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Israel
reached a precarious point that she almost succumbed such a cycle of bondage
that she almost never came back. Would it not be for the mercy of God today on
this tiny nation we love with all of our heart and yearn to see her salvation,
Israel would not be a nation today friend. The Holy Spirit warned
through Paul that men would depart from the faith giving heed to seducing
spirits and doctrines of devils. The Holy Spirit says that in the last days men
would turn aside the truth and not endure sound doctrine that will save their
souls. Men want fables and an ear-tickling gospel instead of the truth.
By Chris McDonald
TEXT: Judges 10:16 - And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served
the Lord: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.
We continue this week’s journal from the same text last week in the 10th chapter
of the book of Judges. Because of sin, rebellion and apostasy, Israel found
herself in such a state in our text today as God’s anger waxed hot against His
chosen. We looked last week at the reasons why God’s anger waxed hot at Israel.
This week we want to look at what Israel did in response to this and how her
response MUST be America’s response - both individually and corporately - unless
America wants to face the same fate of Israel of old.
To say America needs revival is a gross understatement of
unprecedented proportions. Earthquakes are rumbling globally almost
on a weekly basis, the economic situation here is as bad as since
probably the days of the Great Depression and despite claims to the
contrary, neighbor things are not going to get better before they
get much worse. America has played the fool and sadly because of
choices over the past 18 months we're about to reap the whirlwind
because of them. Some may read that statement and think that to be a
political statement but that is the fartherest from the truth. The
current misery in our nation is because of sin not because of who was or
wasn't elected. If a Republican was in office the misery
would remain. I will say this however that our leaders
mirror the spiritual barometer of the nation as it did in Israel's
day. God wanted to rule Israel through the prophet Samuel; Israel
clamored and cried as petulant children for a king and God gave them
exactly what they wanted. America clamored to be free of the George
Bush era and they wanted a liberal politician in office. Well we got
him and he's bankrupting the nation by his policies. In addition,
he's dismantling every single foundation of defense we had built up
since the 9-11 attacks and at this point only God knows what the
state of America's safety maybe at this time.
Mr. Obama cares little for the things of God
despite his rhetoric and he has little regard for life or American
liberties and values. But we chose him and child of God the banner
and mantra of this hour is intercessory prayer. We are to pray for
our leaders Paul said that "we may live peaceably" on this earth.
Proverbs says that when the wicked beareth rule, the people MOURN
and are in misery; when the righteous rule the people rejoice. The
ACLU and the separation of church and state morons may scream for
separation of church and state all they like. Neighbor hear this
writer. Jesus himself preached separation of church and state saying
"render to Caesar the things that are Caesar but render to God the
things that are God's." But separating church from state is
different than separating GOD from state! I heard one moron
mockingly say the other day on television, "we can't mix God with
politics." Honey, you better mix politics with SOMETHING. You better
mix it with God. The current state of this government is as perilous
and dangerous as anything seen in modern times and if God is not
mixed with it soon we're headed for socialism and perhaps communism.
Then many of these so called Christian believers who thought they
were electing America's answer out of its misery by being deceived
by Barrack Obama will realize that he was NOT the answer to the end
of the nation's current misery - GOD IS!
I want to state that again and
in no uncertain terms. The misery of this nation, as it is for ANY nation and
ANY individual is SIN. Sin was Israel's problem long ago and nearly 4500
years in the future as we look to our nation today the reason is
still the same. I want to take a look at three things in this
journal - the reason for the misery, the remedy for the misery and
the path or road to that remedy. Let me answer those questions here
and now. SIN is the reason, the Cross of Christ is the remedy and
REPENTANCE is the road to get to the remedy and out of the misery!
Our text speaks of a similar time in Israel’s history when she found herself in
a similar state of misery we find ourselves in today. Paul speaks to us in 1
Corinthians that ALL things that happened to Israel under the Old Covenant are
examples and warnings for us in the New Covenant not to follow after lest we be
consumed with the same lust and apostasy and suffer a similar fate.
1 Cor. 10:10-13
Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the
destroyer. [11] Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they
are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. [12]
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. [13] There
hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful,
who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the
temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Israel was in probably one of her worse times spiritually she had
ever been in at the writing of the text in Judges 10. The Lord’s
disposition is always one of Love, grace and mercy FIRST; it is
always His second nature to wax hot in His anger toward any
individual and especially nations and that only after pleading and
pleading and pleading and warning with His great nature of Love for
that nation to repent as well as individuals.
If one will remember the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, one will see the Lord did
not destroy these two wicked cities without first expending every single effort
to get the inhabitants to repent. Lot was Sodom’s only light, yet despite this
God showed great restraint before He finally did what was best of all
civilization at the time. Had God not dealt with the sin that infested these two
cities, the entire world of that day would have been destroyed. As we stated
last week, Israel had apostatized to the point that the Lord’s anger literally
was “hot” against her. The term “and the anger of the Lord was hot,” is actually
mentioned four other times in Judges; in the book of Exodus, it’s stated that
Moses anger “waxed” hot against the nation in the case of the golden calf; in
reality, it was not just Moses who was angry, but God as well. And friend NONE
of us want to see God's disposition be such to any of us and
especially to our nation.
Israel Was Sore Distressed - Sin Is The Reason
Judges 10:9 - Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also
against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that
Israel was sore distressed.
Israel was SORE distressed because of her enemies the Ammonites who
were raised up by God to chastise the nation because of sin and
rebellion.
This oppression of Israel continued for eighteen years some of which took place
under the leadership of the judges Tola and Jair. The interesting note about
these two judges is that neither was able to bring Israel back from
her apostasy nor deliver her fully from the nations who oppressed
her. In times past when God raised up judges, they would do just
that – deliver Israel from her oppressors, but her sin had gotten so
bad, even a new leader could not change her course of bondage. And
we're finding out the hard way in graphic terms that changing
leaders and direction in this nation 18 months ago has NOT ENDED THE
MISERY!
Just because we “change” direction or parties, doesn’t mean America will change.
Just because the empty political rhetoric of a “new” face on the political scene
with his promises of change and platitudes that make women swoon and faint, does not mean America is headed for revival nor does it mean America will cease
to see the events we have witnessed over the past several months in the storms,
the tornadoes, the floods, the economic upheaval, the terrorist
threats, and the earth literally shaking underneath not just us in
America but the entire world. Neighbor has it not registered on our
minds that we've had at least one major earthquake somewhere in the
world every single MONTH since the first of the year. Sometimes
these earthquakes have been days apart it seemed. The political
upheaval of Europe and the Middle East as well America's own
downward spiral into economic oblivion should tell us "something is
in the air!" These events should signal to us in the Body of Christ
that we are living in the last of the last days and revival must
come or we're headed for complete judgment. The events of this past
weekend in New York City in the apparent attempt to blow up a car in
front of a busy New York City street should wake up those who name
the name of Jesus that ITS TIME TO PRAY for revival! America is in
MISERY and the Lord is GRIEVED for this misery as He was over
Israel's misery so long ago!
I remember in February 2008 some 131 deadly tornadoes ravaged
our nation on Super Tuesday when the primary season began that would ultimately
lead to Mr. Obama's election; Neighbor, there is MISERY upon
this Earth at the present time and even the Earth cannot stomach it
any longer. It's convulsing and literally vomiting because of the
conditions around it. (Romans 8:14-21) The source of this misery is
SIN!
Secondly, this oppression Israel suffered was deeply grim. Israel’s enemies, who
themselves were wretched and grossly violent, vexed them and oppressed them in
such severe manner that at no other time than this era as recorded in Judges 10
did Israel suffer in any previous cycle of apostasy and bondage. As Matthew
Henry put it, “The children of Ammon began with those tribes that lay next them
on the other side Jordan, here called the land of the Amorites (v. 8) because
the Israelites had so wretchedly degenerated and made themselves so like the
heathen, they had become, in a manner, perfect Amorites.” Friend, hear this
writer. We become our sin and ultimately we become like those who oppress us.
This nation’s conscience has become so seared we don’t even blush any more at
the killing of innocent babies.
We don’t even blush anymore at the parading of homosexuality, bestiality,
perversion; lust and debauchery in all its forms played out in a godless media
and entertainment industry that cares little of the effects violence and lust
take on our society. This is an aside but friend when the liberals and
God-haters start asking what is going in and looking for reasons to
get the nation out of this moral abyss we need to realize that we as
a nation have a problem!
This invasion and oppression of Israel came in degrees as they pushed forward,
came over Jordan, and invaded Judah, and Benjamin, and Ephraim (v. 9), three of
the most famous tribes of Israel. The Holy Spirit with deep remorse declares
“Israel was SORE distressed.” And with great remorse He
decries today "America is SORE distressed!"
Judges 10:9 - Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also
against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that
Israel was sore distressed.
Israel’s condition grew so bad in the sight of God He literally became “grieved”
for the misery of Israel. There is NO other time in scripture the term "grieved"
is used in this manner when speaking of nations. The only other
reference to the feelings of the Almighty is in Ephesians when Paul
the Apostle warns us not to "GRIEVE" the Holy Ghost! The Holy Ghost
is God and as such is grieved when our sin brings us to the misery
and deplorable spiritual state as Israel of long ago.
As I write these words today my heart pauses and
wanders if the same cannot be said about this once proud nation of America. It
seems we are mourning almost on a weekly basis with news of killings, murder,
rape, kidnappings, death, stories of child abuse, scandal, corruption and a
general sense of hurt among millions. We have lost faith in America in
foundations that have shaped this nation from its inception yet no matter how
much we spin things the misery of our nation grows and grows.
Again, let me state the obvious. We as a nation, and especially the
American church, need to open our eyes to these things that are
taking place openly and before our eyes. Very precious few want to
believe what is happening is a result of SIN! It’s hard to say these
things to people because everyone gets angry and accuses those
calling the nation to look within as not being compassionate or not
showing love. When people say our misery is because of sin we are
then labeled haters and accused of using hate speech and all sorts
of other vile actions. One individual told me just recently “well, God is love and I just don’t see a God of
love passing any type of judgment; these things ‘just happen.’” Oh really? Well
then what are we going to with the events in Sodom and Gomorrah; the gainsaying
of Korah; the deaths of 85,000 men because of the plague in 2 Samuel? These were
not events that “just happened,” but times when GOD instituted the judgments
Himself! And the situation Israel found herself in while certainly was because
of her sin, was orchestrated by God to get her to feel the misery of
those actions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Listen to this writer. God is not some tyrant in heaven zapping nations over the
head or rejoicing when we reap the terrible consequences of sin; His heart is
GRIEVED for the misery of our nation just as He was grieved for MISERY of
Israel! It is actually BECAUSE of love and compassion we speak these very
things! This misery will continue unless we, as Israel of old did, repent!
This text and narrative should scream to us of the Lord’s heartfelt love for
this nation in spite of America’s continued rebellion and hatred of God on a
daily, almost hourly basis through our media outlets, our courts, our
governmental institutions and the voice of godless politicians pushing for a
society void of any recognizance of God and His principles. Yet we stand shocked
when we see college kids being gunned down, people being hacked to pieces in
public, mass killings, shootings, corruption and scandal in the
highest places in government; I mean it's not that the nation
is committing more crime, it's the type of crime we're committing.
We're sinking deeper in to a dark abyss that is producing more
oppression, distress and MISERY than ever before!
We've witnessed over the past two years some of the most gross
killing sprees; many of which have left the experts (so-called)
wandering why these individuals would so such. Most networks
covering these events as to be expected looked to psychological
reasons as to why these killings were done it seemed without remorse
or conscience. That's to be expected; but neighbor what is more
tragic that many in the CHURCH feel the same way. We have the latest
seeker sensitive movement in the church to thank for that mentality
that NOTHING anymore is because of sin but all because someone's
momma didn't feed them a chocolate chip cookie when they were young.
You say that's stupid; of COURSE it's stupid but that is how stupid
humanistic and even Christian psychology sees things. The Holy
Spirit said through Paul that in the last days men's heart would
become 'darkened" and becoming "wise" they would become FOOLS. We
are there at this very moment in time.
Let me bring this a bit further closer to home.
Mister, the reason your home is in misery is SIN! Lady, the reason
you can't sleep at night and are so miserable you're thought about
suicide is SIN. Young person the devil will never show you the
MISERY that sin will bring. You can live foot loose and fancy free,
drink your liquor on Friday night, have a good time, live it up, but
the END game of that lifestyle is MISERY not relief! Couples, the
devil will NEVER show you the misery that you divorcing is going to
bring. He will show you the greener grass in another woman, another
man another situation but He will NEVER show you the MISERY that sin
will bring! You get the divorce and find out really quick that
instead of bringing happiness, the kids are miserable, you're
miserable, the parents of both spouses are miserable and NO
happiness is forthcoming! Satan NEVER shows us the MISERY side of
sin, but only the pleasure. But friend, hear this gray headed writer
who feels at times older than Midas from tasting this first hand
through the years that SIN HAS A PRICE and it's always a price we
never want to or can ever pay. AND THE END RESULT IS ALWAYS ALWAYS
MISERY!!!!!!!!!!!
The Cross Is The Remedy
Listen to me now. Yes sin brings misery, but THERE IS A REMEDY TO
THE MISERY! Let me assure you however that the answer and remedy to
the situations I speak of is NOT the Purpose
Driven Life; I can assure you the answer and remedy is NOT
humanistic psychology. We have seen that electing a new President has not
stopped the massacres, the blood shed, the racism, the anger, the
malice and the terrible plight and MISERY of this nation. I can
assure you that educating the masses is not the answer. I can assure
you that even MONEY is not the answer. Many of us think if we just
got money we'd be happy. No, we'd just be RICH and miserable
instead of POOR and miserable!
The remedy to the divorce rate in America where one out of every two marriages
end before the fifth year; six out of ten second marriages end before the second
year and seven out of ten third marriages end before the first year is NOT the
babblings of some mumbo jumbo psychiatrist nor the soft gospel peddled by used
car salesmen on Sunday morning. My God help us. We have ministries
filling stadiums with this "feel good" gospel BUT THE MISERY
OF AMERICA CONTINUES TO RAGE AND NOTHING THE CHURCH TRIES TO THROW
AT IT IS STOPPING IT!!!!!!!!!. The REASON IS BECAUSE THE
REMEDY AND ANSWER TO THE MISERY IN AMERICA IS FOUND at the foot of
the World’s Redeemer, the blood-stained hands of Jesus Christ, who hung between
heaven and earth 2,000 years ago and declared IT IS FINISHED. At the Cross, SIN
was dealt a death blow. At the Cross, drug addiction was dealt a death blow; at
the Cross lust and pornography were dealt a death blow; at the Cross, dishonesty
and cheating were dealt a death blow. My Lord, I feel the anointing of the Holy
Ghost.
It was at the Cross where Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone
broke every single of the powers
of darkness over fallen humanity and released sin-bound humanity from the
terrible penalty of sin which is death! We are witnessing in graphic details
the results of sin and oppression in this nation. Yet America and
the American church seeks for answers and no answers are coming
outside Biblical repentance.
As God told Israel of old, “go seek out your false gods to help you in this
tribulation.”
Judges 10:14 - Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver
you in the time of your tribulation.
Feel what you will at this writer but I can assure you the false gods the
American church and American nation has chosen will NOT deliver us in the time
of our coming tribulation! Neighbor these events we are witnessing by the hour
it seems at times are just precursors of things to come greater in scope and
intensity.
True Repentance Is The Road and Path To The Remedy; It Is Always Birthed by the Acknowledgement of Sin- “We Have
Sinned”
Judges 10:15 - And the children of Israel said unto the Lord, We have sinned: do
thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee,
this day.
T
Despite all the obvious signs we either just don’t get it or we DO get it and
don’t want to admit both the source of the problem and what we have to do as a
nation to remedy it. There are not two, three, five or seven remedies – there is
ONLY one remedy the cross of Christ. And friend, there is but one ROAD to that
remedy – and that is TRUE BIBLICAL REPENTANCE and a humbling of
ourselves before the Lord Jesus Christ and recognizing His Lordship over our
nation once again. The Lord Jesus Christ is the ONLY ONE who can deliver this
nation from its sin and bondage! It’s Jesus Christ and Him Crucified that STILL
sets men free!
he way Israel began her healing from this oppression is the way America will
begin her healing - confession of sin and repentance! Israel cried to God and
said “WE HAVE SINNED!” Friend, hear this writer. AMERICA HAS SINNED. AMERICA HAS
SINNED. AMERICA HAS SINNED.
This declaration is actually similar to God’s own view of the nation in Joshua 7
when the Babylonian garment was discovered in the camp of Achan and what should
be an easy victory turned into a humiliating defeat at Ai. When Joshua inquired
of the Lord as to why this happened, the Lord said, “ISRAEL HAS SINNED and
transgressed my covenant!”
Joshua 7:11 - Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant
which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have
also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own
stuff.
We can keep denying this is the problem and continue this terrible cycle of
suffering or we can come to our senses and declare to the Lord and throw
ourselves
on His mercy and say “WE HAVE SINNED!” WE HAVE SINNED.
Neighbor, when a nation slaughters 48 million babies in the name of choice, we
have SINNED! When we call homosexuality an alternative lifestyle and attempt to
teach our children at age 5 that is a normal way of sexuality we have SINNED!
When we ordain open homosexuals and lesbians, put them behind the sacred
pulpits, WE HAVE SINNED! When we spend nearly $3 billion a year on illegal
drugs, pornography and alcohol as a nation, we have SINNED!
We seek to remove God from any expression of our society by seeking to promote
humanistic psychology and humanism in our churches and throughout government.
Neighbor when we do such, we sin grievously in the sight of God. The Bible is
not some pop psychology handbook. It’s the WORDS of ALMIGHTY God and it declares
that the soul that sins will surely DIE. It declares that the nations who reject God
will be turned into hell. (Psalms 9:14) It declares that TODAY is the day of salvation. It
declares to us that God is angry with the wicked every day yet through His love
to the sinner reaches out DAILY with hope of eternal life and forgiveness if the
sinner will but believe and REPENT; the wicked are those who refuse to
acknowledge their sin and repent, yet continue thinking what they are doing is
justified and not under God’s microscope of anger and justice.
WE HAVE SINNED! I’m going to make you mad now if I haven’t already. When
preachers of the gospel can quote more of the Purpose Driven Life garbage
instead of the Word of God, then we have SINNED! When we continue to divorce in
the church at a rate higher than that in the world then we have SINNED. Those
comments are not directed at those hurt by this terrible sin in the church and
who are being restored, but to the current crop of couples who get married with
no intention of honoring the covenant and feel if things don’t work out, then we
just walk away. No big deal. It IS a big deal. It’s why this nation’s
foundations are crumbling before us and we are seeing the misery we see around
us.
Mister, the reason your home is going to hell in a hand basket is SIN; it’s not
because your wife doesn’t cook or fold your shirts the right way; Lady, the
reason your home is in a mess and you feel the need to cheat on your husband is
SIN; it’s not because he don’t cut the grass to your liking or is not paying you
enough attention; it’s SIN! And the Lord is GRIEVED over this misery and the
terrible plight of many in our nation, including His own children.
The One Seeking Evil And Refusing To Repent Will Find More Evil Willed Upon Him
By God; The Repentant Seeker However Will Have The Tide of Evil Stopped And
Mercy Granted Upon Request
Israel continued to sin and more evil followed her. And the more America sins
the greater the scope and intensity of evil will tear at the heart and soul of
our nation! Let me put it another way. When one looks at the extensive list of
the sins and marks of evil committed by the Israelites, one sees the depth of
corruption within the hearts of the people, a depth of evil that is seen in the
sevenfold listing of the false gods worshipped by the Israelites:
• The false gods of the Baals and the Ashtoreths: they were worshipped by most
if not all of the nations listed here.
• The false god of Aram or Syria: this was probably Thammuz, although some
worshipped the star deity, Athtar.
• The false gods of Sidon: these were primarily Baal and Astarte, the queen of
heaven.
• The main false god of Moab was Chemosh, to whom children were sacrificed by
burning them alive (Numbers 21:29; 1 Kings 11:23).
• The false god of the Ammonites was Milcom (1 Kings 11:5).
• The false god of the Philistines was Dagon; but they also worshipped Baal-Zebub,
the lord of the flies, a metaphor for demons (2 Kings 1:2).
Israel worshipped the false gods of nations that would ultimately subdue,
oppress and destroy her. To the degree we fall into idolatry and refuse to
repent, that same depth and degree of evil will thus fall on a nation. The very
gods we worship will be the source of the coming oppression upon any nation.
What we reap, we will sow; what light we reject will come back to us in a
greater measure of darkness; what goodness we spurn will be spun in EVIL in a
greater fashion upon the nation. America has slaughtered 48 million innocent
lives since 1973 at an annual rate of 1.5 million per year in the name of
choice. Well, our “choice,” to kill the innocent is being reaped on our school
campuses where our children are studying and in our malls and stores - two
symbols of American pride - education and money - where innocent life is being
snuffed out.
The Repentant Seeker Will Find Mercy Even At The 11th Hour
Israel cried out to God and through her constant intercession and His grace
found a place in His heart that caused Him to move on her behalf. The Lord’s
disposition went from one of anger to that of a Father being grieved for His
children. Friend, the Lord grieves over this nation! Yes, I do believe His anger
at times waxes hot against a nation as blessed as we but ultimately His heart
breaks over the sin He sees. He loves Israel as a nation even how despite the
fact Israel as a nation is backslidden and away from Him. It is HIS LOVE that
draws Israel and America back to Him even now. Both nations are
intertwined so much it's not funny. The purpose of this destiny is
to be a light to OTHER NATIONS who are heathen and do not know Him!
As long as you have a breath, you can say “yes” to Jesus and repent of your
sins! As long as there is a breath, then there is hope! However, the sad state
is that most never take that opportunity this side of the grave, which is not
the end of the road. There is a life after this one for ALL! Eternity is
forever; hell is not some temporary holding tank where people are tormented for
a season then let out as some total baboon for brain preachers are claiming
today.
Backslider, you have felt the tug of the Holy Spirit late at night and He
beckons to you again through the words of this journal. Spurn him at your own
eternal peril! Child molester, the Lord loves you today and wants to deliver you
from that perversion; drug addict, homosexual, alcoholic, the one addicted to
porn, the one who cheats in his business dealings, the one who commits adultery
on his wife, or the lady who does the same on her husband, His CALL to you today
is for MERCY, not judgment - IF YOU WILL REPENT.
Let me make a quick aside on this. There is an
11th hour with God but don't count of that 11th hour being given to
every one. Many a heart gets hardened with the misery sin brings and
many reach points that the 11th hour never comes. They simply fall
away for good never to return. That's what the Apostle called the
"deceitfulness of sin" in Hebrews 3, warning us not to be carried
with such in these last days! (Hebrews 3:7-8)
True Repentance Does Not Seek To Place Blame on Anyone Else but Takes
Responsibility for the Sin and the Consequences of Such Folly
Judges 10:15 - And the children of Israel said unto the Lord, We have sinned: do
thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee,
this day.
Israel in throwing herself on the mercy of God shows America today the path to
revival and our ultimate survival! We have become conditioned by modern
psychology, which has found its demonic path into the church, to blame everyone
else for the spiritual problems we face instead of addressing those problems as
we ought to and that is declaring them as sin!
Neighbor, Adam and Eve
were NOT the world’s first dysfunctional family; they were the
world’s first SINNERS. We don’t go out and kill 33 students because
when we young our mom beat our family dog in front of us. Sounds
absurd don’t it? Well that’s is the stupidity of humanistic and even
so-called Christian psychology today that removes the real issue of
sin and replaces it with false blame and false hopes that if we
remove the “reasons” why we are so wicked, then we will stop being
wicked. NO WE WILL NOT! Man don’t need a couch, he needs an ALTAR! Man don’t need some counseling
session, man needs a POWER session with an Almighty God through the work of
Jesus Christ at the foot of the Cross! The BLOOD of Jesus Christ STILL sets the
captive free! True repentance never blames anyone else for the wrong committed;
it stands before God as Israel did of old and says “WE HAVE SINNED, DO TO US AS
YOU SEE FIT,” thus throwing ourselves on God’s MERCY. That’s what being BORN
AGAIN is all about!
People come down to altars without acknowledging they are sinners and leave
sinners! They cry, moan, groan and even shake the preacher’s hand but get up
from the altar in the same spiritual condition they were in when they knelt in
the first place. True repentance blames no ONE, justifies nothing, declares the
utter horror of our actions and declares “LORD I AM A SINNER WITHOUT EXCUSE and
I, not my brother, sister, father or mother, is the CAUSE of this sin and it is
thus ME, not anyone else, who needs forgiveness and deliverance!
Mercy Rejected Will Always Result In Judgment Being Accepted; Apostasy Has No
Remedy
2 Tim. 3:1-8 - This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
[2] For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, [3] Without natural
affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of
those that are good, [4] Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more
than lovers of God; [5] Having a form of godliness, but denying the power
thereof: from such turn away. [6] For of this sort are they which creep into
houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers
lusts, [7] Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
[8] Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the
truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
1 Tim. 4:1 - 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;
2 Tim. 4:1-4
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge
the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; [2] Preach the word; be
instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering
and doctrine. [3] 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; [4] And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and
shall be turned unto fables.
Hebrews 10:26-27 - For if we sin willfully after that we have received the
knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, [27] But a
certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall
devour the adversaries.
Hebrews 6:4-6 - For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and
have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, [5]
And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, [6]
If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they
crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Israel reached a precarious point that she almost succumbed
to such a cycle of
bondage that she almost never came back. Would it not be for the mercy of God
today on this tiny nation we love with all of our heart and yearn to see her
salvation, Israel would not be a nation today friend. And without God's mercy
which will be tempered with judgment during the Great Tribulation,
she will not survive what is ahead.
I’ve said this many times in the pages of this website in the past and I will
say it again. I know there are voices predicting revival and there may very well
be a move of God that comes to America. It must come quickly or we are going to
be faced with the ruin of the land of the free and the home of the brave. The
Scriptures warn us that both an outpouring of the Spirit and perilous times will
take place almost simultaneously. (Joel 2, Compare With Isaiah 28)
The Holy Spirit warned through Paul that men would depart from the faith giving
heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. The Holy Spirit says that in
the last days men would turn aside the truth and not endure sound doctrine that
will save their souls. Men want fables and an ear-tickling gospel instead of the
truth.
As I close this journal, let me take you to the book of Revelation and give you
a graphic example of what I speak. It was the last message of Jesus Christ that
we have in Scripture that was given to the church at Laodicea, the lukewarm
church. The previous six messages He delivered in this same discourse with the
Apostle John, He was seen walking AMONG the candlesticks and even though there
were words of rebuke, He was least seen being active in the ministry of these
churches.
When it came to Laodicea, Jesus was no longer active among these people, but
outside the door, knocking, begging to get in. His words to Laodicea give us
insight I believe on what is happening right now in this nation and in the
American church. With the six other churches, He ended those messages with a
corporate call of repentance; to the church at Laodicea, the call no longer was
corporate, but the call of repentance was individual. He said “if any MAN hears
my voice,” I will come in with Him and sup with He and my Father who is With Me.
Neighbor, when Jesus comes in, He brings the Father! Praise God. When we see the
Father, we’ve seen Christ Jesus and when we see Christ Jesus we’ve seen the
Father.
Rev. 3:19-22 - As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore,
and repent. [20] Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my
voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he
with me. [21] To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne,
even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. [22] He
that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
The last message of Jesus Christ was for the church to REPENT! Yet this call
that went out did not have the markings of a call to all but to those who would
hear His voice.
What does this tell us about where we are at in America today? Quite simply, it
tells that the call of repentance may no longer be corporate to this nation nor
to the corporate church, but individually. I’m not going to arbitrarily say God
has stopped speaking to our nation corporately but to be frank He has been
speaking since the day America became a nation and we have refused to listen. He
has spoken to a backslidden church to come back to the cross and believe; yet we
refuse to listen as well. This should give us pause and concern to fall on my
face and cry out for mercy that God speak to our nation and corporate body again
in America. Do I think America is beyond hope nationally? Not a chance. But it's
going to take some serious intercession and unity in the Body of
Christ, the ONLY facet on Earth that is delaying judgment and
causing God's wrath to tarry. Abraham prayed for Sodom and stayed
God's hand until Lot got out; we can do the same!
I told a pastor friend not too long ago that it seems the ministry of the True
Church in these last days has become a search and rescue mission. Simply put, we can
no longer count on the masses to embrace truth as a whole. What we must do is
preach the gospel under the anointing of the Spirit and rejoice for the FEW who
will truly accept it and be saved. Millions walk down an aisle or have some
emotional experience and think they’re born again and yet if they died this very
moment, instead of them going to heaven as they think they would, they would in
fact die and go to hell.
Oh, you say, the church I go to has thousands coming and we meet in stadiums.
Well, if I preached a gospel void of repentance, a gospel void of any mention of
hell, a gospel void of any mention of sacrifice, a gospel void of any mention of
anything related to the Cross of Christ, a gospel void of any reference to holy
living and taking up the Cross and following Jesus, I could fill a stadium or
maybe even two myself. God help this modern church growth movement that is
more worried about how many we have sitting in the pew than worried about how
many will be eternally saved when they die.
Repentance Is More Than Words, But the Forsaking Of Idols and Strange Gods
Judges 10:16 - And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served
the Lord: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.
Israel had not just worshipped idols but had forsaken the Lord and no longer
served Him. Hear this writer. The evil Israel did was not done in secret but in
"the sight of the Lord," before His very eyes which witnessed Israel’s false
worship and their open face rejection of Him. The Lord sees the open faced
rebellion of our nation today as well.
I know some may say “well, America is not the only nation in the world in
rebellion.” Certainly that is true, but America is unique in that we were first
ordained as a nation to be the carrier of the LIGHT to these other nations who
sat in darkness. When we have foreign lands sending missionaries to our shores
to get Americans saved then friend then we have totally apostatized as a nation!
Despite our blessing and the LIGHT we’ve been given, our sin is more grievous
than any nation on the face of the earth.
These were not the heathen worshipping false gods, but it was His own people who
were participating in false worship. And this sight cut the heart of God and
caused Him to GRIEVE for the misery of the nation.
The church world today worships IDOLS. These are not the images made of some
stone, wood, or metal, images created by a person's imagination as in times past
but they have becomes idols of false ideologies and false theology. The god of
SELF is the largest one we worship today in the church and applaud those who
partake in this hellish worship along side us. Pride should be rebuked, but it’s
given awards. Pride SHOULD be rebuked but instead it’s placed on Christian
television and paraded as it’s the “standard” by which we should measure
ourselves. There is NO standard a man should measure himself except that being
CHRIST and HIM CRUCIFIED.
These false gods of humanism are just like the idols of Israel’s day, lifeless,
unable to hear prayers and unable to come to the aid of any man. THESE WILL NOT
SET SINGLE CAPTIVE FREE! And because we worship the false god of self, the door
has been swung wide open for the false worship of false messiahs, leaders,
religions in the world which is rooted in the unbelief and denial of the Lord
Jesus Christ as being God and ALONE the way and path of salvation to the Father!
As we close, let me make one final point about true repentance. True repentance
always sees the sin we commit as offending GOD first, THEN our fellow man. Some
repent after they get caught; others repent because they find themselves reaping
a terrible price for their rebellion and folly; others repent with selfish
motives as not to suffer further shame. True repentance comes from a heart that
HURTS because it has hurt and spurned a loving God in heaven Who has done all
things to redeem us and save us in His love. Sinning and failing the Lord hurts
the true child of God who immediately feels Holy Ghost conviction. Neighbor,
this conviction may not feel too good but it’s what keeps you and I from eternal
hell.
The True child of God mourns over their condition when they become backslidden.
The true child of God sees themselves as God sees them - sinful, yet loved and
cherished by His grace and His mercy, which is able to set the captive free. God
IS love and it’s His love that brings the sinner to the foot of the Cross in
repentance. It is the GOODNESS of God that leads man to repentance, but if man
rejects and spurns that goodness, then justice and judgment will be according to
TRUTH against them “which commit such things.”
Romans 2:2-9 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth
against them which commit such things. [3] And thinkest thou this, O man, that
judges them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape
the judgment of God? [4] Or despises thou the riches of his goodness and
forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee
to repentance? [5] But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up
unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous
judgment of God; [6] Who will render to every man according to his deeds: [7] To
them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and
immortality, eternal life: [8] But unto them that are contentious, and do not
obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, [9] Tribulation
and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also
of the Gentile;
The Lord’s soul was GRIEVED for the misery of Israel; is He grieving over the
misery we sense and feel here in America today? Israel got herself in the mess
she found herself in because of SIN; she got herself OUT of the mess she was in
through one simple word - and that word was repentance.
Neighbor, it’s getting late friend. The clock on God’s prophetic clock says “ten
to midnight.” The time is short; the hour is at hand; Jesus is coming soon; the
next sound we hear prophetically I believe is the trump of God that will sound
at the rapture of the Church. We’re that close.
I ask you today, are you saved? If you died this very moment, where would your
soul spend eternity? Would your next breath be in the portals of heaven in the
presence of God, or in the flaming pits of hell, separated from God forever and
forever, in a place made for the devil and his angels? That is the question and
there IS an answer for ALL. I pray your answer today is heaven and with Jesus,
the SAVIOUR of all mankind, the Rose of Sharon, the First and the Last, and the
healer of ALL the misery brought on by sin and darkness. He loves you today and
wants to heal the broken hearted and the poor sin sick dispossessed soul. He
wants to come and end the misery of your situation through His
precious love and power. He beckons today - be set free from sin and
be healed of its misery. Receive Him today before it's too late. Praise
God.
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