Wearing Out The Saints of the Most High - Things That Will Be Shaken, Part 2

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Hebrews 12:25-28

For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: ²⁶ Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. ²⁷ And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. ²⁸ Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

Hebrews 13:14

¹⁴ For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

God preserved in the Book of Hebrews his plan for an imminent, great shaking. This letter was written a little before the end of the Jewish system in 70 AD.  That time was quickly approaching when the Roman legions would reduce Jerusalem to rubble, and it was to this coming event of which was written. God was emphasizing that the Temple system was but an earthly shadow of heavenly things. The earthly was about to give way to the heavenly, and it was necessary for the new church to be anchored in the eternal, the abiding, the heavenly. This was the ultimate purpose of the Hebrew letter.

It was a revelation, a forward look, a hope on which they could look ahead and recall that in the midst of the destruction of the old system a new and superior reality was in view. As the temporal would pass away, this letter would serve to remind them that their real view and goal was in a City which was never earthly. "For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come." 13:14. 

So, if it was true that Jerusalem 70 AD was only the first half of the shaking, and that the other half of the shaking involved not only the earth but also the heavens, then He is saying that it is not only the temporal (earthly, local) but also the spiritual (cosmic, universal), then, which would be shaken. In order to bring in that which abides (eternal), everything that is not abiding (eternal) - that cannot stand -- will be shaken to its very foundations. This is a very weighty thought. And Jesus then proceeded to speak of the signs which would attend each of those shakings, and while Bible students still mull this over, only the blindest individuals can fail (refuse) to see that we are now at the precipice of the second shaking.

For hundreds of years people found it impossible to take these signs literally. Most still do. And that is a huge mistake. For the first time in the history of mankind all of these prophecies of the end times can now be seen as possible beyond anything that could have been imagined just twenty years ago. Calling fire down from heaven, lying signs and wonders, men resurrected (think 'hologram' or cyborg), trans humanism, demonic beings passing as "ET" - and these are only the physical signs. Ah, yes, Lucifer, the 'god of forces' has more up his sleeve for humanity than most could have imagined. It's always wise to take the only true God, the Creator, at his Word. Literally. He is the only Person who has 100% prophetic accuracy. He knew all of this before the foundation of the world.

Believers are going to be brought absolutely to the point of accountability for what God has given to us, what He has made available to us and to which He has given us access. He has given us His Very Word, the ministry of His revelation to mankind along with the evidence of its legitimacy as the foundation of God's personal message to mankind. I believe we will be brought face to face with what we have received, even in drastic ways - and then to answer for it and to what we have done about it and with it: the very Word of God. 

A minister who wrote sixty years ago says this: I believe the Word shows very clearly that the people of God will pass into a phase of spiritual experience where what they have is required to be their very life. What they have is required to be their very life and their very survival! To put it another way: that the things you and I have received and think we know are going to be sifted right down of all mere teaching, interpretation, mental grasp; stripped of everything.  Downright reality is going to be the emphasis of the Holy Spirit at the end, and you and I and the people of God will pass into such an intensity of spiritual experience under pressure, under stress, under trial and testing that we shall be found out as to what proportion of all that we have claimed to hold is really our being and our life. We're going to be just stripped down to that. 

Just reading the above sends chills up the spine. I agree with him. I believe I am seeing inklings of that very thing. When the very Lord of Lords looks at us as He looked at Peter on the night of the betrayal, all pretenses and personal interpretations and bombast will fall off us like water in a shower. We will be stripped down to TRUTH. How will what you believed, taught and lived stand up under the scrutiny of unvarnished truth? The reality?

He goes on to say: We have spoken of Christ as our Life. Very well then, the Holy Spirit says, "Let's find out how true that is and how much there is."  It may be something physical; how much is Christ our Life physically? Have we proved Christ as our Life for our bodies as well as our spirit? Have we? Because there is divine Life for the body dear friends; some of us would not be here today if that were not true. There is divine Life for the body to be had, if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead be in you... "He that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall quicken also your mortal body." That's not the dust that's in the earth; that's your body now "by His Spirit that dwelleth within." Well, what about it? That's only one point. There are many others.

That certainly speaks to me. He is saying that we will be brought down to the bottom line. We may think we have been tested and tried until something new and unthinkable hits us. Is what we have been professing REAL? Is it the TRUTH about our relationship with the Lord? Is our spiritual claim made evident in our earthly life? Is the Cross real in my life? Is the Life I claim to live real? Is Christ real to me? Do I really know Him? And follow Him? How much?  THAT IS WHAT WILL BE SIFTED AND SHAKEN OUT AT THE END.  And everything that can be shaken will be shaken. We may then be able to sit down and have a meaningful conversation with our friend, Job.

And this shaking has been going on for a time. This is what has caused - and continues to cause - the great falling away, which is all but complete at this point. And this is why: because the vast bulk of what is claimed and professed is not justified deep down in the spiritual hearts of the people. And that is the very question and examination that we must each consider. This, to me, is a real sign of the times, one that is spiritual, of another dimension, true reality, the internal life, the eternal life. The proof of who we say we are will be revealed to our own selves.

It has always been about the spiritual war, and that is more true now than ever before. Are we truly walking down the path that leads to the narrow gate? At the last day of the school of life on this earth, that is the test question that we will need to be able to answer.

"Wherefore, we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear..."








  

Wearing Out The Saints of the Most High - Things That Will Be Shaken, Part 1

** FOR THE BEST AND LATEST PERSECUTION / MIDDLE EAST NEWS GO TO www.shoebat.com. 

And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.     Daniel 7:25

Saints, are you worn out yet? And the seven years hasn't even begun. How much more of this can you take?

We are no longer imagining entirely hypothetical situations. No. We are now in direct and immediate touch with actual spiritual activities spoken of in Bible prophecy.  The situation in the world - and even in the once-Christian U.S. - is dire, corrupted and evil. The great falling away of the believers is well underway in its reorganization as the Antichrist church. The false prophet and the Antichrist each have one foot poised to step onto the stage. The Middle East is one move from ignition into conflagration. Christians are being persecuted in the most vicious ways across the world and has begun even in the United States. The hard decisions are being forced upon the Church.

The evil is so palpable that a great judgment from heaven is becoming imperative. The breath of the pit can be felt moving across the entire globe at an increasingly ominous pace, with satanic forces working through human instruments to carry out God's will, just as His Word tells us will be the case. 

We are entering a period of intense sifting. Purifying. Just as those who have rejected the God of creation are about to enter the time when it will be shaken to its foundations, a time of unparalleled tribulation to try them that are upon the earth. And not just the earth: "Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also the heavens." (Heb 12:26,27)  For those who watch those things, they realize that the planets are not in their ordered places, nor is the earth, a situation which has been slowly happening for the past few years.

Since the beginning of the Church there has been a supreme effort to get believers detached from an earthly form of the faith and attached to Jesus Christ and the heavenlies in order to prepare for the great shaking of things on earth, and then both the earth and the heavenly. The purpose of this great shaking is to test everything as to abiding values.

In 70 A.D. the world of the Jews was shaken. Their entire paradigm was destroyed as the Temple came crashing down around them, the priesthood passed away, the temple service ended, and the people ceased to be a unified people. It was unthinkable that all would cease to be as God had ordered it, and they fought and tried to cling to a veil that had been rent right down the middle.  It was finished. Indeed. God Himself caused that first shaking. What remained was Jesus Christ and the New Covenant, Christ the High Priest, the Sacrifice. God's order became a strictly spiritual and heavenly one. The material order of worship was gone. Divine Order had provided a new plan as far as their eyes could perceive. Enough of the Jews did have ears to hear and eyes to see - enough to become the spearheads of God's new plan as spelled out by Jesus Christ himself and his appointed apostles, including Paul.

And, here we are once again, 2000 years later, and the great majority of those who call themselves Christians are once again going astray, falling away into apostasy, bewitched once again by the siren call of the counterfeit christs. The "new evangelism" into that counterfeit church has replaced the evangelism of the Gospel to all the world, and the once great machine of evangelism - its framework and organized structure - has been hijacked for the use of Satan and his men.  The great majority who call themselves Christian rarely, if ever, open and read God's Word, and they are in a false position. The entity which calls itself the Christian Church sits in opposition to the Bible at almost every level. It is earthly, full of lying signs and wonders, non-biblical - even pagan - traditions and religions loved by man, making a worldwide shaking necessary and inevitable, not to mention entirely justified before a Holy God. The "Christian Church" in the world today is, for the most part, God's greatest enemy. Dead.

A shaking requires that any individual who calls himself a Christian ask himself if he really is a follower - a disciple - of Jesus Christ. Is he born again, having a real walk and relationship with Jesus Christ, is he becoming more like Christ through continual study of the Word, does he have a life in the Holy Spirit?  If he is following a life which has no cost involved by virtue of his relationship with Christ, if there is no dying to self, no picking up and carrying one's own cross, if one claims - and is proud of - sinning daily, then he has missed the mark, the crux of faith in Jesus Christ, which is to be called unto holiness and to "Sin not," but to "Be ye perfect." The Book of Matthew is riddled with Jesus' own words defining those who will and will not be acceptable on that day, and the bulk of those who claim to be Christians pass over Christ's clear statements, assuming they will not be among those who will hear Him say, "Depart from me; I never knew you." FEW are those who find the gate, the narrow way, according to Jesus Christ himself. Yet, everyone is 'in,' and no one seems to run the numbers.

If this is the case - and it is - then what do we actually have that, being unshakable, will remain? I suggest it is imperative that each would-be Christian ponder those words carefully. Yes, I am certainly weighing my own spiritual condition. Only a fool would not.

 

ISIS IS SYSTEMATICALLY BEHEADING CHRISTIAN CHILDREN IN IRAQ

Leader: ISIS is ‘Systematically Beheading Children' in 'Christian Genocide'

by BARBARA BOLAND August 8, 2014
Ezidi Kurdish children are dying of thirst and hungar

"Christianity in Mosul is dead, and a Christian holocaust is in our midst," said Mark Arabo, a Californian businessman and Chaldean-American leader. In an interview with CNN's Jonathan Mann, he called what's happening in Iraq a "Christian genocide" and said "children are being beheaded, mothers are being raped and killed, and fathers are being hung."

"Right now, three thousand Christians are in Iraq fleeing to neighboring cities," he told Mann. Arabo is calling on the international community to follow France's lead and offer the Christians of Iraq asylum.

"You're startling me with the severity of what you're describing," the CNN host said. "You said they are --- beheading children?"

"They are systematically beheading children," Arabo repeated slowly. "And mothers and fathers. The world hasn't seen an evil like this for generations."

"There's actually a park in Mosul where they actually beheaded children and put their heads on a stick... this is crimes against humanity. They are doing the most horrendous, the most heart-breaking crimes that you can think of."

Mann asked about the ISIS letter sent to Christians in Mosul, demanding that they either convert to Islam, pay a fine or be put to "death by the sword."

"It's very clear they are killing people, but are Christians managing to escape by paying a fine?" he asked.

MUST SEE VIDEO INTERVIEW, 3 MINUTES HERE

This is why the big hysteria over Ebola - to keep your eyes off other realities.

The Unbelievably Amazing Destiny Of The Church

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A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,  made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.  And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,  in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6-7).

Even after years and years of answering questions about it, I am still amazed at how little most Christians know about what’s ahead for the Church. I realize that many Church leaders have become earth centered, focused on meeting growth and financial goals in the here and now. In fact a recent Barna Group survey revealed that the top five indicators pastors use to judge their success are attendance, giving, number of programs, number of staff, and the square footage of their facility. To me that’s a shame because the Church is supposed to be a heaven centered organization focused on getting people ready to go there soon. Bringing people into the kingdom and preparing them for eternity should be the Church’s number one priority (Matt. 28:19-20). You would think it would at least be in the top 5 indicators of success, but it isn’t.

Paul said we should fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, because what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Cor. 4:18). To me that means we should pay more attention to our next life than we do to this one. After all we’re going to spend a whole lot more time there. The problem is, most Christians know so little about our next life that even if they wanted to focus on it they couldn’t tell where to begin.

Therefore, I invite you to spend the next few minutes thinking about something that will have eternal significance to you; the unbelievably amazing destiny of the Church.

Where Do We Go Next?

Let’s begin at the beginning. When Jesus died for our sins and rose again He freed us from the penalty thereof, giving us the assurance of eternal life with Him. This is not only true of the Church, but of all those who believed in a coming redeemer and died before the Church came to be, and all those who will come to believe in Jesus after the Church has departed. Hebrews 10:12 tells us Jesus offered one sacrifice (Himself) for all time. That covers everyone from the first man to the last.

Those who either lived in the time before the Church or will live in the time after it, were (will be) required to give evidence of their belief that Jesus died for them by obeying God’s laws, and can suffer a lapse of faith, even to the point of losing their salvation. I assume you know this to be true about Old Testament believers. Matt. 25:1-13, Rev. 14:12, Rev. 16:15 tell us it’s also true about post Church believers.

The only requirement God has imposed on people who live during the time of the Church is that we believe in the one He sent (John 6:28-29). What’s more, He has accepted the responsibility for seeing to it that we don’t suffer a lapse of faith and has put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come (2 Cor. 1:21-22) so we can’t lose our salvation. This manifestation of His grace is unique to the Church.

Also unique to us is the authority He gave us to become members of His own family (John 1:12-13). He made good on this by legally adopting us as His children, brothers and sisters of Christ (Romans 8:29) and co-heirs with Him (Romans 8:17, Galatians 4:4-7).

At the same time, He chose to begin seeing us as we will be after we’ve been perfected, calling us “a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17), “holy and blameless, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish”(Ephes. 5:25-27), and having the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21). He knows we’ll be that way in the future, after He changes us from mortal to immortal, but He began seeing only the “future us” from the time we believed. He attributes our post salvation sins to the sin that still lives within us, and not to the perfect creation He now considers us to be (Romans 7:18-20).

These are the first indications that God looks upon the Church differently from any other group of humankind. If that was all He has done for us, it would be far more than we deserve. But in truth, it’s only the beginning. The real differences will come into effect after He takes us to our eternal home.
Unlike Israel, the Church’s destiny is not tied to a specific location on Earth. In fact our destiny is not on Earth at all. Our citizenship is in heaven, Paul said, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil. 3:20).

While at present the Lord’s Kingdom is in this world, Jesus said it’s not of this world (John 18:36). In other words we don’t belong here. The Church has no homeland on Earth. We are sojourners in a foreign land, and our heart’s desire should be to go home where we belong. That doesn’t mean we can’t have a good life while we’re here. It means we should know that, even on its very best day, life here can’t begin to compare with being home.

Home At Last

Our journey home will be a short one, and it will take many of us by surprise, although we’ve been warned that it shouldn’t (1 Thes. 5:4). One minute we’ll be here, going about our business, and in the next we’ll be there, having been changed from mortal to immortal and from flawed to perfect in the twinkling of an eye (1 Cor. 15:51-53).

Jesus said He will come back to take us to a place in His Father’s house that He’s been preparing for us ever since He left (John 14:2-3). This is where we’ll be safely hidden away while His Father visits the most extreme series of judgments in the history of mankind upon the rebellious world (Isaiah 26:20-21). This series of judgments is called the wrath of God in the Bible (Rev. 6:17). It will take seven years to complete and the Lord promised to deliver us from all of it (1 Thes. 1:10, Rev. 3:10).

During that time the Church will experience a series of events that couldn’t possibly be more different from those taking place on earth.  For the first time in our lives we will actually be face to face with the Lord and receive our welcome into the Kingdom, the voices of untold numbers of angels singing and shouting for joy ringing in our ears (Rev. 5:11-14).

We will have a joyful reunion with those whose spirits preceded us, and who will have received their resurrection bodies at the same time as ours were being changed (1 Thes. 4:16-17).

In describing this change John wrote, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2) and Paul said, “He will transform our lowly bodies so they will be like His glorious body” (Phil. 3:21). Try to imagine a glorious body just like the Lord’s, with abilities comparable to His.

We will attend an awards ceremony called the bema judgment where the Lord will reward us for the things we did at His direction and in His strength during our time on earth (1 Cor. 3:10-15, John 15:5). Jesus called these rewards “treasure in heaven” and said we should be more focused on storing them up than we are on storing up treasure on Earth (Matt. 6:19-21). That old saying “we can’t take it with us” is certainly true, but the Lord said we can send it up ahead.

Our relationship with the Lord will be formalized. The Bride of Christ will become the wife of the Lamb (Rev. 19:6-8, Rev. 21:9). We’ll be seated at His right hand, above all the ranks of angels, assuming our role as co-regents with Him (Ephes. 1:18-21, Ephes. 2:4-7).

So This Is Where We Live

We’ll be shown our eternal home, the New Jerusalem. From the description in Rev. 21 it appears to be extravagant beyond all known standards, being made of the purest gold and and precious gems. The overall dimensions of the New Jerusalem seem extravagant as well. It will be almost 1400 miles in length and width and just as tall (Rev. 21:16-17). If it was located on Earth it would be much bigger than Israel, as big as western Europe, and nearly half as big as the USA. At nearly 1400 miles tall, it would extend into space well beyond the upper atmosphere and be 4,000 times as tall as the world’s next tallest building.

Based on these dimensions, I don’t believe the New Jerusalem will be on Earth, but instead will descend out of Heaven at the time of the 2nd Coming into an orbit in close proximity to Earth. Some speculate it will be triangular in shape while others say it will be a cube, but the Bible does not reveal its shape. (If it was a globe it would be 2/3rds the size of the moon.)

Our home won’t need either the sun or moon to shine on it because the glory of God will give it light. In fact the light from our home will be sufficient to provide light for Earth as well (Rev. 21:23-24). 
Remember, in Matt. 24:29 Jesus said the sun and moon would not give their light after the end of the Great Tribulation.  So we will be the light of the world after all (Matt. 5:14). There won’t be a temple in the New Jerusalem because the Father and Son will be our Temple there (Rev. 21:22) just as we have been their temple here (1 Cor. 3:16).

The Bible doesn’t provide any description of our individual quarters but from the general description of the city I think we’ll find them to be just as opulent.

Some have asked why we will need such a spectacular home, and truth be told we probably won’t. But remember, the kings of the Earth live in palaces that provide luxurious comfort far beyond their needs. Members of their families live in a way the rest of us can only dream about. How much more so should it be for the family of the King of the universe.

But more importantly, giving us only what we need was not the Lord’s objective in building the New Jerusalem. Right from the beginning, His objective where the Church is concerned has been to demonstrate to ages yet to come the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus (Ephes 2:7).  And wouldn’t you expect Jesus, one for whom cost is truly no object, to throw the budget out the window when it comes to building something that will express His love for His bride?

Some wonder how we’ll occupy ourselves in our new life. The Bible doesn’t offer any detail on this, probably because there is no way we could compare life here with life in the hereafter. Paul, who did get a glimpse of it, said;
 “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor. 2:9).

What we do know is that no group before or after us has ever been so blessed while on Earth, and His word tells us that no group before or after us will ever be so blessed in eternity. And the best part is we don’t have long to wait to start receiving it all. You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah 08-02-14.

Copyright © 2014 Gracethrufaith.com

NOTE:  I don't always agree with every single thought of Jack Kelley, but I always find his writing extremely thought provoking, and that's a good thing! It makes me 'think on these things.'  You can sign up for his email distribution on his website: www.gracethrufaith.com  CMR.

 

Where Have All My Watchmen Gone?

email: creyner@yahoo.com

By Dr. Mike Murphy

Dawn brought fear to the eyes of the captain. As he looked over the walls of the city, he could see that their enemy had mobilized, encircling them. The cover of night had brought this surprise to his eyes, and he knew his fate by what he saw. The walls were his responsibility, and the watchmen that filled it were under his command. His men were the eyes and ears of the city, and his sole purpose was to make sure the city stayed safe from all who would bring it harm. As he looked at the mass of troops that would soon be approaching, he knew that the king would hold him responsible for this day. The captain knew his fate would be far better to die in battle that day, than what the king would soon have in store. As he stood alone on the wall that early morning, but one question came to his mind. "Where had all my watchmen gone?"

Before the days of home alarms, our house and family was still well protected. We had a Shetland sheep dog that guarded us, and our home, with her life. At the slightest of noise, or the first glimpse of anything out of the ordinary, she sprung into action. She would bark until one of us had gone to the window or door to see or hear what had alerted her. There was never a doubt that she loved her family, and she would have protected any of us at all cost. She was on constant lookout for any danger, and not once did she fail to sound the alarm to warn those she cared for the most. She was the gatekeeper of our house, always on watch.

In Biblical times, watchmen or gatekeepers played a very important role. Most of the cities had thick walls that completely surrounded and protected them. The watchmen were guards who would patrol these walls, looking upon the land to make sure all within were safe. Only the elite, the best of the troops were assigned to this position. They were trained to far higher levels than the average soldier, because of the importance of their responsibilities. They were the most dedicated, the most respected, and the most honored of all troops. They took this role so seriously, that if they witnessed a fellow watchman fail to uphold his responsibility, it was considered a crime to not report it. The future and safety of all would often rest upon the shoulders of these men.

The Hebrew word for watchman is 'tsaphah', and it means to 'to look out upon or about'. This word has multiple implications in its' meaning. It means to behold, to observe, to spy out, to wait for with expedience, and to keep watch for. So these men would stand on the wall or in the towers, looking out in the distance at everything that may come their way. They would oversee the city, making sure all were safe. They would watch for messengers, or as the king or top officials of the city returned. And they would look for any sign of an approaching army that may bring harm their way.

Hebrew tradition tells us that these watchmen were often positioned throughout the kingdom. The were positioned at the Temple, to make sure the Lord's House remained safe, and did not fall into the hands of those that may corrupt it. We are told they were positioned at the gates of many cities and on routes that were often travelled. They would not only protect these key locations, but would make sure all were on the right path, pointing them in the right direction if they became lost. We are also told they were positioned at the house of important people. They would stand watch while the master of the house was away, and would keep watch for the master's return.

Today, the role of the watchman carries just as much weight, and is just as important in the Lord's eyes. The modern watchmen, the pastors and Christian leaders of today, are called to their place on the wall. Standing at the very gate of God's Word, protecting it from enemies that would attempt to destroy it without thought. As watchmen, we are to protect the Church from worldly ideas, and the corruption that follow those ideas. We are to stand true for the Word of God, unwavering and unfaltering, whatever may come our way. We are called to protect the people, making sure they are not deceived by false teachings and wrong doctrines. We are to protect the Church, the Lord's House, making sure its' walls remain the example for all the world to see. We are to guard the crossroads of society, making sure all find themselves on the right path. And we are to keep the Church and God's Word safe, always ready to defend it, keeping this house ready for the Master's return.

But as we look at the Church today, we hear the Lord reverberating the call of the captain that frightful morning, "Where have all My watchmen gone?" As we look at the vacant walls of the Church today, the words of Isaiah echo through my mind. " For the leaders of my people, the Lord's watchmen, his shepherds are blind and ignorant. They are like silent watchdogs that give no warning when danger comes. They love to lie around, sleeping and dreaming. Like greedy dogs, they are never satisfied. They are ignorant shepherds, all following their own path and intent on personal gain. "Come," they say, "let's get some wine and have a party. Let's all get drunk. Then tomorrow we'll do it again and have an even bigger party!" Isaiah 56:10-12.

As I sit here today, I cannot help but wonder, what has become of the Church's watchmen? Why does it's walls and gates stand empty? Have they become disheartened, giving up on the very cause that brought them to the wall in the first place? Have they left the gates, falsely thinking there is no threat on the horizon? Have they left their post out of greed, falling victim to the world's values? Or have they dropped their weapons out of pressure, putting greater value on what those outside the city may say instead of the words of their King? As we look at the Church today, we see those who no longer are looking for a gatekeeper, they want a doorman who will simply open the gate for everything and anything to enter. They seek leaders who tell them what they wish to hear, without showing them the consequences of their actions in God's Word and Law. They only seek gatekeepers who will not bar the gates, no matter what they may do inside or outside of the city's walls. And unfortunately, the leaders we often find inside of our walls fare no better. We find leaders who fail to confront the sinfulness inside their own churches, shepherds who have blindly lead their flocks into perdition. Without wisdom and understanding in God's Word, they find greater offense in pointing out sin than committing sin.

Within the last few days, we have seen three examples that make this very point. We have looked on as true watchmen have been mocked for pointing out the enemy as they have seen it approach.

We have recently watched as Hollywood released a movie that mocked the story of one of the Bible's patriarchs. When asked about the movie, the co-writer and director replied that this would be the least Biblical movie ever made. The director, a self-professing atheist, did not use the Bible to tell the story, but chose instead to use obscure Gnostic writings and the mythical beliefs of Kabbalah to tell the story. Several pastors and Christian leaders were quick to point out just how unbiblical this movie was, warning all from seeing it. But while these watchmen pointed out the dangers of this movie, many, if not most church leaders did not. They either ignored the issue, or simply did not have the necessary knowledge of God's Word to be able to recognize the danger in the movie.

Then there was another group, a group of 'so-called' pastors and Christian leaders who mocked and demeaned those who pointed out the truth of the movie. One of these 'so-called' leaders had this to say about those within the Church that spoke out against the film, "It's embarrassing to belong to a faith that attracts a group of people who always have to be right, and when something pushes them just a bit, they want to shut it down or keep people away." To this man, silence in the face of evil was of greater quality, than watching as thousands were lead to a false sense of God. I would love to ask these 'so-called' leaders if they have every taken the time to read what God had to say about the issue, "If I warn the wicked, saying, 'You are under the penalty of death,' but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths." Ezekiel 3:18.

Another example came when I read an interview with Franklin Graham the other day. In the interview, He said that some people working in this current administration were "hostile to Christians". He went on to say, "And when I say White House, I'm not saying the president, because I'm not sure how much of this he's aware of. But it's people that work for him that have power, that are sitting in offices, and they are hostile to Christ." "They are anti-Christ in what they say and in what they do," said Graham. "And they are pushing this agenda into the military. It's scary."

Franklin Graham, a watchman for Christ, securing the gates and pointing out the evil he sees on the horizon. Since this interview, I have watched as leader after leader within the Church has belittled, mocked, and disparaged the warning of this watchman. They see it as a greater offense to warn of this evil than to ignore God's Truth. I go back to the above verses in Isaiah 56:10-12. Have these leaders become so drunk on the world's wine that they no longer care to see evil as it approaches?

My last, but far from my least example, took place at the recent conference of the Religious Communicators Council in Nashville. For those who may not know, the RCC is an organization of marketing, communications, and public relations officers of several faiths. It is an interfaith group, that says it comes together to handle the challenges that the world and all religions face. While I have many problems with the very concept of this organization, within it are many who claim to be leaders of the Christian faith. As this recent conference, Dr. Bill Warner and a group of Christian leaders asked to address the conference about the issue of Christian persecution that is on the rise throughout the world today. They were not only not allowed to speak, but the RCC even refused to address the issue. The RCC went as far as to tell this group of watchmen that they were barred from even being in the premises of the conference. They called these watchmen trespassers, rebel rousers, and even traitors, claiming this was a non-issue. We are told that in 2012 over 100,000 Christian were martyred because of their faith, and in 2013 that numbered over doubled. A non-issue?

The 'so-called' Christian leaders that are a part of this organization can call themselves this in name only. They have willing tried to make God into a god. In replacing the capital 'G', they have lost the very call that Christ places on our lives. They have replaced God's wisdom, with man's logic, and they have willingly chosen inclusion over God's Truth.

I see these stories, and again the captain's call comes to my mind. "Where have all my watchmen gone?" We look at the wall, and those who stand on it are sparse. We see the gates open and the walls left all but unprotected. We watch as the unexpecting citizens of this city mock and make fun of those that dutifully remain on the wall. They look up, and cannot believe these few watchmen still stand there. The citizens ask themselves why they are still there, thinking no enemy would ever approach this city. They ignore the warnings of the few watchmen that remain, seeing them as demented fools that still stand on an unnecessary wall.

My words today are not a call, and are far more than a warning, they are a plea. Would the watchmen please come home, return to their place on the wall. Before our enemies see us vulnerable and unprotected, Before our Master returns home to find what is left of His city.

I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guardpost. There I will wait to see what the Lord says and how he will answer my complaint. Habakkuk 2:1

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Are You Really a Christian?

If so ... Are you aware that the fiercest war in the history of the Cosmos is at fever pitch right now? It is more real than a physical war. It's the real thing, spiritual. And the outcome is eternal.

 

THIS IS YOUR ASSIGNMENT …. Should you choose to accept it.

You live in the most extraordinary time in all of history. 

You have been called to put yourself completely under God’s authority because He has placed you in this place at this time for a specific purpose for which He created you. 

You cannot fulfill that purpose unless you make it the single most important driving force in your life. You have very little time, especially if you are not really ready and up to the task.

What is the task? 

Your task is to know the Bible so well that the right verses immediately come to mind when you need them to do your job. Your job is to bring as many people into the Kingdom as possible because this is the last hour. Uppermost in your mind during every waking hour should be witnessing, offering HOPE to the otherwise eternally lost and dying. Your job is also to affirm and build up your fellow Christians so that they, too, comprehend why they are here, and to what purpose.

In order to accomplish the above, it will be imperative that you access the POWER and AUTHORITY which you have in Jesus Christ. You will be required to REBUKE the dark side and the evil and sin which has overtaken this world.

What is your prayer life like?

You must set aside a time EVERY SINGLE MORNING - at least an hour - to spend with the Lord. If you are not willing to devote 1/24th of your day to your Creator and Savior, you are not fit for the task.  You need to PRAY, to seriously pray for God's Will (not your wlll) in everything you do. And you must not only talk to Him. You need to LISTEN to what He has to tell you, because you will read His Word during that hour, and He will speak to you through His Word.

As a result of at least an hour with the Lord each morning you will be placing accessible Biblical truth IN you ... and OPERATIVE throughout your day. This will give you DISCERNMENT ... POWER ... AUTHORITY.

You will do this every single day - with purpose, with commitment, with obedience and devotion, with love and with determination. Nothing can be more important. You must take it SERIOUSLY. Refuse to allow anything to interfere with this priority. 

No more excuses. The stakes are too high. 

God has chosen you of all the people in history ... for his specific purpose in this last day.

Jesus came to earth deliberately in order to die for your sins. Now he is resurrected, sitting at the right hand of the Father at this moment, preparing to act upon his legal right to execute judgment on the fallen angels (some of whom are here right now), and on the wickedness of this planet, to close the times of the Gentiles, and then to exercise Israel's tribulation (the 'time of Jacob's trouble') in order to bring those of the Jewish remnant to their knees, so that they can finally recognize their Messiah, and then to set up his kingdom - the House of David - in Jerusalem and rule on earth. This is his eternal plan. 

Are you a real Christian? Ask the Holy Spirit to help and guide you. HE WILL.

Can you do this for Jesus? 

All of heaven is waiting in the wings ...  watching to see what you will do.

 I AM PRAYING FOR YOU

A Thankless Job, Indeed

The Destitution of Service

by Oswald Chambers

. . . though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved —2 Corinthians 12:15

Natural human love expects something in return. But Paul is saying, “It doesn’t really matter to me whether you love me or not. I am willing to be completely destitute anyway; willing to be poverty-stricken, not just for your sakes, but also that I may be able to get you to God.” “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor . . .” (2 Corinthians 8:9). And Paul’s idea of service was the same as our Lord’s. He did not care how high the cost was to himself— he would gladly pay it. It was a joyful thing to Paul.

The institutional church’s idea of a servant of God is not at all like Jesus Christ’s idea. His idea is that we serve Him by being the servants of others. Jesus Christ actually “out-socialized” the socialists. He said that in His kingdom the greatest one would be the servant of all (see Matthew 23:11). The real test of a saint is not one’s willingness to preach the gospel, but one’s willingness to do something like washing the disciples’ feet— that is, being willing to do those things that seem unimportant in human estimation but count as everything to God. It was Paul’s delight to spend his life for God’s interests in other people, and he did not care what it cost. But before we will serve, we stop to ponder our personal and financial concerns— “What if God wants me to go over there? And what about my salary? What is the climate like there? Who will take care of me? A person must consider all these things.” All that is an indication that we have reservations about serving God. But the apostle Paul had no conditions or reservations. Paul focused his life on Jesus Christ’s idea of a New Testament saint; that is, not one who merely proclaims the gospel, but one who becomes broken bread and poured-out wine in the hands of Jesus Christ for the sake of others