I have been reflecting on what a friend of mine related to me about a prophecy of a man named Kent Christmas in October 2023. His prophetic message is one of the Church rising up and evil being crushed. My friend had found it riveting and hopeful. However, there is a word of caution to be heeded here. So, please take into great consideration the following warnings of Jeremiah, Jesus, Micaiah, and others regarding prophecies of good said in the name of the Lord.
In Jeremiah 28 there is a man by the name of Hananiah who was the son of a prophet who proceeded to prophesy that the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon would be broken and that Israel would arise. Jeremiah at first responded in verse 8 that all the previous prophets, even of old, had prophesied AGAINST nations and kingdoms and that there would be war and pestilence and evil. But, he says in verse 9, “The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known that the Lord hath truly sent him.” In other words, a ‘good word’ of prophecy and the prophet who gives such is only to be taken seriously if it comes to pass.
Furthermore, where in the Bible does it say that the Church will arise? Does it not instead say that there will be an increase in martyrdom and persecution? Think of Revelation 6:9-11 wherein the martyrs under that altar in heaven are asking how much longer before God avenges their blood, and verse 11 states “that they should rest yet a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled.” And did not Jesus also say of the end times, “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you, and you shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake…” Matthew 24:9.
Last Sunday a guest speaker at my church wrongly stated that wars have historically stopped revival, and that we therefore, need to be praying against war and for world peace. What?! Was he truly saying that war trumps revival? That God is powerless to keep a revival going? But that our prayers are possibly powerful enough to keep revival going so that the billion soul harvest prophecy might be fulfilled? Seriously? What kind of unbiblical nonsense is this?
Jesus said there would be great deception, even deception on top of deception, with many lying false prophets and false teachers, wars and rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, amped up persecution, offenses, a severe loss of love, etc. And Jesus goes on to say, “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations and then the end shall come.” Notice that Jesus did not tell Christians to pray for world peace, but rather, he calls us to endure. For indeed, according to Jesus, war and all hell breaking loose does not, will not, cannot stop the gospel from moving forward. Do you see that in this passage? The gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in spite of it all. After all, the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church!!! Ever. Period.
Those calling for peace and security (1 Thessalonians 5:3), by the way, are those who are not watching and waiting and alert to the signs of the times, and while calling for peace and safety sudden destruction comes upon them. Sudden. Bam! So, praying for peace and security/safety does not sound like a biblically good idea at all.
Remember Jesus said there would be MANY false prophets and an abundance of deception just before Christ’s return. And the false prophets of the Old Testament always prophesied good things and were many in number, but God’s prophets, who were few in number, warned of immanent destruction if the people did not repent and return to Him.
Do you remember the story of Micaiah of 1 Kings 22? It is there that we see 400 prophets who prophesied victory to the king of Israel and Judah, but then they called for Micaiah who was God’s prophet. The one who went to retrieve Micaiah from prison said to him, “Behold now the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth. Let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them and speak what is good.” (vs 13). “And Micaiah said, ‘As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak.” (vs 14). Then, after feigning a good word, Micaiah spoke the word of the Lord, even sharing the incredible vision of a scene in heaven of the lying spirit that had been sent forth from the Lord into the mouths of all the prophets in order to bring about the demise of King Ahab.
In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus said, “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? And in Thy name have cast out devils? And in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me ye that work iniquity.”
I would therefore caution everyone about following any so-called prophet that prophesies anything “good”. Listen carefully to what they say and weigh it heavily with the word of God. And if you do not know the Bible well enough, get in the word of God now. Read it. Memorize it. Think on it. For it alone 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.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
The devil comes as an angel of light, and is extremely adept at using the word of God to our demise and deception. This is why we not only must know the word of God but also must have the manifestation of discernment (1 Corinthians 14), and must test the spirits to see if they are from God (1 John 4:1). “For such are false apostles deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15) Modern day false teachers and prophets use the word of God a lot. But then listen carefully, for in the next breath they will say something contrary to what they just said. Or they will redefine words to adapt it to their purpose. Be on your guard, for they are slick as a slippery snake speaking out of both sides of their mouth.
Remember, these are the last days, and the number one sign of the last days according to Jesus in Matthew 24 is deception. And he was not speaking about people in the world being deceived, but rather, was speaking of and to believers who will heed the voices of false teachers and false prophets. And if that is not sobering enough reflect on this, “Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition…whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3, 9-12) And reflect on this, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron…” (1 Timothy 4:1), and this, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
Do not let this be you!
So, the next time you hear “good” spoken in the name of the Lord, be on you guard, for many false prophets have arisen (Matthew 24:11), seducing many with their “good” words (2 Timothy 3:13) that numb the senses so that we can no longer detect what time it is in this world. Therefore, do not so readily believe “good” words. Instead, stand fast in the Bible, and do not be moved.
In the just the past week there have been ample, multiplied opportunities to be offended at my own church. It is wearying really. But, aside from my own personal feelings and experiences, I am perceiving a deep issue in “the Church” of the Western world, and that issue is a lack of familial unity and ultimately a lack of love. Though I am a researcher, the following is of my reflections regarding this, not a study.
This perception has reminded me of an outdoor cat we had for three years, and in all three of those years did not let us touch her even once. Oh, she stayed on our property almost exclusively, ate the food we fed her, slept on the heated outdoor bed we provided, knew the name that we called her which was “Shadow”, and enjoyed the daily visits of our indoor cats. But, she absolutely never let us touch her.
When I told others about her, they would tell me heartwarming tales of elusive cats who eventually came close enough to be petted and were forever tamed once stroked by a human hand. But, not Shadow!
Regardless of her stubborn, willful ‘dementia’, I loved her very much. My family was annoyed with her at times, and thought I was crazy to still feed and care for her. But in truth, I was never offended by thoughts that she didn’t like me, nor did I ever think that I’d done something wrong to make her not like me. Actually, I came to accept the fact that I would never touch her, and never grew impatient with her misguided fear. Instead, she was precious to me. Every quirk was special. Just making eye contact with her was priceless. Seeing her lap up the milk each night made my heart sing. Yes, she was peculiar. Yes, she was silly. Yes, she was ridiculous. But she was darling to me.
Have you noticed how people are with their pets, or grandchildren if you’re not a pet person? So loving. So forgiving. So kind. So gentle. So pampering. The cat throws up in their shoes, and their owner, though disgusted, cleans it up without reprimand. The dog chews up their trash while they’re gone all day, and they scold the dog briefly and then are softened by the big sad eyes of their naughty canine. The child uses your lipstick to produce a Picasso on your bathroom wall, and though you might initially scold the little one their crying leads you to get them a bowl of ice cream. The dog is a bit nippy, but it’s because he needs a treat. The cat is grumpy, but oh, isn’t she cute? The bird squawks annoyingly, but it’s because he’s nervous and needs some baby talk. And if a beloved pet becomes lost, we put up posters, send out announcements all over social media, and call friends and neighbors to find that precious pet in order to bring them home as soon as possible! After all, it’s all about the pet or child – how cute they are in spite of any bad behavior. They don’t earn your love. They just look at you and you love them.
But, in contrast, have you ever noticed how Christians are with each other? So unloving. So unforgiving. So unkind. So harsh. So quickly offended. Someone said something or didn’t say something. Someone did or didn’t do something. Someone should have just known better. How they looked at me or didn’t look at me. How they acted or didn’t act around me. If they invited me or didn’t invite me. And if a Christian who disagreed with me or offended me or was strange disappears from church, well, then, ‘good riddance, they were trouble anyway’! After all, it’s all about whether or not they treat me well or agree with me on every topic – for they need to earn my love and forgiveness.
Perhaps, however, we need to learn something from my cat Shadow. To begin with, we Christians are an odd lot, full of idiosyncrasies, irascible tendencies and strange behaviors, insecurities, and varying backgrounds. But, like my cat (if I can truly call her mine) each Christian (including you and me) is only receptive to a point based on all of their life experiences. But their receptivity and resistance has nothing to do with anyone else. Their behavior is not usually about me. It’s not usually about you. It’s their quirk; it’s their own disconnectedness; it’s their insecurity. And just like I unquestioningly loved my insecure cat who only appeared to reject me all the time, I need to love each brother and sister in Christ and be quick to forgive. I need to more readily love them as I did Shadow, and quit wanting/requiring them to be different than they are, quit placing such a high standard upon them, quit placing on them such great expectations. And really, I need to quit taking things so personally.
Indeed, perhaps this is why Jesus calls us to be quick to forgive, to be tenderhearted and warmly affectionate toward each other – in spite of our ridiculous short comings! Yes, perhaps we ought to see each other as cute, instead of aggravating. Yes, perhaps we ought to consider each other as adorable instead of unforgivable. And I want to be clear here – I am talking about the ins and outs of church life, not egregious sins. I am talking about offense, not murder. I am talking about quirks, not doctrinal error. Yes, in our day to day life, perhaps we ought to be more patient with each other, and think more of what pain or grief or other reasons that each might be going through that brought about such a response that hurt out feelings or made things inconvenient for us. Yes, we all have weaknesses, and each of us wants to be understood and loved and cared for in spite of them. Don’t we? Yes, perhaps we ought to treat each other more like a beloved pet or child instead of an enemy.
And even if someone is in error biblically speaking or is not doing something correctly, it is not for us to change them. Rather, we are to do our part in gentle correction and insight (2 Timothy 2:25), but we ought not be so impatient with them to change immediately. Change often comes over time. Change comes by the Holy Spirit. Even Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3 that some sow seed, some water, but it is God who gives the increase. So, why are we so impatient with people, when it is God’s job to change them? Let’s remember that Jesus did not run after the rich young ruler to compel him to give up everything right now, on the double quick! Instead, Jesus declared how hard it was for those who are rich and who trust in those riches to enter the kingdom of God, but then stated that “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible,” (Mark 10:27) And even more incredibly in the Mark 10 account, it says in verse 21, “Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him…” Not only does the change lie with God, but can you honestly say that when someone does not appear to have heeded what you’ve said that you have looked at them and loved them? Jesus fixed His gaze upon this man with special interest and deep love. Have you? Have you longed for them, like Jesus said of Jerusalem in Matthew 23, “37O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!”?
In this life we may never agree on everything, but we must all agree on one thing – love. It is love that holds us all together like glue. It is love that keeps the Church from falling apart. It is love that keeps us from dividing into a million pieces. It is love that binds all together in perfect unity. We are not enemies. We are family. Don’t let any whispering, conniving devil of hell convince you otherwise! Perhaps if we treat each other like we do our pets, we would not need to go to personal retreats or long for revival, because we would actually be the Church that Christ prayed that we would be.
We can all say, yes, I agree with this. Yes, everyone needs to be more loving. But, here’s the deal. It starts with you. It starts with me. Someone needs to lead. Someone needs to show others how it’s done. Someone needs to love first. And that someone is you and me. (Romans 12:9-21, Philippians 2:1-8, 1 Corinthians 13) And no, others may not follow our lead. Others may get even more exasperating. And yes, in the beginning you’ll wonder why you always have to be the leader. But you must overcome resentment and not be weary in well-doing, for in the end you’ll reap a harvest if you do not faint (Galatians 6:9). We are too earthly minded, wanting our rewards and benefits now. But, this is not he aven. This is more like boot camp wherein our faith is tested and tried in the fire of affliction, and wherein we are to be bonding like soldiers in basic training. For in “the end” we will reap that harvest the likes of which we have no concept of now, for our light afflictions are nothing compared to the eternal weight of glory that awaits us (2 Corinthians 4:17).
Christians are not our enemies no matter how strange each of us may individually be, or how long it may take each of us to learn. We are on the same team. We are fellow soldiers. We are family. We are apart of one body – the body of Christ. We are the Bride. Even so, let us love each other unconditionally – even like beloved pets and kids.
Jesus is coming soon. It’s time to be ready!
Your Sibling in Christ,
Holy Light Ministries
For more on loving each other please refer to this link:
Over the past 2.5 years I have embarked on the tumultuous sea in the ship of a particular church, and it has been much like Paul’s journey in Acts 27 – for there have been at least 11 reasons to have left in that short period of time, and countless times I thought of abandoning ship. This article is actually one of my many testimonies coupled with a powerful revelation concerning loving our fellow Christians, Romans 14, and the matter of “conscience”. It is a Bible study and testimony rolled into one: they are inseparable for me at this time. I pray you are blessed by both.
The present testimony I am about to reveal began with overhearing a prayer of one of my elders approximately nine months ago. No, I did not actually “attend” that prayer meeting for circumstances did not permit it. But, for a few minutes I lingered outside the door where a group were praying, and it was while lingering that I heard the elder’s prayer that the church would “love each other”.
Being frankly honest, I was upset by the prayer, and I remember distinctly thinking to myself, ‘that is not what is needed right now. What’s needed is repentance. What’s needed is holiness. What’s needed is a moving of the Holy Spirit in conviction and power.’ Needless to say, I was unimpressed by that seemingly flimsy prayer and the phlegmatic and laid back manner in which he had prayed it. ‘Where is the passion?’ I fumed.
Needless to say, I did not stay for that prayer meeting but slipped out and into the night unnoticed. Well, almost unnoticed. God noticed. And God has pursued me with that prayer that was more powerful in its quiet delivery than I ever thought possible. Isn’t it amazing who we influence when we have absolutely no idea???!!! For in the last few months wherein I seriously considered leaving my little church many times, God not only reminded me through dreams, as well as His still small voice, to remain at the church, He has revealed to me the depths of His great love for the Church worldwide and the importance of Christians loving each other.
I’m now going to share with you my testimony of this treasured revelation. And yes, I am going to be frank and upfront about what lead me to this revelation. First and foremost, God opened my eyes to my deep-seated resentment toward the worship leadership for having shunned me last year when I confided to them that I could not in good conscience lead in certain songs (for more on what I mean, please refer the link below entitled “Do Not Be Deceived: An Angel of Light”). The worship team hardly made eye contact with me for months after that, and did not speak to me. I thought of leaving the church, but I had at that point invested so much prayer and tears into the church and loved the people so much and kept recalling a dream I’d had of my church before I even knew that they existed that I did not and could not leave.
Anyway… I forgave the worship team for their actions, and eventually reached out with hugs and questions about how they were doing etc. But, as time went on I found myself loathing the fact that they were allowed to persist in leading worship and to lead in other areas in the church, and were highly respected in the church, and that I meanwhile was just a pew warmer. Upon realizing this one day, I took the matter before the Lord, and asked with great sincerity and a lot of tears that this resentment be removed from my heart. I did not want it there. And… God took it. And in its place was this warmth of feeling toward my siblings-in-Christ, and a rejoicing in what God was doing in and through them in the body of Christ, that God was molding them and making them and using them for His glory. Oh what a change! Oh what a miracle that took place in my heart via the incredible, transforming power of the Holy Spirit!
But, that was just the beginning!
What had been brewing in my spirit for some time before that was Philippians 1:9-10 which says, “9And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” The Apostle Paul therein is praying that God’s people will overflow with agape love both experienced first hand and given through the sizing up of situations that we might give the best and the most excellent form of love in each situation. He prays that this love will abound in us in order that we also might be sincerely pure – the kind of pureness that is transparent – so pure that it can survive the test of sunlight; and in order that we might be blameless, not causing people any great inner pain of offense. We are not to be thinking about ourselves and what we have received or not received, but rather be thinking about what others need and how to best meet those needs.
After ruminating on this for months and finally coming to full forgiveness, God lead me to Romans 12 and 14. First He showed me Romans 12:9-13. “9Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.” Breaking this down very briefly, I’ve come to find that this is speaking of genuine love that is tenderhearted toward each other as fellow Christians and is the type of love that takes the lead in serving other Christians and in recognizing the irreplaceable value of each brother and sister in Christ. This love treasures each person far above all things. It is agape love that regards the other person’s true need beneath their imperfect actions and reactions, their extreme sensitivities, or even irrational behavior.
The picture I always get of agape is of a wife who has run up a bunch of credit card debt, and her husband just opened the bill. But the husband instead of simply cutting up the cards or erupting in a rage, looks to the deeper need behind these actions, for he “regards” his wife. In other words, he sees through the bad, compulsive behavior that appears to be greedy and out of control and irresponsible (which it is), to the deep need in her heart that began back when her daddy abandoned the family, and the only way she felt complete was to go shopping with her girlfriends. And now the husband reflects on the fact that he’s been too busy with work and his wife has been home alone too much, and what she really needs is not more clothes and home renovations and jewelry, but his attention and time. So, in that moment when the husband could erupt and cancel all the credit cards and even file for divorce, instead makes the decision to immediately hug his wife and to ultimately work less hours and to spend more quality time with his wife, to meet her need for security that she did not have as a child.
That is what God did for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We had run up a debt too. But, people were looking and are looking for, “shopping for” a political savior, a national leader to intervene that they might defeat their physical enemies and have prosperity and peace. But what they needed and still need is a spiritual Savior from eternal death, hell and the grave. So, God in His agape sent us His one and only begotten Son Jesus to be that Savior of an eternal spiritual freedom, an eternal spiritual prosperity, an eternal spiritual peace, and ultimately to set up an eternal spiritual and physical kingdom that will have no end.
That is agape.
Before continuing, I want to be clear that agape does not allow for habitual sin nor for doctrinally unsound teaching or unbiblical beliefs any more than true love would knowingly allow one to jump off of a cliff or to eat poison.
Continuing on with my testimony, God took me deeper into the realization that the body of Christ really does not know how to show this kind of love, and therefore, they have not been walking in love at all towards each other. We all think we know what love is and should look like, but in reality, we all fail miserably. There is a great misunderstanding regarding what love is, for most have in their minds and hearts the definition that Hollywood and Disney have taught us – the kind of love that tolerates sin, is based in emotions, makes one feel good, and is as fleeting as snow on a summer’s day.
We have come to cling to a personal, selfish love, that needs affirmation and agreement in order to thrive. But this is not agape.
And I have been weeping and praying that the Bride of Christ will indeed begin to truly love each other – God’s way, with the “regarding” kind of love that lays one’s life down, is unselfish and “sees” and loves in the “most excellent way” for each individual Christian.
And then God lead me to Romans 14-15. Oh my goodness! What a treasure trove of what “laying down one’s life” looks like. For indeed, Jesus did not necessarily expect us to physically lay down our lives. But who thinks of these things? Who really looks into what is means to “lay down your life for your friends”? Who really understands John and 1 John? Who really meditates on what agape really looks like?
Before plowing into Romans 14-15, Romans 13 sets the stage by addressing loving each other as first of all keeping God’s moral laws, and ends with Christians “putting on Christ” and being clothed in “armor of light”. This is the basis from which we are to start, but it is not where we are to end. For Paul explains another way to love each other based not on morality but on conscience.
Thus, Romans 14 begins with the inclusiveness of the body of Christ. And by inclusiveness, I mean those who are weak and those who are strong both being included. By weak it is meant those whose conscience is sensitive; those who cannot and are not free to do certain things because of conscience. By strong it is meant those whose conscience is resilient; those who can and are free to do various things. In Romans 14 the examples given are eating meat (that is likely not kosher, even sacrificed to idols – 1 Corinthians 8), drinking wine (not kosher), and the treating of a certain day or days more special than another (likely referring to the Sabbath or festival days). The weak could not eat non-kosher meat that had been sacrificed to idols, could not drink the wine, and they saw certain days as more holy than others. It is quite probable that Paul is referring to the Christian Jews in Roman churches as the “weak”. Whereas there were the Gentile believers who could eat any meat, drink any wine, and saw all days as holy. This concept is very closely akin to 1 Corinthians 8-10, except that 1 Corinthians did not have to do with Jewish Christians, and instead dealt with Christians who had come out of idolatry having difficulty eating meat sacrificed to idols. But, the concept of weak and strong in conscience are the same.
First of all, according to Romans 14:1 the weak were to be welcomed by the strong without the strong attempting to persuade the weak to their side with judgmental debate. Rather, they were to be accepted with open arms, without question, without argumentation, and without being despised for their inability to participate in certain things.
Secondly, everyone was worshiping God – the one not eating meat and the one eating meat; the one drinking wine and the one not drinking wine, the one keeping the Sabbath on Saturday and the one keeping every day as holy unto the Lord. If it was done with thanksgiving (vs 6) and in good conscience (vs 5) they were not to judge nor despise each other for their liberty or for their sensitivity.
But – and here is where it breaks my heart – in verse 13 it states that one is to discern when what one is doing is causing another to painfully, grievously trip (like the pain of stubbing one’s toe – think of the great pain felt throughout your entire body when you stub your toe!!!) or if one is causing a brother/sister in the Lord to stumble in sin by doing something contrary to their conscience, then it is time to stop it. Doesn’t matter how good something might be or how seemingly innocent, if it is hurting your brother/sister it must be given up (to be clear, this is not referring to doctrinal matters nor to sin).
“15Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.” This grief that is being caused is severe, emotional pain and horrific, acute vexation. This happens when one is so mournful over the stronger brother’s liberty to eat, drink or do something that they come to think their liberated brother is sinning. Thus Paul writes, “16Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil…” For what good is a Christian leading in a worship song that others consider a sin because of the source of that song? A worship leader or team may have good intentions using a certain song, but when it becomes destructive and does not edify those who cannot sing it, what good is it really? They may feel right in what they do, but what good is being right if your brother in Christ is hurt by your action?
This is when Paul states under the direction of the Spirit of God that “…the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.” In other words, our pleasure in this life is not what this life is about nor is it what the kingdom of God is about. Rather, serving Christ in all things is the goal, to seek first the kingdom of God. And how is one serving Christ if one is hurting one’s brother in Christ for whom Christ died?
Thus it goes on to say, “19Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 20Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.”
And I wept over this. Wept. And I still do. Do not destroy – for the sake of food. Do not destroy the work of God, the priceless Temple of God for food, or for a right to be right, or for a liberty in face of one who does not have such a liberty. Do not lose your brother or sister in Christ for the sake of one’s right or freedom or pleasure. Do not count anything more valuable than each individual member of the body of Christ. For it is not good to do anything by which your sibling in Christ will become tripped up in painful grief, be lead away to sin against their conscience, or be made literally, physically ill (vs 21)!!!!
Following my full forgiveness of the worship team and God taking away my resentment, another issue was uncovered in my heart that had kept me weeping day and night. I seriously thought that the congregation might be sinning unknowingly by singing certain songs. Now these songs were thankfully doctrinally sound. But knowing the questionable place where the songs had come from, I was extremely pained that the people were quite possibly welcoming in the wrong spirit. It is similar to if they were singing Mormon songs to our Lord however biblically accurate they may be. And I wept and wept and thought seriously of leaving again.
Now I know I was the “grieved” “weaker” Christian. Not only had worship team shunned me for my wounded conscience and serious concerns, but now I was deeply grieved, cut to the heart not only by the songs but by what might be happening to the people.
But God…
That’s when my loving God, my awesome God, my sincerely precious treasure of a God spoke into the situation and guided me into this truth of Romans 14 and 15 by His darling Holy Spirit, telling me and showing me that the people were indeed worshiping Him. I heard my Lord’s voice say, “They’re worshiping me.” And I cried tears of relief and joy in that split second of revealed truth, and Romans 14 comforted me which states that they were doing it unto the Lord. And the Lord quieted me with His comforting, still, small voice, and the potent nature of the Word of God sprang to life in that marvelous rhema word moment. No one was sinning by singing the songs. Praise the Lord that my dearest God cared to show me this!! This does not change the fact that the songs still come from an “idol temple” so to speak. But now I know that my sitting and not singing during those songs is pleasing to the Lord, and their standing and singing those songs is also pleasing to the Lord. And I am beyond relieved. I am elated!
And praise the Lord that He went on to show me even more, a treasure trove of countless worth, a mine made entirely of gold and fine gemstones beyond number. And I am in awe. In awe of love. The love we are called to as the body of Christ, the kind of love that sets aside all rights for the sake of the heart of a fellow Christian, the kind of love that does not expect immediate results but instead waits on the Holy Spirit to work patiently upon each person, even the kind of love that dies to self for the sake of another’s conscience. Just think of that! Because of conscience! This is the kind of love that lays down one’s life – by giving up the right to sing a song, or giving up the right to call a holiday by a pagan name, or giving up the right to drink alcohol in public, or giving up the right to shop at a certain store, or giving up the right to drink Dr Pepper in the presence of those who think it is a sin – for the sake of brotherly love, agape love, and God who is Love itself.
Truly and interestingly enough we are all “weak” in certain things and “strong” in others. Perhaps that’s why we are to do unto others as we would have them do unto us – so that when we find ourselves weak at any point, we will also find ourselves loved and not abandoned.
I was the “strong” in a certain situation. I was out to lunch with my boss and a co-worker, when the topic of the possibility of aborted fetal tissue being in Pepsi products came up. My co-worker was talking about this as my Dr. Pepper arrived. But, cognitive dissonance strongly kicked in, and I dismissed everything being said and went on to drink my Dr. Pepper in spite of all warnings – because I really wanted that sparkly, fizzy soda! Soon thereafter, however, wanting to know what was going on, I looked into Pepsi and found out that they had been using a research company that utilized aborted fetal tissue in their labs. There was no proof of the tissue getting into the soda, but the fact that they used the tissue of murdered babies in research was beyond appalling. I went up to my co-worker later and apologized that I had not even just for my co-worker’s conscience sake sent the Dr. Pepper back and gotten an iced tea instead. It didn’t matter that I did not understand and could not believe what was being communicated. It was real to my co-worker and I needed to in love respect that. No, there was likely nothing wrong with the soda. But, there was something wrong with my heart as the “strong” that cared more for drinking a soda than for loving my concerned sibling in Christ.
Even so, Romans 15 continues,“1We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. 3For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.”” Indeed, the strong are to “carry” the “doubts” of the “powerless”, and are not to please themselves. Instead, they are be quick to lead by serving and giving up things for the purpose of edifying those who are uncertain about things. They are to lead not by attempting to persuade the weak that they are wrong, but rather, the strong are to lay aside their right to be right for the sake of the weaker brother.
Truly the agenda of each Christian is to be that of edifying one another, and to care about the spiritual well being of the body of Christ, and to not beat and wound our fellow Christian servants like the unjust, abusive servant whose master tarried in his return (Matthew 24:45-51; Luke 12:35-48). That unjust and unfaithful servant was all about what he wanted, for it says that he ate and drank and became drunk. He was unconcerned about his brother and sister servants’ needs or weaknesses or sensitivities or conscience (Matthew 24’s account), and disregarded the fact that the servants he was to care for are God’s invaluable little children (Luke 12’s account).
How many sheep have wandered off from the flock of ninety-nine – bitten, bleeding, bruised and offended? And yes, sheep bite! How many of these have not been sought to come back, but are simply let go because it is reasoned that they’ll simply find another church? And how many well meaning Christians have attempted reconciliation but fallen far short because they were all about defending their opinions and reasons for doing something and not at all about loving that wounded person? How many of the strong simply shrug and let the 1 go? How many of the strong didn’t want to hear what the weak were saying because it required that the 99 give something up, that they had to die for the 1? How many are still church-less and unsought and unloved? (This is all from Matthew’s account of the sheep in Matthew 18 which has to do with offense not sinners).
Along with this incredible forgiveness and revelation, God took me deeper in His word, and I am touched in the depths of my soul. Oh the wealth of truth! Oh how priceless each Christian is! Oh how invaluable each brother and sister’s conscience is even when it doesn’t make sense! Oh how astounding the love of Christ for each of us that He laid aside His rights for us, that we might have life and life more abundantly! Oh the captivating beauty of His great sacrificial love that clothed in the flesh of a servant took the lead in humility and grace, dying for us who were so unworthy of such love! Oh how we who are clothed in Christ are now to take the lead in such humility toward one another no matter how weak or doubtful or seemingly ignorant some brothers and sisters may appear! For we see through a glass darkly (1 Corinthians 13), and are still in the process of coming to the “unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).This is the mind that is to be in us, that precious mind of Christ, so humble, so considerate, so patient, so kind, so tenderhearted, so selfless, so filled to overflowing with the LOVE of God!!!!!
“5Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.”” (Romans 15).
We are not going to agree on everything. This is clear from Romans 14. Even Ephesians 4:11-13 and 1 Corinthians 13:12 also clearly reveals this. Thus, being “like-minded” is obviously not about agreeing on everything – after all, there are matters of “conscience”. Rather, it is all about love, for love covers a multitude of sins (Proverbs 10:12; 1 Peter 4:8; Psalm 32:1). For we are all still learning. All of us are at different levels of knowledge. Some are spiritually in kindergarten, others are freshmen in high school. And some might be in advanced math, but are far behind in social studies. But with one mind each of us are to determine to lead others in selfless love, and to receive one another’s fellowship wholeheartedly! For if we love Jesus, we will keep His commandments (John 14:15), and His commandment is that we love one another (John 15:12). And the world will know us by our love for one another (John 13:35). And on top of this – like the cherry on top – Jesus prayed we’d love each other that His joy might remain in us, that our joy might be full (John 15:11).
And I want to say it again, we’re not going to agree on everything. There will be differences of opinion on many things including what color the carpet should be, if hymns should be sung exclusively, if a Christmas tree is appropriate or mistletoe or holly for that matter, if one should celebrate God’s biblical holidays in a Jewish way or not, and the list goes on and on. But, I want to remind those reading this that these arguments no matter how logical, ought never sever us as the body of Christ. And the time to draw the line in any conversation is when what is being discussed is doing one of three things to your brother/sister in Christ and is doing one of two things to you. The three things to watch out for in love concerning your siblings in Christ are these: is what is being discussed cutting them to the heart in grief, making them physically ill, or persuading them to do something that goes against their conscience — because to go against conscience is a sin. So, are you causing them to sin? Are you making them ill? Are you causing them deep grief?
And when it comes to your own heart take heed to the words of Romans 14:3-4 which says (emphasis mine), “3Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.” Remember, those who could not eat had a good reason not to do so: the meat had been sacrificed to idols and/or was not kosher, and this meant something to them — indeed they honored God by not eating. And those who could eat the meat had a good reason for being able to do so: the meat was given to them by God and they were thankful for it — and they honored God by eating. So, are you despising your fellow Christian because of their heartfelt stance and inability to do something? Or are you judging your fellow Christian because they are able to do something that you are not at liberty to do? What is in your heart? Really? This isn’t about your sibling’s heart. This is about yours. Let the Holy Spirit search you and know you and reveal to you what’s really going on in your heart (Psalm 139:23; Psalm 4:4). Let’s be careful not to be like the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2 which Jesus said had lost their first love. What is this first love? Jesus. And what does Jesus say about loving Him? “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). And what are these commandments? “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Indeed, Romans 12:10 says of this love, “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”
Oddly enough, in the situations at my church, I was the “weak”; I was the offended. But the strong did not come to me nor seek me out. The “strong” did what the “strong” usually do; they held onto being right; they held onto their liberty, much as I did with the Dr. Pepper. But God…God opened my eyes and my broken heart and used this harrowing journey and would not let me get off of the rocky ride so as to learn this lesson and testify. Indeed, in my weakness He was and is still strong! (2 Corinthians 12). And I’d have it no other way! For oh the glorious strength of God!!! Even when I, as the “weaker” Christian of Romans 14, was overwhelmed by deep grief and a gravely injured conscience, God held me fast against all odds – not by might, not by power, but by His Holy Spirit – for He wanted me to see His purpose accomplished in both me and the church.
Has it been easy for me to be warmly affectionate toward the “strong” who’ve hurt me at church and who are still very set in their opinions? I have really good days, but I also have bad days wherein I am stiffer and more distant than I ought to be. I want to encourage you as one who is on this same journey of learning how to love our brothers and sisters in Christ, that it is not always going to be easy. The narrow way is not narrow not wide, and narrow is not easy (Matthew 7:14). Jesus never said it would be. He just calls us to love, and then puts it in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). His grace is sufficient, is it not? And His strength is always made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). When we are weak, He is strong, and He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). So, let’s set our hearts to do exactly what He desires: to love one another as He has loved us (John 13:34). So let us keep choosing to love each other and value each person as an invaluable treasure, far more precious than anything else in this world.
Indeed, that seemingly passionless prayer my elder prayed months ago that we love one another, rocked my world. And I will never be the same. I pray that whoever you are as you read this, that you will be touched deeply by this incredible discovery of Romans 14 regarding the “weak” and the “strong.” I do not profess to fully understand why God honors “conscience”, but He does. Therefore, we should too.
I need to warn you all about something that I just learned. I know people never thought they’d ever hear of the big ‘C’ o v id word again. I know so many thought that they had finally gotten back to normal. Everyone has been very content to catch their breath and go back to their vacations and camping and working hard and enjoying life. But, those who are setting up the new world order have not ceased their agenda and have therefore remained busy starting fires and other weather events as well as instigating WWIII. But along with this they are eagerly preparing for another round of the big ‘C’, nicknamed Eris. To know more about it, please check out this article posted August 14, 2023, https://www.reuters.com/world/what-is-eris-new-covid-variant-2023-08-14/.
What I want share in this article is the significance of the word ‘Eris’ which is the nickname being attributed to the new variant. Last time they used a lot of Greek letter names for the big ‘C’. The nickname for this one, though not a Greek letter, is definitely a Greek word. And not only is it a Greek word, it is also the name of a Greek goddess. And the name of this Greek word and goddess reveal the plan of the principalities and powers in heavenly places as well as the elites of earth this time around as they strategize mankind’s demise and ultimately the overthrow of God from His throne.
The Greek word ‘Eris’ literally means “strife” (# 2054, https://biblehub.com/greek/2054.htm). It describes a “readiness to quarrel”, a “contentious spirit” and an “affection for dispute.”
The Greek goddess Eris was just that, the goddess of every form of strife, quarrels, contention, fighting, debates, divisions, dissension, and discord. Her Roman counterpart was Discordia, while her exact opposite was the Greek goddess Harmonia and Roman goddess Concordia. According to various sources, she enjoyed causing every kind of discordant human emotion, and found great glee in watching humans fight over any and everything. She is known to have placed a ‘golden apple’ in a party that lead to a quarrel as to whom should receive it which in turn lead to the Trojan war. Eris even enjoyed the strife on bloody battlefields and often accompanied her brother Ares, the god of war, to scenes of war. (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Eris-Greek-and-Roman-mythology; https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Eris/eris.html)
“In the Iliad, Homer (c. 750 BCE) mentions her as being the sister of Ares, making her the child of Zeus and Hera. However, according to most sources, including Hesiod’s (c. 700 BCE) Theogony, Eris was the last-born child of Nyx (the personification of the night). Eris gave birth to many children of her own, who all represented dark and harmful things that could arise from discord and conflict:
‘And hateful strife gave birth to wretched Work, Forgetfulness, and Famine, tearful Pains, Battles and Fights, Murders, Killings of men, Quarrels and Lies and Stories and Disputes, And Oath, who brings most grief to men on earth When anyone swears falsely, knowing it.’(Hesiod, Theogony, 225-230)” https://www.worldhistory.org/Eris/
Why would the nickname of the next so-called ‘C’ o v id variant bear the nickname of Eris?
The devil has known since the tower of Babel in Genesis 11 wherein the inhabitants of the earth who had been unified and of one mind were brought to disruption, division, and disunity by the confusion that God caused, and that “a kingdom divided cannot stand” (Mark 3:24). He also knows that Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane the night before His crucifixion in John 17 that Christians “21…all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” The devil also knows that of the seven things that the Lord hates, sowing discord among the brothers is one of them (Proverbs 6:16-19), and that those who do such things will “not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21).
Thus, I am calling on all Christians reading this article, DO NOT get caught up in the spirit of strife that is about to descend like a tidal wave upon this world and even the Church. The golden apple of strife has been thrust into our midst and the seed of discord is ready to spring up in our midst as Satan stands gleeful that you will take the bait. But, you oh Christian, do not partake of that golden apple!!! A so-called apple caused the fall of mankind to begin with, let it not cause the fall of Christianity in the final moments of history. The kingdom of God is within us (Luke 17:20-21), and we as the priests of a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9) that is not of this world (John 18:36) must unite against all odds. Be on your guard, for your enemy the devil is roaming about seeking whom he may devour, and he means business (1 Peter 5:8).
I remind you now, that Jesus has called us Christians to be “like-minded”, and this like-mindedness does not mean that we will all agree on everything. Just look at Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 13:12, and Ephesians 4:11-13. Rather, being “like-minded” and being unified as one like Jesus prayed is all about being linked and interlocked together in this indomitable, impenetrable self-sacrificial love. As Philippians 2 so eloquently states, “1Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…” This love is the agape kind that regards each fellow Christian as treasured and valued. It the kind of love that lays one’s life down for the sake of their brother or sister in Christ, not by literally dying but by laying aside our own pleasures, our own agendas, our own comforts and our goals for another’s sake. Jesus even says that if we truly love Him (John 14:21) then we will keep His commandment, and His commandment is that we love each other (John 15:12).
And I am not talking about tolerating sin or affirming unsound and unscriptural doctrines. God forbid! What I am referring to are other differences of opinion regarding non-salvation issues, such as the v a c c ine. Seriously. Let it drop. It is not a salvation issue. Just love each other! And do not let anyone tear you apart.
Please, determine now within your hearts to love each other and that in your pursuit for truth you will not grow cold toward your fellow Christians. Just read about the Ephesian church in Revelation 2. The Ephesians had been zealous for truth, had defended doctrinal purity, had defended the faith, but in so doing had also lost their first love. Their first love was Jesus. Coupled with that, which many miss, is the fact that to love Jesus is to love our fellow Christians. Indeed, no matter how misled some have been regarding the v a x x, no matter how misled they may be about certain music or holidays or names for holidays or pork or wine or total immersion vs infant baptism, if you both believe that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son Jesus (John 3:16), and that Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day (Romans 10) and is coming again soon, then you are siblings in Christ and are commanded by Jesus to love each other. Period. So, if you’ve lost that love, it is time to repent deeply, and after repenting of your lack of love, ask the Lord to fill you with love for one another again. That’s the kind of prayer He delights in answering, for He is in complete agreement.
Without this love, we will not stand. Without this love, all desires for revival are a bunch of noise.
The days ahead are going to be increasingly evil, horrifically dark, and piercingly cold as “Eris” strife is loosed upon the masses via a sadistic ritual producing strife between people about the v a x x, financial hardship, world war, political intrigue, more weather related disasters, and the like. I admonish you: Do not let it divide you!! Let us not be like the unfaithful servant who “says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ 49and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, brothers and sisters in Christ (Matthew 24). How do we beat up our brothers and sisters? How about with our words? How about by not providing for one another’s physical, emotional, financial and spiritual needs? How about through political stances, blowing things out of proportion, impatience, selfishness, pursuit of our own comfort or protection, exploding over what is happening, walking in fear and refusing to forgive?
Jesus has called us to love each other, and to look up when these things begin to come to pass because our redemption is drawing near (Luke 21:28). Like Jesus, our kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36); Like Abraham we are looking for a city whose builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11:10); like all those in the hall of Faith we must recognize that we are pilgrims and strangers (Hebrews 11:13) in this world that is very much in its death throws of passing away. Thus, I conclude in agreement with the Holy Spirit and the Apostle Paul, “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” (Philippians 2:14-16).
The Lord just revealed to me one way to apply the strange topic of meat sacrificed to idols in our daily lives. I have been interested in this topic and studied it off and on for 15 years since taking a class in seminary on the Biblical book of 1 Corinthians. But this last week its importance to me has risen exponentially and become front and center in my mind and heart because of its impact on the body of Christ. As I have over the last few days read and re-read, done Greek word studies and considered various commentaries on 1 Corinthians 8-10 as well as Romans 12 and 14, I asked the Lord to show me what this all looks like in modern life, in the here and now. And the Lord answered.
Within minutes even seconds of asking that very question, the Holy Spirit reminded me of a situation in my own life wherein I had done most everything right regarding a bill I had at a medical office. I had made out a check and sent it, and they had received and cashed it. However, after about a month went by I upon checking the transactions of this particular bank account, I realized that their check had not come through. And since I only put enough money into that account to pay bills and at that moment it was down to zero, I quickly transferred some funds in order to cover the check if it were to finally come through.
At that point, I straightaway called the medical office and asked them about it, and I was assured by them that my file there was marked paid in full.
But this was not the end of the story, for the check had not gone through at all because there had been insufficient funds in that account. So, I sent another check, and requested that the “bounced check” fee be waved since I’d communicated with them, they’d said everything was fine, and when it wasn’t I’d rectified it immediately.
However, instead of doing the courteous thing, the doctor’s office started sending letters saying I’d not paid my bill and that it was now past due. I wrote them back saying I had paid for services rendered, but was still not wanting to pay the “bounced check” fee and explained why once again. I even called and left voicemail messages for them regarding this. And they’d send another letter saying I’d not paid and that I owed, etc. Finally they stated they were going to send the bill to collections if I did not pay, which they could not do because the amount owed was too small to go to collections. So, I did nothing. I’d already stated my case, and they were not listening. It was then that they sent their final letter stating that I could not longer come to their medical office until the bill was paid in full.
All this back and forth was for $40. That’s right. $40.
I was in the right. But they too felt themselves in the right. When everyone is right, whatever shall we do?
And this is exactly where my study and meditation of both Romans and 1 Corinthians comes into play. For in those passages the Lord makes it clear that those who feel themselves to be right regarding various issues are to lay aside their rights and liberties for the sake of not offending others and for the sake of the Gospel.
Now I want to be clear, this surrender of rights and liberties does not have to do with surrendering the foundations of the faith nor sound doctrinal issues nor Gospel truth. We are not to compromise Biblical truth for the sake of peace. We are not to compromise who Jesus is, what Jesus said, who God is, who the Holy Spirit it, who the Church is, nor the topic of salvation for the sake of not offending (The book of Acts is a good example of this). “15For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?” Indeed, the nature of the Gospel is to offend. Just think of what dead rotting flesh smells like. Well, to some people, Christians smell like dead rotting flesh. We are foul to them. Even Jesus even said that He was a rock of offense. As 1 Peter 2:8-10 states, “…to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” 8and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” “As it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” (Romans 9:33). Thus, the application of what I’m saying today has to do with disagreements that have nothing to do with salvation.
But, when it comes to all else, we are to actively pursue peace with all (Hebrews 12:14), for we are to “if it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18). And we are to make sure that the Gospel is not defamed by anything – not quarrels about who’s right and who’s wrong (James 4:1-10), not striving to be proven correct, not dragging our fellow Christians to non-Christian courts (1 Corinthians 6:1-8), not even attempting to persuade those you disagree with to your side of the argument (Romans 14:1). Quit trying to be understood. What is it about us that always wants to be understood? Pride? Absolutely. It is our pride that arises in all things wherein we NEED to be understood and justified in our position.
But, the Lord says in 1 Corinthians 10:31-33, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many that they may be saved.” For, “…if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. 16Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; 17for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another… 21It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. 22Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.” (Romans 14:15-19, 21-22). “13Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” (1 Corinthians 8:13).
It’s not about us. This life is not about our pleasure, nor our being right, nor winning arguments. It may seem good to win, to enjoy, to be right, but if it is spoken of as evil by another what good is it? If you win the argument that you can go to whatever Christian concert you want to attend regardless of your wife’s warning about its heresy, enjoy a glass of wine regardless of your Pentecostal friend’s objection, eat pork regardless of your Jewish co-worker’s concern, or not pay a certain payment to a medical facility because of semantics and principles, how is this edifying? How does this benefit your wife, your friend, the bookkeepers of the medical office? In fact, your rights make you look selfish, not loving.
So, as I was praying and meditating on 1 Corinthians and Romans and on how it might look today, I was struck in the heart by the knife of the Holy Spirit’s conviction regarding the situation at the medical facility. Though months have passed and I had all but forgotten it, the Holy Spirit had not forgotten and used it to teach me a practical lesson regarding meat sacrificed to idols. Plain and simply and very succinctly, I am to lay aside my right to be heard and understood. I am to lay aside the fact that I am right, and am to pay the fee.
Does this make my position with the doctor’s office wrong? Does this mean that they are vindicated in their position? Though this may indeed make the other person, or in my case the doctor’s office, feel like they were finally proven right, truly and oddly enough, this does not make them right and me wrong. It is clear from the passages of Scripture that one who is completely right and is absolutely strong and knowledgeable is called on by Christ to set aside their “rightness” and their “rights” for love’s sake and for the Gospel’s sake.
Just think of Jesus. Think of His eternal position in glory, equal with the Father, seated in heavenly places with a name, rank, and great authority. Think of Him as Creator God. (John 1; Colossians 1-2; Philippians 2; Hebrews 1:3). Then reflect on Him setting aside His rights, His privileges, His liberties…. For what? The Gospel. Our salvation. Was Jesus proven wrong when He set aside His rights? To any worldly onlooker from age to age it would appear so. Nevertheless, Jesus humbled Himself and became obedient even unto death on the cross (Philippians 2), who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame (Hebrews 12).
And we are to follow His example by taking up our cross and dying to our flesh, by dying to our pride that wants to be right and be justified in our rightness. Because our “rightness” does not matter. If “rightness” mattered then Jesus would not have been crucified. We would have been. If rightness mattered then Jesus would not have said to leave you gift at the alter and go to make things right with an offended brother (Matthew 5:23-24).
Love matters. Edifying one another as Christians matters. Laying aside our “rightness” matters because in so doing the Gospel wins. Sometimes being wronged and turning the other cheek (Matthew 5:39) is what Christ calls for in order for His name to be gloried (1 Corinthians 6:7).
This is beyond HUGE, especially to any American Christian who is all about their rights. But, Jesus calls us to be transformed by the renewing of our warped minds (Romans 12:2), to be changed in our worldly thinking, to be conformed to His image and likeness (Romans 8:29). Our witness of Christ is of pivotal importance here, not us being acknowledged as right.
Does not my witness for Christ in that medical office mean more than $40? They obviously do not care about losing a patient, but I MUST CARE about them not being offended. It is more important to Christ that I not offend in this matter than that I be right in this matter.
And so, I am sending in one more check to that doctor’s office to essentially pay the “bounced check” fee regardless of what the office is calling it and regardless of whatever their attitude might be. By doing so I am not admitting that I am wrong, nor am I affirming that they are right. How they interpret it is between them and God. I cannot control their response. Rather, and most importantly, Christ is being glorified by my obedience.
Let us remember Jesus, “who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8). And this same mind, this same heart, this same humility, this same lack of pride, this same great love is to be in us toward one another – Christians first and the watching world as well for the sake of the Gospel that they might be saved.
Does this all seem upside down and backwards? Well, it is when looking through the lenses of this competitive world! And really, we Christians may feel very dizzy while God slowly turns us right side up! We are citizens of heaven now, and as such we are not to look through the glasses of this world – or the spectacles of our national pride either. So, let’s put on those heavenly spectacles and begin to see things God’s way. And God’s way, no matter how dizzying, is always right side up!
Humbling myself beneath God’s mighty hand (1 Peter 5:6),
As of the beginning of June 2023, more issues on the set od the Chosen series has been exposed. An LGBTQ+ flag was caught on film, and an uproar has ensued. Even Newsweek magazine has covered the story. Essentially a cameraman has been openly and proudly displaying the LGBTQ+ flag on the set of the Chosen, and no one has corrected it (“The Chosen Defends Pride Flag,” https://protestia.substack.com/p/the-chosen-defends-gay-pride-flag). Not only this, but various cast members have loudly defended this man as a brother. And the Chosen Twitter account officially stated, ““Just like our hundreds of cast and crew who have different beliefs (or no belief at all) than we do, we will work with anyone on our show who helps us portray or honor the authentic Jesus.”” (“Chosen Actors Raise Eyebrows…” https://ijr.com/chosen-actors-raise-eyebrows-responses-lgbt-flag/).
This response aligns well with the show’s main writer and spokesman Jenkin’s outspoken belief that the Mormons with whom he works have the same Jesus as Christianity, as well as his overt ecumenism.
I want to remind any reading this article of Matthew 24 which states that there will be MANY false prophets and MANY who say “Here is Christ” and “Lo there is Christ” and MANY will believe and follow after them. But Jesus warns us to not be deceived, to not follow after them, to not believe them. And it gets worse when Jesus says in Matthew 7 that MANY will say to Him in the day of His coming “Lord, Lord” did we not cast devils and prophesy in your name, but Jesus will tell them to depart from Him because He never knew them.
And thus because deception and false prophets and teachers will be so numerous, so prolific in the last of the Last Days, ought we as Christians not to be all the more diligent when it comes to so easily trusting and believing leaders in the limelight who call themselves Christians? Why are we so gullible? Why do we so quickly trust?
No. We are not to walk in fear. But we are to be on our guard, for Jesus has said time and again to be vigilant, to be watchful, to be prayerful always, and to not be deceived.
I know that we as American Christians love to be entertained – to relax after working hard and kick back and watch something on tv. Some of us might even be careful to watch so-called clean and decent movies, tv shows, etc. But just because something calls itself Christian or just because an actor or actress is is in “family” films does not mean that we can put down our guard. Even the “cleanest” film had an imperfect human author and even a Syncretistic worldview influence – for a large number of Christian Americans are Syncretistic in their worldview according to Barna research.
So, it is time to quit being lazy when it comes to what we are entertained with at home. It’s time to open the Bible and read it and live it. It’s time to pray instead if wasting time being entertained. It’s time to live like Christians and not the world. For really, did the Apostle Paul go to the theater to relax? Did the Apostle John go on vacations to the islands for fun? Did Jesus teach us to seek out good times when we are tired or weary from life or work?
Relaxation is not a part of the Gospel. Seeking peaceful vacation time away from our problems is not apart of the Gospel. Watching entertaining movies or television series about Jesus is not a part of the Gospel.
Where we find rest is in Christ. Where we find peace is in Christ. Where we find true joy and fulfillment is in Christ – in knowing Him, seeking Him, spending time in His word, spending time with other Christians, spreading the Gospel, and even in being persecuted for Him (just read Acts again!)
So maybe instead of watching an unbiblical Jesus movie or tv series about a very fictional Jesus, maybe we should read the word together and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into ALL TRUTH – instead of allowing Dallas Jenkins to lead us into his version of truth, which is fiction. Indeed, let is pray together, sing songs together, eat meals together, and evangelize the neighborhood together. Are you bored with that? Then you’re not doing it right! And it’s time for a deep dive into the word, a full immersion into church and family, and for a “restore into me the joy of Thy salvation, and renew a right spirit in me” moment. It is tome for a baptism of the Holy Spirit, to be filled afresh with His Spirit – for a real Pentecost for moment! For it was then that Peter and the 120 were empowered for evangelism and not before. So, if you don’t feel up to evangelizing, this is likely why.
Let’s do Christianity for real. If not now, when?
Jesus is coming SOON! Let’s be ready!
Blessings,
Holy Light Ministries
For more information regarding the Chosen tv series, its ecumenical influence and unbiblical teaching, please refer to the link below.
Though I thought I had heard every Dana Coverstone dream, I did not hear of this dream he had back in October 2020. Having listened to it recently and in light of current events, its meaning jumped out to me and inspired the writing of this article.
Before continuing with the meaning, here are the elements of the dream.
It began with a bunch of women wearing judge’s robes and holding signs outside of churches. As people were arriving to attend church, those wearing the robes yelled obscenities at them and boxed them in to prevent them from entering the churches. They began to shove and push the churchgoers, but the churchgoers did not want to hurt those in judge’s robes. They were very “tolerant” of them even as they began to slap people, throw rocks at them and even throw hardback books at them while chanting, “You have to listen to our book now! You have to bow to our book now!” Meanwhile some of them were attempting to flash the crowd by pulling up their robes thus causing temptation and anxiety mixed with anger. All of this was done with demonic looks on their faces.
There were also angels in the crowd who “shielded” the believers and “semi-protected” them, but there was still “physical contact” but the Christians finally got inside their church. While the believers gathered inside for the service, those outside in judge’s robes surrounded the church while “screaming at the top of their lungs with curses against God”.
The process then repeated itself when the believers exited the church. The entities, whom Coverstone calls women, surrounded the believers. But there were a few among the Christians who pointed at them and boldly rebuked them in the name of Jesus, and “told the demons to be silenced.” And at the name of Jesus, the crowd was silenced, and withdrew so that the Christians could get passed them.
Even so, the man who so often has appeared to Pastor Dana in most of his other dreams appeared at this moment and said, “I will brace you against the demons. Just believe, and do not fear.”
Pastor Dana believes that this dream is one in a series of three dreams. One is about the tree that bleeds. The other is about the emaciated, dying, elderly lady who is brought back to youth and life. I have already addressed the “spirit to flesh” dream as seen at this link: “Coverstone’s “From Spirit to Flesh” Dream: Return of the Nephilim,” February 25, 2021, https://holylight4u.wordpress.com/2021/02/26/coverstones-from-spirit-to-flesh-dream/. The other about the fragile, dying woman it appears that I never addressed it — probably because it was self explanatory. The woman was the dead and dying Bride of Christ, and Christ was the one holding her, breathing new life into her frail form until color and energy fills her afresh. She wants to arise right then, but Christ tells her no because she was still too weak. She therefore needed to rest. He did not want her to limp. He wanted her to run. (This dream is on the same video of the “from spirit to flesh” dream link posted above).
As for the present dream about the robed demonically inspired entities, if I had heard this back in 2020 I would not have understood it. As a pattern and a norm, usually Pastor Dana’s dreams are easily interpreted. Every now and again, there are some that are not clearly understood. This would have been and is one of them — on the surface!
But, here it is. Those with demonic expressions and wearing judges robes are the transgender movement happening right now. It is plain, simple and succinct. They are on the verge of violence and are definitely demonically driven and inspired. The transgender movement right now is all about intimidation and the new law of lawlessness, and all of its vitriol and anger and screams and chants and hate and violence and judgmentalism is aimed against true, Bible believing, godly Christians because ultimately it is inspired by a raging hate for “Creator” God and the rejection of His sovereignty. But, Christians are to brace themselves against the demons, to believe and not fear, and truly, Christians are to stand against this demonic movement in Jesus’ name ALONE. However, only a few in the Christian crowd pointed and rebuked in Jesus’ name, but it still worked on behalf of all the Christians there present.
Therefore, this is not about voting. This is not about politics. This is not about gun rights or free speech or America. This is not red, white and blue. This is not about signing petitions or standing with signs on the steps of state capitols. This is not about returning to normal, nor is it about transgenders using women’s bathrooms nor competing in women’s sports or changing in women’s locker rooms. These are just smoke screens to throw us into emotional outbursts and reactions of desperation to protect our children and morality in our society.
Thus, I encourage those reading this article to not be afraid of the transgender movement.Do not fear their threats. Do not fear their taunts. Do not fear their intimidation tactics. Do not fear their lawlessness. Do not fear the foul demons behind the faces of transgenders nor the rise of paganism nor the loss of legal rights nor the collapse of America nor the seemingly powerlessness of the Church – For our God still reigns and upon the Rock of Christ the Church is still firmly established and the gates of hell will still not prevail against it!
DO NOT TAKE THE ENEMY’S BAIT!!!!!!!
It is not even about confronting transgenders if they attempt to enter women’s bathrooms. It is not a physical battle, and the transgenders are not the enemy. I want to repeat that. The transgenders are NOT the enemy. This is demonic. Yes, demonic. This is very real. This is not in third world nation with witch doctors. This is in America. This is now.
Why? It means God’s judgment is just around the corner. Think Sodom in the book of Genesis. Think tribe of Benjamin at the end of the book of Judges. Think Noah and the ark in Genesis 6-8. Think Judah in the book of Jeremiah. Think of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. America is coming under God’s judgment, but He does not want His Church to be apart of that. Thus, He keeps shaking His sleepy Church, is calling her to repent of her laziness concerning the Gospel, her worldly American ways, and her idol of prosperity in order that she might arise and run forth with the Gospel of Christ’s first coming and SOON RETURN!
This dream and this article therefore IS a REMINDER that we are in a spiritual war. Yes, we’ve always been at war, but we American Christian have gotten fat and soft and lethargic and too American in our thinking. We only have a head knowledge of this spiritual war, but we are completely clueless regarding the power of our prayers and the incredible, power of the name of JESUS – the ONE AND ONLY name above ALL other names.
No, we cannot overcome this in our own power. We cannot overcome this legally. We cannot overcome this politically. We cannot overcome this with our own words or sycratistic belief systems or optimism. We cannot overcome this with our guns or war or violence of any kind. We cannot overcome this physically. Ever. Period.
So, I say to each Christian, forget about your own name on petitions, and shout the name of Jesus. Forget about the name of politicians, and shout the name of Jesus. Forget about gun rights and American rights, and shout the name of Christ. We do not wear the name of American, but Christian. We are of a kingdom that is not of this world and whose Monarch is named King Jesus. And the kingdoms of of this world are becoming the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ!!! (Revelation 11:15) Shout it in the spirit. Shout in the street. Shout it out from the tops of the buildings. Shout it out, for the shout of the King is among us (Numbers 23:21– “The Shout of the King is Among Us,” https://holylight4u.wordpress.com/2020/09/18/the-shout-of-the-king-is-among-us/), and He is still sovereign and still supreme and He is coming SOON!!! Hallelujah!!!!!
As said in the previous post regarding what revival is (https://holylight4u.wordpress.com/2023/03/30/what-is-true-biblical-revival/) if Christians were loving Jesus, continuously filled with the Spirit, producing the fruit of the Spirit, zealously seeking spiritual manifestations among themselves that they might edify one another, praying without ceasing both for and with each other, and were actively in the word, there would be no need for revival. However, what church is loving each other enough that they are actively seeking and demonstrating the manifestations of the Spirit among them? I can’t name one in my area or state for that matter. All churches look the exact same: the congregation is seated facing the front where a few lead in singing, announcements and a sermon. Then all are dismissed. There are no testimonies given by the people for one another’s edification, no prayer ministry in front, no time given for an inspired utterance of the Holy Spirit to be given, no welcoming of the Holy Spirit to have His way in their midst.
And before I go on, I am one who believes the day of Pentecost and the manifestations of the Holy Spirit are for the Church today, and believe that there ought to be testimonies every Sunday, manifestations every Sunday, prayer for each other every Sunday, an altar call every Sunday, the welcoming of the Holy Spirit every Sunday, as well as fellowship and a meal time together every Sunday. It’s not that the Spirit can’t move on other days of the week. He can and should and does. But Sundays are special in that the Body of Christ is gathered in one accord, and Christ is in our midst. It is THE day of the week wherein believers gather to edify one another and to be edified — to build each other up. Sunday is THE day set aside for this very thing. Thus, it ought to be a whole lot more than it is.
And indeed, there are those who realize there is a problem in the Church but do not seem to know how to address it. Thus, they run to and fro to any whisper of revival here or there and seek out teachers from past so-called moves of God. This has happened even to a former Assemblies of God pastor of mine whom I did not know personally (it was a large church) but whom I highly respected – which I do not say lightly – whose teaching was doctrinally sound and whose teachings were astoundingly and powerfully applicable. Even he has succumbed to deception, for he has turned to a man (Randy Clark) who started the demonic holy laughter movement of the Toronto Blessing, and also to a man who has emphasized the humanity of Jesus while here on earth and states that Jesus was the first one born again, and that Christians are to take back treasures from the New Age movement, and whose church is filled with questionable supernatural events (Bill Johnson). (“Do Not Be Deceived: An Angel of Light,” https://holylight4u.wordpress.com/2022/04/08/do-not-be-deceived-an-angel-of-light/)
Oh Pastor who should know the genuine, what are you doing with the counterfeit????
Then in my own region there is a refreshing younger Assemblies of God preacher who is longing for the Holy Spirit to move and for revival to come. I have tuned into his passionate preaching several times, and been blessed by it. But around the time of the Asbury revival, he and his church gathered for a live, online time of worship, and the entire time it felt as if they were trying to work something up, to make something happen. Furthermore, he invited Benny Hinn for a healing service – who has said that we Christians are all little christs and who has committed necromancy by trying to soak up the anointing on the graves of past faith healers and who aligns with the New Apostolic Reformation and Word Faith and is friends with Bill Johnson of Bethel church Redding – hoping to jump start a revival. (And for the record, when a teenager and young adult I wanted to be just like Benny Hinn, and defended him against any and all arguments — until I realized that he taught we are all little christs. And then later I saw that he is a friend of Bill Johnson’s.)
Truly this is equivalent to Judah running to Egypt or Assyria or Israel for help when bombarded by war. As Isaiah 31:1 states, “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, And rely on horses, Who trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong, But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, Nor seek the LORD!” And Isaiah 30:1-3 says, “1“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out a plan that is not Mine, who form an alliance, but against My will, heaping up sin upon sin. 2They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shade. 3But Pharaoh’s protection will become your shame, and the refuge of Egypt’s shade your disgrace.” And Hosea 7:10b-11 says, “…they do not return to the LORD their God, Nor seek Him for all this. Ephraim also is like a silly dove, without sense— They call to Egypt, They go to Assyria.”
The same is true regarding America and politics and voting. Christians need to quit looking to people to fix things or voting to fix things or petitions to fix things – like Israel did in Scripture when they kept running to Egypt for help instead of turning to God, instead of waiting for God, instead of listening for His voice.
Is not our focus to be on Jesus? What happened to simply tarrying at the altar until the answer came? But, no. Now people run around the globe to “revivals” hoping to catch the fire or the wave or whatever else they are trying to catch.
Stop it! Just seek the Lord. Just wait upon the Lord. Just be still before the Lord. Just repent before the Lord. Just weep before the Lord. Just cry out to God. Just stop doing church the way it has always been done, and fall upon your faces without time limit.
If whoever is reading this truly wants revival then you must do it God’s way and in God’s time. Cain got into trouble when he did not do it God’s way. As God says in Genesis 4, “6“Why are you angry,” said the LORD to Cain, “and why has your countenance fallen? 7If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.”
And in Leviticus 10 we read of Aaron’s two sons who did not abide by what the Lord required of them while serving in His holy tabernacle. It relates, “1Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense, and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command. 2So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died in the presence of the LORD. 3Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD meant when He said: ‘To those who come near Me I will show My holiness, and in the sight of all the people I will reveal My glory.’ ”
The same is true of King Saul who also did not do things the Lord’s way nor in the Lord’s time. This story is recounted in 1 Samuel 13 which says,
“8And Saul waited seven days for the time appointed by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the troops began to desert Saul.9So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And he offered up the burnt offering.10Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.11“What have you done?” Samuel asked. And Saul replied, “When I saw that the troops were deserting me, and that you did not come at the appointed time and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash,12I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will descend upon me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the LORD.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”13“You have acted foolishly,” Samuel declared. “You have not kept the command that the LORD your God gave you; if you had, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.14But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept the command of the LORD.”
For, according to 1 Samuel 15, “23…rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”
And this pattern holds true even in the New Testament where we see in Acts 8 the story of Simon the sorcerer who had legitimately come to the Lord and was water baptized (vs 13). But, “18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money. 19“Give me this power as well,” he said, “so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20But Peter replied, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21You have no part or share in our ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22Repent, therefore, of your wickedness, and pray to the Lord. Perhaps He will forgive you for the intent of your heart. 23For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and captive to iniquity.””
So, what is happening that Pentecostal pastors are calling on false teachers and false prophets for the sake of stimulating a revival? What are they really wanting? An exciting experience with tantalizing songs and music? Something with flashy signs and wonders? Something that feels good, looks good, and leaves an audience pleased? I mean these guys come out of the Assemblies of God born out of the humble Azusa Street Revival in the early 1900s, wherein thousands obediently tarried at the altar for the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Have they forgotten their heritage? Have they forgotten that the same way that the Assemblies of God was started was also the way things began in the Upper Room of Acts 2 among the 120 who gathered humbly and prayerfully in one accord? Have they forgotten that God still requires the same? Below is a reminder of how the Assemblies began, and a reminder to the Assemblies of God and other true Pentecostals of the way in which God still truly does things.
“An article published in ‘Way of Faith,’ October 11, 1906 probably penned by Frank Bartleman gives a friendlier description: “The centre of this work is an old wooden Methodist church, marked for sale, partly burned out, recovered by a flat roof and made into two flats by a floor, It is unplastered, simply whitewashed on the rough boarding. Upstairs is a long room, furnished with chairs and three California redwood planks, laid end to end on backless chairs. This is the Pentecostal “upper room,” where sanctified souls seek Pentecostal fulness, and go out speaking in new tongues and calling for the old-time references to new wine.” There are smaller rooms where hands are laid on the sick and “they recover” as of old. Below is a room 40 x 60 feet, filled with odds and ends of chairs, benches, and backless seats, where the curious and the eager sit for hours listening to strange sounds and songs and exhortations from the skies, In the centre of the big room is a box on end, covered with cotton, which a junk man would value at about 15 cents. This is the pulpit from which is sounded forth what the leader, Brother Seymour, calls old-time repentance, old-time pardon, old-time sanctification, old-time power over devils and diseases, and the old-time ‘Baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire.’
“Meetings begin at 10 o’clock every morning and are continued until near midnight. There are three altar services daily. The altar is a plank on two chairs in the centre of the room, and here the Holy Ghost falls on men and women and children in old Pentecostal fashion as soon as they have a clear experience of heart purity. Proud preachers and laymen with great heads, filled and inflated with all kinds of theories and beliefs, have come here from all parts, have humbled themselves and got down, not “in the straw,” but “on” the straw matting, and have thrown away their notions, and have wept in conscious emptiness before God and begged to be “endued with power from on high,” and every honest believer has received the wonderful incoming of the Holy Spirit to fill and thrill and melt and energize his physical frame and faculties, and the Spirit has witnessed to His presence by using the vocal organs in the speaking forth of a ‘new tongue.’”
There were no hymnbooks nor musical instruments, and no collections were taken. A sign on the wall over an free-will offering box declared, “Settle with the Lord.” No teachings or ministries were prepared; everything was left to the spontaneity of the Spirit. The pulpit was composed of two large wooden “shoe boxes.” Elder Seymour would usually sit behind these, deep in prayer with his head buried inside the top box. The preaching was simple and direct and covered themes taught in many other holiness missions: salvation by a personal acceptance of Jesus as Saviour sanctification by renunciation of sin and turning from worldliness, abandonment of rigid traditions and the legalisms of man-made religion, the baptism of the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues, divine healing and the premillennial return of Jesus. Often personal testimonies were given or were read from correspondence from those elsewhere.” (“Azusa Street Revival,” https://www.revival-library.org/revival_histories/pentecostal/american/azusa.shtml)
How dry and dusty and dead are those who are so bereft of hope that they would call on the false in order to obtain the true? I am addressing those who are Pentecostal. I am addressing those of the Assemblies of God. I am addressing those who should know better, who should know the genuine compared to the counterfeit. What are you doing? Is tarrying at the altar not good enough for you anymore? Is the simplicity of the Gospel message not enough for you anymore? How about the giving of testimonies that stirs the hearts of the listeners to holiness and divine change? How about singing acapella as the Spirit moves? Is weeping at the altar and the baptism in the Holy Spirit not enough for you anymore?
Or, would you rather have a Toronto Blessing with barking like dogs, roaring like lions, oinking like pigs, howling like coyotes, writhing about like snakes upon the ground, and uncontrollable, involuntary laughter more akin to Kundalini in east Indian enlightenment ceremonies (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r5fMUct_co) than the pure day of Pentecost outpouring of both Acts 2 and Joel 2 as well as what is a part of your own history? Don’t you know the difference? And what has come over the Assemblies that they are now following leaders who speak highly of William Branham and his Later Rain doctrine that the Assemblies denounced years ago as heretical? (https://churchwatchcentral.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/1949-aog-condemns-the-new-order-of-the-latter-rain.pdf) It’s time to remember!
The way we get Pentecost is to do things God’s way: to tarry without thought of leaving until we are changed, to pray without time limits or restraints, to seek the face of God with all of our hearts until we find Him, to repent and be made holy as He is holy, to fall on our faces before Him and ask for the empowering of His holy Spirit – not just to have an experience, but in order that we might know Him more and in turn go out in fiery boldness and reach others with the Gospel. There is not necessarily any music, no high sounding sermons, no sensational events, no flash, no glitter, no gold dust or angel feathers, no big name attractions or ‘impartations’ of the Branhamites (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXx07BZhG4g). Just old time repentance and waiting on God to have His way.
On the other hand, the way we get Toronto is to have charismatic guest speakers come, who give ‘impartations’ (demonic that is) and lay hands on people while emotive music moves upon the audience, promoting a dazzling display that attracts great attention. It feels good, looks powerful, and excites great emotion. There is music, there are sermons and sensational events; there is flash, glitter, gold dust and angel feathers, big name attractions. But, there is merely lip service when it comes to repentance if repentance is mentioned at all, and there is no waiting for anything. Johanna Michaelson calls what looks good but is inspired by the demonic as the “beautiful side of evil” because it appears to be beneficent. It appears to be genuine. It appears to be healing. It appears to be Jesus – until the mask falls off, and the demonic is revealed underneath.
Johanna Michaelson recalls in her book The Beautiful Side of Evil that she as a believer in Christ sought the empowerment of ‘mind control’ and spirit guides. And I want to emphasize that the she truly believed she was a Christian. When given the choice of a spirit guide, she chose Jesus to be one of the two. She recounts the first meeting of her spirit guides in this way, “Slowly, an inch at a time, the figure emerged. Shimmering brown hair parted in the middle, a high forehead, dark skin; eyes brown, deep and gentle. There! It was Jesus!… He was glowing with a holy radiance and smiling softly…” (pg 74-75). But later she explains, “The face of Jesus flashed on – shining and loving – then in a flash, the werewolf reappeared…I forced myself to approach the figure of Jesus and said, “Lord, why are you…doing this? It frightens me.” Jesus’ face appeared, smiling and gently. “Do not be afraid,” he said. “We only want to teach you that not everything that seems to be evil on the surface really is evil down beneath in its essence. When you truly understand this, our werewolf faces will be gone forever, and you will ever see us as we really are” (pg 77). And later Johanna’s sister Kim would ask her, ““You say you can tell the difference between good and evil spirits, but how can you be sure your senses haven’t been deceived?” “Yes Pachita performs amazing operations, but how do you know for sure her source of power is God?” “You say you believe in Jesus – but which one?” “How do you know the Jesus you see in your laboratory is the Jesus of the Bible?” “How do you know demons are truly being cast out? Is it possible they are play acting?”” (Pg 137).
After all, Jesus says in Matthew 7, “22Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Please take note here that MANY will say that they’ve prophesied, MANY will say they’ve cast out demons, MANY will say that they did MANY wonders in Jesus’ name. MANY. Please, do not dismiss these startling words. Please, please, I beg you to hear what the Spirit of the Lord is saying to the churches.
Do not forget this important Biblical fact – not everything supernatural is of the Holy Spirit. Do you hear that Sid Roth? How about you Michael Brown who I hear does the vetting for Sid Roth’s It’s Supernatural program? Jesus said in Matthew 24 the number one sign of the end of the age just before His return will be deception, and 2 Thessalonians 2 speaks of Satan working lying signs and wonders leading believers in a great falling away. Think about it. These are miraculous. These are dazzling. These look genuine, after all, does the devil not appear as an angel of light? Does not God gift the church with those who can discern between the spirits? And this discernment is needed because something looks remarkably genuine but it not, and this discernment is not cynicism nor criticism nor based in logic, but is Holy Spirit directed and inspired and so needed so badly right now.
Dear Pentecostal or Assemblies of God pastor or seminary student or Christian of this persuasion or of any other denomination for that matter, will you choose God’s way? It’s not that God is not still the miracle working awesome God that He’s always been. It’s that there are MANY false prophets that are prolific right now, and lying signs and wonders are on the rise, and we must be on our guard. Oh that you will have obedient ears to received this wise reproof in due season – that it be like the refreshing of snow on a hot harvest day (Proverbs 25:8-15)!
My heart is broken and deeply troubled by it all. On top of this, I have been under heavy demonic attack that has almost successfully disabled me and rendered me useless in the battle. But God! For there are others who are in this battle too, others who are standing for truth and righteousness who have not bowed their knee to the spectacular signs and wonders of Baal (1 Kings 19:18) or the magicians of Pharaoh (Exodus, and I have begun praying fervently for them – that God will permeate their minds and hearts with His supernatural peace, that perfect love will drive out their fear, that they will not believe that they are alone, that they will not despair, nor give up, nor give into the lies of the enemy on any other level, that they will recognize such emotions and thoughts and feelings as demonic attacks and that they will take authority over it in Jesus’ name. And, having done ALL, I pray that they STAND – stand and not give in to the pressure from those who do not understand, to not give up but instead to get up! To rise to the occasion in the power and Spirit of the Lord of Hosts, to press on, to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, to remain vigilant, and to gird up the loins of their minds.
Do not weary in well-doing (Galatians 6:9), even correcting with love and gentleness and just plain being available for whatever God wants to say or do through you. We must not retreat and lick our wounds; we’ve no time for that. The battle is not ours but the Lords (2 Chronicles 20:15), so why then do we take offense when people reject the truth God gives us to speak? The truth is not ours. It’s God’s. Let’s be good stewards of that truth, and stand steadfast in the strength of God’s empowering grace (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
And worship, worship, worship! Do not grow silent because of tears or exhaustion or depression or anger! Cease not to worship – and pray for others enduring the same. May we all uphold each other in prayer, like Hur and Aaron upheld Moses hands that the battle would be won (Exodus 17:12). May we worship in one accord unpolluted worship songs unto the Lord even as Judah as they marched to an overwhelming battle that was not theirs but God’s, that while we turn our song to the eternal Lord of Hosts He will indeed do battle for us and for His glory (2 Chronicles 20)! Keep your armor on, and when you’ve done all, STAND (Ephesians 6).
Keep choosing holiness without which we will not see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). Keep choosing to see the truth (John 8:31-32). Keep choosing to expose the deception (Ephesians 5). Jesus is coming SOON. Let’s be ready!
“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6:13)
As I have recently been grieving and praying over the families of the Nashville Christian school shooting, my heart has been directed to these words time and time again. “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.” At one time I even prayed them over those I was privileged to minister to as chaplain, and then for the little church I now call home – a church riddled with multiple failed pastorates and schisms.
The words in this sentence present us with a picture that is not readily conveyed in the English language. For when it says, “lead” us not, that word does not picture one with a lead rope directing someone or something, but rather, is a picture of one being carried or born up in someone’s arms. The word also has innate in itself the idea of motion. So one is being carried in a direction by someone to somewhere. In the case of this verse, it is in the direction of temptation.
Now in Scripture the word for temptation can be taken two different ways depending the one who is doing the tempting or testing. When God is doing it, it is a test, and it is ALWAYS for good. Even if one is being tried in God’s fiery trial it is for the sake of purifying not burning, edifying not destroying, strengthening not weakening. On the other hand, when the tempting is being done by the devil and his minions it is always for evil. His will is to steal, kill and destroy us, to cause us to fall, to fail, and to ultimately be ruined. Through temptation, he finds our weakness and preys upon it for the sake of our ultimate and complete annihilation.
But “deliver” us…the word deliver is a very descriptive word, one which our English words again do not capture well. It literally means “to snatch from danger,” and comes from a root word meaning, “to drag away along the ground.” Not only this, but the dragging away to safety is not all that is taking place, but the one doing the dragging is dragging the person to himself. In other words, when God delivers us, He is not just thrusting us out of harms way, He is drawing us into His arms of safety. However, let me be clear, this does not mean that we will be taken out of a trial or tribulation or testing. What it does mean is that that testing will not destroy us, but instead will prove the Lord’s strength in the metal and make of who He is in us, and will create a stronger bond between God and us.
And finally, according to various scholars, the passage actually reads, “deliver us from the Evil One,” not just “from evil” and in the Greek it does appear to say this.
So in effect, we are to pray that God not carry us into a trial that will end in our ultimate demise, but will instead snatch us, even drag us away and into His arms of love and away from the Evil One who would obliterate us.
I must admit that I was stymied, mystified by this passage. I had no idea what to do with it. I could not figure out how in James 1:13 it says that God does not tempt, and yet in the Lord’s prayer Jesus taught us to pray against God tempting us. I made no sense. And when I looked into other scholarship, I was disappointed with their feeble attempts to explain things.
I went through the entire prayer again and again and again, feeling that the explanation lay in its own structure. And then it hit me! Just like with the subject of math, I always made it more complicated that it is! It was so simple! In this prayer we are not praying for things that are contrary to what God wants. Rather, He is teaching us to pray in agreement with His own heart. God wants His name to be hallowed, and He wants us to want that too. God wants His Kingdom to come and His will to be done, and He wants us to want it too. God wants to give to us today exactly what we need, and He wants us to know that He is the source of all we need. God wants to forgive us and has and will, and He wants us to look like He does in our relationships with others and thus to have hearts filled with forgiveness. And finally, God does not want to carry us into the captivity of temptation but desires to deliver us from evil, and He wants us to agree that we need rescuing, that we need His strength, that we need Him to be our Jehovah Sabaoth, LORD of Hosts.
Kay Arthur wrote an incredible chapter in her booklet The Peace and Power of Knowing God’s Name” on the outstanding, omnipotent awesomeness of the name, Jehovah Sabaoth. She writes (all the following italicized material is a quote from her book:
“There are times when you look around you and your first response is despair. The odds against you seem overwhelming. The situation in which you find yourself seems unbearable. The forces arrayed against you seem overpowering. You’re overmatched, and you know it. You’re at the end of your strength, and you feel it. You’re in deep trouble, and you sense defeat and darkness closing in on all sides.
O Beloved, there is a name you may call upon in times of conflict and warfare. It is a name that makes the very pillars of the universe tremble. Jehovah-sabaoth – The LORD of Hosts.
When there seemed to be no other recourse for deliverance, the children of Israel came to know God as Jehovah-sabaoth. It is God’s name for man’s extremity. And it is not until we, as God’s redeemed people, find ourselves failing and powerless that we realize our need to run into the strong tower of His name.
The first two instances of this name in Scripture are in the opening chapter of 1 Samuel. It is in the final, decadent days of the judges, an era of great national stress and upheaval in Israel. In addition to the ever-present Philistines harassing and warring against her, the nation is about to endure a wrenching transition from theocracy to monarchy. This is a time of darkness. A day of distress. An hour of insecurity, change, and constant conflict. And it is in such a day as this that the name “the Lord of hosts” is first used…
Hannah found herself at the ragged end of endurance. Life seemed so bitter and unhappy that she didn’t see how she could go on. Her food seemed tasteless, all the joy was drained from her life, and it seemed as if all she could do was weep. Scripture tells us she was “greatly distressed,” “a woman oppressed in spirit.” She seemed so out of control in her anguish that Eli the priest scolded her for being drunk in the sanctuary!
But what did Hannah do? Run away? Try to kill herself? Turn to the bottle? Surrender to some kind of numb a look on the apathy? What does a harassed, powerless woman do when she comes to the utter end of herself and finds life’s conflicts unbearable?
She turns to the LORD of Hosts. She calls on the name of Jehovah-sabaoth.
And she made a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if Thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of Thy maidservant and remember me, and not forget Thy maidservant, but wilt give Thy maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.” (1 Samuel 1:11)
This is the name for those who, in the midst of a struggle find their resources inadequate. This is the name to run to when, from our perspective, there is no other help.
This name of God is a name that is yours to use in the time of conflict and warfare. And listen, Precious One, our warfare is going to get more and more open, more and more blatant, as the day draws near for our Lord’s return, and the Enemy realizes that his time is short. This is a day to shelter in His name Jehovah-sabaoth.
The name sabaoth means a “mass.” In this case, it refers to a mass of heavenly beings, a mass of angels, or an army of heavenly hosts. Jehovah-sabaoth rules over all the angelic hosts. He rules over all the armies of heaven. He is Lord over all powers, principalities, and rulers in high places.
It is the name David called upon as he stood all alone against the Philistine giant in 1 Samuel 17. Now, whatever you many have heard in Sunday school about the courage of this simple- hearted shepherd boy squaring off against Goliath, the stories just don’t do this moment justice. Here was an untrained young man fresh from the sheepfolds. And he found himself standing virtually unarmed in the shadow of a … [ten-foot], battle-hardened warrior who was armed to the teeth…
When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance. And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine also said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field.” (1 Samuel 17:42-44)
Listen to David’s reply to this godless bombast:
You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands…that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD’s and He will give you into our hands. (1 Samuel 17:45-47)
“You may be a mighty warrior with all your fearsome weapons and your big army behind you,” David said, “but I come to you with something more powerful than sword or spear or javelin. I come to you in the name of Jehovah-sabaoth, God of numberless armies in heaven. The battle is not mine, O enemy, it is HIS. It is not David the shepherd boy with whom you must contend, it is the LORD of Hosts!”
Have you not learned that truth, Beloved? The battle is His! He’s the One who’s in charge, and you can trust Him. He is Jehovah-sabaoth, the LORD of Hosts…You do not face the enemy alone…The battle is His, and no on in heaven or earth – angels or demons or Satan himself – can stand against Him.
No, His name is not some sort of talisman or magic cure-all. It isn’t just repeating His name that brings deliverance. Scripture says clearly that it is the righteous who run into the strong tower of His name and find safety (Proverbs 18:10).
And for those who do run to Him, there is a refuge so strong and mighty it confounds the imagination. In this refuge “we will not fear, though the earth should change, and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam” (Psalm 46:2-3)…
The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. (Psalm 46:7)”
In 1529 Martin Luther had in his brief 46 years been disapproved of by his father, been tormented by the devil, hated himself, sought to save himself through good works, was radically saved through faith in Jesus, questioned the unScriptural behavior of the Roman Catholic church, was drug before princes and bishops and cardinals, threatened with death, kidnapped, hidden in a castle for years, translated the Bible into the German language, and had been a prolific writer of pamphlets, books, and hymns, one of which was A Mighty Fortress is our God. It is in this song that we encounter the God who does not lead us into trials and afflictions to destroy us. It is in this song that we come face to face with the Almighty, LORD of Hosts, Jehovah-sabaoth, who is our deliverer from the Evil One, the one who drags us out of harms way, who snatches us close to Himself.
Why? Why does God give us what we need for today? Why does God forgive us and call us to forgive? Why are we to pray in this manner? Why are we to want God’s will to be done, for His Kingdom to come? Why are we to depend on the benevolence of God to hold us close and protect us from the Evil One? Why? Because “Thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever! Amen.” Forever and ever and ever and ever and ever! So be it! To God belongs all the power and the glory. It is His Kingdom that is coming, and He is returning for those who have faith: faith in Christ, faith that God will keep His word, faith to keep praying in agreement with His own heart, faith to allow God’s grace to empower us to do all things through Christ, even things uncomfortable, grievous, overwhelming, and even unto death.
Whatever we are going through, God knows and cares and is calling on you to pray with understanding, “Oh, LORD of hosts, thank you that you do not carry me into afflictions that will destroy me and cause me to fall. Thank you for snatching me, even dragging me away from the Evil One, and for drawing me to Yourself that I might find that Your grace is sufficient and Your strength made perfect in weakness, that the trial will not destroy me but will conform me to the image and likeness of your dear Son. I cast my cares on you because You care for me! I believe that though you slay me, yet will I trust you. I believe that you take what the Enemy intends for evil and You turn it for good. Even so, do it, Jehovah-sabaoth, God of vast, heavenly armies, who upholds all by the word of Your power!”
Jesus has taught us through this prayer, that prayer is not about selfishness nor about what we think is most important and then trying to get God to do what we want. Rather, prayer is about coming into agreement with what God wants, and what God wants is always good – even if it hurts. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him…Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:12, 17). Though He may allow us to endure trials, even for ourselves or our loved ones to be martyred for Him, He will not allow the Evil One to eternally obliterate us or overcome us. Therefore, let’s stand in agreement with Jehovah-sabaoth, the LORD of Hosts, for the battle belongs to Him, the Kingdom belongs to Him, and all power and glory belong to Him!
A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing. Our helper He amid the flood, Of mortal ills prevailing For still our ancient foe, Doth seek to work us woe. His craft and power are great, And, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal.
Did we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be losing, Were not the right man on our side, The man of God’s own choosing. Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He. Lord Sabaoth, his name, From age to age the same, And He must win the battle.
And though this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us. The Prince of Darkness grim, We tremble not for him. His rage we can endure, For lo, his doom is sure. One little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly powers Not thanks to them, abideth. The Spirit and the gifts are ours Through him who with us sideth. Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also. The body they may kill, God’s truth abideth still. His kingdom is forever!
Though persecution is intensifying, though Christian martyrdom will increase, though evil appears undaunted as injustice swallows up the liberty of the world, though Christians are being shaken and the world is entering the Great Tribulation, though the night is far spent and we are weary from it all, though all that we’ve held dear is passing away, though the body they may kill, God’s truth abideth still, and His kingdom is indeed FOREVER!! Even so, press on dear saints, press on, and do not look back in unbelief or doubt now. Our heavy trials are but light afflictions that last only a split second in the eternal scheme of things, but there is an eternal weight of glory that awaits us in the heavenly kingdom that will have no end! (2 Corinthians 4:17) Even so, press on.
“And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” 1 Corinthians 12:26
On March 27, 2023 at 10:27am, six people at a Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee (USA) were martyred for their faith. Three were in their early 60s. Three were age 9. And this is indeed why they were killed. The killer wrote it in a note as disclosed by Tucker Carlson’s program on March 29, 2023. Tucker stated, “Transgenderists hate Christians above all, because Christians refused to oin every other liar in our society and proclaim that transgenderists are gods with the power to change nature itself… for that refusal…that unwillingness to bow down and worship a false idol, in this case of transgenderism, they were murdered.” This quote has been recounted by Rolling Stone, Newsweek, Yahoo News, MSN, USSA News, and other news sources. In fact, they are abuzz with it.
But is there any surprise in this? Jesus said Christians would be hated by all nations for His name’s sake. In Matthew 24:9, Jesus says, “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.”
All over the world persecution has intensified. How many millions of stories are there of fathers who went off to work and did not return home because he was martyred for his faith along the way? How many millions of stories are there of little children who would not deny Jesus? How many pastors and their congregations have been slaughtered simply because they are called by the name of Christ? How many have unexpectedly never come home again because of Jesus?
According to the World Watch List for 2021 as documented in Christianity Today, “every day, 13 Christians worldwide are killed because of their faith. And every day 12 Christians are unjustly arrested or imprisoned, and another 5 are abducted,” (https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2021/january/christian-persecution-2021-countries-open-doors-watch-list.html) And according to a Christian research firm affiliated with Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 2017 as documented by Christian Post there have been “over 900,000 Christians martyred in the last 10 years,” and as many as 90,000 had died merely because they were Christian in year of 2016 alone. (https://www.christianpost.com/news/over-900000-christians-martyred-for-their-faith-in-last-10-years-report.html). And according to researcher David B Barrett, an estimated 70 million Christians have died for Jesus since the days of Acts and the early Church (https://christianitytoday.com/article/70-million-christians-martyred-faith-since-jesus-walked-earth/38403.htm) All of this has increased as reported by the World Watch List for 2023. There it is also stated that “5,621 Christians were killed for their faith last year. 90% of these were from Nigeria alone…Christians killed in 2023 numbered 80% more than 5 years ago…” (https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/persecution-trends/). Quoting from the same source, regarding China, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Malaysia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Russia “The mere existence of Christian communities is a thorn in the flesh of the regimes in many of these countries…those who refuse to support the ruling party can be branded as “troublemakers”…or even terrorists.” In Middle Eastern nations “the church is losing hope, particularly for the young people…the Christian community is shrinking due to deprivation, discrimination and persecution.” Even South American countries such as Nicaragua, Colombia, Cuba, and Mexico are driving persecution and repression. Indeed, “in the three decades since the religious liberty organization Open Doors has been compiling its World Watch List of the 50 countries where Christians face the most persecution for their faith, that persecution has never been worse. That is according to the 2023 World Watch List released Tuesday evening (Jan. 17)…” Truly “since 2010, the number of countries on the World Watch List reporting “high” levels of persecution has increased, nearly doubling since the first list was compiled in 1993. So has the intensity of that persecution…360 million Christians around the world reported…high levels of discrimination and persecution…” (https://religionnews.com/2023/01/17/christian-persecution-higher-than-ever-as-open-doors-world-watch-list-marks-30-years/)
How many have thought of these or even wept for these? How many have hurt over these? How many have prayed over these, for their strength and endurance, that they not give up in spite of sever and relentless persecution and loss?
And now it’s here. Yes, persecution. Here. In America. It’s jolting. It’s real.
But Jesus told us to expect it. Jesus even said, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12). There will even be those who think they are doing God a favor by killing Christians (John 16:2), but that we are not to fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul (Matthew 10:28). And Jesus said, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it” (Mark 8:35). And did not Jesus also say in Revelation 2:10 “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried…be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life.” And this is a crown of life “which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him” (James 1:12), even those who love not their lives unto death (Revelation 12:10).
I believe this is a part of the Gospel that many American Christians have not been taught. I was not. It never crossed my mind, was never apart of my memory verses, and it was not included in Sunday school lessons or sermons. But it is real. Very real. And is integral to Christianity.
But this is not dark nor dismal. This is not to be feared. This is not to be worried about. This is not something to run from nor to hide your children nor your elderly relatives. No. Jesus said we are to rejoice. Jesus said we will received a crown of life. For do we not know that this life is not the end? No matter what age one may die for Jesus, they have an eternity that awaits them. No matter how horrendous the persecution, there is a crown of life that is just on the other side of all this when the torturous race is done.
And if Jesus’ words are not enough, be encouraged by those on the ground seeing persecuted Christians in living color and hearing stories in their own words and seeing them gather anyway to praise the Lord. “What we noticed is not just an increase of persecution, but also an increase in the size and strength of the body of Christ. Yes, a lot of atrocities, a lot of drama; at the same time, a lot of church growth as well…Partly it’s extraordinary – but incredibly encouraging and challenging – that in a number of countries in the world where it is hardest to live as a Christian, where the consequences are most grave, the church is continuing to grow.” (https://religionnews.com/2023/01/17/christian-persecution-higher-than-ever-as-open-doors-world-watch-list-marks-30-years/)
Truly as early church father Tertullian said in a work known as Apologeticus, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”
But, though we rejoice in an eternal weight of glory and eternal crowns of life to come, let us not forget to grieve with those who grieve and mourn with those who mourn. For, “…if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:26). For the Lord is the “Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolations also abounds through Christ.” Truly, may we mourn well. May we not grieve like the world grieves, who has no hope in Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). For in this season of our Passover sacrifice, may we not lose site of the enduring promise of a resurrected Savior who holds the keys of death, hell and the grave (Revelation 1:18), who has promised that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8), and who will one day resurrect these temporal, physical bodies transforming them in the twinkling of an eye to immortal, spiritual bodies that will never pass away (1 Corinthians 15).
And for most of us not close enough to comfort in person, pray. Pray that the peace of God which transcends all understand will guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Pray that they will be comforted by the God of ALL comfort. Pray that others near them will gather nearer still and hold them in their love and in their arms. Pray that the grief will not take them from God but nearer to Him. Pray that they are not carried into temptation, but delivered from evil that is there to steal, kill and destroy them (Matthew 6:13; John 10:10), that in this fiery Titanic of a trial they will find God’s grace stronger than they ever thought possible, that His grace is truly sufficient and His strength made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
Persecution has come to America and is already all over the world, but in this is the blessing of Christ. “That I may know him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformable unto His death…” (Philippians 3:10). And who are we to fear, when the sovereign of our days holds the world together by the word of His great power? Who are we to question, when He Himself suffered and died? Who are we to wonder, when His ways are not our ways nor are our thoughts His thoughts? Who are we to doubt, when without faith it is impossible to please God?
The Lord is coming SOON. Let’s not be found wanting. Let’s not be found hiding. Let’s not be found attempting to preserve our lives. Instead, may we be found persevering and bold, people of unwavering faith, unashamed and unafraid to lay even our very lives down and to entrust the lives of our loved ones into the hands of the One who made them. God gave His Son to die and then raised Him back to life again. Will He not do that same for your children and those you love? Does God not know best? Indeed, “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God! For I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God!” Psalm 42:11.
Jesus, our sacrificed and resurrected Passover Lamb is at the door – Let’s be ready!