution. This refers to His people’s joining together with the people of this world in the worshipping of their gods in any form while betrothed to Him (1 Chronicles 5:25).

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Friendship With The World In his letter, James rebukes the church regarding idolatry, saying; “You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” (James 4:4/NIV) The Greek for “friendship” refers to fondness. According to Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, “It involves ‘the idea of loving as well as being loved.’” To not be a friend of the world doesn’t mean that we should live on top of a mountain or an island in an attempt to get away from everything and everybody, but that we should not be fonder of it than Christ. The world constantly competes for our affection which is why it’s so important to guard our hearts. In one of his letters, John says to the church; “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world — the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does — comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:15-17/NIV) Concerning the hatred the world has for His followers, Jesus said; “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” (John 15:19/NIV; also see 1 John 3:13) If the world loves us, and is not moved one way or another by us, than we need to stop and take a look as to why. The message of Christ is offensive to those who are living in sin. His presence freely flowing through His people is an irritant to the spirits of the ungodly, testifying that their deeds are evil (John 7:7). Everywhere that Christ went while on earth there was an upheaval of some sort. The people either loved Him or despised Him. It is the same for His followers. Jesus warned us of this, saying that all men would hate us because of Him (Matthew 10:22). He told His disciples not to be discouraged when, as they’re obedient, this occurs, because;

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“Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven…” (Luke 6:22-23/NIV) The Perils Of Being Joined To A Prostitute As in a marriage, we cannot be devoted to the world and its gods and expect to become one with the Lord. In order to be fully joined to Christ, our Husbandman, we must separate from the world. In the book of Proverbs, Solomon speaks of the perils of joining yourself to a prostitute when married. To have sex with her is to break your marriage covenant. To join oneself to the spiritual harlot is even more serious, breaking covenant with God. He says that God’s wisdom will; “…deliver you [“you” meaning the upright] from the strange woman, from the adulteress who flatters with her words; That leaves the companion of her youth and forgets [“to forget, to cease to care, ignore”] the covenant of her God; For her house sinks down to death and her tracks lead to the dead; None who go to her return again, nor do they reach the paths of life.” (Proverbs 2:16-19/NASU) This passage applies to the spiritual as well as the physical. None of those in the church who join themselves to the religious harlot that has broken her covenant with God will find the paths of life. As seen through Shelley’s dreams, they have exited the narrow way that leads to everlasting life for the broad way that leads to destruction. As in the physical world, the spiritual harlot’s desire is for any passerby to come join her. Through her seductive spirit she increases the faithless among God’s people who are drawn away into her enticing trap (Proverbs 23:28). Come out of her, quickly! Keeping Our Clothes After describing six of the seven bowls of God’s wrath to John, the Lord gives a word of warning and exhortation for His people; “Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.” (Revelation 16:15/NASU)

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In this final book of the Bible, Christians are warned by Jesus to stay awake and to keep our clothes so as not to walk about naked thereby exposing our shame before others at His coming. To stay awake is to be watchful, to be careful how we walk, not as unwise men but as wise men, understanding and then doing the will of God so as to be “dressed” and prepared for His return (Ephesians 5:15-17). When Jesus tells us to stay awake and keep our clothes is He referring to actual sleep and clothes? The obvious answer is “No.” It’s a spiritual vigilance over the heart, to not become indifferent in our walk with Him. As we just read, this was the Lord’s issue with the Laodicean church. In response to the disciple’s questions regarding the timing of His return and the end of the age, Jesus said; “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.” (Matthew 24:42-43/NASU) Again, to keep our clothes is to not lose the covering we have in Christ. This flies in the face of the so-called “eternal security” lie. There is eternal security IN Christ, but not for those who willfully sin without repentance after turning to Him and do not persevere in obedience, standing firm until the end so as to be saved (Hebrews 10:26, Matthew 24:13). Through false teachings many now walk in disobedience with a false sense of security and no fear of God and His righteous judgments that draw near. They have fallen away from Christ and if they do not repent will be uncovered and unprotected in the day of His wrath. The Greek interpreted as “shame” in Revelation 16:15 is interpreted in Romans 1:27 as “indecent acts” (NAS) and “what is shameful” (NKJV). In Romans it speaks in regards to the homosexual and lesbian acts of those who have been given over to their wicked, unnatural desires. Those described by Paul in this chapter are said to have exchanged the truth of God for a lie. They “knew God” but did not glorify Him as God, or give thanks to Him (Romans 1:21). Just as they did not see fit to confess God any longer, He gave them over to a depraved mind to do that which is not right. The light within their foolish hearts became darkness and they will therefore, in shame, be cast into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 6:23).

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Chapter Twenty Seven

The Man Of Shame

n 2 Samuel, chapter 2, we read that, after the death of King Saul, his son, Ish-bosheth, became king over Israel for seven years before being murdered. His name means “man of shame.” Saul was constantly acting outside of the will of God. His rule represents religion that is led by the strength and power of man. It appears that this trait was passed down to his son. Unfortunately, it didn’t stop with him. There are many Ish-bosheth’s today that rule over the people of God in the churches of America. Their teachings have led many in the Body of Christ to continue in sin, committing, without conviction, acts of immorality. At the Lord’s return, these leaders that rule under their own authority will be revealed as the men of shame who destroyed the sheep of His pasture. They preach doctrines of “Peace, peace,” but there is no peace. They do not say it outright, but their doctrines allow for continued sin without repentance after turning to Christ, with no repercussions to your garment of salvation. As I’ve already stated, the fruit of that teaching is the apathy and lukewarmness of heart that now plagues the majority of the church in America. God warns His people throughout the book of Hosea to turn away from their spiritual harlotry. In Hosea 2:1-9 the Lord refers to His judgment of the harlot mother who acts shamefully, which is defined as “to make dry, to wither.” He says that if she will not put away her harlotry He will “strip her naked and expose her as the day she was born.” He will do the same thing of the spiritual harlot who has deceived His people in our day if she too will not repent. The Lord refers to her children as “children of harlotry” that He will have no compassion on. I am reminded of Revelation 2:22-23 where Jesus says; “I will cast her [Jezebel, the false prophetess] on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know

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that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds [“works”].” (NASU) For the sake of His children who have been seduced by her teachings, the Lord has begun to publicly expose those within the church who, like Jezebel, are leading His people into spiritual adultery. If they repent in their suffering, they will be restored. If those who adhere to her adulterous teachings do not repent, Jesus says He will make them “suffer intensely.” At this point there will not be any mercy. It will simply be, as He said, “according to your deeds.” Shrinking Back In Shame There is an extremely important truth in the New Testament that the devil has done his best to keep from our understanding. John wrote; “Now, little children, abide in Him [Christ], so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.” (1 John 2:28/NASU) By definition, to abide in Christ is “to remain, to stay in a given place, state, relation or expectancy, to remain as one is, not to become another or different.” It is to hold firmly till the end the confidence we had when we first received Christ (Hebrews 3:14, 4:14). John would not, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, exhort us to abide in Christ if it was automatically guaranteed till the end after our initial turning to Him. We must hold fast to what we have so that no one will take our crown (Rev. 3:11). Salvation involves our working together with the Holy Spirit, not receiving the grace of God in vain through disobedience (2 Cor. 6:1). In 1 John 3:24 we read; “The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him.” The doctrine of demons says the opposite; that after turning to Christ there is no possible way for us not to continue “in Him.” Perseverance in the Christian’s walk is crucial, continuing to DO the will of God in order to receive what was promised, which is eternal life (1 John 2:25). The writer of Hebrews made this clear, saying; “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, ‘He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back [“to withdraw oneself”], I will not be pleased with him.’ But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.” (Hebrews 10:35-39/NIV)

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Many will immediately cry, “Works, works, they cannot save us!” If that were totally true then why did the writer of Hebrews say that we needed to persevere, doing the will of God (i.e. works of faith) so as to receive His promised salvation, and that those Christians who “shrink back” will be destroyed? It’s because we have gone too far regarding works, as if nothing we do, whether good or evil, will affect our garment of salvation (see James 2:14-26 regarding the required relationship between faith and works). That should be very clear at this point to be a lie. This well entrenched doctrine of demons is the direct cause of the many unguarded, apathetic and unprotected hearts that are so prevalent within the church in America. The Bible speaks of two different types of works. One is referred to as works of the law, and the other, works of faith which are also referred to in John 6:28 as “the works of God.” The first is led by the will of man, the other by the Spirit of God. Jesus has much to say about both. In fact, with His message to five of the seven churches in the first part of the book of Revelation, He mentioned their works (“deeds”) in their rebuke. The emphasis of the Lord on this subject cannot be ignored. (For a vital in depth discussion and understanding of this, see my book Works And Salvation.)

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Chapter Twenty Eight

Disappearing Ink

n Revelation 3, the Lord warned the church in Sardis to wake up and complete their works. He said;

“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds [“works”]; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds [“works”] complete in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.” (Revelation 3:1-3/NIV) The Greek for complete is pleroo (play-ro'-o). It’s described as “to level up a hollow, to make full, to finish, to render perfect, to carry through to the end.” They had become apathetic, neglecting their covenantal obligation to finish the works of the Lord so that nothing would be wanting in regards to a full measure in His sight from them. The problem was their reputation before men did not match their reputation with God. Man saw them as alive and vibrant, a great place to go to church at and worship the Lord. This sounds like many of our hollow, entertaining American churches. Like many of them, the Church Of The Walking Dead in Sardis had some serious inner issues that, if not repented of, would cause some heavenly ink to quickly disappear. Jesus went on with His rebuke to the church in Sardis, saying; “Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes [“the cloak or mantle”]. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before

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my Father and his angels. He who has an ear [speaking to those in verse 3 who “received and heard”], let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 3:4-6/NIV) Per the words of Jesus, to not overcome is to not be clothed in the proper garments which results in having your name erased from the book of life. That’s how serious it is to put on the Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus makes it clear in this passage that one CAN have their name erased from the book of life. Again, the number one (in my opinion) doctrine of demons called “eternal security” is exposed as a lie from hell. Only Christians have their names placed in this book. How could one be in the book of life without possessing the Bread of Life? The erased ones are those whose heart is like that of Judas Iscariot, the unfaithful betrayer of Jesus that, at one time, ate from His table. The Overcomers The few that do not “soil their clothes” in verse 4 are those referred to in verse 5 as “overcomers.” They are the worthy Christians that have obediently kept themselves pure. The overcomer mentioned in this letter to Sardis is the Christian that has not been as diligent in guarding their hearts, but, after hearing the Lord’s rebuke to wake up, they repent. This was a very stern warning to the church that we dare not dismiss as being irrelevant to us today. In the west, our thinking has become so distorted that we look at the church as some type of a membership role only that meets in a building. God doesn’t think that way. The church is the ekklesia, the “called out” ones who have heard and then received Jesus. Many come out, only to eventually go back into practicing sin and walking in unbelief. They’re the ones Peter refers to as the dog that returns to its own vomit, and the pig that, after washing (in the blood of Jesus), returns to wallow in the mud (2 Peter 2:20-22). The Christians referred to in Revelation 3:1-6 are the ones commanded by God to wake up (verse 2), strengthen what still remains in their Christian faith but is about to die (verse 2), complete their works (verse 2), hold fast to what they heard and received, and repent (verse 3). They need to have their soiled clothes that have been stained, polluted, and defiled by sin rewashed in the blood of forgiveness before it’s too late. If they listen and repent, they are the ones the Lord calls “overcomers.” The Greek for overcomers is nikao (nik-ah'-o) which means “to subdue, to conquer, to come off victorious.” It’s also defined as Christians who “hold fast their faith even unto death against the power of their foes, and temptations, and persecutions.” Jesus is saying that if you and I, as a Christian, continue to disobey when He

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commands us to repent through His Holy Spirit, that we run the risk of crossing a line that will result in our name being erased from His book of life. Later, John makes it clear that not everyone is written in this book. He speaks of those “whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.” (Revelation 13:8) Thankfully, the Lord is very patient with us, but we dare not in arrogance, without the fear of God, continue to walk in foolish presumption thereby testing Him. The prize of salvation is rewarded at the end, not the beginning, to those who endure, crossing the finish line through submission to the Holy Spirit’s inner dealings. Through acceptance of false teachings, many in the church assume that a runner is automatically ensured of the prize when he first begins the race. As in an earthly contest, only those who finish receive what they’re running for. Training, especially for endurance, is essential for running well. This happens spiritually through the training of the Lord that some fight in their lives, believing they are eternally secure and not in need of endurance. Without it, you will not finish. Hebrews 10:36 confirms this, saying; “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.” Clearly, doing the will of God is the ONLY way to “receive what was promised.” Paul gave the following exhortation to the Christians in the city of Corinth; “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize… I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27/NAS) The Greek word for “disqualified” is defined as “unapproved, rejected; by implication, worthless, not standing the test, that which does not prove itself as it should, reprobate.” Unlike many of our preachers today, Paul is not using this figure of speech to be witty. The only ones that look at this in that manner, dangerously taking away God’s words, are those who foolishly adhere to the devils lies. They have to reinforce their false beliefs. As Jesus declared to His disciples when questioned about His return and the end of the age; “He who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 24:13) Otherwise, you become a “twice dead” (Jude 1:12), foolish virgin whose name disappears from the book of life. If necessary, may the Lord grant you and I repentance before it’s too late and the doors of His ark of deliverance are eternally shut.

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Chapter Twenty Nine

The Marriage Of The Lamb

s we discussed earlier, the Bride of Christ is made up of those who hear that it is time for the wedding and they prepare by doing righteous acts per the will of God. Their obedience to keep themselves pure results in a bright and clean covering of glory from their Husband, who is Christ; “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready [“to prepare, readiness”]. It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright [“radiant, shining”] and clean [“pure”]; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” (Revelation 19:7-8/NASU) There are many attendants in a wedding, but only one bride. In regards to the Bride of Christ, she is the pure one(s) of her Master (Song of Solomon 6:8-10). It is the bride who is the most conscientious and the most concerned about what she is wearing. She takes the most time and care of all involved with her preparations in getting ready for the wedding ceremony because she will be the center of attention. Also, she is the only one given the right to “put on” the wedding dress. The attendants will be dressed appropriately for the occasion too, but only the Bride will wear the white dress (see Isaiah 61:10, Revelation 21:2). Like the high priest on the Day of Atonement, we must put on the covering garment of fine linen required to go behind the veil into God’s presence where the two will eternally become one. By the way, the armies of heaven are described in the Bible as those who are dressed in fine linen (Rev. 19:14, Jude 1:14-15). I see this Bride of Christ as a warring Bride. She will march in the authority and power of her Husbandman, the Lord Jesus Christ, subduing all His enemies for His name’s

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sake. Covering A Multitude Of Sins According to Jesus, one of the works that differentiate those who are sheep from those who are goats is their help in the clothing of those who were in need. In His teaching about the judgment of all nations, Jesus taught His disciples, saying; “All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’” (Matthew 25:32-36/NIV) Jesus said that what we do for one of “the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me,” including helping to clothe them. Obviously, to help the needy is an honorable thing, but I see something even greater in this. James said the following in regards to covering the sin of a wandering Christian; “My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20/NASU) To turn a straying brother or sister back to obedience to Christ will save his soul from death, covering them from the spiritual nakedness caused by their rebellion against God. Thankfully, repentance restores and re-covers the wandering Christian. Peter told us to; “Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers [“to cover up”] a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8/NASU) It is the love of Jesus that causes Him to reach out and, when necessary, discipline His people, exhorting them to return so as not to be eternally cut off from Him.

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The psalmist declared; “Blessed is he whose transgressions [“a revolt, to rebel”] are forgiven, whose sins are covered [“to clothe”]. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.” (Psalm 32:1-2/NIV) To have your sins covered is to be clothed by God. This happens through the forgiveness of sins in Christ. When we repent, He covers our sinful state. To be naked before God is to not have your sins forgiven. Christ’ love for mankind was revealed in that He was crucified for us, providing a way to be covered even while we were naked in our sin. Paul put it this way; “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:7-8/NIV) Put Off The Old Man and Put On The New Man In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he explains the order of our getting dressed, spiritually speaking. He said in Ephesians 4:22-24; “…in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self [“old man”], which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self [“new man”], which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” (NASU) In order to put on the “new self” (new man) we must first take off the “old self” (old man), and then be renewed in the spirit of our mind. In the renewing process of sanctification by the Holy Spirit, we learn how and why we need to put on the new self. Throughout this lifelong course we learn how to control ourselves in a way that is holy and honorable in order to be vessels of honor so as not to be numbered among those who are ashamed at the return of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, 2 Timothy 2:20-21). We must remain vigilant in our Christian walks, continuing in obedience to God so as not to lose our covering garment of salvation through careless neglect. Again, for the sake of emphasis, a lukewarm Christian is one that believes he or she is clothed when in reality they are naked (Revelation 3:1718).

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The vital importance of putting on the “new man,” of putting on the Lord Jesus Christ so as not to be found naked is not being taught. As with infant children, young Christians need help as they learn how to get dressed. In another one of His other letters, Paul again speaks of this matter; “…consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self [“old man”] with its evil practices, and have put on the new self [“new man”] who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him…” (Colossians 3:5-10/NASU) This passage reinforces the truth that the “chosen of God” (Colossians 3:12) are not fully dressed right away, but have been given the commandment and the right to “put on” the Lord Jesus Christ. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become [“to come into existence, to arise, to be made”] the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21/NIV) Unlike many teachers today, Jesus taught us to seek His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). Why would He say this if at the moment we first believed we, as I’ve heard many teach over the years, received all we would ever have of God? As we discussed in an earlier chapter, only those who have received Christ have been given the right of choice to put on His garment of righteousness (John 1:12). The process of being clothed in Christ’ righteousness is the ongoing work of sanctification by the Holy Spirit for our salvation. He teaches and guides us in the way of putting on Christ’ righteous garment of salvation, and also how to keep it on through Him. Knowing the hour we are in, may we encourage one another to put aside all malice, deceit and hypocrisy, envy and all slander, and like newborn babies long for the pure milk of the word, “so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” (1 Peter 2:1-3)

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Chapter Thirty

The Day Of Covering

hrough Moses, the Lord commanded Israel to observe three annual feasts before Him. Although linked together with the harvest cycles in Israel, they were a time for the entire nation to worship and reflect on the Lord. Today we look back and see the fulfillment of these festivals in the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Passover, which included the feast of Unleavened Bread and Firstfruits, and Pentecost were celebrated in the spring. Jesus life and death fulfilled the meaning of these appointed times of God on the exact days they were being celebrated. Later in the year, after the harvest of their fields during the fall, the Jewish people would celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (known as Sukkot which means “booths”), thanking God for His provision. It is a reminder of the forty years the Israelites wandered in the wilderness, living in makeshift shelters, or booths. Like Passover, it involved three different events. If the first two festivals were fulfilled on the exact day and time through the life and death of Christ, why would the fall festivals not also be fulfilled in the same manner? Personally, I believe it is very obvious that they will. The first event of the fall festival was called the Feast of Trumpets which is known in Hebrew as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Teruah. The shofar would be blown, signaling the beginning of the fall holiday season and the time to gather together before God. One of its main purposes was to stir God’s people to repentance. There are ministries that have been raised up by God in this season of God’s appointed time to raise their voice like a trumpet, signaling the time for God’s people to awaken from their spiritual slumber and prepare for what lies just ahead, the great day of judgment known as the Day of Atonement. The ten day period between these two events were called the Days of Awe. It was a time of self-examination to search your heart for any wrongdoings against others and God. They were days of repentance when each person

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made things right in preparation of the coming Day of Judgment, known in Hebrew as Yom Kippur. Again, I personally believe we are in a window of opportunity to prepare our hearts through repentance in preparation of the judgment of God on earth. Once a year, on Yom Kippur (literally “Day of Covering”), or the Day of Atonement, the high priest in Israel would enter into the Holy of Holies in the temple with the blood of the required sacrifices per the Lord’s instructions. He would do this on behalf of the people of Israel for the atonement, or covering of their sin for the previous year. He could not enter at any other time except the appointed time of God. To enter at any time, in any manner he chose, would mean certain death. The Lord had said to Moses; “Tell your brother Aaron that he shall not enter at any time into the holy place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, or he will die; for I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. Aaron shall enter the holy place with this: with a bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. He shall put on the holy linen tunic, and the linen undergarments shall be next to his body, and he shall be girded with the linen sash and attired with the linen turban (these are holy garments). Then he shall bathe his body in water and put them on.” (Leviticus 16:2-4/NASU) Aaron, and every high priest after him were required to bathe their body in water and put on holy garments before entering into God’s Presence. They are a type of the requirements of God for all who would desire to enter in, behind the veil, thereafter. If the high priest did not follow the instructions of God he would die. So will we if we dare to enter into His presence without reverence and adherence to His ways. This is why He helps us, stirring us as necessary beforehand to prepare ourselves. After the death of Jesus it would be His blood that the Father would accept on our behalf for the forgiveness of our sin. At the end of this age we too must be properly dressed, putting on the Lord Jesus Christ per His proper order so as to be covered by His blood of forgiveness in the day of His judgment, the final Yom Kippur. As pictured by the high priest, to attempt to enter into the Presence of God at the end of this age otherwise will mean certain death. This is why He, in great mercy, will send us a final revival before His return and judgment of all wickedness on earth. Hosea prophesied of this outpouring, declaring; “Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will

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revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. (Hosea 6:1-3/NIV) The midnight shout to wake up and prepare for the return of the Bridegroom is now sounding. Those with ears to hear are preparing themselves through the washing of the word of truth, cleansing their hearts by faith. By putting on the Lord Jesus Christ through obedience to His word, they are being made ready to enter His Presence and live. The final Yom Kippur is coming and at this moment most in the church in America are not properly covered. As such they will not be in a place of protection when the Lord acts. Presently, only a few are dressed appropriately in readiness. The Man Who Stands In Readiness In Leviticus, chapter 16, the Lord describes His requirements for the Day of Atonement. Part of the divine order involved two male goats used to atone for the sins of the nation. One was to be sacrificed and the other, called the scapegoat, or “the goat of removal” (Azazel), would take upon it the sins of Israel. After the laying on of hands by the high priest on its head to symbolically transfer the sins of Israel to it, a designated man would then lead the scapegoat out into the wilderness; “When he [Aaron] finishes atoning for the holy place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall offer the live goat. Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel and all their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and he shall lay them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands in readiness. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a solitary land [“a desert, separation, a separate place”]; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness.” (Leviticus 16:20-22/NASU) The “man who stands in readiness” is referred to in other versions of the Bible as “a man appointed for the task” (NIV), “a suitable man” (NKJV), and “a fit man” (KJV). The Hebrew meaning interpreted above as “stands in readiness” is “timely, ready.” I believe this man represents those who have been trained by the Lord and, through obedience, are now “dressed in readiness” (Luke 12:35). They are ready to lead others in the Body of Christ

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“outside the camp” to the solitary place of sacrifice and shame where Jesus went before us bearing our iniquities. As with Abraham and Isaac, it is the place where “The Lord will provide” the substitutionary sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, for our sins (Genesis 22). The Hebrew for “send it away” is shalach (shaw-lakh'). According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words; “…basically this verb means ‘to send,’ in the sense of (1) to initiate and to see that such movement occurs or (2) to successfully conclude such an action… The most frequent use of shalach suggests the sending of someone or something as a messenger to a particular place. Shalach can also mean to give someone a send off, or ‘to send’ someone on his way in a friendly manner… In Deuteronomy 22:19 the word is used of divorcing a wife, or sending her away… In a less technical sense shalach can mean to release someone held by force.” What I see in this is that the Lord sends His trusted servants, those who have proven themselves as faithful, and have been appointed for the task of leading the scapegoat, the living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-3), out to the wilderness. It’s a place of separation from all that would defile that the man of readiness has already become familiar with. Having been trained for this moment, they stand dressed in readiness to lead out those who are also willing, as they were, to present themselves as a living and holy sacrifice unto the Lord.

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Chapter Thirty One

The Morning And Evening Sacrifice

n the Day of Atonement the Lord had instructed Aaron to offer a bull for a sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household, and a ram for a burnt offering which was referred to as the “whole burnt offering.” The entire offering was to be burned with fire on the altar. According to Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary; “It was termed ‘continual’ (Exodus 29:38-42) to teach the nation of Israel that their sinfulness required a complete and continual atonement and consecration. This sacrifice, offered every morning and evening, pointed to Christ’s atoning death for sinners (2 Cor. 5:21) and His total consecration to God (Luke 2:49). The burnt offering spoke of Christ’s passive obedience and His submission to the penalty required by man’s sinfulness. It also refers to His perfect obedience to God’s law by which He did for us what we are unable to do for ourselves.” Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words adds, “the central significance of this offering as the ‘whole burnt offering’ was the total surrender of the heart and life of the offerer to God.” Today it is a picture of a life that is continually being offered as a living sacrifice unto the Lord. As long as we remain on the altar, surrendered to God’s will, the fire of God will continue to burn off the fleshly nature. Paul said; “Do not put out the Spirit's fire.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19/NIV) This occurs when we quench the burning work of God within us by living according to our own will thereby getting off the altar off submission.

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The Confrontation There was a time in Israel’s history when Elijah the prophet had a showdown on Mount Carmel against 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the Asherah who ate at Queen Jezebel’s table. They would call upon the name of their god first and Elijah would then call upon the name of the Lord. The God who answered by fire would be the true God. When all the sons of Israel were assembled, Elijah said to them; “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” (1 Kings 18:21/NASU) After the prophets of Baal and the Asherah cried out to their god for most of the day with no answer, it was Elijah’s turn. He repaired the altar first that had been torn down and then had water poured over everything. He did this at a time of severe drought. By his word it had not rained for three years. The Bible tells us what happened next; “Then it came about at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near [“to approach, to worship”] and said, ‘O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that Thou art God in Israel, and that I am Thy servant, and that I have done all these things at Thy word. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that Thou, O LORD, art God, and that Thou hast turned their heart back again.’” (1 Kings 18:36-37/NASU) The fire then fell. I see a similar confrontation of the divided hearts of God’s people in our land in order to once again reveal who truly is God. We too must choose, once and for all, who we will serve. While reading Zechariah 1:3, I believe the Lord revealed to me the significance of our drawing near in this moment of time. The Lord said, “Return to Me that I may return to you.” Clearly, the implication is that unless we return to Him first, He will not return to us. Like the days of Elijah, many of God’s people in America have fallen away from following Him. They have a divided heart and are trying to serve the Baals of our day, and God. In so doing they have through negligence destroyed His altar within them. This is the vital importance of the forerunner ministry in the spirit of Elijah in these last days before the wrath of God is poured out. It prepares His way within His people’s hearts by reestablishing that which has been abandoned through spiritual carelessness. Because of our fallen nature, we have a tendency to not seek Him without some heavenly coercion. If He never

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initiated this it would never occur. We are told that Elijah drew near to God at the time of the evening sacrifice. I believe this is a picture of the Elijah-like servants of our day who are being drawn by the Spirit to approach the Lord. It is time for the final sacrifice, the evening sacrifice, to be placed on the altar. Daniel is another man who drew near to God during the time of this last sacrifice of the day; “Now while I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God, while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering. And he gave me instruction and talked with me, and said, ‘O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding. At the beginning of your supplications the command was issued, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed; so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision. Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place.’” (Daniel 9:20-24/NASU) Interestingly enough, the understanding given to Daniel by Gabriel involved making atonement for iniquity. At the end of the day, when he was exhausted, Daniel was given revelation regarding the last days. I believe that in these final moments of this age before the return of Christ, God’s people will feel this “extreme weariness” in their spirits. We must encourage one another to continue to seek the Lord, confessing our sin and the sin of the church. The Lord will come to all who would humble themselves and grant us understanding in truth in order to strengthen us for what we are about to go through. In his book The Feast of Tabernacles, George Warnock shares an interesting insight regarding these two sacrifices. He compares the morning sacrifice to Christ who was betrayed and crucified by the religious leaders of His day 2000 years ago, and the evening sacrifice to His Body who, once again, are being betrayed and crucified by the religious leaders of our day. He believes that Jesus died on a literal cross while, today, His Body is being nailed to a spiritual cross. From our personal experience, my wife and I would agree. Warnock says; “We cannot atone for their sin; the Head alone could do that; but as members of His Body we can share His suffering and his rejection, and in that way

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transmit its efficacy to others. We can suffer for the Truth, and in our sufferings the Truth will shine forth. We can enter into the pangs of Gethsemane, in this evening hour of Christ’s betrayal, and in so doing share His cross for the sake of the brethren [see 1 John 3:16]. For just as Christ the Head was betrayed some two thousand years ago, so once again Christ the Body is being betrayed today. Christ the Head meant no more to Judas or the Scribes and Pharisees than thirty pieces of silver. Today, Christ the Body means no more to the ecclesiastical authorities than large, costly church buildings, big salaries, pipe organs, choirs, orchestras, creeds, dogmas, and the applause of men. And if we, as God’s people, are going to be prepared to share His betrayal, stand true to Him even unto death, and follow Him “without the camp” [see Hebrews 13:13], then we shall share His death. The Head died on a literal cross; the Body is being nailed to a spiritual cross… Every imaginable device of ecclesiastical tyranny has been used against the Church, to make her completely helpless and useless and powerless so far as functioning as a Body is concerned. Every conceivable form of sin, carnality, division, schism, and sectarianism has been foisted upon God’s people, largely by men in the pulpit who have been proclaiming a lie for the truth. As truly as Christ was betrayed by the religious leaders of His day, so truly is His Body being betrayed and crucified today.” (p.78-79) Jesus was the morning sacrifice. His Body is the evening sacrifice. When Jesus had fulfilled the Father’s will for Himself, He proclaimed; “It is finished.” When we, as His Body, fulfill the Father’s will for us, we will also be able to make the same declaration. The evening sacrifice will be complete, or finished, when we do our share, as Paul wrote, “on behalf of His Body in filling up [“completing”] that which is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.” (Colossians 1:24) To our shame, in America this affliction often comes from among our own spiritual family. As we near the end of this age, when the final Yom Kippur takes place, it is extremely important that we listen to the Holy Spirit and get ready by putting on the proper covering so as not to be found naked and ashamed Laodiceans. We must allow the Holy Spirit to search our hearts in order to see if there is any wickedness within us that needs to be put off. This is why the revealing of truth is so important in these final moments. The devil knows it is the only thing that can set us free from his bondage of lies and deception that create a false sense of peace and safety. Truth releases us from the house of religious bondage, pictured by Egypt, in order to then enter into the Promised Land of our inheritance in Christ (Deuteronomy 6:23). When truth is presented, whether individually or corporately, it is met quickly with fierce opposition, revealing the degree to which the devil has infiltrated the church and established his strongholds within the hearts and minds of God’s people. When asking the Lord how long the enemy would be

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allowed to rule in their midst, Asaph declared; “The enemy has damaged everything within the sanctuary. Your adversaries have roared in the midst of Your meeting place; They have set up their own standards for signs.” (Psalm 74:3-4/NASU) I ask the same question; “How long Lord, how long will You allow this in Your church?” Having been given revelation of what is quickly approaching, I now find myself in a battle of battles within to do as told. Through the evil influence of my flesh, the Sodom-like society we live in, and the devil, the forces of wickedness are waging a fierce campaign to take me, and you, down. Ultimately, it is an individual battle that each Christian must face. Victory can only come through the power of the Holy Spirit. Without Him, all efforts to defeat the enemy of our souls will fail. Praise God, there is a place of victory; the cross of Jesus Christ! It is written that as we join Him in the likeness of His death, we shall also be raised up in the likeness of His resurrection (Romans 6:5). Lord, give us aid against the enemy, the help of man is worthless. We cannot overcome without You. But with You, ALL things are possible. Hallelujah!

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Chapter Thirty Two

Clothed With Power

fter His ascension, Jesus declared to His disciples;

“I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49NASU) It is the state of being “clothed with power from on high” that is sorely lacking these days in the church in America. Instead of trusting the Lord we depend more upon our own manmade coverings; our organizing abilities, our branding, and many other foolish gimmicks led by the flesh to build the church. In most cases we are building our own kingdoms rather than the Lord’s. In Zephaniah, chapter one, the Lord declares that He will completely remove all things from the face of the earth, including man. Those who will be judged on the day of the Lord include “all who clothe themselves with foreign garments.” (Zephaniah 1:8) The Hebrew for “foreign” is defined as “strange, unknown, unfamiliar, adulterous.” To continue practicing idolatry after turning to Christ without repentance is to clothe yourself with an unknown garment before God. An unknown garment will cause you to become unknown by Him (Matthew 7:2123). The only saving garment He recognizes is the one provided by Jesus. All others are “strange” to Him. The fire of God used to burn the evening sacrifice will soon reveal exactly what foundation every follower of Christ has built upon; “If any man builds on this foundation [Jesus Christ] using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his

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reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” (1 Corinthians 3:12-17/NIV) The day and age in which we dwell is nearly over. The fire of God will soon fall and the evening sacrifice of our lives revealed as either a pleasing aroma or a stench in His nostrils. To the righteous this will be a day of great joy and freedom from all that has bound us on earth. It will be a day when all that has held us back from perfection will be removed and the glory of God gained. When the three Hebrew men were thrown into the fire for not bowing to an idol, the Lord appeared in the fire with them, keeping them safe (Daniel 3:1930). In fact all that burned off them was the bindings the world had put on them. It will be the same for the righteous at the end of this age when the Lord judges the earth with fire. Any of their fleshly nature that is left from their sacrifice will be burned off (Leviticus 7:17), but they will be spared. It is the heart that will determine what will be destroyed at the end of this age. For the wicked it will be a day of destruction. Isaiah describes the judgment of God on earth saying, “the inhabitants of the earth are burned and few men are left.” (Isaiah 24:6) Regarding the joy in Jerusalem’s future, the Lord declared later through Isaiah; “…the Lord is coming with fire, and his chariots are like a whirlwind; he will bring down his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For with fire and with his sword the Lord will execute judgment upon all men, and many will be those slain by the Lord.” (Isaiah 66:15-16/NIV) In his second letter, Peter describes the final Yom Kippur, the final Day of God’s Judgment of sin on earth for us; “But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of ungodly men… But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!” (2 Peter 3:7, 10-12/NASU)

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The writer of Hebrews reminds us to be thankful, and to worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, “for our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:28-29) He warned us that if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, who is Christ, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume His adversaries. (Hebrews 10:26-27) Those who justify the wickedness they partake of without any thought of repentance will shrink back in shame at the Lord’s return. The Bible says the unrighteous have no shame (Zephaniah 3:5). We, the church, must search our hearts while there is time so as not to be numbered among them. May we not be found walking in presumption that we are covered in the righteousness of Christ while walking in rebellion against His lordship over us. We are in a window of opportunity that will soon be shut. The Lord has held back His righteous judgments against our nation, giving His people time to repent so that we will not be judged with the wicked (Revelation 18:4-5).

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Chapter Thirty Three

The Contented Church

he book of Daniel provides us an example, in type, of a Christian in the last days who walks in pride, not listening to the words of warning from the Lord to repent of their sins (2 Chron. 7:13-14) in this last opportunity before His return. In chapter 4, verse 4, King Nebuchadnezzar says that he was at home in his palace, “contented and prosperous,” just like many in the church in America. While in this state, the Lord gave him a dream that would cause him to be very fearful. Due to his past track record, Daniel, the one “in whom the Spirit of the holy God” dwelt, was summoned to interpret the king’s dream. After being told the dream by the king, Daniel then interpreted it. He hesitated, knowing that the dream was a warning from God for Nebuchadnezzar. He said to the king; “…this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: that you be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whomever He wishes. And in that it was commanded to leave the stump with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will be assured to you after you recognize that it is Heaven that rules. Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you: break away now from your sins by doing righteousness, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, in case there may be a prolonging of your prosperity.” (Daniel 4:24-27/NAS) One year later, the king was walking on the roof of his royal palace in Babylon when his heart was filled with pride as he reflected on the majesty of

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Babylon. He said to himself; “Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30/NAS) The Bible says that while the words were still in his mouth there came a voice from heaven, proclaiming; “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you, and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whomever He wishes.” (Daniel 4:31-32/NAS) The decree of the Lord immediately went into effect. When his heart became proud, forgetting what had been spoken to him through the word of the Lord, and believing that what he had came from his own abilities and strength apart from God, he was removed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him. Take note that his dwelling place became the same place as beasts and that it was for a period of seven years. This represents those who are proud in the church today. They think that they are going to be raptured away before the tribulation occurs to a place of protection when the Bible decrees that they will have to go through it, even dwelling with the beast for seven years. This is the place the Bible describes as “outer darkness,” a place outside of the protective dwelling place of the Lord, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The pride in their hearts declares this will never happen to them, or so they hope. With a false sense of security they say to themselves, “I am safe, even though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart!” I heard the Lord say recently within me regarding the wicked among His children, “If you do not fear Me I will bring on you what you do fear.” If you are now angry for what I have written then this warning is for you. You must repent while you still have time and stop mocking the patience of God. Stubborn pride will not conform you to godliness, but instead allow you to walk in a false sense of security while in rebellion against the Lordship of Jesus Christ over you. Jesus made it crystal clear in His indictment against the lukewarm church in Laodicea;

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“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16/NAS) This was written to the church, not those outside of it. Does your doctrine allow for this removal from the Body of Christ? If not, repent and receive the truth that will set you free and save you from the judgment that is coming upon the entire world. We must submit in these last days to the discipline of the Lord that has entered His church. As we previously discussed, it is His mercy to wake us up from our spiritual slumber that is so pervasive within Western Christianity. Paul made a very serious statement to the church in Corinth regarding the necessity of judging ourselves. He said; “But if we judged ourselves rightly, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord in order that we [Christians!] may not be condemned along with the world.” (1 Corinthians 11:31-32/NAS) Through this passage we can understand the love of God when He judges His people. The judgment of the Lord begins in the church so that we will not be condemned with the world when He judges them. We are warned first out of His great mercy. He reaches out continually to His stiff-necked children who will be without excuse on the great and terrible Day of the Lord that is quickly approaching us. God’s Warning For His People This is why we are given the grave warning in Revelation, chapter eighteen, concerning “God’s people” coming out of Babylon. She represents those in Christianity who have committed spiritual adultery with the world while being betrothed to Christ. John says; “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, that you may not participate in her sins and that you may not receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.’” (Revelation 18:4-5/NASU) When God says “my people,” He means MY PEOPLE! If you are a lukewarm Christian and do not repent from your sins, turning to the Lord with your whole heart, you will be left unprotected from His wrath in the place

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where His judgment will fall. Remember, the fear of the Lord and His judgements is to keep us, His church, from sinning, and the world’s condemnation. Some might say at this point, “But doesn’t Romans 8:1 say, ‘there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus’? Yes, it does. The KJV and NKJV of the Bible add a phrase, though, that the above version found in the NAS and the NIV put in verse four of this chapter. They say, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” As we just read in 1 Corinthians 11:31-32 there is condemnation for those in the church who “walk according to the flesh.” Like many other portions of Scripture, “the rest of the story” per Paul in Romans, chapter eight, is rarely shared by most of the preachers today. The Lord continues in Revelation, chapter eighteen, with His rebuke and judgement of Babylon; “Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds [“works”]; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously [“lived wantonly, without check or limitation”], to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as a queen and I am not a widow, and will never see mourning.’ For this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence [“pandemic”] and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong.’” (Revelation 18:6-8/NAS) Those with ears to hear, which seems to be fewer every day, listen closely to what the Spirit of God is saying in these last days. Our time to repent is running out. May God grant His rebellious children within this nation a spirit of repentance, leading to the knowledge of the truth, before it’s too late. As horrible as it will be for those who go through the great tribulation that is coming without the covering of the Lord, His mercy will be given toward those who repent. Like King Nebuchadnezzar, the glory of God’s Kingdom will be restored as His covenant is reestablished within them. In Nebuchadnezzar’s own words; “But at the end of that period [seven years] I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation. And all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What

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hast Thou done?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; At that time my reason returned to me. And my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my sovereignty, and surpassing greatness was added to me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.â&#x20AC;? (Daniel 4:34-37/NAS) When he repented, he was restored to his ruling position and regained his previous glory. So will those in the church who turn in humility to the merciful King of heaven after their period of disciplinary action has ceased. May the word of the King give enlightened eyes to the deceived and spare us from the coming wrath while the door is still open. It is soon going to shut by the command of the Lord Jesus Christ at which time it will be too late to enter in (Matthew 25:10).

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Chapter Thirty Four

Eternal Security

he discussion of eternal security among Christians is, with good reason, an extremely contentious and divisive topic. It is one, in fact, that has continually come before me in my studies throughout the years. I kept seeing verses that did not align with what I had heard and been taught growing up in the church. The evidence of the Scriptures is completely overwhelming regarding the truth of the matter. It is a truth that will set us free from the deception that has shipwrecked so many Christian’s faith. The number one cause of those mentioned in the great falling away from the faith right before the return of Jesus Christ will be adherence to the false teaching called “eternal security,” or “once saved, always saved.” Because we are dealing with salvation, this simply cannot be ignored. Let me start by saying I completely agree that there is eternal security in Christ. The issue here is whether or not someone who has received Christ can along the way be cut off from Him and therefore not be found in Him. Due to the multiple passages the Lord has led me through over the years, this will not be an exhaustive dialogue. Throughout many of my writings, though, this topic will come up. For obvious reasons, it is the number one doctrine attacked by the devil. Who cares if you have every other “t” crossed and “i” dotted, doctrinally speaking. To deceive us concerning salvation, for our destruction, is all that he cares about. As I have heard someone say years ago, Satan will let a river of truth flow by you in order to slip a sliver of falsehood in. To find the true doctrine we should first look at what Jesus taught. He said in Matthew 24:13; “He who stands firm until the end will be saved.” The Greek word for “stands firm” is hupomenu (hoop-om-en'-o). It’s defined as, “to remain, that is, to abide, not to recede or flee; under misfortunes and trials to hold fast to one’s faith in Christ; to endure, to bear bravely and calmly ill treatments.”

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Jesus’ doctrine of eternal security says that only the one who steadfastly remains in Him, enduring the trials that come to test the genuineness of our faith, will be saved. The willfully rebellious who received Christ and is now depending upon a prayer said some time ago, but are now living in rebellion, will go to hell if they do not repent. If, as Shelley’s dream from the Lord revealed, you have exited the narrow path of Christ for the broad way of being temporarily “contented and prosperous” like King Nebuchadnezzar, you are in danger of being disqualified from His prize of salvation. An entire book could be written on this subject. I will not go on and on to defend what I have come to know and believe as the obvious truth from God, but will just give enough to stoke the fire of thought for those who still have ears to hear and eyes to see. This subject seems to continually come up before me throughout my studies. The truth regarding the Lord’s salvation must be proclaimed so as to set His captives free. Paul spoke of this subject often throughout his writings. Others throughout the New Testament did as well, including, most importantly, Jesus. We’ll start by looking at Paul’s first letter to the Christian’s in Corinth in which he made the following exhortation; “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27/NAS) Paul was not trying to be funny here. This one passage alone should be enough for those who desire the truth. Unlike those in spiritual Babylon who live without check or limitation, we are commanded to exercise “self-control in all things.” Understanding the consequences that are possible, we need to look to the Holy Spirit for strength in our weakness and encouragement from one another to do this. Although all of us have failed at one time or another, we need to be careful not to make excuses for our sin and continue in it. Instead, be encouraged; “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16/NASU)

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To be “disqualified” is, by definition, to be “not approved, to not stand the test, rejected, a reprobate.” To be in the race is to be in Christ. You have entered in. Imagine the runner who, when the gun goes off, stands up from the blocks, stops while every other runner continues on, wipes off his hands, and then walks over to the podium to collect his prize. That is how ridiculous the once saved always saved doctrine is because that is exactly what it says can happen. To run outside the established rules and boundaries, believing nothing will happen to you, is to be naïve and, rather frankly, a foolish virgin. May the truth set you free, as it did me, to run the race in such a way that you may win the imperishable wreath of eternal life in Christ. Testing God While tempting Jesus in the wilderness, the Devil led Him to the pinnacle of the temple and said; “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here; for it is written, ‘He will give His angels charge concerning You to guard You,’ and, ‘On their hands they will bear You up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” (Luke 4:9-11/NAS) In other words, “Go ahead, cast yourself down from this high position in God’s temple. Assume on the goodness of God to catch you in spite of your willful rebellion against Him. Commit a presumptuous sin (Psalm 19:13). His angels will protect you from dieing in your fall from this lofty position. Put God to the test. You’re under grace, you can continue in willful sin and God will cover you. You can continue practicing sin without repentance and it will never affect your salvation.” Jesus response in Luke 4:12 was; “You shall not force a test on the Lord your God.” As Israel learned in the wilderness, neither should we. Standing firm by the strength that He provides as we willingly submit our lives to Him, is the ONLY way that we who will be here when He returns will survive. May the truth of God set you free from the bondage of being held captive to do the will of the enemy with a false sense of security. Cross-eyed Christians Satan gains ground within us through our divided hearts. The church in America has become filled with cross-eyed Christians; they have one eye on Jesus and one eye on the world with no desire through the fear of the Lord to repent. False doctrines have removed the ancient boundary of the Lord,

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allowing for us to walk in known sin and still enter in. Not only will you not enter in, but your judgment will now become worse than an unbeliever! You have become, as I said before, an unbelieving believer. If you have been given revelation from the Spirit concerning righteousness, and then turn away from it, your last state has become worse for you then when you were lost with no understanding. Peter makes this absolutely clear when he declares; “For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them. It has happened to them according to the true proverb, ‘A dog returns to its own vomit,’ and, ‘A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.’” (2 Peter 2:20-22/NAS) Those doctrines call God a liar. You cannot serve Christ and the world at the same time. This is called spiritual adultery. As we discussed, the Scriptures clearly state the consequence of trying to be both a friend of God and the world (James 4:4).

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Chapter Thirty Five

The Goodness Of God

oing back to Genesis, chapter twenty four, Abraham has the trusted servant make a vow to him that he will not take a bride from the Canaanites, among whom he lived. He was to go to his father's house, and to his relatives to get a bride for his son. I believe this is the Lord’s desire as well; to go to the church, which is the Father's house, to search for the chosen bride among His people. After being led to her, she is to be brought out and then prepared, made ready as the Bride that is worthy to be presented to her Heavenly Bridegroom. It’s important to note that the servant wasn't sent out empty handed on his search; “Then the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master, and set out with a variety of good things [“goodness”] of his master’s in his hand; and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.” (Genesis 24:10/NAS) When the Lord sends out His trusted servants, they, like Abraham’s servant, will also go with the goodness of their Master “in their hand.” The hand in Scripture refers to strength or power. It represents the authority of God. The New Testament tells us that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father, and that all authority has been given to Him (Matthew 28:18). You will recognize the true servants of the Lord because His authority will be “in their hands.” The authority the servant has in the distribution of the Master’s “good things” is not from himself, but from his Master. And the things of his Master that he has been entrusted with are not for just anyone, but are specifically to be gifted to the bride. She is the one who will be adorned with what she has received. The glory and honor of her Husband will rest upon her. She will bear His distinguishing mark. What she receives will reveal her identity as the

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chosen one, “the dove, the perfect one, the pure child of the One who bore her.” (Song Of Solomon 6:9) Another important thing to see is that it is the Master who sends, not man. Paul says in his letter to the Romans; “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!” (Romans 10:13-15/NAS) The Father always sends out His trusted servants with a variety of His (spiritual) gifts in their possession. James tells us that “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” (James 1:17) These good gifts are not to be used for any glory of the servants, but rather for the adornment of the bride. They mark her out as the chosen one of her Master, and His Son. In the city of Nahor there is a divine appointment between the trusted servant and the revealed bride of Isaac. Nahor means “snorting or snorer.” This is another picture of the present condition of the sleeping church in America. One of the definitions of snorting is to express contempt. To show contempt is to express the feeling that a person or a thing is beneath consideration, worthless, deserving scorn. In a legal sense, contempt of court is a willful disobedience to, or open disrespect of a court, judge, or legislative body. Biblically, it’s a lack of respect or reverence for the Lord, a willful disobedience to His revealed law and person. This is an exact description of those who are sleeping among God’s people. In love and mercy, the Lord is about to shake us in order to wake us before it’s too late and the doors of His ark of deliverance are shut. The Disrespectful Priests Of The Lord In the last book of the Old Testament, the Lord’s word through Malachi included a rebuke of the priests. Their disrespect for the Lord was expressed through the way they were handling the required sacrifices. They had despised His name by allowing the people to sacrifice blemished animals (Malachi 1:11-13). The minsters of our day are doing the same. They allow for God’s people to bring the sacrifice of their lives disrespectfully, with the blemish of known sin, and without reverence to God and His commands, telling them they have “Peace, peace!” when they are in danger of being cast out of His presence.

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In his prayer of repentance while in the belly of the big fish, Jonah declared; “Those who regard vain idols forsake [“to leave, to loose”] their faithfulness.” (Jonah 2:8/NASU) The Hebrew for faithfulness is defined as “goodness, faithfulness, kindness, grace.” The NIV version of the Bible says; “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.” Spiritual idolatry is extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something other than God. When a Christian continues to stubbornly refuse the conviction of the Holy Spirit to repent and forsake their idols, they will, in the end, loose themselves from the goodness and kindness of God (i.e. grace) shown towards them. They have insulted the Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:29). That which has been loosed (which means “to unbind, to undo, dissolve”) on earth through rebellion has then been loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19, 18:18). They are covenant breakers who have, through careless neglect, dissolved their union with God. The Goodness Of God And Israel In The Last Days The prophet Hosea records for us that last day events will cause Israel to come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness. The Lord said to the prophet; “For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar and without ephod or household idols. Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days.” (Hosea 3:4-5/NASU) This is what occurred with Joseph and his brothers when a great famine covered the entire earth. It forced his brothers to move to where the Lord had prepared a place of great deliverance for them (Genesis 45:5-7). Joseph was a type of Christ. They, like Israel has with Jesus, thought that he was dead. When he revealed himself to them they were absolutely terrified. So will Israel, at first, when Christ reveals Himself to them (Genesis 45:1-5). When Pharaoh heard that Joseph’s brothers had come he told Joseph to bring his entire family from Canaan to Egypt where they would eat the “best” of the land. They would live in Goshen which just happens to mean “drawing near”;

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“Now when the news was heard in Pharaoh's house that Joseph's brothers had come, it pleased Pharaoh and his servants. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Say to your brothers, Do this: load your beasts and go to the land of Canaan, and take your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the best [same Hebrew word for “goodness” in Genesis 24:10] of the land of Egypt and you will eat the fat [“choicest, best part”] of the land. Now you are ordered, do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father and come. Do not concern yourselves with your goods, for the best [again, “goodness”] of all the land of Egypt is yours.’” (Genesis 45:16-20/NASU) In the worst of times Joseph’s family ate the best of the land, from the goodness of the Lord prepared beforehand for them. So will those who humble themselves and draw near to the Lord at the end of this age during the dreadful Day of the Lord. We too should not be concerned with our goods, but the Lord’s. He has something far greater for us if we will but draw near; “How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.” (Psalm 31:19/NIV) With some heavenly pressure, natural Israel will be moved first to the place of God’s choosing. This migration on earth will be followed by spiritual Israel who is made up of both Jews and Gentiles to their place in Christ (Galatians 6:16). They will, if necessary, also be pressured to move to spiritual Goshen, a place of deliverance near the Lord in the last days. Like Joseph’s brothers, they will not move without some Divine coercion.

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Chapter Thirty Six

Listening To God’s Voice

n Moses’ discourse to the Israelites, he warned them to be careful to obey the Lord after they entered the Promised Land. If they were to do that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, to act corruptly and to make an idol in the form of anything they would not live long on the land, but would be utterly destroyed. Moses warned them further, saying; “The Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord drives you. There you will serve gods, the work of man's hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, in the latter days you will return to the Lord your God and listen to His voice. For the Lord your God is a compassionate God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.” (Deuteronomy 4:27-31/NASU) In the latter days, when Israel is in great distress during a time the Bible refers to as “Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7), God will get their attention. The extreme troubles on earth at the end of this age will cause Israel to return to the Lord. They will be the last portion of the Body of Christ to be brought to completion. After gaining their attention, they will be listening to His voice. Listening for the voice of Christ to lead us will be the difference between life and death in the days ahead. Joseph, after placing his brothers in prison, instructed them on the third day to bring their youngest brother, Benjamin, to him. He began with these words in Genesis 42:18; “Do this and live, for I fear God.” In the terrible days that lie just ahead for the world, the trusted servants

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of God will also hear from the Lord. They in turn will tell the people what to do. If they listen, they will be spared. If they don’t listen, they will perish. The Lord’s warning for Israel through Jeremiah is the church in America’s warning; “I spoke to you in your prosperity; but you said, ‘I will not listen!’ This has been your practice from your youth, that you have not obeyed My voice. The wind will sweep away all your shepherds, and your lovers will go into captivity; then you will surely be ashamed and humiliated because of all your wickedness.” (Jeremiah 22:21-22/NASU) In Acts, chapter 27, we are told that Paul was being taken to Rome as a prisoner in a ship. Before leaving he warned the centurion who was guarding him that if they continued on they would shipwreck and lose their lives. They didn’t listen, sailing right into a violent storm. It became so bad they threw their cargo overboard. Verse 19 says; “on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands.” When they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up and told them that, first of all, they should have listened to him and not set sail into this storm. By this time I’m sure they were in agreement. He then proceeded to tell them that an angel of the God whom he belonged to and served had appeared to him. The angel said that none of them would perish in the storm, but that they must run aground on a certain island. On the fourteenth night they began to approach land. Pretending they were going to lower some anchors down from the bow, some of the sailors tried to escape by letting the life boat down. Paul told the centurion; “Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved.” This time, having gained their respect, they listened to him and cut away the ropes of the boat so that it would happen as Paul had said. After encouraging the men to eat, they began to lighten the ship by throwing out the wheat into the sea. They soon ran aground on a reef. The ship was battered and they all made it to shore alive, just as Paul had said. The point in sharing this story is to illustrate the importance of listening to the instruction of the Lord through His servants in the storms that lies ahead. The Lord declared through the prophet Jeremiah; “Behold, the storm of the Lord has gone forth in wrath, even a whirling tempest; It will swirl down on the head of the wicked. The anger of the Lord will not turn back until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart; In the last days you will clearly understand it.” (Jeremiah 23:19-20/NAS)

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Because of their close relationship with Him, the trusted servants of the Master will hear what needs to be done in order to spare others’ lives in the last day’s storm we will enter. It made little sense for those in the ship with Paul to not get into the life boat. Its purpose was to spare lives. That’s what man had designed it for. The thing to learn is that in order to be saved God doesn’t depend upon man’s provisions, but man does depend upon God’s provisions. Listening intently to the Lord and then doing precisely what He tells us in the days ahead will be the difference between life and death. Tasting And Falling Away The writer of Hebrews warns us of the extreme consequences incurred by those who fall away from following Christ; “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted [“figuratively; to experience”] the heavenly gift, who have shared [“participant, sharing in, partaking of, a partner”] in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away [“to deviate from the right path, turn aside, wander”], to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.” (Hebrews 6:4-8/NIV) The person described in this passage is the one who has “tasted [experienced] the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age,” they have partaken of the Holy Spirit, which an unbeliever can never experience, and then turns away from the right path in Christ with an apostate heart, much like those in Shelley’s dream. This should encourage all of us who have turned to Christ to remain on the path, looking to the Holy Spirit for strength in our moments of weakness. To be enlightened in a biblical sense is, by definition of the Greek, “to enlighten spiritually, to imbue with saving knowledge.” This is clearly a warning to the person within whom the Lord has shone His light of salvation knowledge. Clearly, the light of Christ can become darkness within us by our covering it through disobedience. Right after His discussion of the sign of Jonah with the crowd that had gathered around Him, Jesus warned them in regards to the handling of His light. He used the picture of lighting a lamp and then hiding it

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under a basket. To those who do not let their light shine before men in such a way that they may see their good works, and glorify their Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16), Jesus says; “Then watch out that the light in you may not be darkness.” (Luke 11:35/NAS) And again; “If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” (Matthew 6:23/NAS) It is these dark parts in the Body of Christ who at one time possessed the light of Christ, but allowed darkness to prevail, that must be removed in order for the glory of God to be revealed to the world through His trusted servants of His light. We are in the last opportunity to be cleansed from the darkness within us. Through the merciful, ever increasing pressure of the Lord we will make the choice to either separate from all that is wicked and be spared, or try to run like Jonah from God and pay the price. Saving The Best For Last In John 2:1-11 we are shown a picture of the last day outpouring of the Lord’s goodness, His “best wine” which is saved for the last (days). It just happened to be at a wedding. The wine had run out and Jesus miraculously turned water into wine. The headwaiter was surprised saying that the best wine is usually served first but they had served it last. The best wine of the Lord will be granted in the last days to those of His servants who hear the present call to consecrate themselves. Because of their obedience to the call they will be filled with His goodness, and authority. The six stone water pots that were empty and used for the miracle wine are a type, representing the Lord’s humble servants who have been emptied of self. They have been made ready for the final outpouring of the Holy Spirit by hearing and doing what He says. Jesus is our example of inner emptying. Paul says in his letter to the church in the city of Phillipi; “…although He [Jesus] existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Phillipians 2:6-8/NASU)

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It was through this humility that Jesus was highly exalted; “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11/NASU) The trusted servant’s authority in the last days will come through following the same manner of conduct as their Master.

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Chapter Thirty Seven

Brides And Wells

fter being led to the city of Nahor, the trusted servant who is on a journey for a specific bride for His master’s son, sends a very specific prayer to the Lord while waiting in a very specific location;

“And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water. And he said, ‘O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show lovingkindness [“goodness, favor”] to my master Abraham. Behold, I am standing by the spring, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water; now may it be that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and who answers, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels also’; may she be the one whom Thou hast appointed for Thy servant Isaac; and by this I shall know that Thou hast shown lovingkindness to my master.” (Genesis 24:11-14/NASU) While prayerfully waiting at the well of God’s choosing, the obedient servant is about to have a Divine encounter with the chosen bride. As I studied the Scriptures, I began to notice other brides who were discovered at wells. In Genesis, chapter twenty nine, Jacob met Rachel at a well. In Exodus, chapter two, Moses, as he was fleeing from Pharaoh, met his wife, Zipporah, at a well. Like these two, the chosen Bride of the Master is already drawing from the wells of His salvation, faithfully serving the Lord through the seemingly mundane, daily routines. It is here that God will meet with her in a Divine appointment and reward her faithfulness by choosing her for Himself. It is her humble, servant heart that attracts the attention of the Father. Knowing the importance of Divine guidance, the servant had petitioned the Lord to let him know that his journey was successful by having the woman

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give him and his camels a drink. Giving camels a drink may seem to be a simple thing, unless you understand the thirst of a camel. I read that a thirsty camel can drink up to twenty two gallons of water at one time. There were ten camels! This would be a good test of her heart. Let’s say that each camel drank twenty gallons. If that were so, how many trips back to the well would she have to make? If she could carry ten gallons at a time that would be two trips per camel for a total of twenty trips. Whatever the amount of trips to the well it actually took, I think you can see the character qualifications for the chosen bride of the Lord. The Bible never says that she complained or grumbled during any of her deeds of kindness. It also gave the servant plenty of time to be sure if she was the one or not. I’m sure that he did not want to be too hasty in making such a weighty decision. After she finished watering the camels, the servant then placed the gifts that he had brought with him on her. You can just imagine the look on her face and the thoughts running through her mind as this stranger lavishes these rich gifts of his master’s good things upon her. Her humble heart had to have been overwhelmed at that moment. Her gracious hospitality to strangers was then revealed as their conversation continued. The servant asked her; “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room for us to lodge in your father's house?” And she said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” Again she said to him, “We have plenty of both straw and feed, and room to lodge in.” Then the man bowed low and worshiped the LORD. And he said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His lovingkindness and His truth toward my master; as for me, the LORD has guided me in the way to the house of my master's brothers.” (Genesis 24:23-27/NASU) The Lord had guided His trusted servant to a “prepared place,” answering his prayer to make his journey successful. All those who follow Christ, and are acknowledging Him in all their ways (Proverbs 3:5-6), will also discover that the Lord always leads His obedient servants that are listening to Him to a place that He has already prepared for them. In a discussion with His disciples concerning His departure to His Father, and His return for them, Jesus said; “I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:1-3) As His disciple, He wants for us to learn that we can trust Him to direct us in the way that we should go where everything has been prepared beforehand. He, in fact, is the Way (John 14:6). To continue following Jesus, looking to Him for guidance and direction, is to never lose our Way.

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Preparing A Place Within Us I’m reminded of the birth of Christ when there was no room for Mary and Joseph. Is there room within our hearts for the Master today if He comes knocking? Will you graciously receive those whom He sends out to you? Is there a place prepared within you for Him, or is it filled with other guests? While Nehemiah, the leader of the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem was away for a period of time, Eliashib the priest who was in charge of the storerooms of God, had prepared a room in the courts of God, emptying it of its holy contents for a man named Tobiah, a man with whom he was closely associated, to move into. Tobiah had already revealed himself as a mocker of God’s people and the good work they were doing (Nehemiah 2:19). Theirs was an evil kinship in the house of God which Nehemiah declared as having no portion, right, or memorial in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:20). Eliashib’s name means “God restores.” Tobiah’s name is, interestingly enough, defined in Hebrew as the “goodness of Jehovah”, or “Jehovah is good.” By their names it sounds like an incredible alliance when, in actuality they are the demonic duo who led a false restoration with evil intent against the Lord and His people. By the way, have you ever been in a church where the pastor says, “God is good!”, and the congregation responds by saying, “All the time!” They then reverse the Christian nursery rhyme, the pastor saying, “All the time,” and the congregation responding, “God is good!” This is nothing more than the immature, Tobiah chant of delusion. Church, it’s time to grow up in Christ before it’s too late! When Nehemiah, the one called by God and filled with His goodness returned to Jerusalem and learned of Eliashib and Tobiah’s evil alliance, he threw all of Tobiah’s goods out of the room. We need to do the same thing in the church today. Those in the church who claim to be filled with the goodness of God, with His good things, but are not, must be exposed by God as such and, along with their goods, be tossed out of God’s house. Their coup against God’s government must be eliminated. The Christian Coup Against Christ One of the definitions for a coup (pronounced “koo”) is; “A sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government.” There are certain instances when a coup can be a good thing. For instance our nation came into existence when the colonies rebelled against England’s heavy hand of rule over them. The desire to be free from their tyranny was not taken lightly by our Founding Fathers. It was only after exhausting every avenue of reconciliation with the

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King of England that they declared their independence. Throughout history there have been numerous coups when a certain segment of a society are unhappy with the government that is over them and, usually through military aggression, attempt to overthrow it. Some are successful and some are not. In either case, those who rebel desire a change of those who ruled over them. In part of their counseling before marriage, I take couples through a teaching regarding the possible negative affects among children that have non-confrontational parents. The biblical application applies to the spiritual children in the family of God as well. The first example is revealed through the way David dealt with his son, Adonijah; “Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, ‘I will be king.’ So he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen with fifty men to run before him. His father had never crossed him at any time by asking, ‘Why have you done so?’” (1 Kings 1:5-6/NASU) David’s lack of confrontation with Adonijah resulted in him becoming a self-absorbed, egotistical man who thought the world should revolve around, and serve, him. Through this we see that the fruit of a non-confrontive parent is self-exaltation in their children. They end up desiring to be the king, or queen, the one sitting on the throne of their heart with a sense of entitlement (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). When a Christian is never confronted with their sin and continue in it by not submitting to the lordship of Jesus Christ over them, they too will enthrone themselves within their heart in a spirit of self-exaltation that will cause them, and possibly others, great pain. The Bible declares that this Christian coup against the government of God will cause many in the family of God to fall away from Him with an apostate heart at the end of this age before the return of Christ. Not understanding through correction and restraint what it means to serve one another, these self-centered children/adults desire to have everyone serve them, exalting self above others. Their self-induced issue becomes an annoyance for everyone else they come into contact with throughout society, and the church. They have no respect for authority because they choose to be their own authority, desiring to rule over everyone else. If parents do not bring a little pain into their children’s lives early, they will bring great pain to others, and themselves, when they get older. In the church we refer to this loving confrontation as church discipline. Because of the manpleasing spirit that has overrun the church, it is rarely carried out. This explains why we have so many, in particular within the church in America,

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that have fallen away from following Christ. Another biblical example of non-confrontational parenting is seen through Eli, the priest of God. He was made aware of the sin of his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, but never confronted them. The Lord then said to Samuel; “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle. At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family-- from beginning to end. For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible [NAS- …brought a curse on themselves], and he failed to restrain them.” (1 Samuel 3:11-13/NIV) To be “contemptible” is “to make light, to be of little account, to make despicable, to be cursed.” Eli’s failure to rebuke his sons, restraining them when he knew they were sinning against God, would cost him and his family dearly. It would, in fact, result in a self-induced curse on them. In a blatant act of self-indulgence, the sons were taking the best portion of the people’s sacrifices to God for themselves, much like the prosperity preachers are today. Eli’s lack of confrontational love toward his sons would result in all three of their deaths on the same day. Those in the priesthood of God, whether that be the leader in a church or a family, who make light of the Lord’s command to discipline (Hebrews 12:5) bring contempt and dishonor to their name. They cause themselves to become despicable in His sight, even cursing themselves and their family. Without repentance they will be destroyed. It is that serious. One of the definitions for “restrain” in this passage is, “to grow dim,” or “to be darkened.” In 1 Samuel 3:2 we read; “Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well).” (NASU) The Hebrew for “dim” is keheh (kay-heh'). It means “to be dim, to be dull, to be colorless, to be dark, to be faint.” This sounds very familiar to the definition for restrain. Eli’s lack of external restraint toward his children was a reflection of his own lack of internal restraint. The dimness of His eyes matched the dullness of his heart. He had difficulty seeing (i.e. discerning) either way. As previously discussed, the light of God within him had become darkness (Luke 11:35, Matthew 6:23), clouding his vision of leadership. When this occurs, the Master Physician is able to take away the spiritual cataract that is impeding our vision so that we may see the Way in which we should go, if we

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cry out to Him. The writer of Hebrews states; â&#x20AC;&#x153;See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.â&#x20AC;? (Hebrews 3:12-13/NASU) If not confronted, sin can cause a child or even a brother or sister in Christ to turn away from God. This is why it is so crucial to train a child, whether they be a physical or spiritual child, in the way they should go, confronting when necessary so that they will not self-destruct by turning away from the Way, Jesus Christ, in a Christian coup against His governmental rule in their life.

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Chapter Thirty Eight

The Response Of The Trusted Servant

hen the unnamed, trusted servant saw that the Lord had led him to the right place at the right time, his immediate response was one of worship. It is the natural response of the one who recognizes their Master's favor as He blesses them in their journey. He was then led to Rebekah's house where her brother said to him; “Come in, blessed of the LORD! Why do you stand outside since I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels?” (Genesis 24:31/NASU) Like Rebekah’s brother, other brothers (in Christ) will also recognize the Master’s blessing on you, and invite you in. When the Spirit of God is leading, He will, as we already stated, guide you to a prepared place. You begin to see and understand that the Lord is way ahead of us and can be trusted with all of the details. When we take the lead away from Him, attempting to minister to others in the power of our own mind and strength, we end up wasting a lot of time and energy with little to show for it. When we pray, seeking the counsel of the Lord, we won't waste time and energy laboring in the flesh. This is one of the biggest disciplines missing in the church today. We seem to be quick to move at the advice of men before receiving the word of the Lord for His will. He will lead us into His victory every time if we will let Him. It is crucial that we learn to be quick to listen, and slow to speak. When Rebekah’s household recognized the hand of the Lord in the matter, the servant then gave further gifts to her and her family; “And the servant brought out articles of silver and articles of gold, and

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garments, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother.”” (Genesis 24:53/NASU) Regarding the gifts of God for His people, Paul said to the believers in Ephesus; “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it says, ‘When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men.’” (Ephesians 4:7-8/NASU) Gifts received from God are never to be used for self-edification. They are to bring glory and honor to the Lord through the faithful administration of them to others under His divine guidance. The Covering Of The Lord The Bible says that the servant of Abraham gave Rebekah a garment, or a covering. I believe this represents the righteous covering of the Lord. The Scriptures tell us that the eyes of Adam and Eve were opened by their sin, making them aware of their nakedness. Experiencing shame for the first time because of their exposed condition, they attempted to make their own covering out of fig leaves. The Lord then provided His covering for them by using the hides of animals. These animals that were used to make the hides were a picture of the future atonement, or covering for mankind's sin through the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. His sacrificial blood would be the covering for our sins that the Father would provide. The blood of the Lamb removes the shame of our exposed condition before God because of our sin. It declares us to be innocent, protected from the judgment of sin. In the judgments that are about to be released on this earth by the Lord, you will not survive without His protective covering. The Bible teaches in Acts 14:22 that; “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” It does not teach that we will be removed from tribulation, but rather that we will go through it. Not many are prepared to stand in the great tribulation that is about to come upon us. Jesus’ teaching in Matthew was the passage the Lord used in my life to begin to expose the lies of the devil that have crept into the thinking of most in the church. It says; “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they

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were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there shall be two men in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.” (Matthew 24:37-42/NASU) In the above verses, who was taken away? It clearly says that it was those who did not understand. The righteous were placed in the ark of the Lord’s protection. They were the ones left behind to inherit the earth after it was cleansed. This is the exact opposite of what many have been taught. The Lord is exposing the lies of Satan to set His people free. Those who submit to the refining will be put into position, as Queen Esther and Joseph were, for a great end time deliverance of God’s people. This is the manifestation of “the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” because we are nearing the end. Oh, the mercies of God! The Untouchables Due to the presence of one whose appearance was “like a son of the gods,” Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego were untouched in the midst of the fire (Daniel 3:24-27). So will many of God's servants in the days to come. The only thing that burned off were the bindings that man had placed on them. Because of the righteous covering, God’s King-dome over His people that walk in obedience to Him, some individuals, towns and even some cities will be spared in the final, fiery judgments of God at the end of this age. We must check our hearts first, and then help others prepare in order to be able to stand firm in the Day of the Lord. His righteousness is mankind's only hope. It comes from Him when we humble ourselves in true repentance and turn from our wicked ways. Personally, I believe the pre-tribulation rapture is a very self-centered doctrine. It's all about you and your survival. It's not about self-denial for the sake of others, but rather self-preservation. The cry to the wicked within and without the church is the same; “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” When the Lord was about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham asked Him if He would destroy the righteous with the wicked. The Lord said that He would not. An entire city of ungodly people would have been spared if he could have found just ten righteous people. As with Noah and his family, getting your heart right will help spare others around you. Queen Esther had not been raised to her ruling position just for her own good, but rather to be used for a great deliverance of God's people. I believe

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she is a picture of those who are being prepared “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). They will be caught up into a place of ruling authority for a great end time deliverance. The Bride of the Lord will use her great authority to spare many from annihilation. Could it be that on the day that the enemies of the church hope to gain the mastery over us that we will gain the mastery over them as the Jews did over their enemies in the book of Esther? (Esther 9:1) The Bible is clear that many will perish on the great and terrible day of the Lord, but is this a mystery that also reveals His mercy in judgment? God also put Joseph in a place of great authority in order that he might be used to deliver the people of God. May the Lord fill us with greater revelation to understand His last time salvation that is beginning to be revealed to those who still have eyes to see and ears to hear. There are many who think they have all the truth concerning the end and are not willing to listen to what the Spirit is now revealing to His church. Unless there is a repentant heart, spiritual pride will put many in a place of judgment they didn't have to be in. The Willing Bride Ruth, the Gentile bride of the Jewish man Boaz, was also put in a place of protection working in the harvest fields with the servants because of her devotion and commitment. Boaz represents the Lord of the harvest, Jesus Christ. This Gentile woman willingly came to him in humility and he spread his covering over her. He called her a woman of excellence and she became his bride. Not only did this Gentile woman become his bride, but she also became part of the earthly lineage of Jesus Christ. Together, they are another Old Testament type of the Lord and His willing bride. The Presentation Of The Bride At the end of Genesis, chapter twenty four, we see the trusted servant anxious to get back to his master to present his willing bride to him. Her family was not so quick, though, to release her. They tried to stall a little, to gain some final moments with Rebekah. You can just imagine their natural affections for her. They might never see her again. The Bible tells us the servant replied to them, saying; “Do not delay me, since the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.” And they said, “We will call the girl and consult her wishes.” Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” (Genesis 24:56-58/NASU)

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There was no mention of any hesitation by Rebekah. She was willing and ready to go wherever the Lord was leading. She didn't first inquire about where she would be living to see if it would be an agreeable location, or of this unknown man’s background who would become her husband. She obediently and unconditionally went where she recognized the Lord was calling her to go. What would our response be? Would it be one of immediate obedience to hearing the call of the Lord? Once again, the bride's character is revealed through her actions. She discerned her Master's voice coming through His trusted servant and willingly obeyed. When being questioned about the authenticity of Jesus, John replied; “He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.” (John 3:34/NASU) In our day, many claiming to be spokesmen for the Lord have not been sent out by Him (Romans 10:14-15). They make great boasts of what they have heard or seen from the Lord but their words are not filled with the life of the Master in them. If you have ears to hear, which comes through an obedient heart, the Holy Spirit will give you discernment and you simply will not follow these stranger's voices. There will be a check in your spirit. Learn to listen to that inner voice of the Holy Spirit. It will save you, and others, from the great delusion at the end of this age (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12). Along The Way The very last part of this chapter is extremely crucial for all servants whom the Lord will send out looking for His bride. After finding the willing virgins (wise virgins), you now have the grave responsibility of leading them back to the Master. Along the way, there will be the dangerous pitfall of gaining their affection. You must be careful on your journey to always point them to their Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, so that when they see Him they will immediately leave you and run to His waiting arms. In Ezekiel, chapter sixteen, the Lord told the prophet to make known to Jerusalem her abominations. She had taken the glory that God had bestowed upon her and then used it for self-glorification. In arrogance, she used the Lord’s glory to manipulate others to fulfill her own lustful desires. Unfortunately this same thing occurs today within the church. God’s spokesmen are to humbly disciple those who are on their way to the Master, revealing to them who this One is that has called them. When we safely arrive and they behold His face, there will be a joyous celebration as

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He receives His Bride and the two become one; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.â&#x20AC;? (Revelation 19:7/NIV) You have to know that the Lord must long for His chosen Bride to be presented to Him What a day that will be when the two are finally joined together as one, never to be apart throughout all eternity!

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Chapter Thirty Nine

Joined Together

n the closing moments of this age, it is crucial that we separate ourselves from all that would keep us from becoming one with the Lord in the forthcoming marriage of the Lamb. As in marriage, the old must be forsaken so as to become one in the “new thing” of the Lord. Due to familiarity and a sense of security, the old will not be separated from by most in the church without some heavenly coercion. Like a child, we must be weaned from that which, if we continued being joined together with, would keep us from being eternally joined to the One who loves us and gave Himself up for us. Even now the midnight shout is being proclaimed throughout the world; “Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” (Matthew 25:6) God, who knows our hearts, often gives time right before death to those who need to repent and make things right. The last group of Christians who are alive at the return of Christ will not die, but will cross over into their eternal inheritance through a “new and living way” (Hebrews 10:20), a way through which we have never crossed over before. I believe that group is on the earth right now. Through God’s mercy and some divinely appointed pressure, we are being given time to prepare our hearts by faith for what is about to take place. All that we have known on earth in this age is in the process of dying, making room for the new way. This includes the religious system that we have become so accustomed to. In the majority of our nation, it now operates under the power of man instead of being led by the Spirit. All Christians who have gone before us died in order to cross over. Believers who are alive and remain on earth at the return of Jesus will not die, but will cross over into their eternal inheritance in Christ, if they are made ready through submission to the will of God and the cleansing of the Holy Spirit. As with Israel, it is a way that we have never gone before (Joshua 3:4), a way that has been kept hidden from us until the appointed time of the end. As discussed earlier, when Christ appeared on earth the first time, a

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forerunner named John the Baptist went ahead of Him to prepare His way. In like manner, the forerunner ministry on earth is now being used to “make ready the way of the Lord” (Matthew 3:3) for His second coming. In order to be made ready for the new thing that lies just ahead of us, the Body of Christ must experience a spiritual death of separation to our flesh, as those in the Body of Christ have in physical death up until now. The old ways are fading so as to make us ready for the new and living way of the Lord. It is only as we remain joined together with Christ in His death that we will be made alive together with Him in the likeness of His resurrection (Romans 6:5). Our current spiritual leaders will have the most difficulty in being released from the religious system they have become so deeply rooted in. Unfortunately, many will not let go. The Bible tells us that as the time approached for Jesus to be taken up to heaven, through death, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem (Luke 9:51). As some versions interpret it; “He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” (KJV/NKJV). He knew what was about to happen, and why, and unwaveringly set out in that direction. He did not avoid what He had been sent to do. Neither should we. For This Reason In Genesis we are told why a man is to leave his father and mother and be united to his wife; “The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman [“woman, wife, betrothed one, bride”], because she was taken out of Man.’ For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one [“united”] flesh [“body”]. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” (Genesis 2:20-25/NASU) Per the word of God, to leave the old and be joined together in the new as one flesh is to become a united body in Christ. Without the forsaking of the old relationships, religious or otherwise, we will never become one united body in Christ. Many in the church claim with their mouths to walk in unity with their brothers and sisters, but in their hearts their allegiance is actually to their denominations. The truth of the matter has begun to be revealed by the

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Lord. God removed a rib from Adam, refashioned it, and then presented it back to Adam in the form of a woman. This all occurred because there wasn’t a helper suitable for him. This is what occurs to every person who turns to Christ. We are taken in a rough form, as a new believer, from the Body of the second Adam, who is Christ (1 Corinthians 15:45-49). We then enter a process of being transformed into His image through submission to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 15:49, 2 Thess. 2:13, 1 Peter 1:2). The intent is to be presented back to God as His bride, “without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:27) Quoting this passage from Genesis while referring to the relationship between a husband and wife, Paul says in his letter to the church in Ephesus; “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word [John 17:17-19], and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh [i.e. a united body].” This is a profound mystery — but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” (Ephesians 5:25-33/NIV) The profound mystery of the two becoming one is now being proclaimed because it is the appointed time for the Bride to make herself ready (Revelation 19:7). Without Decay Christians are members of Christ’ Body, the second Adam, as Eve was of the first Adam. Jesus gave Himself up for us on the cross so that we could then partake of His Divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). He partook of our flesh so that we could partake of His flesh which never suffered decay. Therefore, as we partake of His flesh, His Body, we too will never see decay. Instead, we will partake of His eternal life. In Peter’s first public speech on Pentecost, right after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, three thousand souls received Jesus as their Messiah. In this initial demonstration of the Spirit and of His power, Peter quoted from

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David’s declaration in Psalms, chapter sixteen, in which he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of Christ. He said; “Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.” (Acts 2:29-32/NIV) Today, within the church we see very little of Christ’ life. Clapping and raising our hands as we all sway in unison with the music doesn’t necessarily mean that Christ is there. Because God is Spirit, those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). David declared; “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.” (Psalm 145:18/NASU) The lack of truth is the biggest issue in the church today. While we were sleeping, the enemy unsuspectingly slithered around our defenseless walls. His lies have become our truths. There is a famine in our land, not of food or water but of hearing the living and active word of God from our pulpits (Amos 8:11). There are many words coming forth, supposedly in Christ’ name, but the majority are dead, lifeless words from man’s heart and mind. Because of this, many of God’s people are church hopping from sea to shining sea, seeking for just a crumb of the Bread of Life. The corruption and decadence being exposed by God within the church is another sign that we are not joined together with Christ and His Body. In Christ’s Body there is no decay. The great degree of wickedness and selfindulgence that is being revealed is evidence that we have become detached from the Head and, therefore, one another. What we say with our mouth is not what we are in practice. Because of this we try harder in the flesh with better entertainment, better branding and advertising, better programs ad nauseam to draw the world in. Jesus’ Presence is what we lack. He alone is the answer to our pathetic replication of the world’s business model. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:22; “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” “In Christ” is the key. This means that we are to join together with Him in His death in order to be made alive with Him in His resurrection. There is no shortcut. We cannot partake of Pentecost without partaking of Calvary. The current issue of the lack of His living presence in the church in America, and therefore to the world around us, is due to our lack of cross bearing. We stubbornly refuse to die daily to our wills and seek the Lord’s.

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We have left the narrow path that leads to life for the cursed, broad way that leads to death. In his letter to the Romans, Paul made the following statement; “…we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.” (Romans 6:4-7/NASU) To be baptized into Christ is to be baptized into His death so that we might walk in His “newness of life,” or life of a new quality. This new walk in Him is possible because of the right to become the children of God through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. This is the power of right that all who have received Him are granted. As stated in chapter eleven, Freedom In Christ, in this new walk, this new way we are still given the right of choice. To choose to obey is to no longer be slaves to sin but to become free indeed. Right before the verses above in Romans, chapter six, Paul said; “Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2/NASU) The degree that we are united with Him in the likeness of His death will determine the degree that the likeness of His resurrection will be manifested in and through us. This is why Paul continued by saying; “Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:11/NASU) Again, in Christ Jesus is the key.

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Chapter Forty

Remaining In Christ “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” (John 15:4-6/NIV)

any are taught that Jesus didn’t mean what He said here, that it’s impossible for us to not remain in Him after receiving Him. They will usually then quote the verse; “I will never leave you or forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) They might even quote the verse in Hebrews which comes soon after this one; “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) Praise God that He is the same, therefore we need to see and understand the rest of the story, in truth, which is found in the verses that follow where this is taken from in the Old Testament. Moses was giving his last counsel to all Israel. They were about to cross the Jordan River, into the Promised Land, and dispossess the nations that were dwelling there. He said to them; “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their forefathers to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:6-8/NIV)

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The Lord then revealed to Moses that he would soon die. He said to him; “You are going to rest with your fathers, and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them. On that day I will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide my face from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and difficulties will come upon them, and on that day they will ask, ‘Have not these disasters come upon us because our God is not with us?’ And I will certainly hide my face on that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods.” (Deuteronomy 31:16-18/NIV) After telling the Israelites twice that He would never leave them or forsake them, the Lord then tells Moses that they would, indeed, forsake Him and break His covenant He made with them. Because of this He would forsake them, hiding His face from them when the day of their trouble came upon them, and they would be destroyed. If you truly believe that He is the same yesterday and today and forever then you will believe that He can and WILL forsake those who forsake Him (2 Timothy 2:12). The truth sets us free from the deception of the devil that creates a false sense of security. There is a day of trouble that is quickly coming upon us. Many in the church will look to the Lord in that day but they will not find Him. Because they have forsaken the Lord, He will forsake them. Because they have forsaken the Lord and clung to worthless idols, they have forsaken the grace that could have been theirs (Jonah 2:8/NIV). For the sake of clarity, I will repeat what we discussed in an earlier chapter regarding Jonah’s prayer of repentance; “In his prayer of repentance while in the belly of the big fish, Jonah declared; ‘Those who regard vain idols forsake [“to leave, to loose”] their faithfulness.’ (Jonah 2:8/NASU) The Hebrew for faithfulness is defined as “goodness, faithfulness, kindness, grace.” The NIV version of the Bible says; ‘Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.’ Spiritual idolatry is extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something other than God. When a Christian continues to stubbornly refuse the conviction of the Holy Spirit to repent and forsake their idols, they will, in the end, loose themselves from the goodness and kindness of God shown towards them. They have insulted the Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:29). That which has been loosed (“to unbind, to undo, dissolve”) on earth through rebellion has then been loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19, 18:18). They are covenant breakers who have, through careless neglect, dissolved their union with God.”

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Many in the church now teach that a Christian could never become as Israel, breaking covenant with God and have Him forsake them. Paul warns us otherwise in the New Testament. He writes of those who “knew God” but were given over to their sin because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie (Romans 1:25). Like many today in the church who at one time possessed the light of God, their foolish heart was darkened because of continued rebellion. He says that, among the many descriptions of them, they were “untrustworthy” which is defined in the Greek as “covenant breakers, faithless, treacherous to compacts.” (Romans 1:18-32) This is why the writer of Hebrews strongly warns us not to continue in willful sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth, who is Christ, treating with irreverent disrespect the blood of His covenant by which we were sanctified, thereby insulting the Spirit of grace (Hebrew 10:26-31). Through the lies of deception there is no longer any fear of the Lord in the majority of the church. Many have brought Him down to their level, making themselves equal to or even greater than God. Jeremiah the prophet declared to Israel; “O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake [“to leave, to loose”] You will be put to shame. Those who turn away [“to turn off, to turn aside”] on earth will be written down [remember when Jesus wrote in the sand!], because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, even the Lord.” (Jeremiah 17:13/NASU) A few verses before this the Lord had said to them; “And you will, even of yourself, let go of your inheritance that I gave you.” (Jeremiah 17:4/NASU) Yes, He never lets go, He never breaks covenant, He is never unfaithful, but we can do all the above resulting in our shrinking back in shame to our destruction at His return (Hebrews 10:37-39). Truly, we need to understand and take heed that, yes, He is the same yesterday and today and forever. Praise God for the truth that sets us free from a false sense of peace and safety so as to be a people who are truly made ready for the Lord.

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Chapter Forty One

Life Through Death

n chapter six of his letter to the Romans, Paul states that when we join Christ in His death we are presenting the members of our body as slaves to God rather than sin. Our obedience results in righteousness, which leads to sanctification, resulting in eternal life. Jesus is the only way for this life through death experience to happen. It is only as we carry about in our body the dying of Jesus that His life is manifested in us (2 Corinthians 4:712). The dying of Jesus is the death of our wills and the doing of the Father’s will. Regarding the necessity of our being joined together with Christ, Paul continues in Romans, chapter seven, saying; “Or do you not know, brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has jurisdiction [“to be lord of, to rule over, have dominion over”] over a person as long as he lives?” (Romans 7:1/NASU) Paul is saying that to be joined together with Christ is to join Him in His baptism of death. It is by the submission of our will to that of the Lord’s will that we walk in His victory and are set free from the power and dominion of the law over our fleshly nature. As I mentioned in Chapter Sixteen, Denying The Power Of Liberty; “As the writer of Hebrews tells us; “a covenant is valid [“firm, secure”] only when men are dead, for it is never in force [“to have power”] while the one who made it lives.” (Hebrews 9:17/NASU) It is only as we join Christ in His death, not living for our wills, that the power of God’s covenant is manifested in and through us. When we continue to do as we please, after turning to Christ, we negate His resurrection power. The covenant is firm and secure in Christ when I no longer live, but allow Christ to live in me (Galatians 2:20).

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Otherwise, we are guilty of being a covenant breaker within whom the power of God makes no progress.” To have jurisdiction over a person is to rule over them, to have dominion over them. To be released from the power of the law, therefore, is to no longer be held in its bondage to corruption. Through the joining of Christ’ flesh, His Body, we, like Him, will not suffer any decadence in our walk. In Christ we are given the choice and power of the Holy Spirit to not follow the sinful passions that are aroused by the law and be free of its condemnation against us. This happens so that we might be joined together with Him who was raised from the dead (Hebrews 13:20). By remaining in Christ through obedience and repentance when necessary, we too will be raised from being dead in our sins unto His eternal life. As Paul made sure we understood, being under God’s grace does not mean we are to continue in sin after turning to Christ as our Lord and Savior and think that we will be considered innocent in His eyes (Romans 6:1-2). To be joined to Christ and something else in our affections and desires is compared by Paul to an adulteress woman who is married to one man while experiencing intimacy with another; “For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man. Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.” (Romans 7:2-4/NASU) Without repentance, spiritual adultery is means for spiritual divorce. But this doesn’t have to be! During a conversation with a group of Pharisees that were testing Jesus regarding divorce, He said; “Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” (Matthew 19:8-9/NASU) All of us struggle with one thing or another in our lives but this doesn’t mean that we are to not strive for freedom from it. The longer we accept and practice sin, the harder our hearts become. We become insensitive to the Holy

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Spirit’s voice leading us in the way we should go. John wrote that Christ appeared to destroy the works of the devil, and that no one who abides in Him will sin (1 John 3:6-8). We only sin when we do not remain in Him, dead to our sin. The good news in this is that we are getting very close, as a Body in Christ to our being perfected as He is perfect. John encourages us to remain faithful to the end, knowing that; “…when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (1 John 3:2-3/NASU) Purity of heart gives us eyes to “see Him just as He is.” Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:8/NIV) It is when we walk in the power of the flesh, the fallen nature that resists God’s leading, that we cannot see and inevitably stumble. Paul spoke of this as he continued in Romans, chapter seven; “For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.” (Romans 7:5-6/NASU) Once we have been released from the power of the law through the power of Christ we are then able to, as Paul says, “serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.” But, remember, as we looked at before through our discussion of John 1:12, the right of access to the power of God which is granted to those who receive Him can be denied. According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, newness in the Spirit is a “renewal; a new condition or state of moral life so as to produce a new state which is eternal life.” It’s life of a new quality, one in which there is the life of Christ flowing in and through His people. The oldness of the letter with its rules of conduct and mere outward conformity rather than our response to the inward operation of the Spirit (i.e. circumcision of the heart) results in frustration, with condemnation. In other words, it results in dead religion and numerous useless rituals of the flesh. Unity Through Being Joined Together Presently, the church in America, and in many other places on earth, is not joined together with each other in true unity which is evidence that we are not

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joined together with Christ. We do not have the same mind and judgment which can only occur by the Holy Spirit as we walk in Him (1 Corinthians 1:10). Our divisions (i.e. denominations) that exist among us is proof that we are in fact not perfectly joined together with Christ. We say that we want unity, and yet are unwilling to separate from that which is keeping us apart (i.e. our denominational devotions which involve a devotion to differences in what is truth). Our lack of growth in Christ, and the lack of maturity and Godly reproduction is proof that we are living in an unconnected, independent state. We have not held fast to the Head “from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together [“joined together”] by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.” (Colossians 2:19/NASU) Instead, many hold on tightly to their denominational groups, a personality, etc. Any growth experienced in this disconnected state is not from God but man through his own organizational skills and administrative abilities. It is merely an act of his own will, a cursed work of his own hands built on sand that will not stand in the day of the Lord’s judgement. Becoming One The only way for a husband and wife to become “one” as defined in the Bible is that, first, the husband leave his father and mother. In the Greek, to leave means “to loose, to forsake, to depart from something.” Until a husband and wife have been joined together through a forsaking of the old relationship, they can never become “one” in their new relationship. As previously stated, there must be a separation from the old, of that which was, in order for there to be a joining together as one in the new. We see this in Jesus when He left the Father in order to partake of the flesh of mankind, His creation, so as to be joined together with His Bride as one (Galatians 3:28; John 17:11, 21-23). This is not only true in a marriage, but also in our being united with Christ, our becoming one with Him in His “new thing” at the end of this age. In fact, that is the picture that is being portrayed in every marriage ceremony. This knowledge being revealed by the Holy Spirit at this time is crucial to understand and act upon because the marriage of the Lamb draws near when Christ will be eternally united with His Bride (Revelation 19:7). Believing this to be true, she will, by faith, make herself ready through a separation of all that on earth which draws her devotion away from her soon coming Bridegroom. Separation For Completion There is always the danger of a new Christian devoting, out of childlike innocence, an unhealthy devotion to their spiritual birth parents will for their

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life, whether that be an individual, a group, or a denomination, that could hinder their fully becoming one with the Lord. Like every child, in order to fully mature there must be a weaning process from parental oversight and control. In their relationship, they must loose themselves from the one so as to become fully joined to the other. As a Christian, the old was necessary to begin, but the new is necessary to finish, to be made complete in Christ, mature and lacking nothing. We have now entered the finishing process. This doesn’t mean we are not to be devoted to one another, as the Bible clearly commands us to, but that our first priority is to obey Christ. This is the importance of our learning to hear His voice. He alone is the Head of our spiritual family. If the Lord is leading you in a different direction than those on earth would, you are to obey God. As on earth, this parental separation doesn’t always occur smoothly. We are seeing this firsthand this very moment. Spiritually speaking, when “birth parents” try to hang on to their new children in the Lord by having them remain devoted to them or their denomination rather than Christ and His call on their lives, they hinder the Divine intent for their completion in faith (James 2:22). As in the natural, there usually is a gradual release, a letting go from the infant stage of dependency upon parents so as to grow up in Christ. Because the heads of the church in America have been controlling parents who were not willing to let go, the Lord intervened and has forced a separation by way of an international pandemic. To release a disciple into the hands of the Holy Spirit is the goal so that they may be used in the life of someone else, thereby resulting in spiritual reproduction. As per the example of Paul in the New Testament letters, when issues arise you are still there for advice and counsel, but they need to learn to make their own decisions in order to mature in their Christian walks. Again, as in the natural, some spiritual parents have a hard time releasing young converts. This is understandable, in some cases, because of the loving relationship they have developed between them. The change in relationship doesn’t mean that you should never interact with them, but it allows for less dependence upon man in order to develop more dependence between them and the Holy Spirit. It’s to bring them up, through discipleship, to know how to feed themselves spiritually, and to learn how to hear and then obey God. While promoting independence among our own children, the church family is often nurturing co-dependency among our spiritual children. We must repent of the controlling spirit that now dominates leadership within the western church. Disciplers need to be careful to teach disciples to be devoted to Christ rather than themselves and their agendas. (See my book Walking In The Light; Small Groups and Discipleship [revised edition].)

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Chapter Forty Two

Lift Up Your Eyes!

fter finding a willing bride for Isaac, the trusted servant of Abraham then led her back to her waiting bridegroom. I imagine that along the way they talked about her soon to be husband. During this time the servant could have gained her allegiance. Instead, when they arrived and Isaac approached, she immediately left the servant and went to him. This is the desired response from all disciples of Christ at the end of this age when our Heavenly Bridegroom comes to meet us. Unfortunately, not all will be looking for Him in the same manner. The Bible describes Rebekah and Isaac being joined together as follows; “Now Isaac had come from going to Beer-lahai-roi; for he was living in the Negev. Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening; and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, camels were coming. Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from the camel. She said to the servant, ‘Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?’ And the servant said, ‘He is my master.’ Then she took her veil and covered herself. The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and he took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her; thus Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.” (Genesis 24:62-67/NASU) In Hebrew, Beer-lahai-roi (be-ayr' lakh-ah'ee ro-ee') means “well of a living (One) my Seer”, or, “well of the Living One seeing me.” It was after being at this well that Isaac, while meditating toward evening, lifted up his eyes and beheld his bride. Again, he is a picture, in Genesis twenty two, of Jesus when he was resurrected, revealing what is about to occur with the resurrected Christ and His Bride. The Bible states that after Isaac lifted up his eyes that Rebekah, the willing bride, then lifted up hers. Toward the evening of this day, this age, the Lord is

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going to lift up His eyes, which I believe are the “seers” or prophets in His Body. When they are exalted they will reveal the Presence of Christ before His willing Bride who is awake and looking. She will then lift up her eyes and behold with great joy her Heavenly Bridegroom, not man. The Hebrew for “lifted up” is nasa' (naw-saw'). It is defined as “to lift up, to exalt, to rise up.” As most if not all are aware of, this happens to be the name of America’s space program. Within this I see the lift-off, so to speak, of the Lord’s Bride. When she is exalted, her cover will be removed and her identity revealed for all to see her glorious beauty. In his song of love celebrating the King’s marriage the psalmist declares; “Listen, O daughter, give attention and incline your ear: Forget your people and your father's house; Then the King will desire your beauty. Because He is your Lord, bow down to Him.” (Psalm 45:10-11/NASU) The Lord’s desire is for those who forsake all to become His Bride. The beauty of their hearts captures His. It is a beauty that is from within (Psalm 45:13). Like Ruth they have declared the vow of the Bride; “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.” (Ruth 1:16-17/NIV) Church, we are nearing the end of the “day.” Those who are willing, lift up your eyes and draw near to your approaching Bridegroom because your redemption in Him draws near. His desire is to gather you into his tent where the two, Christ and His Bride, will then eternally become one. Hallelujah! New Things What is it that we hang on to from our old manner of life before Christ that would keep us from becoming fully united to the Lord, making us “one” with Him? This “new thing” of the Lord, when we will be forever joined to our Bridegroom in the fullest sense as one in Him draws near. Even now the first fruits are beginning to be revealed for those with eyes to see and ears to hear. The Lord spoke more than once to Isaiah regarding His new thing. He declared; “…new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.’ Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth…”

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(Isaiah 42:9-10) “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:18-19) “From now on I will tell you of new things, of hidden things unknown to you. They are created now, and not long ago; you have not heard of them before today. So you cannot say, ‘Yes, I knew of them.’” (Isaiah 48:6-7) In the Lord’s revelation to John He spoke of His new thing, saying; “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’” (Revelation 21:1-5/NIV) As declared to Isaiah the prophet by the Lord, in our relationship with Christ, may we all forget the former things, not dwelling on the past, and fix our hearts on what is about to come. Hidden things that have been unknown to us are now being revealed because it’s time for us to know so as to be a people who are made ready, “beautifully dressed” in anxious anticipation for our Heavenly Bridegroom’s return. Praise the name of the Lord who is worthy of our praise and devotion! Joined Together As One In the recorded prayer of Jesus He included His petition to the Father for His followers to become one as He and the Father are one which, to me, is an incredible statement. He said; “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23/NIV)

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Until we are one, which is defined by Jesus as “complete unity,” the world will not believe that the Father sent Jesus. As we have already seen, this cannot occur between Christians until we forsake the old relationships in the world. This includes, as I have been saying, the religious systems that have been corrupted with the flesh. This full union in Christ can only exist among those who hear and do what the Spirit is saying in regards to preparing for the approaching marriage of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7-9). During a conversation with a group of Pharisees, Jesus spoke about marriage and divorce. After saying that a man and a woman become one flesh (body) in marriage He then said; “Therefore what God has joined together [“to yoke together”], let man not separate.” (Matthew 19:6/NASU) This means, therefore, that which God has brought together CAN be separated by man or Jesus would not have warned us of the possibility. Why tell us there is a chance of something happening if there is no chance of it happening? This warning, for those with ears to hear, is also for those who have been joined to Christ. We too, like a marriage on earth, can break our covenant vows through hardness of heart and be separated from the One with whom we have been joined together. Being a covenant breaker is not just an Old Testament principle (Hosea 6:7), but a New Testament truth (Romans 1:31“untrustworthy, faithless, covenant breaking”). In these last days, as we draw near to the marriage of the Lamb, we hear the Spirit crying out to us; “Come out from her [Babylon, the harlot], MY PEOPLE, so that you will not participate of her sins and receive of her plagues.” (Revelation 18:4/NASU) To remain joined together with the religious harlot in oneness of heart and mind is to never be joined together as one in spirit with the Lord at the end of this age. We must, particularly, separate ourselves from the religious system that has seduced God’s people into an idolatress relationship and is keeping them from entering into His Presence, and living (Hosea 6:1-2). In Paul’s rebuke of the church in Corinth regarding the self-inflicted dangers of spiritual idolatry he used the metaphor of a prostitute; “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite [“be a member of”] them with a

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prostitute [“metaphorically, an idolatress”]? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, ‘The two will become one flesh.’ But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. Flee from sexual immorality [“harlotry; figuratively, idolatry”]. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:15-20/NIV) To be joined together as one as Jesus and the Father are is to be joined in Spirit, not the flesh. The flesh is anything controlled and empowered by the fallen nature of man whose head is Babylon, the spiritual whore and progenitor of all false religion. (See my book Babylon’s Counterfeit Glory; The Seduction Of God’s People.)

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Chapter Forty Three

Mending The Nets

n his first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul rebuked them for the divisions that existed among them. With the numerous divisions (i.e. denominations) that we have today, we should listen carefully to his words of warning; “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete [“to repair or adjust, to perfect”] in the same mind and in the same judgment. For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you.” (1 Corinthians 1:10-11/NASU) According to this passage, and the Greek definitions for our English interpretations, to be made “complete” is to be fashioned by God, like Eve, into the perfected Bride of Adam. It is to be perfectly joined together as one. The ONLY way for this to occur is for His people to have the undivided mind of Christ. In regards to the divisions that existed among the church in Corinth, Paul continues, saying; “Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, ‘I am of Paul,’ and ‘I of Apollos,’ and ‘I of Cephas,’ and ‘I of Christ.’ Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Corinthians 1:12-13/NASU) Isn’t this the question; “Has Christ been divided?” The obvious answer Paul is getting at is, “No, He has not.” It is through man’s desire to be first, to glorify himself instead of Jesus as Lord that result in the church becoming

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divided. The Greek for “divisions” used by Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:10 is schisma (skhis'-mah) which is defined as “a split or gap (schism), a rent.” Metaphorically speaking, it refers to a division, a dissension. In its present condition, the church in America is nowhere close to being in agreement with the same mind and judgment. The divisive spirit ruling among us has resulted in an extreme lack of true oneness in mind and judgment. This is the evidence that we are not really, as we claim, in fellowship with Christ or we would be in fellowship with one another. What we claim with our mouths is not what we are in practice. This gap caused by hypocrisy is what allows the fish out of the nets. In fact, many do not even come near the nets because of the obvious foolishness in our midst. They see it for what it is miles away, despite our religious, manmade camouflage we try to hide it with. Those whom the Father cannot draw because Jesus is not lifted up, man attempts to draw in through fleshly gimmicks and all other sorts of worldly foolishness. Throughout history the devil has, with great success, targeted the church to create division. There is always someone within the Body within whom he can find a place of darkness to operate from and cause disunion. The more we become like Christ, the less divided we will be. This is the only way to destroy this evil spirit. Through an accursed work of his own hands, per his own will, man attempts to fashion God’s Bride into an image of his own liking. Those who comply with the religious leadership of the Babylonian harlot that is guilty of this will become just like her; destined to receive of her plagues when God judges her (Rev. 18:4-5). This is why we MUST come out, separating ourselves in the fear of God from all that would disqualify us from the eternal prize while there is still time (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1). Another interesting word in these verses is katartizo (kat-ar-tid'-zo), the Greek for “complete.” It’s defined as “to complete thoroughly, to mend (what has been broken or rent), to repair, to complete.” The way for the Body of Christ to be brought to completion in Him, and the gospel nets to be repaired, is through repentance which leads to the knowledge of truth (2 Timothy 2:25). It’s the only manner in which we can obtain the mind and judgment of Christ. The Lord is now mending His nets, preparing for a great catch of mankind. The strengthened net-work of the Lord will soon be ready. As He applies pressure to the earth through great tribulation, some will turn in humility and surrender themselves at His feet. Others will simply curse Him and die (Revelation 9:20-21). The Lord is the only One who knows when and where to throw the nets. As we do what He tells us, the nets will become full, bringing to completion His redemption of mankind. Remember, right before His ascension Jesus told the disciples that all

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authority had been given to Him in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). When we obey and go where He tells us, we can be confident that His authority over all things goes with us also. He will not send us on our own, but with the indisputable authority that comes in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. To God be the glory! The First Encounter In Luke 5:1-11 we are given the first of two recorded encounters with the Lord’s disciples and their fishing nets. Jesus was speaking by the Lake of Genneserate. He saw two fishing boats, one belonging to Peter, and got into it. He then asked him to put out a little from shore so he could speak to the multitude pressing around Him. When he was finished, he said to Peter; “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Peter answered, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” (Luke 5:4-5/NKJV) When Peter did what Jesus said they caught a great number of fish that even caused some damage to their net. He then called his fishing partners, James and John, to come help. After seeing the power of Jesus over nature, Peter fell at His feet and said; “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” (Luke 5:8, 10/NKJV) At that point, Peter’s discipleship training had officially begun. I see within the breaking of the nets a picture of the need for these new followers of Jesus Christ to be trained in His ways. Their gospel net was not quite ready for the stress of what lie ahead. When Peter informed Jesus that they had worked hard all night and caught nothing, but at His word he would let down the nets, he was about to learn his first lesson in what happens when we do what the Lord asks us to do. The lessons would continue for approximately the next three years. During this time the disciples would learn how to become Master-anglers of men. By applying what they had learned from the Master, their “net-work” would be strengthened for a great multitude of souls that would soon be gathered into it after His ascension.

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The Second Encounter John 21:1-11 describes for us the second encounter of the now resurrected Jesus and the casting of the nets of His disciples. The disciples were now ready to be sent out to catch men. Unlike the first time, the nets didn’t break. The net-work was now prepared and strengthened for a great catch, not of fish but of mankind. They had officially passed their Master-angler training. In this encounter, the disciples had been fishing all night, again, and caught nothing. After the death of Jesus they were disillusioned and discouraged. Things had not turned out like they thought it would. In this state they went back to their old ways. From the shoreline, the resurrected Lord told them to cast their nets on the right-hand side of the boat. In a state of exhaustion, they were about to be reminded of their need to act per the Lord’s word. Within Scripture, the right hand represents the place of God’s authority. Jesus is said to now be sitting at the right hand of the Father (Matthew 26:64, Colossians 3:1). It’s essential for all disciples that we learn to listen for the living word of God in order to do things His way. The disciples had to change their fishing methods per the word of the Lord, even though they were tired. When they did what He said, though, it resulted in a great catch with much less human effort. At the end of this age it’s crucial that we listen to what the Holy Spirit is directing us to do. The final harvest of the earth will soon occur. The Lord will finish what He began, His way, through His wise servants that hear His call to cleanse their hearts by faith in preparation of what is about to occur. Their obedience to prepare will allow them to be part of the great net-work of the Lord. They will be connected, and directed, by the Holy Spirit so that none who enter the nets of the Lord will be lost. Cramming The Nets In Romans, chapter eleven, Paul refers to the disobedience of the Jews and their being broken off from Christ. This resulted in the opportunity of salvation for the Gentiles who, by the way, can also be cut off for unbelief AFTER being grafted in. As we already discussed, Paul makes it crystal clear that arrogant presumption in the salvation of God for Gentiles who do not continue walking in obedience with Christ, abiding near Him, will result in their being broken off as well. Referring to the Jews rejection of Christ as their Messiah, Paul says; “…if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring! (Romans 11:12/NIV)

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The Greek for “fullness” in this verse refers to “bringing to completion, what fills, with which a thing is filled.” It’s taken from another Greek word that, according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, means “literally, to cram a net.” The picture of the nets being crammed with 153 fish in John 21:11 is another picture, in type, of the Body of Christ being brought to completion in Him at the end of the age through the net-work of God’s obedient servants. Years ago, someone told me the reason for there being 153 fish crammed in the net is because there were that many known species of fish in that day. It represented the catching of men from every nation, one of every kind. If this is true that would mean some of every kind (i.e. people groups) on earth will come to Jesus. We are in the final harvest of the earth where the complete number of both Jew and Gentile will be joined as one in the Messiah, thereby bringing to completion the redemptive plan of the Lord. The Lord is now giving us His final word of instruction for the final casting of His gospel net-work. As we listen and do what He says, the catch will be great. Hallelujah! The Nets Will Not Tear John 21:11 stated that, although there were so many fish crammed into the nets, they were not torn. The Greek for “torn” is schizo (skhid'-zo). It means “to split or sever, to split into factions, to be divided.” This is where we derived our English word schizophrenia from which is a serious disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, or acts. It causes a person to have great difficulty in distinguishing what is real or unreal and is associated with a divided, or split personality. According to an article titled “Schizophrenia: Symptoms, Causes and Treatments,” it’s one of many brain diseases that may include delusions, loss of personality (flat affect), confusion, agitation, social withdrawal, psychosis, and bizarre behavior. Individuals with schizophrenia may even hear voices that are not there. Spiritual schizophrenia has become an epidemic within Christianity in the west, causing many the inability to distinguish between the voice of God and the voice of Satan who knows his time is short. Confusion and bizarre behavior have become a common occurrence in many congregations. Because they refuse to love the truth and be saved, God has sent them a powerful delusion so that they will believe “the lie” and be condemned (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). As with Judas, a divided heart was the open doorway for the enemy to enter in. As I said, what I see within John 21:11 is another picture of the Body of Christ coming together as one in Him at the end of this age. Those who will make up the net-work of the Lord in the final harvest of the earth will be fully

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knit together in heart and purpose, without any divisions. There will be no denominational differences amongst the Lordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s harvesters, just a complete unity by His Spirit. Our divisions in the church, which are a result of the mishandling of the word of truth (i.e. false teachings), are what have caused gaping holes in the gospel nets of the Lord. The Lord is now dealing with this issue, tending to His nets, in preparation of what is about to occur. Because of the innertwining of our hearts with the Lord, and, therefore, one another, all those who will be drawn into this divinely joined net by the Father will not be lost. This has not been the case within the present religious system in America. When new children in Christ enter the gospel nets today, many fall through the gaping holes of a corrupt religious system. Way too often they are simply abandoned and left to die. It is the wisdom and mercy of God to not pour out His Spirit in the old wineskins of dead religion and useless rituals that are so prevalent within the churches in our nation. This is why He must repair His nets. It is for the sake of those whom He will guide their way.

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Chapter Forty Four

Raising The Dead Church

ong after Jonah’s attempt to run from God by going to Joppa and boarding a ship to Tarshish, a remarkable incident is recorded for us in the New Testament that occurred within the same city. A woman named Tabitha who was a disciple of Jesus had died. The disciples sent for Peter who then came and miraculously raised her from the dead. The miracle alone is noteworthy in this description, but there is something else hidden within this story that I see pertaining to the Bride of Christ. At the time of Tabitha’s death, Peter was nearby in the city of Lydda. By the name of Jesus Christ he healed a man who had been bedridden for eight years. Many who saw the man afterwards turned to the Lord. From here he would go to Joppa where the next miracle of healing would occur. The Bible says that the two men who were sent to get him pleaded with him, saying, “Do not delay in coming to us.” (Acts 9:38) Our prayer regarding the condition of the seemingly dead Bride of Christ and His coming to her aid should be of the same urgent manner. The church in America is truly in a critical situation. After Tabitha had become sick and died, her body was washed and placed in an upper room (Acts 9:37). Even though she had been cleansed, she was still a dead body at this point, void of any life. It is important to notice that it was those who were alive that washed her. Obviously, the dead cannot wash the dead. Only those filled with the breath of life have that capability. This is also true in the spiritual realm. We cannot give what we do not possess. The Upper Room There are other notable events in the Bible that occurred in an upper room. The first was what most refer to as “the last supper” that Jesus partook of with the disciples. It was actually a Passover Seder that they ate together.

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Before the meal His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?” Jesus then sent two of the disciples with the following instructions; “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him; and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher says, ‘Where is My guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’ And he himself will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; prepare for us there.” (Mark 14:12-15/NASU) It’s worth mentioning that the man who led them to the upper room was carrying a pitcher of water, a depiction of the need for cleansing. As with Tabitha’s dead body that was washed in an upper room, Jesus, in an upper room, was about to explain that He would be crucified in order to provide a way to wash His body of followers. He was the Passover lamb that, when applied through repentance, was sacrificed for the forgiveness of our sin. The Greek interpreted in English “prepare” means “to make ready, the act of preparing, readiness.” I believe the Teacher is asking us the same question today, “Where is My prepared guest room within you that I may come and dine with you?” (Revelation 3:20) A prepared heart is one that has been cleansed through the blood of Christ and is “dressed in readiness” (Luke 12:35). Being made ready they are looking with great anticipation for the return of Christ. Jesus used the same Greek word in His parable of the king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He said that a king sent some servants to tell those who had been invited that he had “prepared” his dinner and everything was ready. It was time to come to the wedding banquet, “But they paid no attention.” (Matthew 22:4-5) Many in the church of America are now acting in the same manner. Jesus has prepared His “feast” but not many have prepared their hearts. How many cities will He be enraged at because of this? (Matthew 22:7) It was also in the upper room where the Spirit was poured out on the disciples. Those who prepare their hearts by faith, cleansing them by the washing of the word of truth in these final moments of this age, will also be among those who receive the final outpouring of the Spirit for the final harvest of the earth. The Cleansing Word Of God In Paul’s exhortation to the church in Corinth he tells them to separate from all that would keep God from welcoming them as sons and daughters. He writes;

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“Come out from their midst and be separate” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” says the Lord Almighty. Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting [“to bring to an end, complete”] holiness in the fear of God. Make room for us in your hearts…” (2 Corinthians 6:17-7:2/NASU) Paul was saying to them, and to us, that it is crucial to cleanse ourselves through separation from all that would cause filthiness within us, staining our inner man. We are to perfect or complete holiness (sanctification) in the fear of God, knowing that without our “coming out from their midst” we will not receive the promise of being welcomed. Instead, like the foolish virgins who did not take serious the midnight call to prepare, we, by not making room for the Lord in our hearts, will not be allowed into the wedding feast. In comparing Christ’ love for the church to the love a husband should have for his wife, Paul said to the believers in the city of Ephesus; “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:25-27/NASU) This reminds me of the dry bones that came together as a body after Ezekiel prophesied over them with the living word of the Lord (Ezekiel 37:1-10). Even though a body came together, it was still lifeless. It wasn’t until Ezekiel prophesied the second time that the breath of life from God filled them and they stood on their feet as a great army. This is a picture of what will soon occur. By the word of the Lord spoken through His life-givers, the “exceedingly great army” of God will rise up and defeat all of His enemies (we’ll discuss this further in the next chapter). The preparing and raising up of a pure and spotless Bride in all her glory, holy and blameless, is for the Divine purpose of the Lord presenting her back to Himself, as He did with Eve to the first Adam. Paul refers to this preparation in his letter to Titus; “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal [“renovation”] by the Holy Spirit…” (Titus 3:5/NIV)

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It is the new birth and subsequent renewal by the Holy Spirit that will ensure the joining together of Christ and His Bride as one. When Peter arrived in Joppa the local Christians spoke to him about all that Tabitha had done in the Lord’s name. It is written that she was “abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did.” (Acts 9:36) I think this speaks favorably toward some who are now sleeping in apathy in the church. Thankfully, the Lord is merciful. He remembers the deeds of kindness that we have done in the past. In fact, He mentioned past deeds (works) when speaking to the seven churches in Revelation. Before His rebuke and call for them to repent, He would mention their works. It was a reminder to them to remember from where they had fallen and to wake up before it was too late. We need to do the same.

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Chapter Forty Five

Arise And Shine

pon hearing what had happened to Tabitha, the Bible says that Peter arose and went to see her;

“When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas [Greek for Tabitha] used to make while she was with them. But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, ‘Tabitha, arise.’ And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling [“to invite”] the saints and widows, he presented her alive. It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. (Acts 9:39-42/NASU) The Greek for “arise” is anistemi (an-is'-tay-mee). It means “to stand up, to cause to rise, to rise up.” It is written that Peter turned toward the dead body first and then commanded her to arise. In this passage is a picture of the raising up of the Lord’s bride and her presentation to the “invited” ones. Again, this is similar to Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones being filled with the breath of life from God and standing up on their feet as he prophesied. It is the word of the Lord coming through His anointed servants that will awaken those who are in a deep sleep in the church. Their spiritual eyes will be opened, enabling them to see the outstretched hand of the One who can raise them up. Joppa happens to come from a Hebrew word that means “to shine, be beautiful.” I am reminded of Paul’s exhortation by the Spirit to the church in Ephesus when he said, “Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine [“to illuminate”] on you.” (Ephesians 5:14) Like Tabitha in Joppa, a remnant within the dead body of Christ will soon be washed through repentance and brought back to life. In her revived state

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she will then arise and shine with God’s glory, revealing His beauty that she has been covered with to the world. The Believer’s Metamorphosis In a passage of Scripture that is commonly referred to as the transfiguration, Jesus led Peter, James and John up a high mountain where His appearance was altered before them. Matthew writes; “He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.” (Matthew 17:2-3/NASU) In this incredible experience, Jesus’ face was said to have “shone like the sun.” When a person turns to the Lord a similar experience occurs. They are noticeably changed. In fact, they will often get questioned as to what happened to them because something “appears” to be different. They seem to be beaming with joy and a peace that passes understanding. This face alteration also occurred to Moses. Whenever he came out from being in God’s presence, the Scriptures tell us the Israelites noticed that the skin of his face would shine (Exodus 34:29-35). It is from being in the presence of God that the countenance is illuminated. As we turn toward Him, looking into His face, we then reflect His light to those who are living in a dark state of heart and mind. Jesus said to His disciples; “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16/NASU) As I said earlier, the Way of salvation is made known to the nations through His followers. If we hide His light by walking independently, according to our will rather than by His Spirit, they cannot see their need and darkness will prevail. The psalmist declared; “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, Selah, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.” (Psalm 67:1-2/NIV)

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He reveals His ways as we spend time in His Presence. Our ways are not His ways, neither are our thoughts His thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). A mature Christian has learned that, truly, apart from Him they can do nothing of any spiritual value, whether that be in thought or deed. All of our religious works apart from the leading of the Holy Spirit are nothing more than rubbish. Without the direction of the Lord, they result in self-glorification rather than glorifying our Father who is in heaven. The Greek for “transfigured” in Matthew 17:2 is metamorphoo (met-amor-fo'-o), from which we derive our English word metamorphosis. It’s defined as “to transform, to change into another form.” According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, when used of Christians, “it describes our being transformed into the same image (of consummate excellence that shines in Christ), to reproduce the same image.” Paul said to the church in Corinth that we are not like Moses who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites would not look at “the end of what was fading away… But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed [metamorphoo] into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:13, 18/NASU) It is when the veil between mankind and God is removed through faith in Christ that we are granted the right to behold the One who can transform us, and others. In His book From Tent To Temple, George Warnock shares an interesting insight that relates to the process of a Christian’s spiritual metamorphosis. He says; “Sometime in the middle of this century [the twentieth century] we read of a young Harvard scientist who had spent many hours making various experiments with the silkworm, in an attempt to discover the secret of metamorphosis. After some ten years of tedious experiments he discovered the secret. By dividing the worm into segments, and watching to see which sections went into metamorphosis and which remained the same, he discovered that there were two hormone producing centers in the worm, one in the brain and the other in the thorax [the part of the body between the neck and abdomen]; and that these hormone centers caused the worm to change form. Neither could cause metamorphosis working by itself, but together they did. Briefly, this is how he made his discoveries. Removing the brains from the caterpillars he found that they would live on, but only as worms. No change would take place. Then after implanting a bit of the brain containing the hormone, metamorphosis would begin to take place. But if after implanting the hormone in the brain the worm was immediately tied off in the center, no change would occur. This proved that the worm could derive no benefit from

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the hormone in the head alone; it had to work in conjunction with the thorax. So if he allowed a certain amount of time to elapse after implanting some of the brain before he tied the worm in the center, the worm would go into full metamorphosis on both sides of the knot. By these and similar experiments he effectively proved that two hormone centers were involved in the process, and that it was the brain hormone that triggered the thoracic center into action.” (p.38) From this amazing discovery with a lowly silkworm, we begin to understand what is happening within all those who have turned to Christ who is the Head of His body of followers. Jesus said; “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5/NASU) Due to false teachings that produce a false sense of security, the vital issue of abiding, or remaining in Christ through daily submission so as to be transformed is not emphasized within the church as it should be. Separated from Him, doing our own will rather than working together with Him (2 Corinthians 6:1), our image remains the same. Apart from Him we will never be transformed into the image of Christ with ever-increasing glory. The reason the Father must see the appearance of His Son in us is because His sacrifice is the only one that He accepts. We cannot be saved through a carved image that has been sculpted into our own likeness (Exodus 20:4). George Warnock went on to say; “From Him therefore who is the Head, there comes to us as members of His body, that Divine hormone, that Divine influence of the Spirit, which reacts upon and works in conjunction with our hearts and minds, thereby bringing about a spiritual metamorphosis, a complete changing of our whole being; spirit, soul, and body [1 Thessalonians 5:23]… What causes the releasing of the hormones in the worm to set in motion the process of metamorphosis? The scientist we mentioned discovered that it was caused by the warmth of the spring season! The timing of God is so important. God has ‘seasons’ for whatever He would do, and when the season arrives He prepares His people for what He has in mind.” (From Tent To Temple, p. 39) I believe we are now in one of those “seasons” Warnock referred to when God is preparing His chosen vessels for what He is about to do through them

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on earth. In Luke’s account of the transfiguration he says something that is crucial to the awakening of Christ’ Bride in the church. He states in Luke 9:32 that Peter, James and John were “overcome with sleep.” The Greek for “overcome” is bareo (bar-eh'-o) which means “to burden, weigh down, depress.” It has the idea of being “oppressed with external evils.” This is what occurs when we are asleep spiritually. It is to be weighed down internally through demonic oppression. To become awake, therefore, is to be separated from the evil that is weighing us down. Luke then says that when they were “fully awake” they saw the glory of Jesus, along with Moses and Elijah. Those whose hearts are awakened and arise from the dead in spirit will be among those who enter into the fullness, or completeness of Christ at the end of this age. They will behold His transfiguring glory which will empower them to reflect it to mankind. Like Moses when he came down the mountain after being in God’s presence, they will shine forth with His glorious beauty, distinguishing them as “My dove, My perfect one” (Song of Solomon 5:2).

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Chapter Forty Six

The Aaronic Blessing

n some churches, at the end of the service, the pastor proclaims what is known as the Aaronic blessing over the congregation. This benediction is from the time when the Lord said to Moses;

“Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: “‘The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.’” So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:23-27/NIV) The Hebrew for “shine” is 'owr (ore). It’s defined as “to be light or to become light, to give light, to illumine.” As we have seen, the Lord’s face shining upon us will not automatically happen. Neither will it remain upon us if we do not remain in Him, or should I say near Him, face to face. In His rebuke of unfaithful Israel, the Lord said to Jeremiah; “They have turned their back to Me and not their face; though I taught them, teaching again and again, they would not listen and receive instruction.” (Jeremiah 32:33/NASU) To turn away from the Lord, not facing Him in our hearts and minds, is to not listen and receive His instruction. It is an arrogant, disrespectful heart that does what it desires rather than God’s will. To turn “face to face” with Jesus is to receive His glory. If we do not face Him we will not be transformed. Disobedience, which is our turning away from Him, allows the darkness to prevail thereby causing the light within, after turning to Christ, to be hidden. The only way to become His illumined light-givers is to awake from spiritual slumber with a repentant, guarded heart and “arise from the dead” so that others may see Christ through us.

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As previously discussed in chapter three, in Zacharias’ prophecy over his newborn son, John the Baptist, he made the following declaration; “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring [“a rising of light, the east”] from on high has visited us; To give light to [“to shine upon”] those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:76-79/NKJV) To “go before the face of the Lord” is to go with Him looking upon you, in His power and authority. It is to go with His approval and favor with His watchful eye guarding and keeping you in His name, for His purposes. In this state His light shines on you, guiding those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death into the Way of peace, who is Christ. According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary, the Hebrew interpreted above as “Dayspring” is used metaphorically of Christ as the One through whom light came into the world to dispel the darkness which was upon all nations. It also refers to the east which stands for that side of things upon which the rising of the sun gives light. In the Day of the Lord when He judges all wickedness on earth by fire, He says that He, the sun of righteousness, will rise with healing on those who fear His name; “‘But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,’ says the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi 4:2-3/NASU) Remembering Our Forefathers Interestingly, the next couple of verses in Malachi, chapter four, which are the last of the Old Testament, refer to the same two men that appeared with Christ during His transfiguration; Moses and Elijah. The Lord declares; “Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel. Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. He will restore [“to turn back, to return, to repent”] the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.” (Malachi 4:4-6/NASU)

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These two seem to be connected with the beginning and ending of our journey as God’s people. Moses led God’s people out from their bondage, teaching them God’s laws and commandments on their way to the Promised Land. Similarly to when he confronted the Israelites who were wavering between following God and Baal, Elijah will be used in our completion at the end of the age when darkness is prevailing through a final restoration of God’s people who have strayed from Him before “the great and terrible day of the Lord.” Like John the Baptist who was sent ahead of Jesus as a forerunner in the spirit and power of Elijah, I believe that God will send out some of His choice servants in the same type of spirit to prepare the way of the Lord within those who will listen. Within many modern textbooks, and numerous schools and Universities, there is a growing disrespect for the Christian heart of many of America’s Founding Fathers, as well as what God undeniably initiated and accomplished in the birthing of this nation. We are now in one of the most crucial moments ever known to our history. As a nation, we need to be reminded of our beginning in order to know our ending. Much of the church, like apostate Israel, is now trying to serve God and the Baal’s of our day. The response of God’s people to this urgent call to remember, repent, and renew their covenant with Him will determine the degree of difficulty we will undergo. The window of God’s mercy is quickly closing. This is the last call for the church to return to Him before it is too late and He shuts the doors of His ark of deliverance. As I’ve said, in mercy He is going to help us by applying great pressure through very difficult circumstances. During this extreme period He is going to reveal a group of His life-giving servants who are, for the most part, currently unknown. In the spirit and power of Elijah they will lead the way for a remnant who will repent and come under the government of the only One who can save them. One day, while looking at this last portion of Malachi, the Holy Spirit revealed a nation-changing truth to me. As I was reading, the Holy Spirit quite unexpectedly said to me, with great emphasis, “Fore!” right before I read the word “fathers.” It now read as; …and the hearts of the children to their [Fore!] fathers. My heart stirred within me as the Lord began to reveal details concerning a last days, Elijah-like anointing that is being placed upon the messengers of His covenant. They will be used to restore the hearts of the remnant of His people within our nation back to the original call and covenant of our Founding Fathers. Under this anointing, they will rise up and become the Finishing Fathers. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, they will be used to bring to completion the corporate call of God upon His people who inhabit this nation.

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God Remembers Our Deeds A part of God’s instruction for Aaron and his son’s to bless the Israelites was, “the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.” This is what will occur by the spirit of Elijah. A picture of this can be seen through Peter, which we discussed, when he turned toward the dead body of Tabitha, a righteous follower of Christ who was rich in good works but was dead, and raised her up. As I said earlier, God remembers the deeds of those who fear His name. In fact, He has a book of remembrance with their names written in it (Malachi 3:16). As a loving Father, He reaches out to them when necessary, in order to bring them back to life when they have strayed from Him. His desire is always to revive their “dead body”; “I know [“remember, to see”] your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place — unless you repent. (Revelation 2:2-5/NKJV) To remove our lampstand is to remove the place of our sphere of influence where we have been called to shine forth. It is to be re-placed like Queen Vashti because of rebellion (Esther 1:10-19). This is the current state of the majority of the church in America. To have the Lord turned away from us is to not be under the blessing of His covering. As stated earlier, it is as we continue to stand before Him in intimacy, gazing into His face, that we are transformed into His image of light, guiding us and others into the Way of peace and safety. At the end of this age, when a deep darkness covers the earth and its inhabitants, the glory of the Lord will rise upon His faithful servants; “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; But the Lord will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” (Isaiah 60:1-3/NASU) In the end when an extreme evil presence is prevailing over much of the

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earth, the nations will be attracted to the light of Christ that has illuminated His chosen people. They will stand out in the dark as those who have what others need in the very difficult times of the last days. But, understand that you will not stand out if you do not come out from among the dead! Prophesying of last day events, Daniel declares; “Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” (Daniel 12:1-3/NASU) The Hebrew for “shine” in this verse is zahar (zaw-har'). Not only does it refer to a light shining, but also to a word of warning. Part of the definition for it is “to admonish, to warn, to teach, to enlighten by caution.” It has the implication of a light of warning that will cause many in the church who have strayed with a divided heart to see their true condition before God in order to repent and return to righteous living.

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Chapter Forty Seven

Extending His Hand

he statement discussed earlier from Acts 9:41 that says, “And he [Peter] gave her [Tabitha] his hand and raised her up,” is one of the most significant statements within this entire revelation. I had thought about the cover for this book for a long time. What was on my heart was the hand of God coming down from above, reaching out and grasping the hand of His Bride who was being raised up out of the church from a prostrate position. I saw her being raised up from her lukewarm, lethargic state among the dead in spirit within the Body of Christ. But as you can see, I ended up with something a little different. It still captures the thought of the Lord shining His light of life mercifully on the dead church. The barren state of the land around the church is a reflection of her spiritually barren state. During a lunch break at a recent meeting I attended with other believers who are part of a global missions movement, I was speaking with a young couple from the Netherlands. While sharing back and forth, our conversation led to this book and the thought in my mind regarding the cover. The husband then looked over at his wife and sheepishly asked her to share the dream she had the night before. She said she dreamed that the Lord was reaching His hand out to her and that she in turn reached out and grabbed it. She then said that she wasn’t sure what it meant. I shared with her that I believe the Lord was reaching out to her because she was being called out to be a part of His Bride. I also believe this won’t be the only dream or revelation of this nature among the Body of Christ. We pray that God will give others the same encounter so that they will be deeply moved when they see with the eyes of their heart His outstretched hand. In Song of Solomon, the great love story from God in type of He and His bride, Solomon describes a time of great torment when the two were separated. There came a time, though, when she heard her bridegroom’s

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voice; “I was asleep but my heart was awake. A voice! My beloved was knocking: ‘Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my perfect one! For my head is drenched with dew, my locks with the damp of the night’… My beloved extended his hand through the opening, and my feelings were aroused for him.” (Song of Solomon 5:2, 4/NASU) Oh precious Bride of the King, do you hear Him knocking? Is your heart being awakened at the sound of His voice? Is He extending His hand to you as well, stirring your feelings of love and the desire for intimacy with Him in the closing moments of this age? Then reach out and take hold of your Heavenly Bridegroom because we know that He who raised the Lord will also raise you up through His power to sit and reign with Him on His throne. Praise the name of the Lord! The Lord’s Life Givers The Greek for “presented” in Acts 9:41 when Peter presented Tabitha alive is paristemi (par-is'-tay-mee) which is defined as, “to bring into one’s presence, to stand beside, to show.” I see in this a time when the Lord will present His called-out Bride back to His Body, by His side, which is where Eve came out from Adam, revealing her glorious beauty for all to see. Her time of being hidden and unknown will be finished. She will be filled with the life of Christ, her heavenly Bridegroom, causing many to believe in Him. Times of refreshing will happen as rivers of living water pour out of the Lord’s renovated life-givers. The river of life will flow from the throne of God which has been established within them, bringing healing to the nations that have been devastated because of sin. In Colossians, chapter one, Paul speaks of the reasons for Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for us; “He has now reconciled [“bring back to a former state of harmony”] you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach, if indeed you continue in the faith… We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete [“perfect”] in Christ.” (Colossians 1:22-23, 28/NASU) Paul emphasizes that the promise of being reconciled to Christ and our being presented complete in Him is conditional. Our perfection in Christ does not come without a warning of the need to “continue in the faith.” Through

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acceptance of the doctrines of demons as truth, many Christians cannot see or understand what we just read. It is completely hidden from them. Instead, they cry out, “Heresy!” It‘s a true statement that the farther people wander from the truth the more they hate those who proclaim it. The King’s Release Joseph was sent ahead of his brothers by God for a great deliverance of His people. Because of jealousy, they had sold him as a slave. He was taken to Egypt where he was falsely accused and placed in prison. While there he interpreted two men’s dreams that they had the same night. Even after the word of the Lord given to him came true and one man was executed while the other exonerated, proving Joseph right, he remained in the prison, forgotten by man but not by God, for another two years (Genesis 40:5-41:14). When he was younger he had received a word from the Lord through his own dream that his family would one day bow down to him (Genesis 37:511). The psalmist declares about Joseph; “Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him.” (Psalm 105:19/NASU) The Hebrew for “tested” is tsaraph (tsaw-raf'). It’s defined as “to fuse (metal), to smelt, to refine, to test (and to prove true).” Anyone who has ever received a word from the Lord understands this. It’s the time in between, before it comes to pass, that thoughts of whether or not you heard from God or yourself can run through your mind. It forces us to check our heart and be more determined to hold our ground in submission to the will of the Lord and to wait for His timing. The true condition of our motives are exposed during this time period. Our response determines whose glory we are truly seeking. Creating doubt of whether or not you really heard from God, or of what God really meant, has been the devil’s modus operandi since the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:4-5). Also, while waiting upon the Lord, he will most likely try to tempt the one who has been told something by God to bring it into existence through human effort thereby creating an “Ishmael.” In God’s timing, a Divine opportunity occurred for Joseph to be released. Pharaoh had a dream that no one could interpret. The man that had been acquitted remembered that a young Hebrew man in prison accurately interpreted his dream. Pharaoh then sent for Joseph who was quickly prepared to enter his presence; “Then Pharaoh sent and called [“to summon”] for Joseph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes [“a covering garment, a mantle”], he came to Pharaoh.”

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(Genesis 41:14/NASU) The psalmist also referred to this, saying; “The king sent and released him, the ruler of peoples, and set him free.” (Psalm 105:20/NASU) To my brother and sisters who have faithfully served God and now find themselves in a seemingly hopeless situation, know for certain that the Lord is able to suddenly release you too. Eventually the King of kings will stretch forth His hand and loosen His faithful ones from their imprisoned state, summoning them to arise and shine. Our being raised up by the hand of God at the end of this age is the final perfecting of His people. He will come to set His captives free so that they may rise up and be eternally joined together with Him. The Hebrew for “sent” in both of these passages is defined as “to let go, to let loose, to stretch out, to shoot forth (used of branches).” The definition of the Hebrew we interpreted “released” in Psalm 105:20 means, “to open wide, to loosen, to carve.” In both Hebrew words, “loose” and “loosen” appears in the definitions. What I see in this is the final loosing of our fallen nature among those who reach out and grab hold of the outstretched hand of the King of kings, thereby letting go of everything else. The final shaking of the Lord on earth will set His willing servants free from all that which has held them back from entering His fullness, our completeness in Him. Like Jesus on the mount of transfiguration, our countenance and our covering garments will eternally change as this mortal puts on immortality and we gain His glory. That which has been loosed on earth will have finally been loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19, 18:18).

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Chapter Forty Eight

The Dry Bones Revival

he prophet Ezekiel describes a vision he had from God of a valley full of dry bones. It was a word from the Lord that He would revive the house of Israel. He was going to shake them in order to wake them. He has begun to do something similar to the dry, lifeless church in America. Spiritual dryness refers to a deadness of heart that lacks the life of God. It is a result of turning away from Him, the ultimate Life-giver. This is what Jesus referred to when He said; “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” (John 15:6/NASU) In his vision, Ezekiel was commanded by the Lord to proclaim two separate prophecies. The first was over many dry bones that were laying in a valley. The Lord said to Ezekiel; “Son of man, can these bones [“body”] live [“to revive”]?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.” Again He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.’ “Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. And I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin [“hide, leather”], and put breath in you that you may come alive [“be revived”]; and you will know that I am the LORD.’” So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling [“shaking”]; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew, and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. (Ezekiel 37:3-8/NASU)

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The dry bones represented the house of Israel. They were in what appeared to be a hopeless situation, completely cut off from God. I see the church in America in the same dry, lifeless situation. The members of Christ’s Body are scattered, disjointed and unattached to the life-giving power that flows from the Head. I hear the Lord asking the same question today; “Can these bones live?” In other words, “In their dead, lifeless condition, detached from Me, can My Body of people in this nation be revived?” I believe the Lord is mercifully responding, “Yes, if you will prophesy over them what I command you, speaking My words of life to them, I will grant My breath of life, My life giving Spirit, to revive and raise them up in the most difficult of times. My Spirit alone will gather and unite them.” Hallelujah! This is what He shared with me years ago through Shelley’s stroke. We have been proclaiming this word of repentance for the church in America to many people ever since. To be honest, it can be very frustrating speaking to those who, because of their spiritual grogginess, are not comprehending what you’re saying. I think of Noah who was told that a flood would soon come to judge the wicked of his day, but no one listened. Also of Lot who was laughed at by his son-inlaw’s that thought he was joking about the imminent doom of Sodom. The same spirit of deep sleep has overcome the majority of the church in America. There is a dreadful, merciful shaking coming to our land that will be used to awaken the sleeping Bride. Are you and I listening to what the Spirit is saying to the church in these final moments of mercy? Repentance will not stop what is coming, but it will bring protection during it. What is our motive for wanting revival to come? Is it to have the wickedness that is so prevalent throughout our society be removed but not the wickedness in us? Are we more interested in building our denominational numbers than we are the Kingdom of God? The Lord knows and will soon expose the true condition of each one of His children, especially those who are in leadership positions. May we all examine our hearts now to see if we really are IN Christ (2 Corinthians 13:5) before the door of God’s mercy is shut and it’s too late. Ezekiel was commanded to prophesy twice. The first time was directed towards the people, causing the body to come back together, bone to bone. They then came together, which means “to draw near,” in the proper order, each bone being joined together in its appropriate place within the Body. Paul speaks of this proper working of “Body parts” in Ephesians. He says; “…speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of

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itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:15-16/NASU) Ezekiel stated that in the shaking the bones came together, “bone to its bone.” This is similar to what the Lord said to Adam when He had fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from him. He presented her back to him, saying; “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” (Genesis 2:23/NASU) Through the reshaping of the Lord, and the receiving of His breath of life, the first man and woman had become one. It is in this manner, by His Spirit, that His people will come alive and be one in Him at the end of this age. We will no longer be flesh of our fleshly bodies, but of His flesh, His perfected Body. The Second Wind Now that the bones had begun to be gathered together, bone to its bone, Ezekiel was to prophesy to the breath to come, bringing His life. God was going to revive Israel by sending His Holy Spirit, His breath of life, into them; “Then He said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life.” So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life, and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.” (Ezekiel 37:9-10/NASU) The second prophecy was specifically spoken towards the breath. Ezekiel was to cry out, asking the Holy Spirit to come and revive God’s people. The Lord wanted the prophet to let His people know, even though they appeared to be in a dead state, that times of refreshing were going to come from His presence. After being filled with the breath of life at Pentecost, where the disciples were gathered together in “one place” per the word of the Lord (Acts 2:1), Peter healed a crippled beggar who was sitting at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful. He reached out and took the man by the right hand and raised him up. This is another beautiful picture of the Lord reaching out to take the hand of His Bride and raising her up. Because of the miracle, a crowd gathered around him and John. After letting

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them know that the crippled man had been raised up by the power of Jesus whom they had disowned and crucified, Peter declared; “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.” (Acts 3:19-21/NASU) The Greek for “refreshing” is defined as “a recovery of breath, i.e. (figuratively) revival.” Peter is giving another reference to the Lord’s reviving breath of life that comes to restore the relationship with mankind that was lost at our fall in the Garden of Eden. Repentance is the key to this restoration. Solomon wrote; Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment [“drink”] to your bones. (Proverbs 3:7-8NASU) Repentance isn’t just for those who have never received Him. Until we, the church, humble ourselves and repent, turning back to Him, He will not return to us and restore “all things.” This is exactly what the Lord has revealed to Shelley and I through her stroke regarding the current state of the church in America and the evergrowing condition of hopelessness we now find ourselves in. Currently we are, as a whole, a detached body that has been cut off from Christ, the Head, our only source of life. As with Jonah, there is an approaching shaking in our nation that will be used to awaken His people and join them together as one. I think it’s crucial to notice that the Body was gathered together both in Ezekiel and Acts BEFORE the Spirit was given. The Holy Spirit was not poured out until they were joined together in a united body. What I see in this is that the Lord joins His people together in Himself first, preparing us for the next step of empowering through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The gathering together of God’s people in our nation will be a forceful gathering for most. Otherwise, the stubborn and rebellious children would not come. Those who do respond in humility and turn back to Him will be united under His banner rather than their divisional titles. It is then that, by His Spirit, we will rise up as a united army. The Raising of God’s Army The raising up of the willing Bride in the last days is the raising of God’s

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army. She will be “as awesome as an army with banners.” (S.O.S. 6:4) Marching submissively onward in the authority and power of her Husband, she will crush His enemies under her feet. He has not raised her up to be defeated, but to go as He leads in His total victory gained at Calvary until all has been brought under submission to Him (Psalm 20:5). Praise the Lord for He alone is indeed worthy of our praise. May the devoted Bride of the Lord awaken to the midnight call and prepare her heart to meet her Bridegroom. The Spirit and the Bride say “Come Lord Jesus!” Amen.

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Chapter Forty Nine

An Exceedingly Great Army “So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.” (Ezekiel 37:10/NASU)

n His explanation of the vision given to Ezekiel, the Lord said the dry bones represented the whole house of Israel who were feeling hopeless. They said; “Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.” The Lord told Ezekiel to prophesy and declare to them; “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel.” (Ezekiel 37:12-13/NIV) As I said at the beginning of this writing, I heard a similar declaration from the Lord regarding the resurrection of the spiritually dead condition of the Bride of Christ in our nation through the “difficult circumstances” we will experience. First, there will be a turning back towards the Lord in repentance. Afterwards, each individual part will then be able to work properly in the Body according to God’s purpose for them. Once we have been properly aligned, the Spirit will be poured out and an “exceedingly great army” will rise up and do great and mighty exploits in Christ’ name. When Ezekiel was obedient to the Lord’s command to prophesy, twice, the body of God’s people came together and the Spirit was given. It is by the command of God proclaimed through His trusted servants that the army of the Lord will arise in glory and power at the end of this age.

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John spoke of the mighty army of the Lord in the Revelation given to him. He said; “And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’” (Revelation 19:11-16/NASU) This is a powerfully dramatic event that John saw of the Lord judging the nations. He rode triumphantly at the head of His armies who were described as being clothed in the righteous garments of fine linen. Unlike the armies of the world who parade their weaponry, the only weapon mentioned here is the sharp sword that comes from the mouth of “The Word of God.” The reason is; “…the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12/NASU) The weapons of our warfare might not be as appealing to the eye as the worlds, but they have “divine power” to demolish strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4). John tells us next in Revelation, chapter nineteen, that he saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies assembled against the Lord and His army. What happens next really isn’t much of a fight. The beast and the false prophet who performed signs that deceived many on earth were seized and thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. The rest of those who came up against the Lord and His army were “killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.” (Revelation 19:2021/NASU) That is how powerful the word of God is. There is no other weapon, even one of atomic power that can compare to it. The Lord declared through Isaiah;

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“‘…no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 54:7/NIV) The Weapon Of Holy Attire Just a couple of verses before the passage in Revelation, chapter nineteen, describing the armies of the Lord are those in verses seven and eight which speak of the marriage of the Lamb. The Lord’s bride is also described as being clothed in fine linen which is a result of her righteous acts. It is this protective clothing in Christ that distinguish His soldiers from all others. We read in the Bible of a time when a great multitude of the enemies of Judah came up against them. King Jehoshaphat became very fearful and proclaimed a fast throughout the land. The people then gathered together to seek help from the Lord. As they sought Him the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel, a Levite. He stood in the assembly and proclaimed; “Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's… You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the Lord is with you…’” (2 Chronicles 20:15-17, 20/NASU) Jehoshaphat then appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in “holy attire” to go out before the army, proclaiming as they went; “Give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” (2 Chronicles 20:21/NASU) Can you imagine the response of any general from one of the armies of the world if their Commander in Chief told them his plan to send singers and those who would praise God out in front of their army? They would question the sanity of their leader. As a Christian you will learn to trust God’s unconventional methods of warfare. They may not always make sense, but, as Joshua, Gideon and a whole host of other Bible characters learned, when obeyed will always result in victory. As Jehoshaphat declared to the people; “Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the Lord your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed.” (2 Chronicles 20:20/NASU)

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Our issue in the church today is often a lack of trust in God, and His prophets. We trust in our own methods that are more often than not based upon the world’s ways which involve only what we can see and understand. This is why for years we have lost so much spiritual ground to our enemy in our nation. The good news is that God has been preparing His unknown generals that will soon rise up in the power of the Spirit and lead His army, triumphing over our enemy. The Bible tells us that as the appointed Israelites began singing and praising, the Lord set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah and they were routed. The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, destroying them completely, and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another! My point in telling this story is to point out that those who lead the armies of God are not those with the highest IQ, or those who have graduated from the best military schools a nation can offer, but rather those who are dressed in the “holy attire” of their God. They walk in the divine qualifications of holiness and purity. Having put on the righteousness of Jesus Christ through obedience to the Holy Spirit’s lead they will unwaveringly march in His triumph. Those whom God appoints are His trusted servants who have learned to trust and obey Him. They have come to understand that His ways are not our ways but always result, when obeyed, in total victory. Fine Linen And The Levites Jacob had two wives, Rachel whom he loved and Leah. When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved He opened her womb and she bore many sons. Sadly, with each child she hoped that her husband would love her. At the birth of her third son she said; “Now this time my husband will become attached [“to be joined”] to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named Levi.” (Genesis 3:34/NASU) Levi’s name means “attached” or “joined to.” His descendants would serve as assistants to the priests in the worship system of Israel. According to Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary; “The choice of the Levites as a people who would perform special service for God goes back to the days of the Exodus when the children of Israel were camped at Mount Sinai.

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The people grew restless while they waited for Moses to return from talking with the Lord on the mountain. Breaking their covenant with God, they made a golden calf and began to worship it. The Levites were no less guilty than the other tribes. But when Moses returned and called for those on the Lord's side to come forward, the descendants of Levi were the only ones who voluntarily rallied to his side, showing zeal for God's honor (Exodus 32:26-28).” There are those in every generation who, with the righteous zeal of a Levite, defend the honor of God when most of His people have fallen away from Him in apostasy. Their faithful devotion to their Heavenly Bridegroom in the last days will qualify them for a very crucial ministry. The last revival on earth, and the return of God’s Presence, will reveal His consecrated vessels of honor. In Exodus we are told that sacred, holy garments were made for the priests. The high-priest's tunic was to be skillfully woven of “one piece.” These garments were a symbolic covering for “glory and beauty,” and “dignity and honor,” and were made of fine linen (Exodus 28:4). The priests could not serve God without them. Neither can we. Fine linen represents righteousness in the Bible. It’s the righteous covering of the Lord He has provided for mankind through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. To “put on” the Lord’s garment of righteousness is to walk in obedience to His commands. Keeping it on requires our abiding within the boundaries of His grace. As we have discussed, putting on the Lord Jesus Christ is to get dressed with the clothes God has laid out for His people to cover the shame of their nakedness (i.e. sinful nature). Only a Christ follower has been granted the right and authority to put on these holy garments. We put them on through being a “doer” of His word, not just a hearer. This is extremely crucial as we near the end of this age.

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Chapter Fifty

Carrying The Presence Of God

n 1 Chronicles, chapter thirteen, it is written that David attempted to bring the ark of God’s Presence back to Jerusalem. Earlier it had been captured by the Philistines during battle and then, after God’s judgment came on them, they returned it to Israel where it resided in the home of Abinadab. Their procession was led by two men named Uzza and Ahio. Interestingly their names mean “strength” and “brotherly.” On the outside this looked like a strong, brotherly unity that God would surely bless. But along the way their lack of knowing God’s proper order was exposed and the parade brought to a screeching hault. When the oxen who were pulling the ark nearly made it fall, Uzza reached out his hand to catch it and was struck dead. He represents those in the church who lead by their own strength. The Lord said; “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord.” (Jeremiah 17:5/NIV) Like many of our spiritual leaders today, those who led the way had neither the right nor the knowledge of God’s ways. As with the man of “strength,” pride and a lack of understanding will cost the lives of some who are currently leaders in the church. In the end the Lord is going to expose those who are carrying His presence by their own power and religious methods. When they reach out in their fleshly strength to uphold a religious organization that God is not pleased with and is removing, they too will be struck down. Like David, the reverential fear of God will then enter into everyone else involved.

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The Proper Order By chapter fifteen of 1 Chronicles we see that David had done some research and found out the Lord had commanded that the Levites were the ones called to carry the ark of God’s presence (Deut. 10:8). After summoning the priests and Levites He said; “‘You are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it. For because you did not do it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order.’ So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel.” (1 Chronicles 15:12-14/NKJV) Those who were joined to the Lord through sanctification were dressed in fine linen. They were the chosen ones of God called to carry His presence, His governmental authority on their shoulders. The chosen ones of God in the last days who have answered the call to consecrate themselves in preparation of what is about to occur will also be the ones who will carry the glory of God. As with the Levites, they are the only ones who can do so per God’s “proper order” without serious consequences. The way of the Lord had now been properly ordered by David and the rejoicing could begin; “Now David was clothed with a robe of fine linen with all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers and Chenaniah the leader of the singing with the singers. David also wore an ephod of linen.” (1 Chronicles 15:27/NASU) The leaders chosen by God to usher in His Presence will be the faithful ones of the Bridegroom who, like the men of Issachar, understand the times and know what the church should do. They will be dressed in the fine linen of the righteousness of Jesus Christ before the Father. This is the only way to safely bring the Presence of God back into our midst. So as not to break out against us, He is mercifully letting us know what we should do so that He may return to His prepared place within us (John 14:2). May the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit guide us safely into His holy Presence. The Prepared Bride In Revelation John speaks of the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down

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out of heaven from God, made ready as “a bride adorned for her husband.” (Revelation 21:2) The Greek for “adorned” is kosmeo (kos-meh'-o). It’s defined as “to put in proper order, arrange, make ready, prepare.” From this we understand that the holy city consists of those who, as wise virgins, prepared their hearts by faith, putting their lives in the proper order of the Lord so as to be ready and prepared to enter His Presence, and live. In the parable of the ten virgins Jesus said; “But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.” (Matthew 25:6-7/NASU) The Greek we interpret in English as “trimmed” is our word kosmeo, the same word interpreted “adorned” in Revelation 21:2. All the virgins, both wise and foolish put things in order as they heard the command from God. So what was the difference between them that would allow some to enter and some not to enter into the wedding feast? I believe one was merely external “adornment” of religion and not a true heart of submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ which resulted in their lack of oil (i.e. Holy Spirit). The Bible declares that the Holy Spirit is given only to those who obey (Acts 5:32). In his exhortation concerning the behavior of husbands and wives Peter said to the wives; “Your adornment [kosmeo] must not be merely external — braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.” (1 Peter 1:3-6/NASU) In the end, it is the hidden qualities of the heart that will define us as either a wise or a foolish virgin. The Lord is making all the preparations for His return and the wedding feast. He is the ultimate wedding planner who will not miss even the slightest detail. He has prepared His dinner and is calling those who have received His invitation (i.e. received Him). Everything is ready for those who are “dressed in readiness.” Those who are not paying attention and are unwilling to come, who are instead going “their way,” will be destroyed (Matthew 22:1-14).

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In Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament, the Lord tells us of His preparation of His people before the fiery judgment of the earth. Those who fear Him are written in a book of remembrance and will be spared. He says; “Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who esteem His name. ‘They will be Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘on the day that I prepare [“arrange, to fashion, to put in order”] My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.’” (Malachi 3:16-18/NASU) The Lord is righteous and just, filled with mercy and loving kindness. He knows those who love and serve Him faithfully. They are not perfect but will be among those who will be perfected in the end. Again, man looks at outward appearance but the Lord the heart. Even now the faithful are being prepared by Him so as to be spared in the final judgment that will cover the entire earth. Like Eve, they are being fashioned into His Bride that will be presented back to Him pure and spotless. They are the pure children of God, the choice sons and daughters that have been endued with His glory and power. At the end of this age they will rise up and shine in the dawning of a new day and will forever abide with their beloved Bridegroom.

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Chapter Fifty One

“Come To The Other Side”

n the book of Joshua the Lord reveals the providential gap required for God’s people to enter in. After commanding the Israelites to go after the ark of the covenant when they saw the priests carrying it, Joshua said to them; “…there shall be between you and it a distance of about 2,000 cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.” Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people. (Joshua 3:4-6/NASU) It has been about 2,000 years since Christ was crucified, crossing over ahead of His people. This ordained measurement is how we know it’s time for the Body of Christ to cross over as well. The “proper order” of the Lord is being revealed so that we may know the way in which we should go. Those who will take up the ark are being prepared to lead the way and cross over ahead of the rest of God’s people. Years ago, while involved with a home church, my wife and I began to get very concerned with what we were seeing and hearing from some of those in our midst. Being much younger at the time we weren’t as knowledgeable or experienced yet in spiritual warfare. We were looking to the Lord to give us direction as to what we should do. One night, while waiting for a word from the Lord, we decided to go out to eat, ending up at a local restaurant. Fasting had obviously not become a spiritual discipline at that point. I had brought my Bible so that while we were eating we could search the Word and maybe get an answer.

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At one point, a couple seated near us looked our way and commented to us that, being Christians themselves, it was nice to see someone with a Bible open in a public restaurant. We made some small talk with them, but I hadn’t heard the word of the Lord yet. On our way out we stopped by their table and said thank-you for encouraging us. They asked if they could pray with us before we left. We said that would be wonderful. Right there, in the middle of the restaurant, we all stood up and held hands and started to pray. They boldly prayed, I mean THEY PRAYED right there, unashamed for all to see, and hear. I have to admit I got a little uneasy, smiling to myself while I silently told the Lord I was sorry for being concerned about what others might be thinking in that moment. As I’m confessing, they’re interceding. While the husband was praying he suddenly stopped and said, “Wait, I see Jesus in a boat with His disciples, telling you to come to the other side.” My spirit leapt within me when I heard the voice of my Shepherd through His servant, His BOLD servant. For years the Lord has been explaining this man’s vision. I now understand what time it is… it’s time to “come to the other side!” But first, some preparatory events must occur. Arise And Cross Over After the death of Moses the Lord said to Joshua, “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.” (Joshua 1:2/NASU) This is why we’re now hearing the word of the Lord that it’s time to arise. We are currently getting ready to cross over per the Divine guidance of the Holy Spirit. So as to keep us contented on the wrong side of the Jordan, the enemy is doing his best to confuse this message of truth with falsehood. It’s very important that we carefully listen for God’s voice and then do what He says. As previously pointed out, consecration is the key. Twelve chosen priests, one from each tribe of Israel, were ordered to take up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people. They carried the ark on their shoulders. As stated, it represents the lifting up of God’s Kingship, His governmental authority by those who walk in purity and holiness. It is only when God’s people walk in submission to Christ that His authority over all that is in heaven and on earth is manifested. In a prophecy foretelling the authority of the coming Messiah, Isaiah declares;

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“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.” (Isaiah 9:6-7/NIV) This is why man’s attempt to overthrow the government of God and His authority over them will always fail eventually. In the end, at His return, all kingdoms on earth will bow the knee to Jesus Christ. It is at that time that “The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.” (Zechariah 14:9/NIV) What a day that will be! The Place Of Sure Footing In his instructions for crossing over the Jordan into the Promised Land, Joshua told the Israelites; “And it shall come about when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, and the waters which are flowing down from above shall stand in one heap.” (Joshua 3:13/NASU) Interestingly, the Jordan River empties into the Dead Sea. When the “souls” of the chosen priests rest (which means “to settle down and remain”) in the place God commands in this moment of time, the waters that flow down to the place of death for all mankind will be cut off, providing a way, His way, to cross over. This is why it’s so crucial to know and then stand firm in the truth of God. In so doing we provide a place of sure footing not only for ourselves, but also everyone else who desires to follow Christ. When the priests who carried the ark of the covenant, the ark of the Presence of the Lord obeyed the word of the Lord through Joshua, they stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan (Joshua 3:17/NASU). Adherence to the truth is the only way to get everyone across the river that leads to death. False teachings create the opposite; a slippery path that easily leads to a fall into that which will sweep you away to destruction. Joshua 4:11 says,

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“And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the LORD passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.” (KJV) The phrase “were clean passed over” doesn’t appear to me to be proper English, but it’s important in our discussion. The Hebrew for “clean” is tamam (taw-mam') which means, “to be complete, finished, perfect, to be completely crossed over.” This refers to the perfecting of those who do not grieve the Holy Spirit, but allow Him to cleanse them, bringing to completion their faith (James 2:22). They joyfully cross over the finish line into the eternal Promised Land through submission to His discipline and training in their life. They stayed the course, standing firm as the Lord commanded the priests, until the end. Tam (tawm), which is taken from tamam, was also used to describe the perfected Bride of Christ in Song of Solomon 6:9. She is the one who has been made complete, lacking nothing. Preparation Means Consecration The Hebrew for “consecrate” in Joshua 3:5 is qadash (kaw-dash'). It’s described as, “to consecrate, to sanctify, to prepare, to be holy, to be separate, to be clean (ceremonially or morally).” All of this refers to our favorable response revealed by what we do after hearing the midnight shout to “Come out and be separate.” Now is the time to cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God before He returns (2 Corinthians 7:1). After leaving their “places” in the camp to cross over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua; “‘Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel the second time.’ So Joshua made himself flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth [which means “the hill of the foreskins”].” (Joshua 5:2-3/NASU) The Bible tells us that the reason Joshua circumcised them was all the males who came out of Egypt, all the men of war, died in the wilderness along the way. The people who originally came out were circumcised, but not those who were born afterwards. Joshua tells us; “For the sons of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, that is, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished because they did not listen to the voice of the LORD, to whom the LORD had sworn that

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He would not let them see the land which the LORD had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. And their children whom He raised up in their place, Joshua circumcised; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them along the way.” (Joshua 5:6-9/NASU) Joshua circumcised the new generation born in the wilderness because their parents had not been diligent to obey God’s command to do so. It was the sign of the covenant between Himself and them, marking them as His (Genesis 17:1-14). This was another manifestation of their disobedient hearts. The Lord had warned Abraham, saying; “But an uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.” (Genesis 17:14/NASU) Many of our spiritual children, born in the church in the last generation in particular, have also not been led into circumcision by the Spirit (Romans 2:28-29). Our spiritual fathers have not taught God’s people the vital significance of having the fleshly nature cut off so that they are not cut off. Without God’s inner mark they will be cut off from the Vine, Jesus Christ (John 15:1-6, Romans 11:11-27). The Lord, through His revealed word of truth, is beginning to take care of this major issue amongst His children. He is placing a flint knife, a sharp word from God, in the hands of His deliverers, who are His Bride. Blessed are they that come in the name of the Lord! A Bridegroom Of Blood In Exodus 4:24-26 there is an unusual event recorded for us that I have often wondered about. Moses has been called by the Lord to go and deliver His people. Along the way he and his family have an encounter with God that seems a little strange, even harsh at first glance; “Now it came about at the lodging place on the way that the LORD met him and sought to put him to death. Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin and threw it at Moses’ feet, and she said, ‘You are indeed a bridegroom of blood to me.’ So He let him alone. At that time she said, ‘You are a bridegroom of blood’ because of the circumcision.” (Exodus 4:24-26/NASU)

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While on their journey to Egypt where Moses had been called to deliver God’s people, he and his family have this encounter with God through which it is revealed that his son has not yet been circumcised. We have to look at the preceding verses to help us understand what is happening, and who God is talking about putting to death. In His instructions to Moses of what he should say to Pharaoh, the Lord had just told him; “When you go back to Egypt see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I said to you, “Let My son go that he may serve Me”; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn.’” (Exodus 4:21-23/NASU) Our English interpretations lead us into thinking that it’s Moses whom the Lord sought to kill. As I looked over the original Hebrew language, though, I believe that it was actually Moses’ son who was the object of God’s declaration. God had just told him that once in Egypt, he was to declare to Pharaoh that God was going to kill his firstborn son because of his refusal to let His people go so that they could serve Him in the wilderness. I see in this the Lord letting Moses know that he should not walk in presumption, assuming that his son would be protected during this. As I just said, circumcision was the sign given to Abraham of being in covenant with Him so as to be protected by the blood (Genesis 17:9-11). Later, after the Lord’s heavy hand of judgment upon the Egyptians, it would be the blood on the doorposts and lintels of the Israelite homes during God’s final plague that would protect them. He had said; “The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague [“pandemic”] will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12:13/NASU) For Moses to assume that his son would not incur the wrath of God would be disastrous. The Lord had clearly warned Abraham that to not be circumcised was to break His covenant, causing His people to be cut off from Him (Genesis 17:14). The Bible doesn’t say, but you have to wonder if Moses, who had been raised in Egypt by Pharaoh’s daughter, even knew about God’s sign of the covenant through circumcision. It was God’s love to confront him with this matter. How many of our church fathers today have also not taught this divine principle to God’s children under their care? I

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would dare say many, if not most within the church. This is why He now confronts us as well, before His judgment takes place. After their reunion, Moses and Aaron then assembled all the elders of Israel to share with them what the Lord had spoken to Moses. Aaron told them and then performed the signs in front of the people. The Bible then declares; “So the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord was concerned about the sons of Israel and that He had seen their affliction, then they bowed low and worshiped.” (Exodus 4:31/NASU) It would be the miraculous signs of the Lord executed by His servants that caused the children of Israel to believe the words they had just heard. His servants in this hour will do the same demonstrations of the Spirit and of power for His people, and against His enemies (1 Cor. 2:1-5). After Jesus’ resurrection He appeared to His disciples and commanded them to go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. He told them that certain signs would accompany those who believe. Mark writes that they then “went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.” (Mark 16:20/NASU) I believe this is why we, God’s people, are going to experience a final visitation from Him, through His servants that will perform attesting miracles, before His wrath is poured out on earth to set His people free. This time, though, it will be from mankind’s bondage to the sinful nature. To presumptuously assume that His judgment will not affect us, and in particular the leadership within the church, at a time when many of God’s children have in rebellion to the Holy Spirit’s working in their life not allowed Him to circumcise their hearts (Romans 2:28-29), is to be foolishly unprotected without the blood of Jesus during His frightening judgments on earth. As many in the church who refuse to repent are about to learn, surely, “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31) In mercy He will visit us in order to turn our hearts back to Him. As with Zipporah, I believe it will be the Lord’s Bride who will be used by the Holy Spirit to circumcise the hearts of God’s children with a sharp, two edged word (Hebrews 4:12). Seeing this movement of God taking place, Satan will counter by attempting to deceive Christians through false signs and wonders. Earlier in Mark Jesus had warned His followers, saying; “…for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance.” (Mark 13:22-23/NASU)

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Knowing that signs and wonders will occur from both the true and the false prophets, we need to be cautious and discerning as to who they are from. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to be anxious but to remain near to the Lord who will reveal to us that which is from Him and that which is not.

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Chapter Fifty Two

The Place Of Renewal

fter circumcising the nation, the Lord said to Joshua;

“Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.” (Joshua 5:9/NASU) Gilgal, which means “a wheel, rolling,” represents the place where the reproach of the enemy over God’s people is rolled away in the establishing of His covenant through circumcision of the heart by the Spirit. Remember, it was the first thing to occur on the other side, in the Promised Land, for all those who crossed over. Through repentance, the Lord removes the shame and disgrace of living enslaved to sin which is represented by Egypt, the house of bondage. Reviving our hearts begins with the conviction of the Holy Spirit through His living and active word (Hebrews 4:12). The ungodly state of the church in America as a whole is the fruit of the dead and inactive word of man from her pulpits. Gilgal also represents a place where the Kingdom of God is renewed, or reaffirmed. In 1 Samuel, chapter eleven, Saul, at the request of the people, becomes Israel’s first king after their rejection of the Lord as King over them (1 Samuel 8:7). In verse fourteen Samuel said to the people, “Come and let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.” The NIV says; “and there reaffirm the kingship.” The Hebrew interpreted as “renew” and “reaffirm” is the previously defined word chadash [khaw-dash']. If you remember it means “to be new, to rebuild, to repair.” The Lord is now calling His people for one last time to the place of repentance in order to renew and reaffirm our covenant vows with Him before He judges the wickedness on earth.

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The establishment of His government within the hearts of His people is first before we can possess the place of our inheritance. All who resist His summons to come in humility at the end of the age to this place will not be allowed to enter in. It’s the place where we receive our wedding garments. Like Israel, the church in America needs to go to spiritual Gilgal and have the Kingdom of God reestablished in us or many will perish in the judgments of God that are coming to our nation. Joshua 5:10-12 says; “While the sons of Israel camped at Gilgal, they observed the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month on the desert plains of Jericho. And on the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. And the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten some of the produce of the land, so that the sons of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate some of the yield of the land of Canaan during that year.” (NASU) Immediately after their partaking of Passover, they partook of the new produce in the Promised Land, causing the old provision, or “old order,” to cease. So will it be in these last days. As declared to John in his Revelation regarding our passing over into the new heaven and earth; “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’” (Revelation 21:4-5/NASU) It’s interesting in Joshua that the eating of the new provision took place the day after they observed Passover. They ended their journey from Egypt the same way they started it; with Passover. Without the acknowledgment and internal application of the covenantal blood of the Lamb by circumcision of the heart by the Spirit, there can be no entering in and possessing of the abundant produce within the Promised Land. There must be a full consumption of the Lamb of God, without the mixture of the idolatrous practices of spiritual Babylon, for entrance to be granted. Job declared; “Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves, so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For He inflicts pain, and gives relief; He wounds, and His hands also heal.” (Job 5:17-18/NASU)

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Without this final healing (see my book entitled The Final Healing), many who walk in presumption would perish in God’s presence. The prophet declared; “Come, let us return to the Lord. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, that we may live before Him.” (Hosea 6:1-2/NASU) Hosea reveals to us that without this final heart cleansing of God’s children, as Moses was warned about his son, we will not live before Him. Also, cleansing is first in the kingdom of God before His authority is granted (Zechariah 3:1-10). We cannot possibly rule on earth unless He rules in us. In His instructions to Moses about the holy anointing oil used in worship, God said; “Do not pour it on men's bodies and do not make any oil with the same formula. It is sacred, and you are to consider it sacred. Whoever makes perfume like it and whoever puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from his people.” (Exodus 30:32-33/NIV) The anointing oil was not to be put on men’s bodies, or “the flesh of man.” It represents the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Neither is the anointing of God’s Spirit poured onto the fleshly nature of man today. We must be cleansed first in order to be made ready to receive His oil. This process of inner cleansing is what the foolish virgins lacked. Without the oil of the Holy Spirit they were denied entrance into the wedding feast. As we draw near to the end of this age, the church is being warned to cleanse our hearts by faith in anxious anticipation of the final outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the return of Jesus Christ. All who submit to the Holy Spirit’s leading will be spared “as a man spares his own son who serves him” (Malachi 3:17), preparing them to reign the nations with Christ’s mantle of authority during His millennial reign on earth. The Lord gives us a promise of the final healing of His people in Isaiah; “And on every lofty mountain and on every high hill there will be streams running with water on the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. And the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven days, on the day the LORD binds up the fracture of His people and heals the bruise He has inflicted.” (Isaiah 30:25-26/NASU)

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Like the children of Israel who stood with the sea on one side and the approaching Egyptians on the other, we too are, by divine design, about to behold the salvation of the Lord in a seemingly inescapable situation. With no apparent way to turn during our affliction, the Lord will intervene, healing His people that are in need, and destroying our enemies. This is why we must be very careful to listen to His commands, and then do what He says. To disregard His word will mean certain death. As the Lord declared to Israel; “If only you had paid attention to My commandments! Then your well-being would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.” (Isaiah 48:18/NASU) As most of us learned as children through song; “Trust and obey for there’s no other way.” Jesus truly is our only option for peace and safety. Worthy is the Lamb!

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Chapter Fifty Three

The Summons Of The King

few years ago, during a lunch break at work, I asked the Lord to show me something new. Without feeling led to turn to a certain passage or book of Scripture, I found myself reading from the book of Esther. As I began to read the Holy Spirit revealed a mystery to me regarding the Bride of Christ. The Persian king Ahasuerus gave a banquet that lasted for seven days. On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs that served in his presence to bring Queen Vashti before him with her royal crown. His desire was to display her beauty to everyone. Vashti, whose name means “beautiful,” refused to come at the king’s command and he became very angry. In Matthew, chapter 22, Jesus told a parable to the chief priests and the Pharisees regarding a wedding feast that a king gave for his son. He sent out his servants to call those who had been invited but they were unwilling to come. Not only were they unwilling, but they killed those who came to them with the message. The king was enraged. He sent his armies to destroy those murderers and set their city on fire. He said to his servants; “The wedding is ready, but those who were invited [“to call or summon”] were not worthy.” (Matthew 22:8/NASU) After gathering as many as they could find into the wedding hall until it was filled, the king came to look over the dinner guests. He noticed a man that was not dressed appropriately in wedding clothes. After questioning how he had come in like that, the king had him bound hand and foot and “thrown into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:13-14/NASU)

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Jesus was telling us of His own wedding feast referred to in Revelation, chapter nineteen as “the marriage supper of the Lamb.” There are many who have received His invitation but when it is time to come, like Vashti, they will be unwilling. They are rebellious sons and daughters who turned away from following Christ (Isaiah 1:2, 30:9). Because of their disrespect for the summons of the King, they will be rejected and replaced by those who are more commendable. As pictured by the man without the proper wedding clothes, some will come that have not taken it as seriously as they should to put on the righteous garment of the Lord Jesus Christ. They too will find themselves on the outside, uncovered in the day of God’s wrath. Many who have been given ears to hear through their receiving of Christ and are being called this very day are disrespectfully unwilling to draw near to Him in this final window of opportunity. The chosen ones will be those who kept themselves pure, especially after hearing that it was time for the wedding feast. Like the few in Sardis who did not soil their clothes, they will walk with Jesus, dressed in white, “for they are worthy.” (Revelation 3:4/NIV) Wise Guys In The Kingdom After being enraged by Vahsti’s refusal to enter the king’s presence, Ahasuerus conferred with wise men who understood the times. They were the seven princes of Persia and Media who were close to the king and understood the law and justice. It is written that they “had access to the king’s presence and sat in the first place in the kingdom.” (Esther 1:14) Similarly, there are those today in the church who have a close relationship with the Lord and have become knowledgeable of His ways. Like the men of Issachar, they understand the times and, having been given knowledge, know what the church should do (1 Chronicles 12:32). The king asked what, according to the law, should be done with Queen Vashti who refused to come at his command. Their advice was that if Vashti’s conduct was allowed it would result in further rebellion among the ladies of Persia and Media causing much disrespect and anger. The same thing could be said of the Lord’s kingdom. When disrespect of the Lord’s commands are allowed to continue as they are today in many congregations, it causes further rebellion among His people. There is very little respect shown in society today for God’s word. This is due to the lack of God’s standards being upheld within the church. As the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, many in the church have been led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3).

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The lack of carrying out church discipline per the Lord’s command has caused much indifference in the church regarding obedience. The fear of the Lord and of His righteous judgments are to keep us from sinning. Because we have not upheld God’s standard of holiness there is very little regard among most of God’s people for the necessity of purity and holiness in order to be dressed in readiness for His return. We have moved the age old boundaries of God and reestablished them per our standards. What the Lord revealed to me next was both humorous and serious. God’s Replacement Theology Memucan, one of the princes, stood up in the presence of King Ahasuerus with a recommendation of what he should do because of Vashti’s rebellion. He said; “If it pleases the king, let a royal edict be issued by him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed, that Vashti may no longer come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal position to another who is more worthy than she. When the king's edict which he will make is heard throughout all his kingdom, great as it is, then all women will give honor to their husbands, great and small.” (Esther 1:19-20/NASU) This suggestion pleased the king and the princes. The king then did as Memucan proposed and the search for her replacement began. There is a teaching in some seminaries and churches that states because Israel rejected Jesus as their Messiah that they have now been replaced by the church. It is called Replacement Theology. Supporters of this teaching believe that the Jews no longer have any specific role in God’s redemptive plan for the world. The Bible teaches otherwise. This isn't a new teaching or idea. Balak, the king of Moab, tried to get a Gentile prophet by the name of Balaam to curse the children of Israel. Instead, blessings came out of his mouth. Many gentile prophets today, through this theology, are still trying to curse Israel. In Romans, chapter eleven, Paul states that Israel was broken off from God for their unbelief. He said that if they do not continue in their unbelief that God is able to graft them in again. He also says that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. The “fullness” means “that which has been filled, completion.” The Gentiles who were last to receive the salvation of Christ will now be first in filling up their portion of God’s chosen. Conversely, the first, who was Israel, will now be last for their rejection of Jesus as their Messiah. They have not been totally rejected, though. A remnant will be grafted back in again for their

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“fullness,” their completion in Christ. This will occur when they receive Jesus as their Messiah during a time of great tribulation at the end of this age. The devil knows the role of Israel in bringing to completion God’s salvation. It will be the end of his reign of terror over mankind which is why he has continually tried to wipe out the Jewish people throughout history. Replacement Theology is a doctrine directly from the mind of Satan. As I read through Esther that day during lunch at work, the Lord revealed to me that it won’t be Israel who will be replaced, but those among His own people in the church who, like Vashti, defiantly reject His summons to enter His presence. The Lord’s desire in this last call is to reveal to the world the identity and beauty of His Bride. Unfortunately many have fallen away with hard hearts, stubbornly choosing instead to go their way (Matthew 22:5). Further on in Romans, chapter 11, Paul said to the Gentile believers who had been grafted into Christ; “But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.’ Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.” (Romans 11:17-22/NASU) Many leaders in the church now teach that being cut off from Christ is impossible once you have received Him (i.e. become a partaker that has been grafted in). If they do not repent they will be the first to be shamefully cut off from the Lord for preaching lies among God’s people. Losing Our Crown In summary, when the Lord calls us into His presence, we must be careful not to ignore Him lest we become as Queen Vashti and lose our crown. Her rejection of the king's rule over her (i.e. Lordship) cost her the throne. She was in turn rejected and cast out of his presence. So will all those in the Kingdom of God who refuse King Jesus when He summons us to come into His presence at the end of this age in order to display us as His glorious Bride to the world. In His message to the “angel of the church in Philadelphia,” Jesus said;

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“Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell upon the earth. I am coming quickly; hold fast [“be master of, to rule, to continue to hold”] what you have, in order that no one take your crown.” (Revelation 3:10-11/NAS) The discipline of the Lord is to deal with the flesh which, left unchecked, will ultimately cause you to be cut off from His people. He loves us so much that He “plans ways so that the banished [“outcast, driven away”] one will not be cast out from him.” (2 Samuel 14:14/NAS) Part of Jeremiah’s horror after the judgment of God on Israel in was; “the crown has fallen from our head, woe to us for we have sinned!” (Lamentations 5:16/NASU) The Psalmist declared; “But you have rejected, you have spurned, you have been very angry with your anointed one. You have renounced the covenant with your servant and have defiled his crown in the dust. You have put an end to his splendor and cast his throne to the ground. You have cut short the days of his youth; you have covered him with a mantle of shame.” (Psalm 89:38-39/NAS) As we have seen, the Bible clearly warns us to continue abiding in Christ, remaining near Him with an obedient heart, so as not to shrink back in shame at His return. Having this warning from God in His word we should heed the warning of John; “Now, little children, abide in Him [NIV- “continue in Him”], so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.” (1 John 2:18/NAS) Will you and I listen to the summons of the Lord to prepare our hearts in order to be ready to enter His presence at His return? Or will we be shut out on the wrong side of the door because of spiritual apathy and disrespect? May we all search our hearts and take serious His midnight shout to come out and be separate.

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Chapter Fifty Four

The Beautification Process

fter Vashti had been removed from her place in the kingdom, the search began in earnest for her replacement. All the beautiful, young virgins in all the provinces of the king were then gathered together for him to choose a new queen from. Among the young virgins was a beautiful woman named Esther. The Bible says she had favor with all who saw her. Before each young lady went before the king they were required to undergo twelve months of beautification which included six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and cosmetics for women (Esther 2:12). As we saw earlier, there is an inner process of beautification that we too must undergo before entering the presence of our King. Without the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, we will not be allowed to stand in the Lord’s presence. The Lord has taken the initiative by giving Himself up in order to cleanse His Bride and present her back to Himself. As I previously quoted, Paul spoke of this to the church in Ephesus; “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:25-27/NASU) Solomon’s description of the favored bride is Jesus’ description of His Bride;

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“There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and maidens without number; But my dove, my perfect one, is unique: she is her mother's only daughter; she is the pure child of the one who bore her.” (Song of Solomon 6:8-9/NASU) Like Esther, the chosen Bride of Christ will be the pure children among those He bore. Through their submission to His beautification process they have been “chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit.” (1 Peter 1:1-2) The author of Hebrews exhorts God’s people, saying; “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14/NASU) The deciding factor determining whether you and I will have eyes to see Christ in the days ahead and to be His Bride is our obedience to His invitation to approach Him now, submitting to His inner process of heart preparation, while it is still called today. Intimacy gained through repentance is the key. The “Little Man” Ministry Esther’s mother and father had died so her cousin, Mordecai, raised her as his own daughter. According to the Brown, Driver, and Briggs Hebrew Lexicon, one of the meanings of Mordecai’s name is “little man.” Not only was he the adoptive father of Esther, but by God’s intervention would become a co-deliverer with Esther of the children of Israel from their destruction that had been schemed by Haman, the wicked chief minister of King Ahasuerus. In the ruling elite’s eyes, Mordecai was a man of little significance who posed no threat whatsoever to them. Eventually, though, they came to despise this Jewish man who, because of his lack of fear towards them and his devotion to God, would not bow down to their wicked demand. In the end, God would raise him, along with Esther, into a place of ruling authority. He became second only to King Ahasuerus of Persia and great among his own people, the Jews. Mordecai was also very instrumental in Esther’s maturing process. He was used by God to help prepare her to be the bride of the king. The Bible says that Esther listened to him even after she became Queen. Mordecai also sustained and protected her through a time of great danger. His life and ministry are a type of end-time ministry, describing those who will be used to prepare and protect the Bride of Christ. Under Divine guidance, Mordecai was used to deliver God’s people from destruction that had been plotted against them by their enemies. Publicly

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refusing to bow down to Haman, the King’s right-hand man, would bring about a confrontation that at first looked bad for him as well as the entire Jewish nation. Haman sent out a decree to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day. God would use this dire circumstance to deliver His people, revealing to them, and us, that their fate was not in the hands of their enemies, but in Almighty God. Purim, the celebration of the Jewish nation commemorating this event, was instituted by Mordecai in celebration of this great deliverance. Esther 9:1 says; “…on the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, it was turned to the contrary [“the opposite occurred”] so that the Jews themselves gained the mastery over those who hated them.” (NASU) To “gain the mastery” means “to dominate, to govern, have dominion or power over.” Through the decree of Queen Esther and Mordecai who had been raised to a place of ruling authority by God for that specific time in history, the decree of judgment upon God’s people was turned around so that the exact opposite occurred to those who desired to destroy them. Their story is an Old Testament type of what will soon take place at the end of this age. I believe the Esther’s and Mordecai’s of the last days will also be used for a great deliverance of God’s people. Just when it looks like Satan will obtain total world dominion because of the incredible increase of darkness around the earth, God’s government will suddenly be established through the authoritative decree of His unassuming “little-man” ministers who will rise up in the power of the Holy Spirit. They will in turn be used for a great end time deliverance, gaining the mastery over those who hate the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16). In a quick turn of events, Mordecai, the little-known man who sought the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of his entire nation, would soon come to be known and respected by all; “Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus and great [“distinguished”] among the Jews, and in favor with the multitude of his kinsmen, one who sought the good of his people and one who spoke for the welfare of his whole nation.” (Esther 10:3/NASU) The Hebrew we interpret as “welfare” is defined as “peace, completeness, soundness, safety.” This definition clarifies the ministry of the last day Mordecai’s. They have been called by God to help bring to completion His

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people’s journey in faith. In a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, they will be used to bring true “peace and safety” to those whom the devil is attempting to annihilate. The end-time Mordecai’s that are presently unknown to most will also be known and respected by all when God acts through them. Their little-man, little respected ministry is currently being used in almost total obscurity to help prepare the “pure one” who will become the King’s Bride. You will recognize them by their defiance of the wicked ones who, like Haman, demand their allegiance and worship. Their rising up in the authority of their King, Jesus, will result in the overthrow of the wicked one’s reign of terror over God’s people. To God be the glory for His great and mighty works of deliverance He will accomplish for His glory on behalf of those who are called by His name. The Appointed Time Has Come The Lord has been sending out His faithful servants, declaring to His people that everything has been made ready for the marriage feast of the Lamb, giving us time to prepare our hearts to enter His presence. There must be a separation from all that would keep us from entering in. God’s testimony of Noah was that he was “a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.” (Genesis 6:9/NASU) The Hebrew definition for “blameless” is “complete, whole, entire, sound.” It was this righteous, blameless man, and his household, that was allowed to enter into the vessel of deliverance when the judgment of God destroyed everyone else. Noah is a picture, in type, of the final group of believers who will hear and do what the Spirit is saying to them right before judgment comes to the world. He represents the faithful Bride of Christ that has been made whole in Him. She is the pure one who will be eternally joined to her beloved Bridegroom. Queen Vashti’s rejection of the king's summons to draw near would cost her throne and glory in the kingdom. She was in turn rejected and cast out of the presence of the king. So will all those who refuse to draw near to King Jesus when He summons us at the end of this age in order to display us as His beautiful and glorious Bride to the world. May we be encouraged to humble ourselves before God and surrender to His beautification process of sanctification by the Spirit so as to be a people who have been made ready to enter His Presence, and live. Do you hear His voice? The King of kings and Lord of lords is extending His hand, summoning His Bride to arise and shine. He will soon reveal her to the world so that they may behold her glorious beauty. What will your response be?

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On January 19, 2004, Tim’s bride, Shelley, experienced a stroke at the age of 44 that almost claimed her life. The neuro-surgeon told Tim, “She's young, and I'll try to save her if you want me to, but I believe that she is already too far gone.” Along with Shelley’s immediate family, Tim walked his four oldest children in to say good-bye to her as she was quickly being prepped for surgery. As the surgeons performed an emergency craniotomy to try and reduce the swelling in her brain, Tim went to the Great Physician in intercession and had a life changing encounter with the Holy Spirit. Later that evening, Tim received the call from the surprised surgeon that Shelley had survived the surgery. She regained consciousness a few hours later and defied all of man's odds by the power of God. Truly, the Lord had resurrected Tim's bride. Afterwards, He began to receive a message from the Lord regarding the current condition of His Bride in America. Among many other insights, it was revealed to him that though she appeared in our nation to be almost dead, as with Shelley, that she too will be resurrected through the difficult circumstances that she will encounter. Tim and Shelley have a “trumpet-like” ministry to awaken a sleeping Bride and to help her get ready to meet her Heavenly Bridegroom. Tim believes that the power of God that resurrected his bride is a sign of the power of God that will resurrect His Bride within the church. His message was forged in the fiery experiences of following his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Tim and Shelley Bauer are the directors of NetWork 153, an international out reach for Christ. Contact them at: network153usa@gmail.com. Their website can be seen at www.network153.com. For more teachings, articles, and books from Tim, go to: www.capstone-ministries.com.

The Resurrected Bride

Articles inside

Seventeen Walk While You Have The Light

Sixteen Denying The Power Of Liberty

Twelve Potential vs. Reality

Eleven Freedom In Christ

Four A Spirit Of Deep Sleep

Nine In Recovery

Ten Who Will You Deny?

Seven The Healing Of The Bride

Two The Sleeping Bride

Six Alert And Sober Minded 3

One A Divine Crucible

Thirteen Acting Wickedly Toward 7 The Covenant