IT IS TIME (part 2)
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
To us who have professed faith in Jesus Christ, the Spirit is saying...
"repent and do the first works"... "Be faithful until death"... "Be watchful"... "strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God"...
To the Christian church here in 21st Century He is saying...
"hold fast and repent"... "I have a few things against you because you... put a stumbling block before the children of Israel... and commit sexual immorality... because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth."...
To us who believe we have already attained all the God has for us, and that our eternal destination is secure so that we "have need of nothing" He is saying...
"you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent."
The veil is being lifted in this age. God’s Truth is being revealed.
Lord, give us eyes to truly see...
It is time to turn our eyes and hearts to Him. It is time to grow up and leave the fables and immature conduct behind us.
"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things."
-1 Cor 13:11
Repent... be faithful... be watchful... hold fast... be zealous. Press in... don’t shrink back... awake... cleanse your hands... purify your hearts.... put away immature things...
No longer can we put these commands on - and apply these verses to - the unbelieving. All these passages, all these warnings and admonishments are to Christians. We are called to be righteous and holy and perfect and to walk worthy before God. We’re not there yet. Far from it.
Saints, it is time to grow up. The fire of judgment has begun. The Day of the Lord is near...
The Lord is charging us...
"Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.
Put away from you a deceitful mouth,
And put perverse lips far from you.
Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.
Ponder the path of your feet,
And let all your ways be established.
Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil."
- Prov 4:23-27
The Father is telling His children...
"Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.
Cease to do evil,
Learn to do good; Seek justice,
Rebuke the oppressor;
Defend the fatherless,
Plead for the widow."
- Is 1:16-17
The Spirit is exhorting us to depart from Babylon, the way of the world...
"Depart! Depart! Go out from there,
Touch no unclean thing;
Go out from the midst of her,
Be clean,
You who bear the vessels of the LORD.
For you shall not go out with haste,
Nor go by flight;
For the LORD will go before you,
And the God of Israel will be your rear guard."
- Is 52:11-12
Some would say that these are Old Testament passages and they do not apply to those who have professed belief in Jesus. I’ve heard said that these commands are for the Jews. Have we forgotten that Jesus, the Eleven, Paul, James and Jude were all Jewish? Our Lord tells us that salvation only comes from the Jews (John 4:22) and that we can only abide in Him as we are grafted into the olive tree that is Israel (Rom 11). If these commands and exhortation from the prophet Isaiah, Proverbs, and other OT books, do not apply to us, then how can we claim the promises of Psalms 23, 37, 91 & 107, not to mention Isaiah 40:31 and Prov 3:5-6 seeing that they are part of the Old Testament?
The Apostle Paul quoted often from the Prophets (affirming their messages validity to Christians), and directs his warnings always to believers. He wrote all his letters to encourage, and also to warn, those who had been baptized into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. None of the epistles in the NT were written to unbelievers. Every promise, every exhortation, every warning and every commandment is directed toward the followers of Jesus, toward us.
Here Paul speaks to us as immature babes in Christ, and admonishes us for being self-centered, repeating the OT prophets charge to come out from among the worldly and walk not in their ways...
"You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open. Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
"I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people."
Therefore,
"Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you."
"I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the LORD Almighty."
- 2 Cor 6:12-18
God will receive as His sons & daughters us if we separate ourselves from the things which Christ will separate from His Kingdom when He returns. (Matt 13:41-43) It is time to come out from among them, lest we are among those He will cast out.
It is time to know and to obey His commandments...
"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?" Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.
(The Father and the Son abiding with us. The Holy Spirit guiding us.)
"These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father, ’ for My Father is greater than I."
- John 14:21-28
The Lord Jesus indeed has gone before us. The God of Israel is our rear guard. The Holy Spirit will help us and teach us to know God’s commandments as we humble ourselves, repent and obey. With the fulness of the Godhead protecting, directing, guiding and molding us, we can make it through the necessary fire with which we must be tried. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego made it through the fire because the Son of God was with them. The Son of God was with them because of their humble obedience to God and strict adherence to His commands. (see Ex 20:2-6 & Dan 3:14-28)
"For by fire and by His sword
The LORD will judge all flesh"
- Is 66:16
We’ve accepted and welcomed the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Are we ready to accept the baptism of fire? Will we welcome the judgment by immersion into the fire of God that will purify those He has called to be conformed to the image of His Son?
"Even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
- Matt 3:10-12
We don’t escape God’s fire by accepting the blood atonement of Jesus Christ, rather we (we who have been called into that Kingdom of Priests who will rule & reign with Christ) are the first to go through it.
"But who can endure the day of His coming?
And who can stand when He appears?
For He is like a refiner’s fire
And like launderers’ soap.
He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;
He will purify the sons of Levi,
And purge them as gold and silver,
That they may offer to the LORD
An offering in righteousness."
- Mal 3:2-3
"Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand."
-Dan 12:10
Oh God, may we be among those who understand. May we be among those who come through the fire - purified and refined, able to stand before You, and serve You.
Dear brothers & sisters, it is time to prepare ourselves to be purified, cleansed and refined. Will we be ready? Will we be able to stand when He appears?
"For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now -
" If the righteous one is scarcely saved,
Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?"
- 1 Pet 4:17-18
’The righteous’. God has called us to be righteous. I’m saddened at how much ’teaching’ is out there today that does all it can in an attempt to prove that regardless of how we behave we are ’eternally secure and Kingdom bound’ as long as we have professed that Jesus is Lord. My Bible has much to say about our conduct and its consequences both presently and eternally.
"Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity." - 2 Tim 2:19b
The NIV translates this - "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."
If we claim to believe that Jesus is our Lord, yet we do not obey Him, is that true belief? If we do not trust what He says, both His promises AND His warnings, can we truly claim to have faith?
"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting Life."
- Gal 6:7-8
The Bible was written to the Church, not to the world. Judgment begins at the house of God. Those in the churches, those of us who profess to be Christian will be judged first. And it is by our behavior, our conduct, our works, that we shall be judged. There is no excuse for sin. If we continue in our sins, we will not enter His Kingdom. The door will be shut. (we read that earlier in Luke 13:24-30). Modern Christianity has made the forgiveness of our sins by Christ’s blood the goal and the end of our salvation. Rather, as the nation of Israel began the journey out of Egypt, it is the first step in our Christian walk.
I’ve taken some heat for saying this before, but nevertheless it is true - Forgiving us of our sins does God no good. It is for our good; to start us on the Path to righteousness. Actual righteousness. Jesus is not coming for a church full of those who are ’not perfect just forgiven.’ He is returning to meet a Church that is without spot or wrinkle. A body comprised of saints who have been purified by fire, who have separated themselves from the things of the world, and overcome sin. A suitable helper ready and waiting for Him. A Church that is holy and righteous as He has commanded. (Eph 1:4, Eph 5:27, 1Pet 1:15, Lev 19:2, Matt 5:48, Rev 19:7-8, 2 Cor 7:1...)
We sing the hymns about ruling & reigning with Christ. How can we rule and reign in righteousness if any sin remains in us?
"To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne."
- Rev 3:21
Most often we hear taught, or even ourselves preach, the passages about sin and it’s consequences to those who are not Christians. Yet Jesus spoke the most stern warnings to those who He called to be closest to Him. After telling a parable about being ready and watching for Him, and exhorting them to keep their lamps burning, the disciples asked Jesus if He was referring to them, or to those in the world. Jesus answers -
"Who is that faithful and wise steward, whom his Master will make ruler over His household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his Master will find so doing when He comes. Truly, I say to you that He will make him ruler over all that He has.
But if that servant says in his heart, ’My Master is delaying His coming, ’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the Master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for Him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
And that servant who knew his Master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more."
- Luke 12:42-48
Are we not His servant? Is He not our Master? Yet He will cut us in pieces and assign us with those who never believed, if we allow sin to remain in us? Those who knew what the Master commanded were judged more harshly. Likewise, Christians, those who are to know better, will face stricter judgment than those who did not know what Christ required of them.
Dear saints, deep within our hearts we know what He requires of us. Let us not ignore the promptings and conviction of His Spirit and thereby neglect our salvation. Let us not trade His Truth for fables. Rather let us press in, fight the good fight of faith, hold fast our confession, stand firm and lay hold on Eternal Life, that we my know Christ and the power of His Resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, become conformed to His death, and attain to the Resurrection of Life.
Oh, Lord, forgive us, for we’ve watered down Your Word. Restore once again to Your people, eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to accept Your Truth. Grant us strength to overcome and turn from all unrighteousness, that we may become holy and blameless, pleasing in Your sight. Let us not be deceived, Lord. May we, indeed, discern the signs of the times. May we heed the warnings of Your Apostles who told us...
"Be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them." (Eph 5:1-7)
"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the Kingdom of God." (1 Cor 6:9-10)
"you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Pet 1:6b-7)
We thank You, Lord Jesus, that we do not have to do these things entirely in our own strength. For You are there to help us through our struggles, to guide us and protect us as we reject evil and do good, when we choose to turn from sin, and call upon Your Name.
"The LORD is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous." (Prov 15:29)
For we do not have to fall again and again. There is no sin from which You cannot deliver us, Lord, if we look to You, trust You, and stand on Your promises.
"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." (1 Cor 10:13)
Lord, by Your Holy Spirit, convict me and remove from me all that will prevent me from entering into Your Holy Presence. Forgive my sins and cleanse me from ALL unrighteousness. Lord, cause Your Truth to burn within me. Purify me with Your refining fire now that I may be able to endure Your coming, and stand worthy before You in that Day. Have mercy on Your people, forgive us our sins, and lead us in the Way Everlasting. Be glorified in Your Church. Praise Your Holy Name.
Amen.
God’s wisdom and understanding to all,
Michael
to be continued...
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Sunday, January 3, 2010
It Is Time
IT IS TIME
"Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected."- Luke 13:32
That day is drawing nigh.
Jesus has been working in the earth for the past 2000 years, looking forward to That Day. Have we?
"Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people." (Ex 19:10-11)
Are we ready for His return today? Are we holy in His sight? Have we washed our robes?
It is time...
"Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up.
After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight.
Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth."
- Hos 6:1-3
It is time, saints...
"Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ’Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ’I do not know you, where you are from,’ then you will begin to say, ’We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ But He will say, ’I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the Kingdom of God. And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last."
- Luke 13:24-30
Lord, we’ve reduced Christianity to being forgiven, saved, and going to heaven.
God, You’ve shown me in Your Word, and by Your Spirit that Your desire is that we be delivered from sin, born again, and be found abiding in You now, even as we look forward to dwelling eternally with You in Your Kingdom.
Lord, You command us to ’Repent’. We’ve taken that to mean feeling sorry for sins we commit, even as we continue in them, accepting a false doctrine that we will always sin and fall short while in this world. Rather, Your command is not that we feel sorry for sinning, but that we actually STOP sinning.
When You forgave the woman caught in adultery, You told her - "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more." (John 8:11)
After You restored the man at the pool of Bethesda, You warned him - "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you." (John 5:14).
Father, just as You charged Your chosen people to cleanse and consecrate themselves in preparing to meet You on Mount Sinai on the third day, You are charging us, those who name the Name of Jesus, to cleanse and consecrate ourselves in preparation for that Day, the return of Your Son to this earth to set up His Kingdom.
Oh Lord, open our eyes to see Your Way. Unplug our ears to hear Your Holy Spirit. Wake us up to Your Truth.
Dear saints, let us Awake!
" Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light." - Eph 5:14
It is only in that Light that we have true fellowship with God. (1 John 1:6-7)
"Awake to righteousness, and stop sinning... for some of you - to your shame I say so - are without any true knowledge of God." - 1 Cor 15:34
It is only in fearing Him and keeping His commandments that we gain true knowledge of God. (Prov 2)
"Awake, awake!
Put on your strength, O Zion;
Put on your beautiful garments,
O Jerusalem, the holy city!
For the uncircumcised and the unclean
Shall no longer come to you.
Shake yourself from the dust, arise;
Sit down, O Jerusalem!
Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck,
O captive daughter of Zion!"
- Is 52:1-2
Let us wake up from our comfortable Christian slumber, stand up straight, and shake the filth of sin from us. Let us adorn ourselves with the clean, beautiful robes of righteousness, be holy as He commanded, and walk in His Light.
Let us...
"Depart from evil, and do good;
And dwell forevermore.
For the LORD loves justice,
And does not forsake His saints;
They are preserved forever,
But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.
The righteous shall inherit the land,
And dwell in it forever."
- Psalm 37:27-29
Brothers & sisters, for the past couple years, God has been impressing on my heart that ’it is time’. We are entering the ’Third Day’. The time is drawing near, when our choice will be sealed. Are we a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, who has laid down our life, turned from sin, is walking after the Spirit, cleansing our hands and purifying our heart... or are we a ’Christian’ in name, who has one foot in the world, holding onto a sin or two, trusting in the ’teachings’ of most churches, placing our belief in false doctrines that state we will always sin as long as we are in this world, that no one can be righteous, and that we cannot add anything to what Jesus did?
"Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity." - 2 Tim 2:19b
Our Lord says - "The time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be." - Rev 22:10-12
The Spirit is saying -
"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." - James 4:8
The Father said -
"You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself." (Initial salvation)
"Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." (Ultimate inheritance of the promise for the faithful)
- Ex 19:4-6
"Now therefore..."
It is time to enter into God’s eternal plan.
It is time...
It is time to put off our selfish, sinful nature...
"For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God..." -1 Pet 4:17a
"For My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from My face, nor is their iniquity concealed from My eyes. I will first doubly repay their iniquity and their sin, because they have polluted My land; they have filled My inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable idols and with their abominations."
- Jer 16:17-18
It is time for God’s people to...
"Flee sexual immorality." - 1 Cor 6:18
"Flee also youthful lusts; and pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." - 2 Tim 2:22
The man of the world seeks the sensual and pursues money and power...
"But you, O man of God, flee these things (the love of money, the pursuit of riches) and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal Life, to which you were also called." - 1 Tim 6:11-12
"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness." - 2 Tim 2:15-16
These words are for us who are Christians first and foremost. (For the world is ignorant to the things of God). All these admonishments were written to blood-washed baptized believers in Jesus Christ. The Apostles and Prophets foresaw the coming, and present, decadent condition of the Church, and wrote to encourage us to remain in the Way. The Way of our Lord Jesus Christ.
"You have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do - living in debauchery (immorality), lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry"
- 1 Pet 4:3
Dear saints... It is time to "put away childish things", and grow up. It is time even to "leave the elementary teachings about the Christ, and press on to maturity." (1 cor 13:11, Heb 6:1-3)
"Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For -
" He who would love life
And see good days,
Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
Let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil."
- 1 Peter 3:8-12 (from Psa 34:12-16)
It is time....
We are entering the third day.
I pray we are ready.
Michael
to be continued...
"Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected."- Luke 13:32
That day is drawing nigh.
Jesus has been working in the earth for the past 2000 years, looking forward to That Day. Have we?
"Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people." (Ex 19:10-11)
Are we ready for His return today? Are we holy in His sight? Have we washed our robes?
It is time...
"Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up.
After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight.
Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth."
- Hos 6:1-3
It is time, saints...
"Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ’Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ’I do not know you, where you are from,’ then you will begin to say, ’We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ But He will say, ’I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the Kingdom of God. And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last."
- Luke 13:24-30
Lord, we’ve reduced Christianity to being forgiven, saved, and going to heaven.
God, You’ve shown me in Your Word, and by Your Spirit that Your desire is that we be delivered from sin, born again, and be found abiding in You now, even as we look forward to dwelling eternally with You in Your Kingdom.
Lord, You command us to ’Repent’. We’ve taken that to mean feeling sorry for sins we commit, even as we continue in them, accepting a false doctrine that we will always sin and fall short while in this world. Rather, Your command is not that we feel sorry for sinning, but that we actually STOP sinning.
When You forgave the woman caught in adultery, You told her - "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more." (John 8:11)
After You restored the man at the pool of Bethesda, You warned him - "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you." (John 5:14).
Father, just as You charged Your chosen people to cleanse and consecrate themselves in preparing to meet You on Mount Sinai on the third day, You are charging us, those who name the Name of Jesus, to cleanse and consecrate ourselves in preparation for that Day, the return of Your Son to this earth to set up His Kingdom.
Oh Lord, open our eyes to see Your Way. Unplug our ears to hear Your Holy Spirit. Wake us up to Your Truth.
Dear saints, let us Awake!
" Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light." - Eph 5:14
It is only in that Light that we have true fellowship with God. (1 John 1:6-7)
"Awake to righteousness, and stop sinning... for some of you - to your shame I say so - are without any true knowledge of God." - 1 Cor 15:34
It is only in fearing Him and keeping His commandments that we gain true knowledge of God. (Prov 2)
"Awake, awake!
Put on your strength, O Zion;
Put on your beautiful garments,
O Jerusalem, the holy city!
For the uncircumcised and the unclean
Shall no longer come to you.
Shake yourself from the dust, arise;
Sit down, O Jerusalem!
Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck,
O captive daughter of Zion!"
- Is 52:1-2
Let us wake up from our comfortable Christian slumber, stand up straight, and shake the filth of sin from us. Let us adorn ourselves with the clean, beautiful robes of righteousness, be holy as He commanded, and walk in His Light.
Let us...
"Depart from evil, and do good;
And dwell forevermore.
For the LORD loves justice,
And does not forsake His saints;
They are preserved forever,
But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.
The righteous shall inherit the land,
And dwell in it forever."
- Psalm 37:27-29
Brothers & sisters, for the past couple years, God has been impressing on my heart that ’it is time’. We are entering the ’Third Day’. The time is drawing near, when our choice will be sealed. Are we a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, who has laid down our life, turned from sin, is walking after the Spirit, cleansing our hands and purifying our heart... or are we a ’Christian’ in name, who has one foot in the world, holding onto a sin or two, trusting in the ’teachings’ of most churches, placing our belief in false doctrines that state we will always sin as long as we are in this world, that no one can be righteous, and that we cannot add anything to what Jesus did?
"Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity." - 2 Tim 2:19b
Our Lord says - "The time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be." - Rev 22:10-12
The Spirit is saying -
"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." - James 4:8
The Father said -
"You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself." (Initial salvation)
"Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." (Ultimate inheritance of the promise for the faithful)
- Ex 19:4-6
"Now therefore..."
It is time to enter into God’s eternal plan.
It is time...
It is time to put off our selfish, sinful nature...
"For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God..." -1 Pet 4:17a
"For My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from My face, nor is their iniquity concealed from My eyes. I will first doubly repay their iniquity and their sin, because they have polluted My land; they have filled My inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable idols and with their abominations."
- Jer 16:17-18
It is time for God’s people to...
"Flee sexual immorality." - 1 Cor 6:18
"Flee also youthful lusts; and pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." - 2 Tim 2:22
The man of the world seeks the sensual and pursues money and power...
"But you, O man of God, flee these things (the love of money, the pursuit of riches) and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal Life, to which you were also called." - 1 Tim 6:11-12
"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness." - 2 Tim 2:15-16
These words are for us who are Christians first and foremost. (For the world is ignorant to the things of God). All these admonishments were written to blood-washed baptized believers in Jesus Christ. The Apostles and Prophets foresaw the coming, and present, decadent condition of the Church, and wrote to encourage us to remain in the Way. The Way of our Lord Jesus Christ.
"You have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do - living in debauchery (immorality), lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry"
- 1 Pet 4:3
Dear saints... It is time to "put away childish things", and grow up. It is time even to "leave the elementary teachings about the Christ, and press on to maturity." (1 cor 13:11, Heb 6:1-3)
"Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For -
" He who would love life
And see good days,
Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
Let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil."
- 1 Peter 3:8-12 (from Psa 34:12-16)
It is time....
We are entering the third day.
I pray we are ready.
Michael
to be continued...
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