Tag Archives: fear

Do Not Seal Up Your Testimony!

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Fear - Graffiti

God’s people will speak in the Great Assembly of the righteous.  Why should we not speak such things in the assembly of the wicked?  Is it fear of rejection?  Is it a fear that you will be punished for speaking those words you know belong to God? 

Fear does not belong to God.  And those who are called by His name should throw off such coverings.  Release yourself from what is wicked.  Join the throng who have testified on this planet.  Many have had their blood mingled with the dust you now walk on.  And should we keep silent for the fear of words alone?  You might think you will lose friends.  How is that a shock to you?  Who is the friend of the Lord’s people?  Has God pronounced that everyone will be your friend?  Didn’t He tell us they will hate us because of Him?  So how can you now cower in a corner with your worship and words of Glory? 

Look how the wicked come out and proclaim their wicked words and actions!  See how they dance with abandon before the entire world!  Yet the Lord’s people keep their faith hidden lest they bring shame upon themselves.  I tell you a truth:  The shame of keeping quiet because of such fears is and will become a shame for us before the Most High God on that day.

If I sit on a stone and ponder what might happen to me if I do something, the fear builds.  But put me in front of a man who is about to bust my nose and I’ll stand my ground.  I’ve done that a couple times.  So I know what I’m talking about.  I don’t fear what is right before me.  I find fear, as a threat, more intimidating than the real thing.  I WILL NOT LET FEAR RULE OVER ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   The very moment you find fear becoming your master, put one foot forward into that place of fear.  Start typing those words.  Speak with your mouth and nullify that threat.  Make it real!  Cause the fear to come out of the shadows and it will dissipate into vapor!

Your choice.  Obey your fear.  Or obey the Lord.  It’s not really more complicated than that.

By His Grace.

Glenn Beck and the “Two Witnesses” of Revelation.

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Flag of the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem

Image via Wikipedia

(Since this entry was written nothing has come about to warrant its writing.  I will leave this post on my blog.  I see that a lot of people are searching for such things.  But I will remind the reader that prophecy has its place.  All the while, leading a life filled with the Holy Spirit of God is of vastly more importance.  While we search for what is to come, let us remember to live a life worthy of God’s blessing.  Prophecy will do nothing to help us as we stand before the Throne of Christ Jesus.  Obedience, however, will help us immensely.)

I just posted a difference in beliefs between Glenn Beck and the children of the Most High God through Jesus’ sacrifice.  So I feel a bit redundant bringing him back to my blog.  But something is transpiring which demands attention.

Glenn is planning to take his media power to Jerusalem.  It is his belief that he must stand with Israel in the coming days.  I pondered this move in light of the Lord’s plans and wondered how this might fit in.  Though I don’t have direct word from the Lord on this, I’ve come to a realization that might hold some water.

The current media ignores Israel, being quite liberal and ungodly in their approach to the world’s plight.  And we have heard of the two witnesses which will appear to testify to the world’s ungodly behavior.  It’s not likely that the current media would even notice them, given their present bend to sin.  But we are told that these two witnesses will be seen by the entire world.  Is it possible that Glenn’s move to Jerusalem (along with his powerful outreach) is a direct hand of God?  Perhaps the Lord is setting up the stage on which these two men will carry out their appointed tasks.

The following is the account of these two men from the book of Revelation chapter 11.  I present this, not as the direct word of God, as something for all men to ponder and respect.  God will move against the sins of this world.  How He will do it is only in our hands to watch.

1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”  5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

 7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

 11 But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.

 13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

 

May all who seek life from the Lord through Jesus be made to wake.  The time is nearer now than ever before.  Do not get caught sleeping.

As a supplement to this post, I invite you to read Man’s Understanding of Holy Lacks a Bit.   (which is another post on my blog)

By His Grace.

Any Beating is better Than Death.

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After sleep comes the bowed head.  No tears threaten to well up.  The sorrow is felt in the soul.  Yet the heart hears a different tone.  The Lord of Perfect Beauty is calling.  And He calls to one who has sinned before Him.  I knew better.  Was it stubbornness?  Was it simple weakness?  Was it a lust for things past?  What do any of those questions matter now?  I sit here afraid yet not afraid.  It is the eyes of He who sees which gaze at me and softly scan my heart.  I have transgressed His demands of me.  And I am not misguided in my assessment of the situation.  There will be punishment to endure for the acts done.

After reflection and thanks for the simple things He whispers something odd.  “Yes, there will be punishment to endure.  But you will gladly accept My judgment when you see the alternative.” 

   47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12)

Jesus sits enthroned in Heaven.  The oil of joy is poured upon Him by the Father in Heaven.  He rules all eternity and is willing to share His joy.  For those of us who are being humbled by a collision with Holy and foolish sinful tendencies:  Consider yourself for a moment.  If you had a million dollars and were standing in a great place of poverty, would you help those around you?  Of course you would.  And would you judge those around you while you gave them food and clothing?  Of course you wouldn’t.  If that is how you who are full of sin would handle riches, how much more will the Lord of Glory share all good things with those who call out to Him for help?

Let your back be bent and your head be bowed for a time.  It is good to ponder the seriousness of your offences before the Most High God.  Allow yourself to really listen to Jesus’ calling, however.  Listen to what He is saying.  He knows your plight.  But He also knows where He is now enthroned.  He calls to all men to humble themselves before Him that in due time He might lift them up.  Only submit to the Lord of Love and consider yourself dead before the foot stool of the consuming fire that is God.

By His Grace.

Tornado

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My heart is concerned.  The warnings have been coming that something bad is developing for America.  I fear the storm is here.

A tornado doesn’t “just appear” from nowhere.  There is a lead up to it’s presence.  The wind, clouds, rain, and pressure increases.  Then you hear the tornado approach.  So it is with the troubles of this generation.

The forecasters have been speaking loudly of a trouble coming, such as has never been.  And most people pay no heed.  But as surely as when the tornado appears and there is no remedy, so it is with the appearing of trouble.  No man will withstand what is coming.  And even those who embrace the Lord’s protection and Holy guidance will quake with the sight of it. 

Open my heart, O’ Lord of Life.  Open my eyes and ears to perceive what is coming upon man.  Let me live aware of Your judgments.  And prepare me for what is surely coming.  I see the clouds gather in dark formation.  I hear the thunder of lies roll through mankind.  I see the trust given to flimsy materialism, and false religion.  And few take warning.  Hide me in Your powerful hand and be my shield. 

By His Grace.

Vain Superstitions

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We are not called to frolic in the guestimations of the world regarding the Holiness of God.  We are called to join with Him in implementing His will among men.  While men make guesses regarding end times, the “Way”, the nature of Jesus’ salvation and glorification, God remains steady and sure.  He does not shift or change according to the limited understanding of man’s wicked contrivings regarding Holy.  God is.  And it is enough for us to live by the faith He gives each one of us.

Cease your constant wandering and rest.  It is God who works His will in His people.  Do not be swayed by all kinds of foolish words with which man builds his kingdoms.  They speculate about what is true.  It is God’s domain to KNOW what is true.  The one who follows Jesus will lay aside all this foolishness and pick up what is absolute.  God is willing to share wisdom to anyone who will ask.  And He will share this vast resource without judgment of any man’s history or bend toward wickedness.  Only, let us not give in to believing all the short sighted superstitions the world begs us to endure.  Hold firmly to Jesus and the truth He reveals.

Let those who will chase after vain knowledge; knowledge that is puffed up by the mind and wicked heart of man.  It is not the lot of Christians to cave to the foolish of the world around them who do not know the Lord of Glory.

By His Grace.

Allowing Time for Change.

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We all have someone in our life who we would love to see grow in maturity, or experience the freedom found in Christ Jesus, or take responsibility for their own actions, or even forgive an offence.    This desire to see positive growth in that loved one is a good thing.  No doubt, in that desire is found everything “good”.  There are even places in each one of us which might draw that same desire for ourselves.  “Oh, I so wish I could just…………….”. 

Will you permit me to ask a really hard question?   What serious change, or radical change, has ever come upon anyone over night?  Oh, there might be realizations that change our direction.  But the really concrete change (so as to never go back) happens slowly.  First we realize we have a problem.  Then we try on different fixes like a child tries on daddy’s shoes.  And finally we find what we know will solve the problem.  But it’s at the last point where we realize how absolutely huge and difficult change is going to be.

Even coming to Jesus with a problem we find the same three increments: realize, try variations, come to grip with the real fix.  Our lives are slow, yet hopefully sure, steps toward what we know is “good”.  I post this because I see a whole lot of people kind of stuck in a mire of doubt and inability.  I absolutely know that Jesus is the answer to any problem you might have going on.  But there’s an element of natural progress that must be embraced.

When we see someone we want to change toward what is “good”, what are we expecting?  If we expect them to just “Get with the program”, we’re bound to be disappointed.  Look at yourself.  What are you expecting?  Since even we can’t change over night, why do we expect it from others?  And what might the first signs of change look like?  The person we are focusing on, whether someone else or ourselves, is already dysfunctional in some manner.  Do we expect the first signs of wellness to appear void of this dysfunctional behavior?

This is what forgiveness is all about.  Openning the door to the sickness. so that when we see change we are willing to embrace it.   And this is why it is said that Jesus offers the fix to our problem.  His forgiveness and teaching are sure, real, and effective.  Let yourself receive forgiveness from Him.  Let yourself receive forgiveness from yourself.  Offer that same forgiveness to others.  This is the beginning of healing for everyone, even YOU.  Put on patience and love as if you were going to a stately dinner.  Wear patience for yourself.  Love without regard to who needs it.  This is the key to healing from wounds too deep to touch.

By His Grace.