Philippians 3:10-11 “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.
If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”

Ecclesiastes 1:18 “For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth in knowledge increaseth sorrow.”

In the midst of the ambient hecticity, it’s always a blessing to simply “pause to reflect.” To consider the unparalleled joy that results from knowing Jesus as Savior and Lord. The peace, the contentment, the indescribable liberty of no longer being a servant of sin, and the blessed hope of an eternity in his presence. We remember the former times, when we were without hope in the world, and we give praise unto God for the hour when we first believed. The moment when our sins were washed away by the precious blood of Jesus and our names recorded in heaven. As we grow in the Lord and are granted insight concerning the deep things of God, it becomes ever sweeter; even to the point that we may feel overwhelmed by the mercies of God who inhabits eternity, and yet loves us so much that he took upon himself the form of a servant and redeemed us with his own precious blood.

Over the past few weeks, as these truths were being visited, something else became a point of consideration. With a closeness to the Lord Jesus, there also comes a sorrow. Sorrow for the multitudes that know not the Lord and weeping for those who, despite every plea to consider their situation, continue to reject the words of life. Sorrow over the indescribable tragedy that’s unfolding all around us, every hour of every day. I’m convinced that it’s not possible to get in close to the Lord without this sorrow becoming more pronounced. If we love our neighbor as ourselves, the thought of those neighbors being lost for all of eternity should stir us to intervention and intercession. A godly sorrow as the understanding of this war leaps from the confines of our theology and becomes embedded into our heart. We begin to see the lost as Jesus sees them. It’s an anguish that will shake us from our comfort zone and lead us up to the front line, where these eternal ones hang in the balance.

When the Lord grants us understanding of this magnitude, (this is not to say that I’ve obtained; it’s merely an observation of a place that we must strive for) all remaining fragments of lusting, which had somehow slipped past every mountaintop rendezvous, unexpected joy spike, and increase in wisdom from on high, will meet their demise. In this place of revelation, priorities are set straight and the real issues emerge.  It’s as though we can almost hear the screams of hopelessness and torment that fill the habitations of the eternally lost. It’s no longer theology; it’s countless individual souls who once walked the earth. They loved, they dreamed, and they obtained a level of notoriety. Souls who could have been saved because their sins were paid for by the precious blood of Jesus. We begin to realize what has already transpired and how many folks are facing such a fate.

Suddenly our aspirations for personal legacy and loot become all but pointless. Our collection of trophies serve only to remind us of squandered time slots and victories which carry no weight in eternity. This understanding doesn’t bring with it euphoric feelings of “Hey; the Lord just revealed something to me.” It’s heartbreaking, it’s painful beyond description, it reminds us of how unworthy we are……and it’s necessary. Upon my first visit to our new church, Pastor Miller made the statement “if you don’t have any compassion for those who don’t know Jesus, I would seriously question your salvation.” This statement resulted in ponderings which brought forth a very troubling conclusion. Many professing saints seem to be completely absorbed by their life in this world and unconcerned for the lost and I began to wonder “am I lacking in concern for the lost?” The following post was written in the summer of 2009, but it makes a very important observation:

EVANGELIZING ME (Entrusted With) In the post, the lady explains how, even though she is born of the Spirit, she’s greatful when someone cares enough to inquire as to whether or not she’s born again.  

The following paragraph comes from BILL WEISS’ ‘ book “23 Minutes in Hell. Here’s the backdrop. One evening while sleeping, Bill was taken to hell for 23 minutes. During the first portion of this visit, the Lord removed from him, the knowledge that he was a Christian and, during that time, he experienced hell as an unsaved person would. The book is “sobering” to put it mildly. The following quote tells of when he was allowed to see the dropoff. (I remember hearing that, during his ministry, Lester Sumrall was likewise granted a view of this)

“I was instantly sobered as he allowed me to see a steady stream of people falling through a tunnel-one after the other, after the other, after the other-into an open cavern, into the terror that I had just escaped.
While I was watching this scene, Jesus allowed me to feel just a small amount of the sorrow He feels for His creation that is going to hell. His love is far beyond our capacity and is infinately greater than our love. I couldn’t stand feeling even a fraction of the anguish He feels.”

Mark 16:15-16 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

Understanding the seriousness of this will bring forth sorrow, but it will also bring forth action. There’s another aspect to this sorrow that hasn’t been touched on and is the purpose for the passage from Philippians at the top of this post. I’m convinced that this is a form of fellowshipping with Christs sufferings that exceeds physical hardship or persecution. When we truly begin to see the lost as the Lord sees them, it’s absolutely heart-wrenching.

I must start wrapping this up as it’s well past 2:30 am. On December 24, I received a spiritual “shot across the bow” so to speak. Our daughter, Megan, and her friend Susan drove into a ditch less than a half-mile from the house. They were both ok, but this accident wasn’t the troubling part of the story. While we were all around the site where they had gone off the road, two guys, who are acquaintances of Megan and Susan, stopped by to offer assistance. (Their names are Jesse and Brian) Casual conversation, surrounding the current situation dominated and I never sought an opportunity to share the gospel. Finally we all departed the scene to our respective places. Less than an hour later, Susan called to tell us that Jesse and Brian had just slammed into a tree and came within inches of leaving this world. Truly the Lord had mercy upon these guys, upon their families, and upon me as well. Had either of them not survived, I truly think that I would have gone nutty.

The souls in our ambience are dependant upon us being faithful ambassadors for Christ. I’m still rattled by the transpirations of December 24. The Lord was letting me know that “THIS IS FOR REAL” and that missed opportunities; even the tiny ones that we may not think about, can have everlasting consequences if we allow them to pass. As we approach the new year, I’m determined to not allow such opportunities to slide by. “Lord Jesus; please open our eyes.” Another situation that’s underway: even as I write this, concerns Morgans fiance, Dustin. He’s in the hospital battling a serious Merca infection and we’ve not heard anything for several hours. Another priceless soul whom I’m keeping in prayer; not only for healing from this infection, but also that the Lord will get his attention.

Blessings always in Jesus name.

Jeremiah 13:17 “But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD’S flock is carried away captive.”

And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

Tombs of saints

Caveat: There was a time in my life when I passed over this text and many others like it. I did not have, at least in my own mind, the freedom to look at the text objectively, historically, and contextually. To do so would have been heterodox. Warnings of possible heresy would have loomed in the not so far distance had I said of this text then what I think now. I am thankful to a gracious God for freedom that is all encompassing.

I confess openly that I am walking into the analysis with a presupposition. I do not think it is a possibility to approach the Scriptures without a presupposition. But my presupposition, I believe, is based upon already having torn down preexisting presuppositions, being left with none, and then rebuilding presuppositions based upon a clear look at the text from a myriad of angles.

Cursory Analysis –

Context –

This contextual, cursory analysis of the text is based solely upon a prima facie look at the text. Matthew has given us a historical record of an event in history. This event has been dismissed, primarily, in 3 ways:

I believe there is much more to this text than can be ignored. I believe the historical events within this context were more than metaphorical. I also believe that this event is far more than just a sign to some.

More to follow…

Throughout ancient scripture and history, YHVH God treats Natural Israel and the Church  (Spiritual Israel) as His special Brides.

How do natural feminine patterns give insight into end time events?

Click here for more

The Happy Guard

Revelation 22:7

In Revelation 16:15 “…he that watches and keeps his garments…” is testifying to dealing with one’s personal life, morality, living and keeping life unspotted.  In the current passage of “Happiness” are words concerning the matter of the “prophecies of this book”.

We are to be concerned with Glorifying the Son.

I.  …READS THESE PROPHECIES WITH OBSERVATION.

A.  Learns, gathers information, noting facts and occurrences.

B.  Drawing conclusions based upon the information learned.

C.  Making statements, messages to others based upon the information and conclusions drawn (Titus 2:15).

II.  …MAKES NOTE OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE PROPHECIES.

A.  Being alert to the fulfillment of the prophecies of God’s Word, particularly in the prophecies of the Revelation.

B.  Rejoices in the fulfillment of these prophecies.

C.  Endeavors to keep from sensationalism of these prophecies (1 John 4:1-2).

III.  …KEEPS THESE PROPHECIES IN THE HEART AND MIND TO MEDITATE UPON THEM.

A.  Steer the life and conversations according to the instructions of God’s Word (Titus 1:16).

B.  Hiding them in the heart that we “might not sin against God” (Psalm 119:11).

IV.  THE HAPPINESS OF THE GUARD OF THESE PROPHECIES.

A.  Blessed in death (Revelation 14:13;  Psalm 116:15).

B.  Blessed in the First Resurrection (Revelation 20:5-6).

C.  Blessed in the access to the Tree of Life, and to “enter the gates of the City (Revelation 22:14).

The Following are the main points for the Evening Message -

The Blood Washed Are Happy

I.  BEING WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB THEY KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS (John 6:29 14:15).

II.  BEING WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY LOST HAS BEEN RETURNED (Genesis 2:9, 17; 3:22-24).

III.  BEING WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB WE NOW HAVE ACCESS TO ENTER THE CITY OF GOD (Psalms 46:4; 87:3).

-Tim A. Blankenship

Matthew 2:11 (NIV) ~ Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 

Christmas is a time for giving and receiving, but for some it is also a time of debt, depression, loneliness and despair. Many people have faced hard times at Christmas as they struggle to make ends meet. They mask the pain of hardship and loneliness, by wearing a smile, but inside their hearts are heavy with the searing pain of sadness. They try to buy nice gifts for people, but go into debt in doing so. And so, they enter into the New Year with a mountain of debt to clear before they can enjoy the rest of the year. This is the harsh reality of Christmas for some people in the 21^st century. The true meaning of giving and receiving was given by God on the very first Christmas; God, who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so whosoever believes in Him, whosoever receives Him will have eternal Life. 

Our text for today says in Matthew 2:11 (NIV), “Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.” These wise men had a multitude of treasures to give, they gave what could be thought a strange collection of gold, incense and myrrh, but they turned out to be presents which were given to bless Jesus. If we are to give someone something, let us first be a blessing to him or her, and give him or her something from the heart; something that is not overshadowed by the expense of it, but outshone by the generosity of a heart full of love.

My friend, the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 6:2 (NIV), “…‘In the time of my favour I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation.” God is a God of the now, that is why Jesus is called the, “present,” God’s gift to all mankind. The greatest gift you can give anyone is not in the amount of money you spend, or the gifts of gold, but in the love you share, the kindness you show and mercy you bestow on someone. 

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

Luke 2:7 (NIV) ~ …And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The inn was full of people going up to Bethlehem to register, because Caesar Augustus has issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. But this was no ordinary couple and the child whom Mary was carrying was no ordinary child. This baby, soon to born, is the King of glory. 

The Bible says in Psalm 24:7 (NIV), “Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors that the King of glory may come in.”

Tucked away within these few Scriptures from Psalm 24:7 to 10 (NIV), The Lord the King of glory is mentioned five times in three verses of the Bible. Furthermore, verse seven is repeated verbatim in verse nine. 

1. Lift up your heads.

2. O your gates be lifted up, you ancient doors.

3. That the King of glory may come in.

1. Lift up your heads.

Your Salvation, Your Saviour, is a heavenly gift from above. Take your eyes off what is below and lift high your gaze toward heaven. Look to Him, all the ends of the earth, and be saved. For He is strong to deliver and mighty to save! 

2. Gates and ancient doors.

Open wide the gate to your heart. Open wide the ancient doors to your inner-most being and there, let Jesus Christ be enthroned Lord of all. Enter into, and through, Jesus Christ who is the Gate, the Ancient of days. Come to Jesus, come to Him and find a fresh start, with fresh pasture. 

3. That the King of glory may come in.

The King of glory will only ever enter into a willing heart. He will only enter through a gate if we open the doors of our heart, the gateway to our spirit and soul, unto Him, and bid Him enter in.   

Who is this King of glory?

Who pursues me with His love?

Who pours His love over me?

Who whispers in gentleness?

Who gifts me with His grace?

Who gives me His forgiveness?

Who surrounds me with His mercy?

The Bible says in Psalm 24:10 (NIV), “Who is the King of glory? The Lord Almighty-he is the King of glory.”

King of my heart, King of glory. 

Oh, how the song writer D.W. Whittle penned such a beautiful invitation from the chorus of the song, “Have You Any Room for Jesus, He Who Bore Your Load of Sin?”

Room for Jesus, King of Glory?

Hasten now, His word obey,

Swing the heart’s door widely open,

Bid Him enter while you may.  

My friend, let the King of glory enter in today, open wide the gates of your heart, the inner ancients doors of your spirit and soul. Life up your eyes toward heaven and look to Jesus and be saved as the Bible says in Psalm 24:7 (NIV), “Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors that the King of glory may come in.” Make room for Jesus in the home of your heart and let Jesus be the King of your heart, the King of glory. 

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

Romans 14:5 “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.”

Each December seems to be more frustrating than the one previous. The focus on trappings and tradition become increasingly profound and subsequently, many invest an incredible amount of time, energy, and financial resources into manufacturing an “ambience.” Many will openly proclaim a belief that “Jesus is the reason for the season” however, their actions will clearly reveal a heart that appears beholden to the season for the seasons sake. This is not a blanket observation by any means as many observe Christmas by worshiping the Lord Jesus in spirit and in truth. (As we should do every hour of every day) For others, however, the ”atmosphere” is the primary focus and they will drive themselves nutty to acquire it. This has become increasingly painful to behold and I’ve struggled to understand why I’m so disheartened. My desire for engaging in the usual festivities not only continues to diminish, my heart cries out all the more “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

And therein is the answer. My heart is no longer in this world. It’s not in agreement with the worlds agenda, it no longer lusts after the worlds wares and it finds no common ground with the proponents of such. As we draw closer to the Lord Jesus and begin to receive by faith “glimpses” of the age to come, anything that promotes the elements of this world will leave us cold as ice. The temporal simply cannot compete with the eternal and when our time in this world is completed, we have an eternity; a “world without end” with the Lord Jesus. When this understanding takes up residence in our heart, it will cause us to discard the former things and will fuel our desire to be about our Fathers business. A heavenly minded person will desire to busy themselves with things that have eternal significance. The traditions and rudiments of this world will simply fade away as the everlasting truths become front and center.

Yesterday, our household was a scene of unparalleled craziness as the others under this roof maintain a much more conventional view of Christmas. I went out to the truck in preparation for heading up to Three Rivers when an old mailing caught my attention. It was a monthly newsletter from Faith Mission in Elkhart, which routinely features tesitmonies from residents. On the front of the envelope there was a quote from a lady who is currently residing there, which reads “A PLACE WHERE I’M CLOSER TO GOD…” It seemed to tie in perfectly with several cogitations that have been going through my mind lately. An expensive holiday with unbridaled lusting after trappings is not the way to the heart of God; regardless of how much Christianesque marketing we employ. But to reach out to a dying world; to meet the needs of those who have “fallen through the cracks” and have reached their wits end “IS” a way to touch the heart of God.

Matthew 25:35-36 “For I was an hungered, and ye gave gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.”

It’s both staggering and disheartening to consider how much time and energy we have placed into the holidays. For me it’s a precarious balancing act as I don’t want to scatter the souls in this household and extended family away from the gospel. For example, if I were to get into a discussion with Mrs timbob over Jeremiah 10:2-5 at this juncture, the resulting damage would be profound. And so I endure much that I would prefer to forgo; so long as it doesn’t entail compromising the gospel, and keep in prayer the priceless souls who reside in the vicinity. When we encounter one who is beholden to certain elements of this world, we know that either the person is in need of salvation or, in the case of one who is born of the Spirit, there’s a need for greater revelation of the Lord. As such, I have a standard prayer request for the saints; that we would receive from on high, such a profound revelation of the Lord Jesus and the age to come that the besetments in our lives just fall away. 

Revelation 1:17-18 “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”

What’s interesting about this is that John was a man who walked close to Jesus. He was present on the Mount of transfiguration and literally leaned upon Jesus at the last supper. When we read his epistles, we receive much understanding about loving one another and discernment. And yet, despite Johns embodiment of understanding, when he saw Jesus on the isle of Patmos, he fell down as dead. Without a doubt, he was never the same after this encounter, wherein he not only saw the Lord as he is, he witnessed the end of this age, the millenial reign of Jesus, the little season following the millenial reign, (where Satan has one final opportunity to cause deception) the fleeing away of all that currently is, and the new creation which is not yet, but will follow the present one. It’s most likely not practical to pray that everyone around us would receive this level of revelation, (most of us couldn’t handle it) however, here’s an embodiment of understanding that all of us are in need of; especially in these final hours.

John 6:67-69 The said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.”

The level to which we understand this will not only be manifest in our daily priorities; it will determine whether or not we remain faithful in the dark days ahead; when a mark will be required to buy or sell. A theological “head knowledge” of scripture will not prepare one for the times ahead. We must be certain of our belief that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Any wavering in our belief of this will open the door to potential calamity without remedy. The interesting thing about the above passsage is that it followed a situation where an entire gathering had left Jesus and only the twelve remained. (This incident is worthy of a post as there was much more in play than is being commented on here)

Well I must be going for now. There’s much more that’s weighing on my heart, but it’s after 3:45 am. I pray that all of us would keep our eyes upon Jesus and not allow drifting to transpire. The coming year is certain to be one of much acceleration as the global governing body continues to consolidate power. I used to make such statements with reservation, however, things are coming together so fast now that denial is no longer possible to those with eyes to see. The global governing system is, for all practical purposes, already functioning. This understanding should cause us to, all the more, be reaching out to the priceless souls that are around us. Please check out the January edition of the Last trumpet Newsletter entitled:

ANTICHRIST SABOTAGE OF AMERICA

There is information in this newsletter that I’m desiring to comment on, but it will have to wait for another posting. Until then, blessings always in Jesus name.

John 1:14 (NIV) ~ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

The Message translation of the Bible takes our text for today and puts it into a modern way of thinking, “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood.” He came down to where we lived, from heaven itself, to be born among us, just like you and me. The Bible says in Philippians 2:7 to 8 (NIV), “…But made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!”

It is a sobering thought to try and comprehend that Jesus Christ loves the sinner so much that He was willing to come, to give up the glory of heaven, to born into poverty, to feel the pain of neglect, of rejection, the agony and trials of temptation, the feeling of being hungry, thirsty and cold and to endure the searing pain of personal betrayal, the beatings, whipping and scourging, to have a crown of thorns thrust upon His head and then be nailed to a cross, and taunted by those who crucified Him until He died.   

What a contrast to the day He was born, where on the hills surrounding Bethlehem the heavens were opened and the Angels of God declared His glorious birth saying in Luke 2:10 to 14 (NIV), “‘Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.’”

My friend, God is spirit, He gave us the Holy Spirit, but only Jesus left the realm of glory to put on the garments of flesh and blood. He laid aside the majesty of heaven itself to come down among us; to empathize with us.

 Jesus was with God in the beginning; God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, the three in one.

Jesus Christ came to become like you and me in the flesh and blood, so He could save flesh and blood. This babe of Bethlehem, who was born a King, was He who died on the cross with the sign over His precious brow saying, “This is Jesus, King of the Jews!” Then three days later, He was raised from the dead, and when all was accomplished He went back into heaven with the marks of the cross forever on His body. The Bible says in John 1:10 to 13 (NIV), “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, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

Jesus was born and took upon Himself the flesh and blood of a newborn baby, and He grew from a baby to a young boy, and then a man. This man then died for the sins of mankind. He suffered so we may share His glory with Him. May, this festive season, you receive the real reason to be cheerful and happy at the Saviour’s birth. He came to give us Life. Will you accept His gift of Life to you today and receive Him as you Lord and Saviour?

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

Luke 2: 9 (KJV) ~ And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. 

Let us take a fresh look at the second part of this verse, “keeping watch over their flocks by night.” Light of the world You came down into darkness. Jesus Christ was born in the darkness of the night as a sign, as the Bible says in Isaiah 9:1 to 2 (NIV), “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentles- the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” 

In 1847, Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure wrote the words and lyrics to this Christmas carol called, “O Holy Night”:

O holy night! The stars are brightly shinning, it is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth,

Long lay the world in sin and error pining, till He appeared and the soul felt its worth,

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn,

Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born; O night, O holy night, O night divine! 

This was the night when this world changed forever, this was the night Jesus Christ the Messiah was born, not only born a Saviour, but born a King. The Bright Morning Star has been born to bring light to all who live in darkness. His Light brings the dawn of a new day, for now is the day of God’s favour, now is the day of Salvation. 

My friend, even in the depths of the darkness of night Jesus Christ came as the Son of the Living God to bring you out of the darkness of the night into the light of a glorious new day; the day the Saviour was born. Now every day is the Saviour’s day. O night divine, O night when Christ was born a King, a Saviour, Healer and the One who will baptise in the Holy Spirit.  He came into the world at night. Oh what a prophetic fulfilment of Scripture. Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, born at night to save those living in darkness.

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

I will update this, later.

Luke 2:10 (NIV) ~ But the angel said, “Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” 

What comfort for all mankind does this glorious message bring, what liberty from the shackles of sin is given to all mankind, what relief for the years of suffering, what eternal promise fulfilled. There is joy to be found in the good news about Jesus Christ. The birth of Jesus Christ was the turning point for all mankind, announced by a heavenly choir of angels, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favour rests.” 

Faith, hope and love for all mankind came down when Jesus Christ was born. He brought us all a new beginning, a new way to go forward and begin again with faith, hope and love. 

Reverend Henry Biggs, in the 1996 film entitled, “The Preacher’s Wife” made this statement in one of his sermons at Christmastime: 

“Hope and love. Hope is all a prayer is. And love…loving is giving, pure and simple. But in love there is also forgiveness, and forgiveness belongs to everyone. It’s a right, like a right to breathe, or eat, or even to fall in love. Sometimes we take love for granted. Those who are nearest to us, dearest to us, those are the ones we forget to cherish, but the miracle is when we love someone we are really loving God. Look in wonder at those you love for they are the face of God. Today, I am truly blessed with hope and love. With the belief I can make a difference. We will help our poor, we will help our young, and our lonely and our needy. So now, let us begin again, let us go forward; forward in hope, forward in love, and forward into the new days of our lives.”    

My friend, we may send someone a card, or even a present, but what we are really saying is, “I love you.” When we have faith, hope and love flowing from our hearts, then our actions are Christ-centred. So let us love, let us have hope and great faith to go beyond this festive time and love more than necessary, and give more than what is expected just because we have faith, hope and love in Jesus flowing from our hearts, to bring peace on earth through the good news of Jesus Christ. 

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

    As the end-time countdown begins, I have become increasingly interested in the study of prophecy –  especially as it relates to “what’s next” on the prophetic calendar.  In recent posts I have demonstrated that the next great event will be the descent of our Lord into the lower heavens to set up His tribunal over the earth.  At that time, there will be a selective  rapture of saints who have been “watching and waiting,” in accordance with our Lord’s admonitions to the seven Asian churches (Rev. 2 and 3).  The rest of disciples will be left to “ripen” under the hot suns of tribulation.  Those slain for their testimony will be raised as martyrs at the close of the Great Tribulation (Rev. 20: 4).

   But anyone who studies prophecy will see that prior to the parousia (i.e., our Lord’s stationary presence in the lower heavens) there will also be great commotions among the nations of the world.  Our Lord intimates as much (Luke 21: 25-26); and the book of Daniel confirms that great political changes must occur before Antichrist is revealed in the middle of Daniel’s 70th week.

   In Daniel 2, the prophet mentions seven kingdoms; and not, as is often thought, four or five.  Our analysis of the mechanics of the endtime governmental system will be borne out by typology, which looks backwards from Daniel; and the book of Revelation, which looks forwards, and whose prophecies are yet future to ourselves.

   When interpreting Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, Daniel listed the various components of the great “colossus” in order, starting with the head of gold, which typified the Babylonian empire (Dan. 2: 37-38).  This is followed by a description of the arms of silver (Medo-Persia), the belly and thighs of brass (the Graeco-Macedonian power), and the legs of iron (Rome).  The feet of iron and clay are a subsequent power that constitute the final form of the Roman empire.  Thus we have five kingdoms so far.

   The sixth kingdom will be the reconstitution of all the previous world empires under the authority of Antichrist, who arises out of the fifth kingdom.  For when the “stone cut out without hands” comes from heaven, the iron, clay, brass, silver, and gold are broken to pieces together (Dan. 2: 34-35).  That means that the colossus will be standing when Christ comes the second time. 

  So here are the kingdoms in order:

1): Head of gold = Babylon

2): Breast and arms of silver = Medo-Persia

3): Belly and thighs of brass = Greece

4): Legs of iron = Rome

5): Feet of iron and clay = Revived Roman empire.

6): All components reunited = Antichrist’s universal kingdom.

7): Stone from heaven = The kingdom of Christ.

  The typology of the Old Testament confirms our view.  For Goliath, an acknowledged type of Antichrist, is stamped with the number 6.  His height was six cubits and a span; his spear’s head weighed 600 shekels of iron (1 Samuel 17: 4, 7).  When he stood on his feet and defied the God of Israel, all were put in fear (1 Sam. 17: 24).  But Daniel, a type of Christ, went out to meet him, to take away the reproach of Israel.  Instead of using Saul’s armor, however, David gathered smooth stones out of a brook, one of which, when slung from afar, smote the Philistine giant.  It was not man’s weapons, however well crafted, that killed Goliath, but a “stone cut out without hands.”

  The antitype of the battle between David and Goliath will occur in connection with the Great Tribulation, when Antichrist, comprising not only the leader of the fifth world empire, but the head of the sixth, stands upon his feet to defy the God of Israel.  It is evident that this cannot take place until all the previous world empires are united.  While Antichrist will arise out of the revived Roman empire, his power will climax in a universal kingdom that comprises all the components of Nebuchadnezzar’s colossus.

   The teaching that there are only four empires preceding Christ’s kingdom, or at the most five, comes from an attempt to harmonize Daniel 2 with Daniel 7.  But we see no contradictions in the two visions.  In Daniel 7, the prophet describes the same progression of hostile world powers, except he only sees five.  The sixth is an amalgamation of those contained in Daniel 7, and was not seen by Daniel himself, but by John when on the island of Patmos.

  Comparing Daniel 2 with Daniel 7, it is easy to recognize that the first beast like unto a lion, represents Babylon (Dan. 7: 4).  The second, like unto a bear, represents Medo-Persia (Dan. 7: 5).  The third is a leopard, which stands for Greece (Dan. 7: 6).  The fourth “dreadful and terrible” beast with iron teeth, is the Roman power (Dan. 7); the ten horns representing the empire in its final form; and the little horn prophetic of Antichrist, the leader of this revived Roman empire.  Seen in this light, the fourth beast is actually an amalgamation of the fourth and fifth powers.

  What John saw in Revelation 13: 1-5 was not the fourth beast of Daniel, but all of Daniel’s beasts combined, with the horns of the fourth beast intact.  This is the sixth empire, which will arise during the last half of Daniel’s 70th week.  For the beast is like unto a leopard (Greece), but it has feet like a bear (Medo Persia), and a mouth like a lion (Babylon), while the ten horns indicate the Roman power revived.  It is a universal kingdom of Antichrist, which will challenge the Living God.  And the beast will be cast alive into the lake of fire, along with his coadjutor the false prophet (Rev. 19: 20).

    The “seven heads” seen in John’s vision indicate that Antichrist, as the little horn of the fourth beast, will enter into struggle with the remaining kingdoms not absorbed by the revived Roman empire.  After the establishment of the fifth kingdom under Antichrist, there will be certain world powers that have yet to be subdued.  The conquest and absorption of these powers will probably occur prior to the first half of the 70th week. Five of these world powers will fall before a sixth actually assumes dominion (Rev. 17: 10).  The sixth will be displaced by Antichrist.  Antichrist is the eight, but is of the seven (Rev. 17: 11).  He is the seventh head, who shall put down all opposition and head up all world government as the “eighth.”  His incarnation as the eighth head fills up the last half of Daniel’s 70th week.  

   Thus, interpreting the visions of Daniel and John, we have:

1): First beast, like a lion = Babylon

2): Second beast, like a bear = Medo-Persia

3): Third Beast, like a leopard = Greece

4): Fourth beast = Rome

5): Ten horns on fourth beast = Revived Roman empire. 

6): John’s composite beast = Antichrist’s universal kingdom.

   In agreement with the vision of Daniel 2, John’s beast points us back to Goliath.  For Antichrist is depicted as opening his mouth to blaspheme God (Rev. 13: 6) and those who tabernacle in heaven (that is, those saints who have been caught up to the throne as the “manchild” of Rev. 12: 5.  With these facts in mind, it should be clear that John’s beast is in all respects parallel with Daniel’s colossus, and that both represent and illustrate that final form of Satanic and anti-Christian opposition to Jehovah Elohim, which will manifest itself before the coming of Jesus Christ with all His saints.  Then will the seventh, or perfect, kingdom be established.

By guest blogger Whitney Smith

When God makes something holy, He sets it apart as something that is special. Knowing that God creates all that is considered holy, what element of becoming unholy then sounds appealing to people? Unholiness goes completely against what God created and what we’re expected to be.

I’d argue that very few intend to become “unholy,” as the people of the perilous last days are described in 2 Timothy 3:2. The word implies becoming wicked, unrighteous, sinful and not sacred.

Recent headlines illustrate some of the wickedness in the world today: “In War Zones, Rape Is a Powerful Weapon,” “Massacre Leaves 13 Dead at Fort Hood” and “Former NYC Police Commissioner Kerik Pleads Guilty.”

Of course, unholiness and wickedness are not new. The word wicked is used over 340 times in the Bible; it was a problem in biblical times as well.

So it comes back to my initial question: What is appealing about becoming unholy? The key to answering this question is to understand whose influence the world is currently under. Satan roams the earth, looking for those who are susceptible to his deceit (Job 1:7; Revelation 12:9). He understands what we as humans desire and knows how to play into what appeals to our inherent nature.

Satan is like a roaring lion...

As a result of Satan’s cunning ability to mask his intentions, we have to be able to perceive his influence in what we watch, listen to, read and become involved with. Peter gives the advice, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

Avoiding unholiness requires completely transforming our way of thinking to be in a right mind-set in line with what God teaches.

To learn more about Satan and how to avoid his ever-present influence in the world, read “How Can We Resist Satan?” from the booklet Is There Really a Devil?

To see the other articles in this series on signs of the perilous end times, see the “Signs of Perilous Times” category.

Luke 2:14 (NIV) ~ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.

God wants everyone to enjoy His favour and His peace.

While for many, this holiday season is one of great joy and festive cheer, for others, it is a time of great loneliness and despair. There is an incredible alarming rate in suicides, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence and in-laws fighting while others suffer various forms of cruelty.  Still others feel abandoned, with no money, and for them it is a bleak winter without a family to care for them; also the homeless, who live where they can rest their heads, as well as the destitute and prostitutes who would wish to give up their way of life.

“Merry Christmas everyone,” is the anthem being played from almost every corner. The mask of pretence slips after the presents have been opened, and old resentments which have festered away, like poison eating into the core of someone’s heart, boils over and burns people with acid tongues and flying fists.

Yet the word of God says in Luke 2:14 (NIV), “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.” God wants everyone to enjoy His favour and His peace. He is not a God of disorder, agreements, fights, bitterness, or loneliness, but a God of peace, rest and order.  

Jesus Christ came into the world for peace to prevail, for reconciliation towards God and towards each other to be made manifest. He came to be a Father to the fatherless and to bring hope for a brighter future. It is only through Jesus Christ that these things can truly happen, and true radical changes can take place.

Christmas is not just a festive time once a year, but a 24/7, all-year-round outreach to bring the kingdom of God here on earth. His peace brings people together with Christ-like attitudes for each other. Oh, what a difference there would be if His favour would rest upon us all year round and fill us with His peace and hope for a brighter tomorrow.

My friend, at this Christmas time, may we be more Christ-like in the way we live our lives for the glory of God, and bring a merry Christ joy in to the hearts of those who need to know that He is real and cares for them just as much as He care for you and me. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners from every walk of life, to set people free from every form of drug, alcohol and abuse of all kinds. He came to bring liberty to those who suffer oppression, to heal the broken hearted and to deliver those trapped by circumstances which bring them the dreadful feeling of guilt and shame because of their ungodly living. Jesus Christ came to show them what true, pure love is and build it into their shattered lives. His love can rebuild lives and enable someone to step away from their empty way of life into His abundant Life, and have a bright future enjoying His favour, rest and peace.

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

(from Ten Sermons On The Second Coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ, 1916)

   Lot represents that side of the professing Church which is bound up and identified with the world; that side of the Church which seeks to clean up, purify and make the world better; that side of the Church which is down on the ground, has ceased to be a pilgrim and a stranger in the earth, has become a dweller therein, is joining hands with the world to help it, to Christianize it and make it acceptable to God; that side of the Church which has lost all spiritual testimony, fails to have the true vision of God, mixes flesh and spirit, law and grace, the righteousness of man and the righteousness of God, enters into partnership with all secular ministrations, and forgetting that the judgment of God hangs as a suspended doom over the world, fancies that the world which slew a Christ and repudiates His Gospel can be lured into the kingdom of God by open and unhesitating appeals to the flesh.

Moses Was A Christian!

Luke 2:8 (NIV) ~ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 

The shepherds were the first to receive the good news about the Saviour’s birth; they were also the first to see the Great Shepherd who would lead His people, the sheep of His pasture.  

Can you imagine the shepherds on the fields nearby, their flocks lying down for the night in the open air, then suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 

In a prophetic analogy, the shepherds were being faithful caring for their sheep, and there on the hill top the Glory of the Lord shone around them and they received a message of hope for all mankind: a Saviour has come, who is Christ the Lord. The shepherds were at the right place and the right time in the centre of the will of God. They then went down to Bethlehem, and burning bright within them was a message from God, having seen Jesus and spent time with Him, they returned glorifying and praising God. They were touched by His glory, and so they came down and went among the people, then returned to where they had come from to tell everyone about Jesus. 

There is a beautiful quote from the book called, “Hinds Feet on High Places”:

From the heights we leap and go, to the valleys down below,

Always answering to the call, to the lowest place of all. 

We can spend time on the hilltop being faithful just like the shepherds in our text for today, and we can experience the Glory of His Presence, where He prepares us to go to the lowest places, even down to the place of a cave-like stable. Then, with great joy, we go among the people with this great message of hope: Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests. 

My friend, good shepherds are faithful shepherds always looking after their sheep, they’re always in the centre of the will of God, and are always ready to go where God tells them to go. When we receive from God a hilltop experience we are then well-able and prepared to take the good news down among the people, with great joy. 

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

I recently received a call from one of my four sons.  During the course of our conversation, he mentioned that their church was having bible study on the book of Daniel.  There was some question by some of the members as to what the end times will look like.  I found the question somewhat amusing and replied,”if you want to know what the end times will look like, just stick your head outside your window.”  In all honesty, I believe the coming of Christ is at the door.  I don’t believe it will be next week and I don’t believe anyone has the ability to say it will happen in 2012.  I do believe we are at “THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS” spoken of by Jesus in St. Matthew, 24;8.

The world has become the spiritual battlefield of the last days and there is no safe place.  I assure you that no matter what stand one takes concerning any matter, “feathers are going to be ruffled.”  Not one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America could have foreseen that this present government and the establishment would have sided with Satan against the church for taking a stand against homosexuality, abortion, vulgarity, profanity, sodomy, sexual promiscuity, and many other sins that have already plunged this once great nation into the pits of social ruin.

The church is now witnessing an influx of those who hold these practices into the membership where pastors are loath to take action against or issue with the perpetrators.  While the church is being shackled through inimical constraints from without, we are also seeing many innocent misconceptions from within.  The identity of the ‘Two Witnesses” of Revelation is one such teaching handed down from generation to generation without one verse of scripture to support the claim.  This is one time where I hope that I’m wrong but I fear that I’m right. 

A question was put to me concerning my previous post touching Elijah and John the Baptist; “are you saying they were one and the same or two bodies and one spirit?” 

ELIAS is the Greek form of the name Elijah, used in KJV in all occurrences in the NT.  To answer the question; no, I did not say that Elijah and John the Baptist were one and the same; it was Jesus who said that.  Look at St. Matthew, verses 10 thru 13.  “and his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that elias must first come?  And Jesus answered and said unto them, ELIAS TRULY SHALL FIRST COME, AND RESTORE ALL THINGS.  BUT I SAY UNTO YOU, THAT ELIAS IS COME ALREADY, AND THEY KNEW HIM NOT, BUT HAVE DONE UNTO HIM WHATSOEVER THEY LISTED.  LIKEWISE SHALL ALSO THE SON OF MAN SUFFER OF THEM.  Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.”  Jesus was saying, “they have killed John the Baptist and they”re going to kill me too.”

The next question is brought on through my poor writing skills and I apologize for that.  “Are you saying they are two bodies and one spirit?”  My reply is that there is one body and one spirit.  John the Baptist was prophesied in the 40th. chapter of Isiah, verse number three.  “THE VOICE OF HIM THAT CRIETH IN THE WILDERNESS, PREPARE YE THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE STRAIGHT IN THE DESERT A HIGHWAY FOR OUR GOD.”  At that time, Enoch was the only human being who had left this earth without dying.  It is a biblical fact that Enoch was translated that he should not see death, however, John the Baptist would see death.  The forerunner of Jesus had to be a human being and Elijah was chosen for that purpose.  The body of Elijah was supernaturally “taken care of” by God, while the body of John the Baptist had no spirit to call his own.  The body of John the Baptist possessed the spirit of Elijah.  Jesus said emphatically that Elijah had come while referring to John the Baptist.  The body of Elijah ceased to exist while the spirit of John the Baptist never came into existance.  Between those two there is but one body and one spirit.  The very fact that it is “once” appointed to man to die and after that the judgement eliminates Elijah from being one of the “Two Faithful Witnesses” of Revelation.  For Elijah to be there, he will have to die twice.  Enoch was translated that he should never see death thereby excluding him.

We now need to address the issue of God sending two men to present the gospel to the Jews at the time of the end.  Let’s look at the Great Commission from its grandest perspective.  In the book of Acts of the Apostles, chapter one, verses seven and eight, we read; “AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, IT IS NOT FOR YOU TO KNOW THE TIMES OR THE SEASONS, WHICH THE FATHER HATH PUT IN HIS OWN POWER.  BUT YE SHALL RECEIVE POWER AFTER THAT THE HOLY GHOST IS COME UPON YOU: AND YE SHALL BE WITNESSES UNTO ME BOTH IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDAEA, AND IN SAMARIA, AND UNTO THE UTTERMOST PART OF THE EARTH.”  We find from these verses of scripture that not the last place, but the very first locations to be named as recipients of the gospel were the capital cities of the divided Kingdom, Jerusalem and Judaea.

We can now find some real pearls of knowledge that is tucked away in the sixteenth chapter of St. Luke.  The story centers around a rich Jew and a poor beggar by the name of Lazarus.  The rich man fared sumptuously every day while Lazarus was laid at his gate.  We are told that Lazarus begged for the crumbs that fell from the rich mans table and moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores.  We find that Lazarus died and was carried by angels to Abrahams bosom.  The rich man died also and was buried and in hell, he lift up his eyes and could see Lazarus afar off.  Addressing Abraham as Father, the rich man begged Abraham to send Lazarus to dip his finger in water to cool his parched tongue.  Abrahams reply to the rich man was that in life, the rich man had good things and Lazarus had his bad things but now Lazarus is comforted while the rich man is tormented.

Let’s now look at verses 26 through 31 of this 16th. chapter of St. Luke.  “AND BESIDE ALL THIS, BETWEEN US AND YOU THERE IS A GREAT GULF FIXED: SO THAT THEY WHICH WOULD PASS FROM HENCE TO YOU CANNOT; NEITHER CAN THEY PASS TO US, THAT WOULD COME FROM THENCE.  THEN HE SAID, I PRAY THEE THEREFORE, FATHER, THAT THOU WOULDEST SEND HIM TO MY FATHER’S HOUSE: FOR I HAVE FIVE BRETHREN; THAT HE MAY TESTIFY UNTO THEM, LEST THEY COME INTO THIS PLACE OF TORMENT.” Now listen to Abrahams reply to the rich man concerning the word of God.  “ABRAHAM SAITH UNTO HIM, THEY HAVE MOSES, AND THE PROPHETS; LET THEM HEAR THEM. ”  Now we will hear from the rich man again.  “AND HE SAID, NAY, FATHER ABRAHAM: BUT IF ONE WENT UNTO THEM FROM THE DEAD, THEY WILL REPENT.”

This next verse is very important and it relays unto us just exactly how Jesus feels about people coming from the dead to present the gospel to those who have chosen to refuse it.   “AND HE SAID UNTO HIM, IF THEY HEAR NOT MOSES, AND THE PROPHETS, NEITHER WILL THEY BE PERSUADED, THOUGH ONE ROSE FROM THE DEAD.” 

Moses and the prophets is in reference to the word of God.  Jesus has made it plain that if the lost will not hear the word from those chosen to minister in life, the grave can offer no greater hope. 

“

Matthew 1:16 (Amplified Bible) ~ Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, Who is called the Christ. (The Messiah, the Anointed One). 

Such is the reverence and powerful meaning of the word, “Messiah” that it is only mentioned twice in the NIV Bible, both within the book of John 1:14 and 4:25. Although our precious Lord is called Jesus Christ, He is only called Messiah twice, first by a Jewish believer, then a Samaritan. The word Messiah means Anointed One; Christ. Messiah, Son of David, was to be an anointed leader who would bring an age of peace and liberty from oppression. In the New Testament, the Messiah Jesus, came first to bring liberty from sin and peace with God and He will come again to bring all things under His rule.     

We use the term Messiah with regards to the Saviour. The Jewish people longed for the Messiah to come; their Saviour, their coming King, the Anointed one from God sent to bring liberty, peace and a coming kingdom. 

Chris Tomlin wrote this beautiful worship song with these lyrics:

He became sin, who knew no sin, that we might become His Righteousness;
He humbled himself and carried the cross. Love so amazing, Love so amazing.
Jesus Messiah, Name above all names, Blessed Redeemer, Emmanuel,
The rescue for sinners, the ransom from Heaven, Jesus Messiah, Lord of all. 

We all need a Saviour, a Messiah, to bring us liberty from sin and bring us peace with God; a healer, a restorer, a Paschal Lamb who took our place to redeem us and save us from our sin and from the punishment of hell.  We need a Saviour to rescue us, deliver us and bring us peace and eternal rest in heaven. The word “Messiah” is like soothing ointment poured over my spirit, body and soul. He brings healing in His name, Jesus Christ our Messiah.  

My friend, the Messiah came to be your Saviour, to redeem you and to bring you salvation. The Messiah came to heal every part of your life and make you whole. Our Messiah is Emmanuel, God with us. Will you accept the Messiah to be your Saviour today? 

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

Jude 1:1-4:

1 Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ: 2 May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you.  3 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.  4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

I received an e-mail from a reader who alerted me to the new “awakening” that is happening at International House of Prayer (IHOP).  I have been keeping my eye on this lately, and given it’s growth rate, it’s time to alert the flock.  If anyone is wondering if this is similar to Lakeland – yes.  It’s not Lakeland’s identical twin, it is the same as Lakeland in a doctrinal sense, for the same spirit that drove Lakeland is fueling this.  It just reignited in a different location.  To those who are frustrated when they see this kind of thing happen, please don’t lose heart.  It’s time to step up on the wall and sound the alarm.  This is what I’m hoping to do now.

I got this news release e-mail from Strang Media Group, who publishes Charisma News Online, the Strang Report, Prophetic Insight, Fire in My Bones, and other charismatic publications.  Since I can’t find the link for it online, I will post it in it’s entirety here.  If you would like to see it for yourself, please e-mail me by clicking the link to the right and I’ll be happy to forward it to you. 

What you are about to read is a letter from Mike Bickle and Lou Engle, two strong advocates of the Joel’s Army doctrine, a doctrine that has sobering implications for the church.  The quick and ugly of this belief system is that an army of believers will rise up in the last days, punish God’s enemies, and subdue the world.  Jesus Christ is to be held in Heaven until the church completes this task, and then and only then can He come.  When He does, the church is supposedly going to lay the world at His feet.

If this sounds heretical, that’s because it is.

Here is the letter.  It will be highlighted in red to differentiate their writing from my own.

Dear friends,

We stand at a critical juncture in our nation’s history. It is time to encounter God and to take action. The Holy Spirit is visiting His people with power. At the same time, the powers of darkness are raging against the moral fabric of our nation. The light is getting brighter as the darkness gets darker.

Many of you will have heard of the spiritual awakening at our Bible school. On Wednesday, November 11, the Spirit fell on a class for more than 15 hours. The word spread quickly and over 2,000 people spontaneously gathered in the auditorium from all over Kansas City, as deliverance and physical healings continued to increase. We canceled our classes for the next week so that each one of our 1,000 students and interns could receive from the Spirit in an extended way.

We decided to meet nightly from 6:00pm to midnight because His manifest presence continues to increase. Visitors are pouring in from many places across America to partake of this spiritual awakening.

We will continue these evening meetings until our onething conference, December 28–31, 2009, when we are expecting 20,000 young adults to gather for worship, teaching, and to participate in the supernatural ministry of the Spirit.

Last year, over 16,000 young adults attended this conference. We are still hearing testimonies of lives that were changed. This year, we are expecting to receive even more from the Spirit. We believe that this will be a historic and important conference, and encourage you to attend.You can register at http://IHOP.org

The theme for onething’09 is “What is the Spirit saying to the Church?” Our team will proclaim what we believe the Spirit is prophetically speaking to the Church in this hour. We will also share practical ways in which we can “adopt” high schools and colleges across our nation as we envision young people to impact each sphere of society with works of justice and acts of compassion. At the conference, we will have extended ministry times to receive healing, renewal, and impartation from the Spirit. We believe that the Spirit will release His power at this conference, as evidenced by what He is currently doing in our evening meetings.

Mark Anderson, a senior international leader in YWAM who also works closely with Campus Crusade for Christ, will host forums for leaders to discuss how we can systematically evangelize entire cities and campuses in partnership with the houses of prayer in their area. Mark has remarkable insight that comes from his 30 years of successful ministry in evangelism. The Lord has given him some bold new strategies for this hour.

The crisis in our nation is real. The serpentine stranglehold of abortion continues to squeeze the life out of over 4,000 wombs daily. Sexual immorality, both heterosexual and homosexual, are reaching epic heights of perversity. The number of women and children being trafficked into the dark underbelly of the sex industry in our cities is growing at an alarming rate. Entire school systems are giving way to darkness. The sanctity of marriage is under siege, threatening to destroy the moral foundations of our nation.

We will also address the growing crisis that is emerging in many churches across America. A new wave of confusion is systematically seducing many young adults into deception. Sincere young people whose hearts were once ablaze for Jesus are being allured into compromise on foundational biblical truths and practices, while at the same time they are increasing in works of compassion and justice. No amount of increased ministry activity can “balance out” their profound spiritual compromises. In the name of tolerance, they are settling for a humanistic and “politically correct” theology that trivializes the glory of Jesus. Many young adult ministries are falling prey to this as they are seeking “relevance” that dulls the razor’s edge of truth for the sake of man’s approval. It is not enough to mention Jesus’ name if they deny foundational truths about Him. Our works of justice must flow from deep allegiance to Jesus and the Scripture.

Our nation has never stood on such a precarious footing as today. The onslaught of spiritual darkness is increasing in our classrooms, boardrooms, courtrooms, and bedrooms. We must confront the confusion that is pouring forth from many pulpits as well as from the halls of Washington. It is time to draw a line in the sand. We must hear what the Spirit is saying and we must act on it. The Spirit will confirm the truth with demonstrations of power.

It is darkest before the dawn. Our hearts are full of faith. We know another historic “Great Awakening” is soon to sweep across our nation. We look with confidence to God’s promise: “In the last days . . . I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh (Acts 2:17-21). All nations will receive the witness of kingdom with power (Mt. 24:14; Rev. 7:9). What a privilege to live in this awesome hour of history.

At this very hour, Jesus is raising up young adults who are being mobilized to cry out in night and day prayer, win the lost, heal the sick, and do works of compassion and justice as they impact the very fabric of our society. Join us in Kansas City from December 28–31. The onething’09 conference is FREE.

With passion for Jesus, (emphasis theirs)

Mike Bickle and Lou Engle

One statement that immediately stood out to me is this:

The theme for onething’09 is “What is the Spirit saying to the Church?” Our team will proclaim what we believe the Spirit is prophetically speaking to the Church in this hour.

Did you catch it?  After asking the question, “What is the Spirit saying to the Church?” they answer it with “Our team will proclaim what we believe the Spirit is prophetically speaking to the Church in this hour.”  We already know what the Spirit is speaking to the Church, and it’s found written in God’s infallible Word.  The danger of this type of prophetic utterance is that it leaves the door wide-opened to extrabiblical revelation that can not be substantiated by the Bible.  It also undermines Scripture by saying there is more that God is saying that He didn’t say through the Biblical writers.  That’s not what Scripture tells us.

Hebrews 4:12:

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

2 Timohty 3:16-17:

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

We know Mike Bickle and Lou Engle are not speaking true words from the Holy Spirit because they do not preach the true gospel of Jesus Christ.  First, the foundation must be firm, and then the word that comes from them will be sure.  But since there is no new revelation given, we are to reject fully any extra-biblical word we get from these men because the canon of Scripture was sealed long ago and nothing new has been given since that time.  But this ploy has worked in the past and will continue to work in the future because the enemy knows it’s effective.  If false teachers like Bickle and Engle can get you to believe they are speaking divine utterances from God, then you will accept what you hear from them as God-inspired and absolute truth.  The power that concept gives these men over the gullible and undiscerning sheep is unimaginable!  What happens is that the Bible is set aside as the absolute standard, and the way of truth is subverted.  The church still doesn’t get that the Holy Spirit guides us into all truth, which is found expressly and only in the Word of God found in the Bible.  R.C. Sproul said it best when he said that the Holy Spirit will not operate outside of God’s Word.  Use that as your plumbline when wading into the strange territory of mysticism and manifestations and you will have eyes to see and ears to hear; this will keep you safe from perverse error.

As was to be expected, when word of this so-called revival, or awakening, got out, people began appearing from all over to “get a bite” of the “spirit that was manifesting at IHOP.

Here’s more from the press release:

It all began on November 4, on the last day of the monthly Global Bridegroom Fast at the International House of Prayer of Kansas City (IHOP–KC). A move of the Holy Spirit began to stir during the student chapel at IHOPU, as students testified about receiving deliverance from self-hatred, shame, and depression. Students began to experience supernatural joy at the revelation of God’s love for them. A powerful spirit of joy rested on many the next day at the IHOPU student-led 6:00am prayer meeting, and the Spirit continued to move throughout the week in our classes and during the faculty meetings.

What started during our IHOPU student chapel on November 4 is continuing today. Visitors are coming in from many places, with some driving over 1,000 miles overnight to participate in these meetings. Consequently, on November 12, we moved the Prayer Room to our Forerunner School of Ministry sanctuary from 6:00pm to midnight each night, to accommodate more people. We will continue these nightly meetings as the Holy Spirit leads us. We earnestly pray that this awakening will continue, as our nation is in desperate need of another great awakening in this hour.

What began on November 4 has shown no signs of slowing down.  What’s important is that this is quickly gaining ground and, just like Lakeland, is being streamed across the internet.  It is being reported that people are writing in from all across the globe to testify of various healings.  The long reach of false prophets is simply astounding thanks to mediums such as the internet.

This is from an article from Charisma News Online, a supporter of the Lakeland revival:

Thousands of Christians from across the U.S. have been flocking to Kansas City, Mo., where a Bible college class at the International House of Prayer (IHOP) has sparked nightly revival services.

More than 1,600 people have been packing into IHOP’s ministry school auditorium to pray, worship and experience what many are describing as spiritual renewal.

At services held last weekend, participants shared testimonies of healing from chronic back pain and migraines, deliverance from shame and self-hatred, and experiencing God’s love for the first time. Similar testimonies have been sent from around the world, where the services are being viewed via live Web stream…

…Almost 2,000 people from the Kansas City area heard about the “awakening” and came to the campus to participate. Since then the meetings, held nightly from 6 p.m. until midnight, have been drawing capacity crowds to the ministry school’s sanctuary.

College students are also gathering across the country to watch the services online. Testimonies have poured in from such schools as Georgia Tech, Wheaton College, Asbury College and the University of California-Berkeley, where students reportedly are experiencing great joy, deep peace, and emotional and physical healing.  (emphasis mine)

 (Online Source) 

It’s still too soon to determine whether or not this new revival will grow as big as Lakeland was in it’s heyday, but given that the area spawned the Kansas City Prophets, it wouldn’t be hard to believe another demonic outpouring could begin there because they still haven’t learned anything.  They never did develop a love of the truth.  Nothing will change until they do.  But take my word for it, regardless of how big it grows, this one will have the same demonic manifestations and deceptions that all the others had.  While watching the videos, the praise leaders were singing, or chanting, in tongues.  I heard such phrases being sung such as “there’s an open Heaven,” which is the same phrases we heard being bandied about in Lakeland, as well as ”release the angelic in this room,” ”angels ascending and descending,” and ” release the fire, release the wind.”  At other parts in the videos there are people laying on the floor and you can hear mass laughing in the background.  Not joyful laughter, but demonic manifestations of laughter as these people seek encounters more than they seek the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Do you know how much time they spent reading and teaching from God’s Word?  None.

Standing on the stage you will see Julie Meyer singing in tongues.  She is the same so-called prophetess who said that “God’s prophetic word is never a guarantee, it’s only an invitation from God to join the great intercessor Himself and birth His purposes on the earth.”  This false doctrine makes it entirely possible for us to effectively cancel out God’s word.  With people like this leading the charge, what else can a Bible-discerning Christian assume but that the whole outbreak is false?  Error canNOT beget truth.  It’s simply not possible.

The longer labor lasts, the closer birth pangs become.  Lakeland was sooo last year.  This is 2009 and we have another demonic outbreak.  Seems they’re coming closer together.  Deception is a major factor of the days we live in.

Let’s keep this in mind:

–Whatever doctrine favors the corrupt lusts of men cannot be of God, let the pleas and pretentions for them be what they will.  (Matthew Henry)

See you on the wall.

Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. - Proverbs 31:9

“No room in the inn” “Placed him in a manger” – So often we play favorites with the rich, beautiful, powerful, and prestigious. Isn’t it interesting that God revealed himself as the defender of the widow, the orphan, and the alien and then entered the world as the child of a Jewish carpenter and a young virgin from a small town?

God wants us to notice those in need around us.

We’re not just told to be fair; we’re told to defend and to plead the rights of those in need. When we do, we do it for him (see Matthew 25).

Make me more aware, Holy Father, of those around me who need your love and grace. Make me your instrument to defend them and to serve them. Open my eyes to see Jesus in the faces of those in need. In the name of my Savior, Jesus, Savior of all peoples, I pray. Amen.

Phil Ware, Today’s Verse

Such a simple little message, but it almost brought me to tears.

One thing, and one thing only, concerning Christians and the Church, has affected me more in the last two years then any false doctrine, false prophet or teacher ever could–its the lack of concern, love, and care for others I’ve witnessed.

I’ll say no more, for if I do, its a given I will offend someone…

May God show mercy, once more, on the Church in America…

Isaiah 7:14 (NIV) ~ Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 

Three of the most defining moments which, to many, are far beyond human comprehension, are as follows:

1. The virgin birth of Jesus Christ.
2. The cross of Jesus Christ.
3. The resurrection of Jesus Christ.                                                                                             

Consider for a moment, the Immaculate Conception through which the Incarnate Deity came into this world.  The Seed that was not of this world was conceived within the womb of Mary through the Holy Spirit. He overshadowed her with the Presence of God, so that the Holy One to born of her would be called the Son of God, Immanuel; God with us.

Oh, how glorious does the hymn writer Charles Wesley pen these Holy Spirit inspired lyrics from the song, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”:

Christ by highest heaven adored, Christ the everlasting Lord!

Late in time behold Him come offspring of a Virgin’s womb,

Veiled in the flesh the Godhead see, Hail the Incarnate Deity,

Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel. 

To the world this was an impossible task, but not to God, for with God all things are possible! He chose a faithful woman in Mary and a faithful and righteous man in Joseph.  God entrusted Joseph with taking care of Mary, and would have no union with her until after Jesus was born. The miracle of the virgin being with child can only be God, for it was a womb which was pure, not touched, nor defiled by human flesh, so a supernatural, Holy Seed could be conceived through a virgin. God of God, Light of Light, Lo! He abhors not the Virgin’s womb: Very God, Begotten, not created. He was born as a sign for all the world to know that God has sent a Saviour who will be called Jesus, to save His people from their sins.

We do not worship the virgin, but worship the God of the virgin who brought Jesus Christ into the world.  For even Mary called herself, the Lord’s servant, said this in Luke 1: 46 to 47 (NIV), “And Mary said, ‘My souls glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.’” 

My friend, we are not called to worship the virgin birth, just as we are not called to worship the cross of Jesus, nor His Resurrection. but we are called to worship Jesus Christ the Saviour of souls. The sign given by God was properly spoken of in our text for today from Isaiah 7:14 (NIV), “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” It was gloriously fulfilled when Jesus was born, low into poverty, under the curse, wrapped in swaddling clothes. The God of the Universe came down among His people to save them, to redeem them from the curse and bring them into His blessings. From the womb of a virgin to the cross of Calvary and His glorious Resurrection, Jesus Christ came to save us from our sins. 

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

Isaiah 7:14 (NIV) ~ Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 

Three of the most defining moments which, to many, are far beyond human comprehension, are as follows:

1. The virgin birth of Jesus Christ.
2. The cross of Jesus Christ.
3. The resurrection of Jesus Christ.                                                                                             

Consider for a moment, the Immaculate Conception through which the Incarnate Deity came into this world.  The Seed that was not of this world was conceived within the womb of Mary through the Holy Spirit. He overshadowed her with the Presence of God, so that the Holy One to born of her would be called the Son of God, Immanuel; God with us.

Oh, how glorious does the hymn writer Charles Wesley pen these Holy Spirit inspired lyrics from the song, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”:

Christ by highest heaven adored, Christ the everlasting Lord!

Late in time behold Him come offspring of a Virgin’s womb,

Veiled in the flesh the Godhead see, Hail the Incarnate Deity,

Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel. 

To the world this was an impossible task, but not to God, for with God all things are possible! He chose a faithful woman in Mary and a faithful and righteous man in Joseph.  God entrusted Joseph with taking care of Mary, and would have no union with her until after Jesus was born. The miracle of the virgin being with child can only be God, for it was a womb which was pure, not touched, nor defiled by human flesh, so a supernatural, Holy Seed could be conceived through a virgin. God of God, Light of Light, Lo! He abhors not the Virgin’s womb: Very God, Begotten, not created. He was born as a sign for all the world to know that God has sent a Saviour who will be called Jesus, to save His people from their sins.

We do not worship the virgin, but worship the God of the virgin who brought Jesus Christ into the world.  For even Mary called herself, the Lord’s servant, said this in Luke 1: 46 to 47 (NIV), “And Mary said, ‘My souls glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.’” 

My friend, we are not called to worship the virgin birth, just as we are not called to worship the cross of Jesus, nor His Resurrection. but we are called to worship Jesus Christ the Saviour of souls. The sign given by God was properly spoken of in our text for today from Isaiah 7:14 (NIV), “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” It was gloriously fulfilled when Jesus was born, low into poverty, under the curse, wrapped in swaddling clothes. The God of the Universe came down among His people to save them, to redeem them from the curse and bring them into His blessings. From the womb of a virgin to the cross of Calvary and His glorious Resurrection, Jesus Christ came to save us from our sins.  

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

Daniel 10:16-17 “And behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: and then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength.
For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.”

The following is a link that should cause every saint to seek the Lord and be about the issues of eternal significance:

AMERICAS COMING SUPER DEPRESSION (Watchmans Cry)

It goes without saying that a lot of strange developments are underway as scriptural fulfilment continues to transpire before our eyes. If we were to see the “whole” of what’s soon to break forth upon the earth, it’s possible that none of us would be able to convey it to those around us. We know that, after receiving the first vision, Daniels cogitations much troubled him and he initially kept it to himself. After the second vision he “was sick certain days.” When a person begins to understand the gravity of such things, a profound “sadness” enters in for the multitudes who aren’t prepared. Millions upon millions who, despite the warnings from scripture and signs everywhere, carry on with no regard for their souls. We are rushing headlong into a global governance (antichrist) senario and even many saints seem oblivious to it. It’s like the old saying “ignorance is bliss.” That may be true for a season, but ultimately, that mentality is fatal.

Last Monday, (Dec 14, 2009) My wife had a root canal performed by Dr. McLaughlin in Kalamazoo. The time involved with this procedure meant that I had well over an hour to hang out in the waiting area.  Unlike most waiting rooms, this one was very quiet and filled with soft plushy furniture. It was, without a doubt, a portal into the land of nod for anyone who doesn’t get adequate sleep. I was trying to read Daniel chapter 11 (the most intriguing of Daniels visions) but struggling to stay awake. Behind the counter, there were two ladies who are employed there. Both were probably in their early to mid thirties, and there was no outward evidence that they were unlike the multitudes of undiscerning folks with whom we associate daily. Professional courtesies and casual conversation; much of it surrounding holiday activities, seemed to be the primary attributes.

Then, a window of time opened up when nobody else was in the lobby, except for me; half asleep in the plushy chair, yet semi aware of the ambience. The conversation of the two ladies changed. They became somewhat quieter and began to speak in more sobering tones. I began to pick up on words unexpected from such a situation as this. Oh…how to relay this in print without sounding nutty. It was like:

“Blah blah blah blah, Martial law in 2010, blah blah blah….”

I was like “zzzzz….huh? What?” This instantly put the drowsy tendancies to flight and I began to train my ear in the direction of the counter. They were talking quietly, as to not freak out any clients, and so I had to really listen:

“Blah blah blah blah Global governmant blah blah Copenhagen…..orchestrated financial collapse, blah blah blah, tyranny”

It’s not often that one hears such conversation transpiring in the ambience. I thought of going over and entering into the conversation, but first I wanted to find out where they were coming from. Are they Tea Party  people? Perhaps they are avid listeners to Coast to Coast AM or  Alex Jones and gather information from such venues. Are they saints who really understand what’s transpiring in our world today and look for Jesus’ appearing? I began listening for scriptural references in the conversation that would offer clarity, however, the window closed quickly. The mailman came in with the days assortment and from that point on, everything was back to routine conversation. Whether they are in the household of faith, or simply ordinary citizens who see the intrusions of a global governing entity, this was an unexpected glimpse into the world view of these two ladies.

Just a note: I know a number of people who “see what’s happening” but don’t understand the spiritual significance, and tragically, don’t know the Lord Jesus. If a person enters eternity without knowing Jesus, all of their “understanding and intentions” will avail nothing.

I do think that, in some venues, there’s an awakening to the truth that things are not as they once were. And yet, by and large, the conversations of choice; even amongst many saints, suggest an almost “blind allegiance” to the status quo that most of us were born into. The arguements are rampant. “These things are cyclical.” “This country is too big to fail.” (As was the Roman Empire) “God wants us to enjoy our best life now by heaping to ourselves the goods of this world.” The arguements for continuance are loud. One would desire to believe them, because, when calamity arises suddenly, souls perish. The verse at the top of this post reveals that these are not pleasant things to talk about. But it’s imperative to have a clear understanding if were to not be taken by the deceptions of our day. Deceptions that will appear rock solid, but be a falsehood. This following passage seems to become more profound each time it’s visited:

Hebrews 3:12-13 “And take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.
But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”

Last year, we were attending a high school football game as our younger daughter is in band. A play was executed and the running back was brought down close to the first down marker. My wife asked “did he make it?” I jokingly replied “I don’t know; I can’t see the big yellow line.” This is a reference to the computer generated yellow line that appears in televised football games to show where the first down marker is. It looks real; as though it’s painted right on the field, but it’s an illusion. We are daily bombarded with illusions as the lines between real and simulation continue to become more obscure. An investigation into the Blue Beam Project will cause one to realize just how deceptive these times are; even before the supernatural fireworks begin in full. The only thing that we can cling to is the Lord Jesus and his unchanging truths.

It’s a troubling thing. None of us can fully grasp the level at which the “big lie” will operate. The deceptions of the end are going to be so compelling; seemingly so scientifically stable, grounded in common sense, and beneficial to the well-being of all humanity, that one will seem utterly backwards for adhering to the old paths. If we’re trusting in anything other than the Lord Jesus and his word, we’ll likely be moved by such overwhelming presentations. A good exammple of this would be the extraterrestrial connection. (They are not extraterrestrials; they are fallen entities) In the hearts of many, such a “disclosure” would seem to supercede scripture. “After all” the arguement states “how can we be the only ones in a universe that contains hundreds of billions of galaxies; each of which contains hundreds of billions of stars?” I’m so concerned about our not grasping the panoramic intensity of these falsehoods that I consistantly pray about it.

Speaking of extra-terrestrials; here’s a link that I found a few days ago, which has also been placed on the “Spiritual Warfare” page:

UFO ALIEN ABDUCTION SLEUTH SPOTS CHRISTIAN SMOKING GUN

This involves people who, upon finding themselves in an abduction situation, have called upon the name of Jesus; which causes the entities to depart quickly. Sadly, however, this isn’t widely embraced by the “UFO comunity” as it challenges their preferred world view. For many, the lie is prefereable to the truth whereby they can be made free.

Well, it’s time to close for now as the conversation is drifting all over. To be close to Jesus is imprative. We cannot navigate these waters on our own, but we can do all things through Christ. May we be mindful of the multitudes all around us who know not the Lord. I can see a number of folks in my venue whom the Lord is working on, making it all the more imperative to walk in the Spirit. I praise God for the work that he’s doing in this household; despite all of the damage that I’ve done in the past. It’s amazing how razor-thin the line can be that separates gathering unto the Lord from scattering. An unkind word, a selfish agenda, even an untimely facial expression can cause an unbelievable amount of damage.

Galatians 5:16 “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh.”

Blessings always in Jesus name.