It is absolutely impossible to make sense of this world unless a person takes the Bible prophecy into consideration. For at least the past decade, there have been two glaring examples of illogical human behavior that defy rational explanation. Both of these oddities involve the Muslim faith.
A little over a week ago, ten Islamic terrorists went on a killing rampage in the city of Mumbai, India. The gunmen attacked at least seven places shortly after 10.30 p.m. Armed with automatic rifles and grenades, they attacked targets including luxury hotels--the Taj Mahal and the Trident Oberoi, hospitals, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station, and the popular Leopold cafe. Nearly 200 innocent people were murdered in cold blood that night.
The first example of twisted logic is why they did it. I mean, what was the point? Nine of the ten Muslim terrorists died in the attack. Each must have known he was on a one-way mission. They were motivated by their faith, but no terrorist analyst is able to theorize a logical explanation for the assault. It is pure insanity to think that people can butcher fellow human beings and expect their actions to somehow translate into a positive reflection on their religion.
The second example of warped reality is the liberal media's refusal to lay the blame at the feet of Islam. The day after the attack, I looked at the media coverage and was hard-pressed to find any mention of the gunmen's obvious connection to Islam. They used words like "elements with links to Pakistan," "militants," "gunmen," "extremists," "common enemy," and "external forces."
The media keeps using the term "al-Qaida" as if it were a well-managed global organization that reaches around the world. The truth is, there is no "central office" for al-Qaida. Most Muslims who consider themselves part of al-Qaida have no connection to other Islamic terrorist groups. Their religion is the only thing they have in common. If you have a copy of the Koran, you can join the al-Qaida club.
When the Mumbai attack flashed on the news, we all knew immediately that it was the work of Islamic terrorists. This group of people has literally cornered the market on terrorism. I looked at a timeline of major terrorist attacks, and had to go back to the 1995 truck bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City to find one that was not carried out by a Muslim.
I have an idea that will greatly streamline the passenger screening process at the airport. If you are willing to eat pork or say "I believe Jesus Christ the Son of God is the only Savior for mankind," you should be able to skip security and walk right onto the aircraft.
I think any reasonable person can guess what would happen if a Christian group committed a major terrorist act. The media would go into a feeding frenzy. We at Rapture Ready are always being blamed by the press for the sins of various fringe groups.
The media is incompetent because "the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not" (2 Cor. 4:4). My years of experience with the various reporters who have interviewed us have taught me that there are some Christians in the news, but almost none ever rises into the major leagues. Some unseen hand always weeds them out.
We need to turn to the spiritual world to understand why we have this madness related to the deeds of Islamic forces. The book of Daniel gives us an insight into the world where the real power lies. Daniel prayed for understanding, and God sent an angelic messenger to tell him what was about to happen. The angel send, "the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days" (Daniel 10:13).
Here we have a clear indication that the earthly empires have demonic beings that govern them. I have no doubt that Islam has a prince who rules over it, and he is a spirit of an exceedingly evil nature. Islamic terrorists commit heinous acts because they are doing the will of their evil master.
Ultimately, Israel is going to make a huge blunder by entering a peace agreement that will involve the Arab world. God's prophetic Word warns Israel not to accept any treaty with its foes: "And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it" (Isa. 28:18).
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
The World in Review
1. Canada:
A police report revealed that hundreds of airline workers, with various connections to more than 60 active gangs, have used their security clearance in eight of the nation’s largest airports to smuggle drugs and people into the country.
Canada ranks last of 25 developed countries in child care, according to a study by the United Nation’s Children Fund. The report said Canada failed to meet nine out of 10 benchmark measures, which include providing subsidized care for children during their first years of life.
A Halifax teenager, accused of stabbing a man at a party in a fight between the two over how much time a frozen pizza should stay in the microwave, was sentenced to five years in prison.
2. United States:
“The number of Americans filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits surged more than forecast last week to a 26-year high, a sign companies are stepping up firings as the recession deepens…Initial jobless claims increased 58,000 to 573,000 in the week ended Dec. 6, the highest level since November 1982, from a revised 515,000 the previous week, the Labor Department...The number of workers staying on benefit rolls reached 4.429 million, also the most since 1982” (Bloomberg).
The House of Representatives approved a $14 billion government bailout plan to provide emergency loans to car giants, General Motors and Chrysler. The bill, which requires automakers to commit to drastic restructuring plans, has yet to be passed in the Senate.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reported that 43 states, which have already made spending cutbacks, are facing budget shortfalls and will be unable to cover their expenses next year.
Chicago-based Tribune Co. became the first major newspaper publisher to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company, which owns the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise, and several major metropolitan newspapers around the country, including the Los Angeles Times and The Sun of Baltimore, is $13 billion in debt and has experienced a severe drop in advertising revenue, leading to its inability to meet its credit obligations. (See related news brief: “The Future of Newspaper, Magazine Industry Grows Dim”)
Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff were arrested on federal corruption charges after they were accused of trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s vacated Illinois senate seat. The corruption charges came after federal investigators obtained secret recordings of the governor discussing the potential benefits that he and his wife could receive from the sale of the position.
“A daylong work stoppage during which employees were encouraged to ‘call in gay’ to express support for same-sex marriage drew spotty participation nationwide…Backers of ‘Day Without a Gay’ organized evening rallies in San Francisco, Austin, Texas, Logan, Utah, and other cities so supporters could gather to discuss the next steps. Rallies also were held earlier Wednesday in Chicago and on several college campuses in California” (FOX News).
3. United Kingdom:
The pound sterling’s value fell to a record low of 1.14 euros.
“Britain’s remaining troops in Iraq will begin withdrawing from the country in March on a timetable that will aim to leave only a small training force of 300 to 400 by June, according to Defense Ministry officials quoted by the BBC and several of Britain’s major newspapers” (The New York Times).
A television station aired a documentary titled “Right to Die?”, which showed an assisted suicide being performed.
4. Germany: Berlin-based anti-corruption organization Transparency International “interviewed 2,742 senior business executives to see which firms would pay bribes in foreign countries. Russia, China, Mexico, India, Brazil and Italy were the worst of the 22 major economies ranked in the survey” (BBC).
5. Greece: Riots raged after a 15-year-old boy was killed in a confrontation with the police. Dozens of people were injured and substantial property damage resulted from fires started by rioters.
6. Ghana: Polling stations are seeing a massive, but peaceful, turnout for the presidential and parliamentary elections. President John Kufuor is stepping down after serving the maximum two terms (BBC).
7. Zimbabwe: The collapse of the country’s infrastructure has led to a cholera outbreak that has spread to the neighboring countries of South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana and Zambia. (See news brief: “Zimbabwe’s Cholera Outbreak Spreads”)
8. Uganda: There have been reports of a mysterious disease having killed 15 people in the last two months in the Bundibugyo District (AllAfrica.com).
9. Kenya: At least 300 girls, some as young as nine, in southwestern Kenya are seeking refuge in churches to escape forced female genital mutilation. Though female circumcision is banned nationwide, it is a popular practice in certain areas, used to initiate a girl into womanhood (BBC).
10. Somalia: According to a 104-page Human Rights Watch report, all parties in Somalia’s escalating conflict—the Somali Transitional Federal Government, Ethiopian forces that intervened in Somalia to support it, and insurgent forces—“have committed widespread and serious violations of the laws of war. Frequent violations include indiscriminate attacks, killings, rape, use of civilians as human shields, and looting. Since early 2007, the escalating conflict has claimed thousands of civilian lives, displaced more than a million people, and driven out most of the population of Mogadishu, the capital. Increasing attacks on aid workers in the past year have severely limited relief operations and contributed to an emerging humanitarian crisis.”
11. Saudi Arabia: “More than two million Muslim pilgrims performed a second round of stoning walls symbolizing the devil on Tuesday, as haj pilgrimage rituals neared their end without major incident…The Jamarat Bridge in the valley of Mena outside the holy city of Mecca, where pilgrims stone the walls three times over three to four days, has been the scene of numerous stampedes, including one which killed 362 in 2006. The haj has also been marred in previous years by deadly fires, hotel collapses and police clashes with protesters” (Reuters).
12. South Korea: The worldwide economic downturn led South Korea’s central bank to record interest rate cuts, a full percentage point to 3%, more than expected.
13. Japan: The national economy, the second-largest in the world after the U.S., shrank by 0.5%, for an annualized rate of 1.8%, significantly greater than expected (BBC).
14. Papua New Guinea: Giant tidal waves battered the northern coastline’s 500-mile stretch, resulting in flooding, sweeping away homes and displacing thousands of people.
15. Australia:
“Australia’s unemployment rate has risen to 4.4%, the highest in 12 months, as the economy shed 15,600 jobs in November” (Reuters).
South Australia, the nation’s driest state, decided to purchase additional water supplies amid fears it will run out next year (BBC).
Authorities have identified more than 200 suspects in 70 countries connected with a child pornography network. Australian Federal Police charged 19 men from New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, and seized more than 15,000 videos and 500,000 images of child abuse during a 12-month investigation (ABC).
“Australia’s early childhood services are among the worst in the developed world, according to a UNICEF report that warns of the risk of placing children in care before the age of one. Among 25 developed countries Australia ranks third last, meeting only two of 10 benchmarks considered essential to protect children in their formative early years” (Sydney Morning Herald).
A police report revealed that hundreds of airline workers, with various connections to more than 60 active gangs, have used their security clearance in eight of the nation’s largest airports to smuggle drugs and people into the country.
Canada ranks last of 25 developed countries in child care, according to a study by the United Nation’s Children Fund. The report said Canada failed to meet nine out of 10 benchmark measures, which include providing subsidized care for children during their first years of life.
A Halifax teenager, accused of stabbing a man at a party in a fight between the two over how much time a frozen pizza should stay in the microwave, was sentenced to five years in prison.
2. United States:
“The number of Americans filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits surged more than forecast last week to a 26-year high, a sign companies are stepping up firings as the recession deepens…Initial jobless claims increased 58,000 to 573,000 in the week ended Dec. 6, the highest level since November 1982, from a revised 515,000 the previous week, the Labor Department...The number of workers staying on benefit rolls reached 4.429 million, also the most since 1982” (Bloomberg).
The House of Representatives approved a $14 billion government bailout plan to provide emergency loans to car giants, General Motors and Chrysler. The bill, which requires automakers to commit to drastic restructuring plans, has yet to be passed in the Senate.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reported that 43 states, which have already made spending cutbacks, are facing budget shortfalls and will be unable to cover their expenses next year.
Chicago-based Tribune Co. became the first major newspaper publisher to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company, which owns the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise, and several major metropolitan newspapers around the country, including the Los Angeles Times and The Sun of Baltimore, is $13 billion in debt and has experienced a severe drop in advertising revenue, leading to its inability to meet its credit obligations. (See related news brief: “The Future of Newspaper, Magazine Industry Grows Dim”)
Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff were arrested on federal corruption charges after they were accused of trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s vacated Illinois senate seat. The corruption charges came after federal investigators obtained secret recordings of the governor discussing the potential benefits that he and his wife could receive from the sale of the position.
“A daylong work stoppage during which employees were encouraged to ‘call in gay’ to express support for same-sex marriage drew spotty participation nationwide…Backers of ‘Day Without a Gay’ organized evening rallies in San Francisco, Austin, Texas, Logan, Utah, and other cities so supporters could gather to discuss the next steps. Rallies also were held earlier Wednesday in Chicago and on several college campuses in California” (FOX News).
3. United Kingdom:
The pound sterling’s value fell to a record low of 1.14 euros.
“Britain’s remaining troops in Iraq will begin withdrawing from the country in March on a timetable that will aim to leave only a small training force of 300 to 400 by June, according to Defense Ministry officials quoted by the BBC and several of Britain’s major newspapers” (The New York Times).
A television station aired a documentary titled “Right to Die?”, which showed an assisted suicide being performed.
4. Germany: Berlin-based anti-corruption organization Transparency International “interviewed 2,742 senior business executives to see which firms would pay bribes in foreign countries. Russia, China, Mexico, India, Brazil and Italy were the worst of the 22 major economies ranked in the survey” (BBC).
5. Greece: Riots raged after a 15-year-old boy was killed in a confrontation with the police. Dozens of people were injured and substantial property damage resulted from fires started by rioters.
6. Ghana: Polling stations are seeing a massive, but peaceful, turnout for the presidential and parliamentary elections. President John Kufuor is stepping down after serving the maximum two terms (BBC).
7. Zimbabwe: The collapse of the country’s infrastructure has led to a cholera outbreak that has spread to the neighboring countries of South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana and Zambia. (See news brief: “Zimbabwe’s Cholera Outbreak Spreads”)
8. Uganda: There have been reports of a mysterious disease having killed 15 people in the last two months in the Bundibugyo District (AllAfrica.com).
9. Kenya: At least 300 girls, some as young as nine, in southwestern Kenya are seeking refuge in churches to escape forced female genital mutilation. Though female circumcision is banned nationwide, it is a popular practice in certain areas, used to initiate a girl into womanhood (BBC).
10. Somalia: According to a 104-page Human Rights Watch report, all parties in Somalia’s escalating conflict—the Somali Transitional Federal Government, Ethiopian forces that intervened in Somalia to support it, and insurgent forces—“have committed widespread and serious violations of the laws of war. Frequent violations include indiscriminate attacks, killings, rape, use of civilians as human shields, and looting. Since early 2007, the escalating conflict has claimed thousands of civilian lives, displaced more than a million people, and driven out most of the population of Mogadishu, the capital. Increasing attacks on aid workers in the past year have severely limited relief operations and contributed to an emerging humanitarian crisis.”
11. Saudi Arabia: “More than two million Muslim pilgrims performed a second round of stoning walls symbolizing the devil on Tuesday, as haj pilgrimage rituals neared their end without major incident…The Jamarat Bridge in the valley of Mena outside the holy city of Mecca, where pilgrims stone the walls three times over three to four days, has been the scene of numerous stampedes, including one which killed 362 in 2006. The haj has also been marred in previous years by deadly fires, hotel collapses and police clashes with protesters” (Reuters).
12. South Korea: The worldwide economic downturn led South Korea’s central bank to record interest rate cuts, a full percentage point to 3%, more than expected.
13. Japan: The national economy, the second-largest in the world after the U.S., shrank by 0.5%, for an annualized rate of 1.8%, significantly greater than expected (BBC).
14. Papua New Guinea: Giant tidal waves battered the northern coastline’s 500-mile stretch, resulting in flooding, sweeping away homes and displacing thousands of people.
15. Australia:
“Australia’s unemployment rate has risen to 4.4%, the highest in 12 months, as the economy shed 15,600 jobs in November” (Reuters).
South Australia, the nation’s driest state, decided to purchase additional water supplies amid fears it will run out next year (BBC).
Authorities have identified more than 200 suspects in 70 countries connected with a child pornography network. Australian Federal Police charged 19 men from New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, and seized more than 15,000 videos and 500,000 images of child abuse during a 12-month investigation (ABC).
“Australia’s early childhood services are among the worst in the developed world, according to a UNICEF report that warns of the risk of placing children in care before the age of one. Among 25 developed countries Australia ranks third last, meeting only two of 10 benchmarks considered essential to protect children in their formative early years” (Sydney Morning Herald).
Friday, December 12, 2008
The Rapture - The Triumph of Patience
It’s amazing to listen to the cheap theology of our apostate generation. Cheap grace that covers lacy religion is the order of this last generation. Grace has become an excuse to live self-centered lives and yet claim discipleship with Christ. The Bible makes no such room for careless living. Grace does not cover for sin but breaks the power of sin. Patience is ceaseless surrender in the face of many difficulties to that power of grace at work in the believer’s heart. The rapture of each of us to His presence will be the triumph of patience.
Listen to the Apostle of grace as he instructs us to patience. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin” (Hebrews 12:1-4). The world will never be fair to the saints. There is no unity between us and a world under the sway of sin. We are the ones that must show them t he pure life and never expect them to understand the conflict until they are converted. We win others to Christ by patience.
“Let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” It is a race, a contest and an arena of spiritual sport. There is a world full of dark spirits, wickedness in high places, and we are the opponents to be defeated. Day by day we must see ourselves in this race and learn to deal with each conflict patiently.
The other person may treat you wrongly, but our Father says, “Love your enemies.” They may even hate you, but remember they hated Him first. Our struggle is never to be in a personal battle with individuals. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Ephesians 6:12-18) This is a struggle to the end. There is no coasting if you would win the prize. “In your patience, possess ye your soul” (Luke 21:19). The triumph of patience is the rapture of His saints.
The Rapture: Triumph of Holiness
Jesus plainly said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).You will never find one scripture in the Holy Bible that even suggests that those living in sin will inherit the eternal kingdom. The opposite is always declared without compromise. The glory of the rapture will be the triumph of Holiness. Pure, Godly, separated saints will be caught up to meet Jesus in the air. The true church from Pentecost until this hour has been badgered over Holiness above every other thought. Theology is important but it never causes the attack that Holiness does. People will divide over denominations, ideas of church government, and other ecclesiastical matters but nothing causes more disputes than right and wrong. What is the lifestyle acceptable to be called a Bible Christian is t he ultimate place for church war.
Sometimes the problem is mainly the argument over man-made standards. The church has often been deeply divided over Holiness issues that are not Holiness at all. It would be impossible to name or describe all the man-made standards imposed on believers. Good people with impure spirits have developed man-made ideas about right and wrong that reflect nothing but self-righteousness. There are a lot of Scriptures that can be twisted to support many different man-made convictions. They always do more harm than good.
Bible Holiness is not only right but the only way into the Kingdom. The Gospel said, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). His church is a Holiness church. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good wor ks, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation” (I Peter 2:9-12). Search the history of every great awakening—Waldensians, Anabaptists, Huguenots, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, or Pentecostals—in every case Holiness, separation from the world, was the character and culture. There is no such idea in Scripture of discipleship without Holiness.
I am not talking about man-made standards but a Biblical culture. Every human individual was created in the image of God. Our entire person was created in the Father’s likeness. As He is triune, in three persons, we are triune in spirit, soul, and body. There are three that bear witness in Heaven—Father, Son, and Holy Ghost—three that bear witness on earth—blood, water, and the spirit—and there is a three-fold witness in every human person. We were created “a little lower than the angels, but crowned with glory” (Psalm 8:5). Because of our creation in the image of God, the ultimate sin is to mar and defile that image which is ourselves.
Every commandment and restriction in Holy Scripture is based on our likeness to God. Sin is anything that reduces my life from the image of my Father. The commandments, both in the First and New Testaments are never given to restrict our liberties or to place bondage on our lives. They are given to protect His likeness in men, to keep us in His image and in His glory. That’s the culture of Holiness that will fill heaven and the New Earth and no one will inherit the Heavenly future without the Heavenly culture and lifestyle. The Bible teaches this culture and clearly makes it the only acceptable life in His family.
The Rapture will be the final triumph of Holiness over sin and worldly living. One church put the following on their outdoor sign, “The Rapture: Separation of Church & State.”
Listen to the Apostle of grace as he instructs us to patience. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin” (Hebrews 12:1-4). The world will never be fair to the saints. There is no unity between us and a world under the sway of sin. We are the ones that must show them t he pure life and never expect them to understand the conflict until they are converted. We win others to Christ by patience.
“Let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” It is a race, a contest and an arena of spiritual sport. There is a world full of dark spirits, wickedness in high places, and we are the opponents to be defeated. Day by day we must see ourselves in this race and learn to deal with each conflict patiently.
The other person may treat you wrongly, but our Father says, “Love your enemies.” They may even hate you, but remember they hated Him first. Our struggle is never to be in a personal battle with individuals. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Ephesians 6:12-18) This is a struggle to the end. There is no coasting if you would win the prize. “In your patience, possess ye your soul” (Luke 21:19). The triumph of patience is the rapture of His saints.
The Rapture: Triumph of Holiness
Jesus plainly said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).You will never find one scripture in the Holy Bible that even suggests that those living in sin will inherit the eternal kingdom. The opposite is always declared without compromise. The glory of the rapture will be the triumph of Holiness. Pure, Godly, separated saints will be caught up to meet Jesus in the air. The true church from Pentecost until this hour has been badgered over Holiness above every other thought. Theology is important but it never causes the attack that Holiness does. People will divide over denominations, ideas of church government, and other ecclesiastical matters but nothing causes more disputes than right and wrong. What is the lifestyle acceptable to be called a Bible Christian is t he ultimate place for church war.
Sometimes the problem is mainly the argument over man-made standards. The church has often been deeply divided over Holiness issues that are not Holiness at all. It would be impossible to name or describe all the man-made standards imposed on believers. Good people with impure spirits have developed man-made ideas about right and wrong that reflect nothing but self-righteousness. There are a lot of Scriptures that can be twisted to support many different man-made convictions. They always do more harm than good.
Bible Holiness is not only right but the only way into the Kingdom. The Gospel said, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). His church is a Holiness church. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good wor ks, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation” (I Peter 2:9-12). Search the history of every great awakening—Waldensians, Anabaptists, Huguenots, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, or Pentecostals—in every case Holiness, separation from the world, was the character and culture. There is no such idea in Scripture of discipleship without Holiness.
I am not talking about man-made standards but a Biblical culture. Every human individual was created in the image of God. Our entire person was created in the Father’s likeness. As He is triune, in three persons, we are triune in spirit, soul, and body. There are three that bear witness in Heaven—Father, Son, and Holy Ghost—three that bear witness on earth—blood, water, and the spirit—and there is a three-fold witness in every human person. We were created “a little lower than the angels, but crowned with glory” (Psalm 8:5). Because of our creation in the image of God, the ultimate sin is to mar and defile that image which is ourselves.
Every commandment and restriction in Holy Scripture is based on our likeness to God. Sin is anything that reduces my life from the image of my Father. The commandments, both in the First and New Testaments are never given to restrict our liberties or to place bondage on our lives. They are given to protect His likeness in men, to keep us in His image and in His glory. That’s the culture of Holiness that will fill heaven and the New Earth and no one will inherit the Heavenly future without the Heavenly culture and lifestyle. The Bible teaches this culture and clearly makes it the only acceptable life in His family.
The Rapture will be the final triumph of Holiness over sin and worldly living. One church put the following on their outdoor sign, “The Rapture: Separation of Church & State.”
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
The Gates of Hell
It’s disconcerting when one looks at prophecy concerning religious activities in the last days: prophecies such as ‘there will be a falling away’; ‘many false christs shall arise’ and ‘the love of many will wax cold’. You may even wonder, “God, are there any true Christians left in this world?” Elijah must have felt the same way because he told God ‘I only am left’; however, God told Elijah that He had seven thousand who had not bowed their knees to Baal (I Ki. 19:14-18). There has always been a remnant that believed and trusted in God. Will there be a true church, the body of Christ, when Jesus returns?
Matthew 16:18 “And I say unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”.
Notice that the builder and maker of the church is Christ himself. Jesus said ‘I will build my church’. Zechariah 6:11-13 “Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest; And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is THE BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord. Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both”. Jesus, a carpenter’s helper on earth, is very capable of building His church. Hebrews 12:2 states that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Jesus started this building and He will finish this building.
Jesus is the foundation upon which the church is built. Isaiah 28:16 “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”
Jesus promises to preserve and secure His church when it is built. The gates of hell shall not prevail against it. This assures us that the enemies of the church shall not gain their point. While the world stands, Christ will have a church in it, in which His truths and ordinances shall be owned and kept up, in spite of all the opposition of the powers of darkness; They shall not prevail against it. Psalms 129:2
“Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me”. 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed; Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time”.
The devil may tell you that the church is a useless institution; he may tell you that God won’t take care of you; he may tell you that God’s power is not the same; he may tell you that you can’t make it; he may tell you all sorts of evil decrees. However, the word of God tells us that the devil is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).
God is here to tell you that: He is still on the throne (Rev. 5:6); He loves you (Jer. 31:3); He will perform what He has promised (Rom. 4:21); He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8); and, He will fight for you (Deut. 3:22). Jesus has His true witnesses on this earth. The church does not stand or fall because of or in relation to the condition of the world. It doesn’t matter if a loaf of bread cost a day’s wages. It doesn’t matter if the stars fall from the sky. It doesn’t matter if the ocean dries up. The church stands because of the Rock it is built upon. Romans 8:37-39 “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”.
Matthew 16:18 “And I say unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”.
Notice that the builder and maker of the church is Christ himself. Jesus said ‘I will build my church’. Zechariah 6:11-13 “Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest; And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is THE BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord. Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both”. Jesus, a carpenter’s helper on earth, is very capable of building His church. Hebrews 12:2 states that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Jesus started this building and He will finish this building.
Jesus is the foundation upon which the church is built. Isaiah 28:16 “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”
Jesus promises to preserve and secure His church when it is built. The gates of hell shall not prevail against it. This assures us that the enemies of the church shall not gain their point. While the world stands, Christ will have a church in it, in which His truths and ordinances shall be owned and kept up, in spite of all the opposition of the powers of darkness; They shall not prevail against it. Psalms 129:2
“Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me”. 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed; Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time”.
The devil may tell you that the church is a useless institution; he may tell you that God won’t take care of you; he may tell you that God’s power is not the same; he may tell you that you can’t make it; he may tell you all sorts of evil decrees. However, the word of God tells us that the devil is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).
God is here to tell you that: He is still on the throne (Rev. 5:6); He loves you (Jer. 31:3); He will perform what He has promised (Rom. 4:21); He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8); and, He will fight for you (Deut. 3:22). Jesus has His true witnesses on this earth. The church does not stand or fall because of or in relation to the condition of the world. It doesn’t matter if a loaf of bread cost a day’s wages. It doesn’t matter if the stars fall from the sky. It doesn’t matter if the ocean dries up. The church stands because of the Rock it is built upon. Romans 8:37-39 “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”.
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