GRACE OR WORKS

[It would be good to read the previous postings on "REPENTANCE" and "THE MODERN SMOOTH CROSS" to enrich this study]

Salvation is a gift from God. We have access to this gift by the grace and mercy of God. Salvation is not something we deserve but it can be ours because of God’s love for us. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8, 9).

LOOKING AT THE LAW
If we combine that verse quoted above with the following: “Knowing that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. And not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified…” (Gal. 2:16). “…received ye the Spirit by works of the law or by the hearing of faith? (Gal. 3:2). “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin…” (Rom. 3:20). “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Rom 3:28). It’s pretty obvious that God says we cannot be saved by the works of the law. This is speaking of the Levitical law of the scriptures. Man, through his pride, has thought he could keep this law since it was given at Mt. Sinai. Disobiedence of God’s law is sin, which we all have done. “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law” (1 Jn. 3:4). For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).

LOOKING AT FAITH
Read the 11th chapter of Hebrews and see examples of things that men and women of old did by faith. In each case there was an action brought on by the application of faith. Faith is God brings action. These actions are works or deeds of faith. James tells us of these works: “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works” (Jm. 2:17, 18). “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead ” (Jm. 2:20). “Ye see then how by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (Jm. 2:24).

LOOKING AT GRACE
God shows saving grace to every man. “For the grace that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world….(Titus 2:11, 12). This grace, then, comes to teach, and when we do these teachings, when we let our old man die, then these are works of faith that bring salvation. And it’s God’s grace that brings us there.

There is a law to be obeyed for salvation. Paul calls this law “the law of faith” in Romans 3:27. This is not the Levitical law. This law of faith requires us to believe from the heart and repent. No man by his own good deeds, or more good deeds than bad, can just squeeze his way into heaven. There is no person who is basically ‘a good guy’ that can hope to be justified by God for salvation. Striving to be a ‘good person’ is like trying to keep the Levitical law. “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law” (Rom. 3:31). “For the law is spiritual…” (Rom. 7:14). The unspiritual, natural man cannnot keep this law which is spiritual. It is the grace of God which allows us to keep his spiritual law by faith.

By the works of the law shall no man be justified. A man is justified by works and not by faith only. But, the works of faith are not the same as the works of the law. By works, faith is made perfect (Jm., 2:22)

There is no way we can do enough to earn our way into God’s kingdom. God is holy and his kingdom is holy. But through faith we make ourselves acceptable unto him. “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer” (Ps. 19:14). Faith is the key. Our faith is manifested by our works.

This then we need to know: Without works of faith there is no salvation. To repent of dead works is a work of faith. Without repentance from sin there is no salvatiion. And here is another key to our understanding. We do what we believe. What we believe is manifested by what we do. We may deceive ourselves into thinking we have a real belief in God and show an outward appearence, but under pressure we will do what we believe. To believe there is a God is not the same as believing in God through faith. Even the devils believe in God (Jm. 2:19). For example, the so called Christian who “slips” when angry and curses God. The true nature comes out. “… for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Mt 12:34). That old nature, that old heart, is the old nature of the unregenerate flesh. Using God’s name in vain is sin, transgression of the law, breaking the 10 commandments. When the old nature has been crucified with Christ, blessing and cursing cannot and will not come out of the same mouth. If you don’t know then it would be good to be aquainted with 1 John chapter 3, especially verses 4, 9 and 10. “He that commmitteth sin is of the devil…” (:4). “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil…” (:9, 10). Knowing and believing this seperates the men from the boys, the ‘church member’ from the Christian, the deceiver from the man of God.

Faith, as James tells us, will be shown by works. These works are the substance coming from that faith. So there is evidence brought forth that shows we have faith. This is the definitiion of faith given to us in Hebrews chapter 11. This work of faith, whether for salvation or afterwards, will glorify your Father in heaven. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Mt., 5:6). Jesus accomplished many things; he did many mighty works during his walk on this earth. He was, and is, our Saviour, our healer, our example and much more, but all encompassed by this one thing, he glorified his Father. “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work thou gavest me to do” (Jn. 17:4). With his hands, his words, and his deeds, with his whole heart, he did the works that glorified God.

We will be judged and rewarded according to our works. “Every man’s work shall be made manifest…(1Cor. 3:13). “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works” (Mt. 16:27). “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according to his works shall be” (Rev. 22:12. But without the works of repentance from sin, letting our old man die and receiving Jesus as Savioiur, our works, no matter how good they may seem, are worthless in our final judgment. Look and Cornelius in Acts chapter 10 and 11. Cornelius was a “good man”. He was devout, feared God, gave alms to the people, prayed and fasted. Even an angle appeared to him and said his prayer was heard and his works were held in memorial before God. Cornelius was told by the angel to send for Peter and he would tell him the words whereby he and his house would be saved. Don’t let your works just be held in memorial. “Not every one 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 will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me ye that work iniquity” (Mt. 7:21-23). There’s no use in running hard for home base if you never touched first base. Acts 26:20, “…that they should repent and turn to God, and to the works meet for repentance.” You can’t be righteous on your own. He is our righteousness. He must live that righteousness in us. We have to die to self and let him in and live his life in our mortal bodies. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal.2:20. The path to receiving this righteousness is given in the previous posting “THE MODERN SMOOTH CROSS”. Philippians 2:12 tells us the end of the matter, “… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

After this work of faith for salvation our work continues. In each of the 7 church ages of Revelation chapters 2 and 3, (which show our growth in him from babes to full sonship), Jesus declares, “…I know thy works…” Our work for him are works of love and faith, but by works of the law shall no man jbe justified.

“Then said they unto him, what shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (Jn. 6:28, 29).

THE MODERN SMOOTH CROSS

Many years ago I was given this tract. I found it to be so true and to the point. I recently found it in some old papers and want to print it here. It is called THE MODERN SMOOTH CROSS.

All unannounced and mostly undetected there has come in modern times a new cross into popular evangelistic circles. It is like the old cross but different; the likenesses are superficial, the differences fundamental.

From this cross has sprung a new philosophy of the Christian life, and from that new philosophy has come a new evangelistic technique, a new type of meeting, and a new type of preaching. This new evangelism employs the same language as the old, but its content is not the same, and its emphasis not as before.

The old cross would have no truck with the world. For Adam’s proud flesh it meant the end of the journey. It carried into effect the sentence imposed by the law of Sinai. The new cross is not opposed to the human race; rather it is a friendly pal, and if understood aright is the source of oceans of good clean fun and innocent enjoyment., It lets Adam live without interference. His life motivation is unchanged; he still lives for his own pleasure, only now he takes delight in singing choruses and watching religious movies instead of singing bawdy songs and drinking hard liquor. The accent is still on enjoyment though the fun is now on a higher plane morally if not intelllectually.

The new cross encourages a new and entirely different evangelistic approach. The evangelist does not demand abnegation of the old life before the new life can be received. He preaches not contrasts but similarities. He seeks to key into public interest by showing that Christianity makes no unpleasant demands: rather it offers the same things the world does, only on a higher level. Whatever the sin-made world happens to be clamouring after at the moment is cleverly shown to be the very thing the Gospel offers; only, the religious product is better.

The new cross does not slay the sinner, it redirects him. It gears him into a cleaner and jollier way of living and saves the self-respect. To the self-assertive it says, “Come and do your boasting in the Lord.” To the thrill-seeker it says, “Come and enjoy the thrill of Christian fellowship.” The modern message is slanted in the direction of the current vogue thereby catering to human taste and reasoning.

The philosphy back of this kind of thing may be sincere, but its sincerity does not save it from being false. It is false because it is blind. It misses completely all the meaning of the cross.

The old cross is a symbol of death. It stands for the abrupt violent end of a human being. The man in Roman times who took up his cross and started down the road had already said good-bye to his friends. He was not cominmg back. He was not going out to have his life redirected; he was going out to have it ended. The cross made no compromise, modified nothing, spared nothing; it slew all the man completely and for good. It did not try to keep on good terms with victim. It struck swift and hard, and when it had finished its work the man was no more.

The race of Adam is under death sentence. There is no commutation and no escape. God cannot approve any of the fruits of sin however innocent they may appear or beautiful to the eyes of men. God salvages the individual by liquidating him, and raising him again to newness of life.

That evangelism which draws friendly parallels between the ways of God and the ways of men is false to the Bible and cruel to the souls of the hearers. The faith of Christ does not parallel the world; it intersects it. In coming to Christ we do not bring our old life on to a higher plane; we leave it on the cross. The corn of wheat must fall into the ground and die.

We who preach the Gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish goodwill between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business men, or the Press, or the world of sports, or modern education. We are not diplomats, but prophets, and our message is not a compromise, but an ultimatum.

God offersd life, but not an improved old life. The life He offers is life out of death. It stands always on the far side of the cross. Whoever would possess it must pass under the rod. He must repudiate himself and concur in God’s just sentence against him.

What does this mean to the individual, the condemned man who would find life in Christ Jesus? How can this theology be translated into life? Simply he must believe and repent. He must forsake his sins and then go on to forsake himself. Let him cover nothing, excuse nothing. Let him not seek to make terms with God, but let him bow his head before the stroke of God’s sterm displeasure.

Having done this, let him gaze with smple trust upon the risen Saviour, and from Him will come life and rebirth and cleansing and power. The cross that ended the earthly life of Jesus now puts an end to the sinner, and the power that raised Christ from the dead now raises him to a new life along with Christ.

Along with this tract are several scripture references. Seeing the word is imperative to the reader, I here include the references in the order they were given:
(Para 1) 2 Cor. 11:14-15; Gal. 1:6-10; (Para 2) 2 Tim. 3:5; 2 Tim. 4:3-4; (Para 3) Jms. 4:4; 1 Jn. 2:15; Col. 3:3; 1 Cor. 15:22; 1 Jn. 2:16-1; (Para 4) 2 Cor. 5:17; Jn. 3:6-7; (Para 5) 1 Cor. 1:18; Rom. 7:18; Phil. 3:3; (Para 6) Jn.5:40-41; (Para 7) Phil. 2:8; (Para 1 Cor. 15:22; Rom. 3:9, 19-23; Rom. 6:3-6, 23; (Para 9) Isa. 55:8; Prov. 14:12; Gal. 6:14; Jn. 12:24; (Para 10) 1 Cor. 1:18-21; 2 Cor. 5:20; (Para 11) Jn. 10:10; Jn.3:3, 7; Lk 18:13; Lk. 7:30,35; (Para 12) Acts 20:21; Isa. 55:7; Job 42:6; Lk. 9:23, 14:26, 27, 33; (Para 13) Jn. 3:14-16; Jn. 5:24; Rom. 6:4-14.

REPENTANCE

Repentance is a reoccurring theme of the New Testament books.  With this emphasis it seems we need to be sure we understand what God says about repentance and not rely on traditional thought.  John the Baptist began his ministry in Judea preaching repentance.  Jesus began his ministry in Capernaum preaching repentance.  Jesus sent out his disciples to preach repentance.  Peter began the church age on the day of Pentecost preaching repentance.  Paul preached repentance.  Through all the scriptures its seen that there are two aspects of repentance for us as God’s creation.  There is repentance unto salvation and repentance unto holiness after salvation.  One is repentance from sin and the other from doing things that are associated with or give appearance of our previous sinful life.  Also, know that there is a sin that cannot be repented of.

A PLACE OF REPENTANCE

Part of what Jesus told his disciples at the “last supper” was that it was expedient for them that he goes away.  Because, if he departed then he would send the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth (Jn. 14:16, 17, 26; 16: 17).  The Holy Ghost is sent to reprove the world of sin, righteousness and judgement. (Jn. 16:8).  It is, then, the “job” of the Holy Ghost to convict us of sin in our life.  You see, it is the love and goodness of God through the Holy Ghost that leads us to repentance (Rom. 2:4).  God leads us to repentance through godly sorrow.  Not just sorrow that is fleeting and comforts our guilty mind for a time, but a godly sorrow that causes true repentance.  We need a true repentance that brings forth a lasting fruit in our life.  Church membership doesn’t do this nor bring salvation.  Neither does confession of sin with worldly penance.  True salvation can only come with true repentance. 

To see this in the scriptures, note the work of the Holy Ghost through Paul as he lead some of the Corinthians to this place of repentance.  Writing to the Corinthians, Paul said, “Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you sorrowed to repentance:  For ye were made sorry after a godly manner, [... ] for godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of:  but sorrow of the world worketh death.” (2 Cor. 7:9, 10).  It is the goodness of God that leads to this place of repentance. 

It is the spiritual law of God that shows us our sins.  Paul said he would not have known sin but for the law (Rom. 7:7).  The “rich young ruler” in Mark 10:17-19 was told by Jesus that the way to eternal life was by this law.  In both instances it is the 10 commandment law that is referred to.  Paul says this law is holy, just and good. (Rom. 7:12).  John tells us that sin is the transgression of the law (1 Jn. 3:4). The transgression of the 10 commandments given to Moses has shown mankind what sin is for 3500 years.  We have all sinned and we all need to repent of sin.  God wants us to repent.  He loves us and gave his only begotten son that we can repent, find forgiveness, crucify the our old nature with Christ on the cross and be born of his spirit.  He leads us to salvation because of his love and his goodness.  “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;  but is longsuffering not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Pet. 3:9).  But, be not deceived, God is not mocked.  God sent his son as a sacrifice for our sins and the  Holy Ghost is sent to lead us to a place where we see what we are and our need to repent.  God will not indefinitely continue to lead us to this place.  The work of the Holy Ghost on our heart is not a given.  Jesus’ sacrifice and God’s love and forgiveness cannot be taken lightly.  Look at Hebrews 6:4-6 in which the word “impossible” is used.  See all the ways that the HolyGhost works on our heart to bring us to salvation.  To sin after all this love is that final sin that cannot be forgiven.  This shows us blasphemy against the Holy Ghost which Jesus said there is no forgiveness in this world or in the world to come. (Matt. 12:31, 32).  Hebrews reads, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, 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 open shame.”  ( More on this in the first chapter of Romans.)  Esau sought a place of repentaance but could no longer find it.  Look at the tragic place he put himself in.  Hebrews 12:16, 17, “Lest there be any fornicator or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.  For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected:  for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.” 

We need to take heed to ourselves and see that we don’t mock God by rejecting the work of the Holy Ghost and the gift of God offered to us by the perfect sacrifice of Christ Jesus on the cross.  His shed blood is able to cleanse us from all sin (1 Jn1:7).  How do we know if we have repented of a certain thing in our life?  By bringing forth the fruit of never doing that thing again.  That’s what true repentance is.  God will help us do this great work  He is a life changing God.  Paul told those to whom he preached to “repent and turn to God, and do the works meet for repentance” (Acts 26:20).

REPENTANCE UNTO HOLINESS

In speaking of Christ caring for and nourishing his church, Paul wrote, “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church not having spot, or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Eph. 5;25, 26).  Remember the Holy Ghost has come to not only reprove of sin (for salvation) but also of righteousness and judgment.  These latter two will cleanse his church of the spots, wrinkles and blemishes. (See 2 Peter 2:11, 13, Job 16:8, 12 and Jude :4, 12 for the meaning of these.)

When the children of Israel came out of the wilderness into the promise land they found it occupied by seven nations mightier than them.  God drove these nations out from before them a little at a time so they could possess the land of blessing.  (Read Deut. 7:1-8 and Acts 13:19.)  These nations were a hindrance to Israel possessing the full blessing that God had for them.  In the same fashion there are things that must be driven out of our life after salvation for us to grow in God and receive his full blessing.  This is vividly shown to us as Jesus speaks to us, his church, in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, the messages to the seven churches.  These messages show our growth in our walk with God.  The more of the world we remove from our life the more we grow and the closer we can draw nigh to God.  The more we grow in God the greater our joy, peace and effectiveness for him in this world.  We are in the world but not part of this sin sick mixed up world.  Look at the church age at Ephesus in Rev. 2:5 where we are admonished to repent and do the first works (because we have left our first love, Jesus Christ).  In the message to us at Pergamos we are told to repent of entertaining those that have the doctrines of Balaam and the Nicolaitanes (the cursing and making money from God’s people and having brother lording over brother, Rev. 2:16).  In the message to Sardis our works for him are not perfect and we are to repent (Rev. 3:3).  In the message to us at Laodicea Jesus tells us that as many as he loves he rebukes and chastens and we are to be zealous and repent (Rev. 3:19).

We are not to despise the rebukes and chastening of the Lord.  God never asks us to repent except it is for our own good.  Our repentance, though unto God, is beneficial to our walk with God.  “Now no chastening for the present seems joyous, but grievous:  nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”(Heb. 12:11).  It is God’s love for us that leads us to a place where we see our need to repent.  It is our love for him that causes us to repent.

(For more on the message to the church at Laodicea see the article “THE LAST OF THE CHURCH AGE” published in April on this blog.)

THE GREEN TREE AND THE DRY

In Isaiah, chapter 53, part of verse 2 reads, “For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground…”   A lot of this chapter in Isaiah is speaking of the coming Saviour.  This “dry ground” is the spiritual environment that Jesus was born into.  The priesthood of that day was ruled by a corrupt high priest.  The king of the nation was an Idumaean Jew ( that is, not of the tribes of Israel, but of Esau) and he was a murderer.  Many of the rulers of the people, both governmental and religious, were not Israelites but were called Jews because of their religion, not their nationality.  The people were rebellious, led astray from God by false teachings and doctrines of these ungodly non-Israelite leaders.  The rebellious dwell in a dry land (Ps. 68:6).  Jesus strove with these false “Jews” until they finally crucified him.  Jesus once told these Jews that, Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do (Jn. 8:44).  So the hearts of the people were dry.  This “dry ground” had not been watered by the true word and doctrine of God.  I’m sure Jesus read the scriptures with a heart longing for God’s presence in the hearts of Israel just as David did when he wrote, O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee:  my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is (Ps. 63:1).  But Jesus grew up from a “tender plant” into a full grown “green tree” in this spiritual dry earth.  And when he spoke the true words of God and manifested the power of God the people received the “rain” from heaven with which God watered their hearts.

HERE WE GO AGAIN

Once again we are confronted with this same situation.  Ungodly leaders of government, religion, education and entertainment telling us how to live.  This leadership is not by the standards of the word of God, but by their own ungodly standards, as shown by either their words or deeds.   Look at the knowledge that is sown into the people today.  Most all entertainment, it seems, is what would have been called pornography a few years ago.  Homosexuality is to be viewed as a natural thing, abortion is a “choice” not the death of a life, and belief in God is something to be skoffed at.  Many leaders of government, religion and education are being caught in sexual scandals.  Even churches either don’t rely on the word of God or they use a “modern” bible version that does away with God’s truth.  It’s definitely a dry time that we live in.  But, just as God did not leave his people without a witness 2000 years ago, he will not leave this generation without a witness either.  He will meet the needs of those who seek him.  God will always send his messenger to those who thirst after righteousness.  For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground:  I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring (Isa. 44:3).  If we will heed the scripture in Hosea 10:12 then we will also reap his blessing, Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy:  break up your fallow ground:  for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.  He told us in Matthew 5:6 , Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:  for they will be filled.  And, in Hebrews 11:6, God is a “…rewarder of those that diligently seek him.”   God will give us “rain in due season” if we faint not.  But on the whole, this is a time of not only no rain but of famine also.  Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord (Amos 8:11).

THE TIME OF THE END

This is the last time that God will allow his creation to become so rebellious and unbelieving before the “great and dreadful day of the Lord when God will have his fill of rebellion by his creation.  This is the time of the end of this present world system.  Apostasy will abound and unbelief will be ramped.  This is the time when the Devil will think he has accomplished his victory, but it’s the time of God’s great victory over the forces of evil and Christ will reign for 1000 years.  God will raise up an army to spread his holy word through all the earth.  This army will bring the rain of God’s word and power upon the earth.  Look at these scriptures:

Hosea 6:3, He shall come to us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

Pslams 72:6, He shall come down like the rain upon the mowed grass:  as showers that water the earth.

James 5:7, Be patient therefore, brethern, unto the coming of the Lord.  Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

Deuteronomy 32:2, My doctrine shall drop as the rain.

Haggai 2:6, Yet once, it is a little while, I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land.

THE GREEN TREE AND THE DRY

When he was being led away to Calvary by the Romans and Simon the Cyrenain was made to carry his cross, Jesus said some very profound things to the women who were following.  Verse 31 of Luke 23 records part of this, he said, For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?  The object of this question is now upon us in these last days.  And what will be done in this time?  Where will God’s rain come from this last time?

THE WORD AND POWER

In the days of Jesus’ ministry and of the Apostles in the book of Acts, the hearts of the people were dry from the lack of the presence of God and hearing his word.  But when the word and power came (the former rain), many hearts soaked up the rain from heaven.  The scriptures show in Revelation 14 who will bring the latter rain in the earth, “…a lamb stood on mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand…” (This mount Sion is Mt. Herman in northern Israel where Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James and John.  It is not Mt. Zion in Jerusalem, see Deut. 4:48.)  This 144,000 will be made of 12,000 from each of the tribes of Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulon, Joseph and Benjamin as shown in Rev. 7:4-8.  They will preach the “…everlasting gospel…to every nation, kindred, and tongue and people.” (Rev. 14:6)  These are the sons of God to be manifested in the last days with great power from God to be his witnesses.  God will be fulfilling his promise to Israel and to whomsoever will come.  And so all Israel shall be saved:  as it is written, there shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:  For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. (Rom. 11:26-27)  And in 2 Peter 3:9, The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  God’s redeptive promises for Israel through all the prophets will be fulfilled.

So, if they crucified the ‘green tree’, what shall be done in the dry?  Two things are for sure.  One, the enemies of God will grow strong and deceive many, and two, God will bring a great victory for his kingdom by bringing salvation to multitudes through the manifestion of the sons of God.  Then his kingdom will be fully established in the earth and the King will reign.

(See immortalityroad.wordpress.com for much more on who and how the sons of God will be manifested.)

THE FRUIT OF GOD’S TREES

On the third day of god’s creation he brought forth on the earth plant life.  In Genesis 1:11 it’s written the the earth brought “forth grass, the herb…and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself…”. In many places in the scripture we, as people, are referred to as trees, and as trees we bring forth fruit.  Christian or not, we all bring forth fruit manifested by our life.  What we do and what we say make up that fruit.  And, we are known by our fruit.  Look at these scriptures that show that we are called trees and that our fruit has recompense:

Ps. 1:3,  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bring forth fruit in his season.

Prov. 8:19,  My fruit is better than choice gold, yea than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

Prov. 12:14,  A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth:  and recompense of a man’s hands shall be rendered      unto him.

Isa. 3:10, Say ye o the righteous, that is shall be well with him:  for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

Jer. 17:10,  I the Lord search the heart, I try the reigns, even to every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

In addition to trees, our heart is called ground that also brings forth fruit.  In our old nature we were out to get things for ourselves. Now, as Christians, we want our lives to bear fruit for our Saviour.  “…they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. (Gal. 5:24).  For when ye were servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.  What fruit had ye in those things wherof ye are now ashamed?  For the end of those things is death.  But now being made free from sin, and become the servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. (Rom. 6:22,23).  Those of us that have received a new heart and a new spirit have been born with the seed of God’s righteousness and will produce fruit from that seed after its own kind.  Psalms 1:3  just quoted above shows we will bring forth fruit in due season.  The scriptures in Proverbs and Isaiah, above, show that God provides for us because of our fruit.  The Jeremiah reference shows that we are judged of God according to our fruit.  Which brings us to one of the great truths of God, that is , Be not deceived; God is not mocked:  for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (Gal. 6:7).  We cannot blame God for what we harvest from planting bad seed.  We do the planting and we receive the harvest.  But, we can praise God for planting good seed and receiving a just harvest.

MEN AS TREES

When Jesus healed the man of blindness in Mark 8:23, he asked the man what he saw and the man answered, I see men as trees, walking. And so we are.  Look at Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:17,18, Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth for evil fruit.  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. And in Matthew 12:33, Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt:  for a tree is known by his fruit. There is this to understand, the good fruit we bear is not for us but unto God.  This is not something we do for ourselves, contrary to the “prosperity” preaching we hear today.  If we are serving God for his blessings, the we are not serving God.

WHAT FRUIT

What fruit are we to bear?  There are things to add to our life for God and things to purge out.  First look at some of the things we have to get rid of to continue our growth in God.  We are to cast “down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself aginst the knowledge of God…” (2 Cor. 10:5).  Also, we are to not give “heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men…” (Titus 1:14).  We are to purge out the seven ungodly spirits of pride, deceitfulness, selfcenteredness, running to and fro, complaining, wanting excess possessions and fear.  Just as the children of Israel were to purge out the seven ungodly nations to posses the promise land.   Some of the things to add to our lives are the “fruit of the Spirit” shown in Galatians 5:22,23.  We are to partake of the “divine nature” of God as shown in 2 Peter 1:4-9.  We are to put on the “whole armour of God” In Ephesians 6:11-18.  We are to know the “doctrine of Christ” given in Hebrews 6:1,2 ( 2 John tells us that if we don’t know this doctrine, we don’t have God).  There are the “seven spirits of God” outlined in Isaiah 11:2 and Revelation 3:1 and 5:6.  This shows a few of the fruits we can bear for our Saviour.

Look at our ability to have good fruit.  In the “Parable of the Sower” in Matthew 13:3-9 and 18-23. we find this:  the seed sown is the word of the kingdom and the ground is our heart.  The harvest, or fruit, is to bring  ”forth some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold and some thirty.” These degrees of harvest are not to be taken lightly as is so often preached today, such as “give to this ministry and you’ll get back a hundredfold”.  This harvest is not for us, it is for God.  The harvest is righteousness that will influence the souls of men.  One other point, the more fruit we want to bring forth the more we have to give.

BLESSINGS FOR OTHERS MEANS SACRIFICE

We can have a thirtyfold harvest for God by just letting ourselves walk in the good will of God.  The more we see what we’ve been delivered from and the love of God for us, we should want to do more for him and bring forth sixtyfold fruit.  But we have received power to become the sons of God (Jn. 1:12).  Not just “children” (thirtyfold), or “young men” (sixtyfold), but “fathers” as the apostle tells us in the book of 1 John.  We can bring forth an hundredfold.  We can be not just the “blade”, not just the “ear”, but the “full corn in the ear”. We can know not just the “good” will, not just the “acceptable” will, but the “perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:1).  But to be in this relationship with our Creator requires more from us, more sacrifice.  Look at Mark 10:29,30:  And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father or mother, or wife or children, or lands,  for my sake, and the gospel’s, but he shall receive an  hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children and lands, with persecution; and in the world to come eternal life.

MANIFESTED SONS OF GOD

Walking in an hundredfold fruit bearing life is walking as a son of God.  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become sons of God… ” (Jn 1:12).  The whole world is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of  God in these last days. (Rom. 8:19).  Those sons who are giving all that they have to walk as Jesus walked; to walk as Peter and Paul walked in the book of Acts.  For those who are called to be these sons, they will bear the fruit and persecutions of their calling.  There can be no higher calling and no greater sacrifice for our day.  But not without help, as proved to us by our example  and forerunner, Christ Jesus.  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things he suffered. (Heb. 5:8).  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but in all points tempted as we are , yet without sin. (Heb. 4:14).  And in Matthew 28:20, “…lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world.”

I see men as trees, walking and bearing fruit, some to honor and some to dishonor.  Some will love God enough to become his manifested sons.  They will strive for the mastery and press on to the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

GOD’S FIRST CREATION

There is one aspect of creation that is often overlooked.  What was the first of God’s creation?  To find the answer we have to know that God is a Spirit and, to our mortal eyes, invisible.  The scripture clearly states that God’s first creation was a physical body in which he could manifest himself.  That physical body was, and is, not God.  Nor will it ever be.  God is a Spirit.  Through that first created body, God created all things in the heavens and the earth.  Two thousand years ago he sent the body to the earth as our saviour.  Look at the following scriptures.

THE BEGINNING OF GOD’S CREATION                                                                                                                                                                                                                       To start with look at Rev. 3:14 where Christ calls himself, …the beginning of the creation of God.   Also Paul speaking of Christ said in Col. 1:15-16, Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in the earth, visible and invisible whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers:  all things were created by him, and for him.  And again in Heb. 1:1-2:  God…hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.  So we see that God, the Spirit, was in Christ creating all things.  God was in Jesus as he walked the earth as shown in 2Cor. 5:19, To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself…”.   And in Acts 2:22, Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you…”.  Phillip was having a hard time understanding this when he asked Jesus, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.  And Jesus answered, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Phillip?  This is the Spirit of God speaking through his Son.  The only begotten Son of God.

Since Christ was the beginnig of God’s creation and God was in him creating the world we can now understand the scripture, In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.  For Christ is “the beginning” (Col. 1:18).  And as shown in Jn. 1:1, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  We have to seperate the spirit from the flesh.  God is not a man with white hair and a beard.  Many times Jesus referred to himself as the “Son of man”.  Jesus also said that “God is a spirit”.  Numbers 23:19 says, God is not a man, that he should lie: neither the son of man, that he should repent…”.

THE GREAT COMMANDMENT                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Now we can approach one of the grreat truths of scripture.  In Mk. 12:29, And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is , Hear O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord.  Until we can get our mind to see that there is only one God, we are blind to much of the scriptures.  It is of utmost importance to understanding God’s word.  The trinity doctrine (started  by the pagan Constantine in 325 AD at the council of Nicea) has been a huge stumbling block.  This pagan polytheistic concept was started by Nimrod and Semiramis at the time of the Tower of Babal, or possibly sooner.  To make the man, Jesus, a god, takes away from the understanding of God’s salvation.   We are born again of the Spirit of God.  Jesus’ very name in Hebrew (Yahshua) means “Yah (the self existing one) is Saviour”.  When we can see that God’s spirit lived in his Son, and that he is our life’s example (11Pet. 2:21), then we can see he wants to live in us too in the same manner.  One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Eph. 3:6).  Jesus said the greatest of all the commandments is to know that there is only one Lord.  This one Lord is the Creator.  Not the man Christ Jesus, but God the Spirit, that was (and is) in the man.  The Creator is a Spirit.  Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself. (Isa. 44:24).   There is no creative spirit beside him.  Thus saith the Lord, the King of Israel, and his redeemer, the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God. (Isa. 44:6).  And this God is our saviour,  …a just God and a Saviour there is none besides  me. (Isa. 45:21).

When we see Jesus we see our God.  We are able to see what God is, we see the attributes of the invisible God manifest is human form.  Speaking of Jesus, we are told, Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person…” (Heb. 1:3).  And as we saw earlier in Col. 1:15, Jesus …is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.  God manifest himself fully in his Son.  In Col. 2:9 Paul says, For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.  Jesus never claimed to be God but he did say that God, his Father, was in him and he and his Father were one.   Look at Mk. 10:18 and Jn. 17:1-5.  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good?  there is none good but one, that is God.  And, These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:  As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.  I have glorified thee on the earth:  I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do,  And now. O Father, glorify  thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with the before the world was.  We must see and understand that God is a Spirit.  That is how we are to worship him.  Jesus said, God is a Spirit:  and they that worsip him must worship him in spirit and in truth.  Understanding this truth allows us to truly worship God.  In the same scripture he said that  …the Father seeketh such to worship him. (Jn. 4:23-24).      

The man in whom God created all things, in which he walked in the garden with Adam and showed his back to Moses, this is the same man in which he raised Lazarus and healed all manner of sickness.  This is the same man, because of his love for his Father, freely gave himself and was obedient unto death as a sacrifice for our sins.   This man, Jesus, is not God, for God is a Spirit.  But God so loved this man, his only begotten Son, that he raised him from the dead and took him on high and made him Lord of lords and King of kings.  Soon he will return and reign over earth for 1000 years.   This man, Christ Jesus, is …the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.  Through this man’s sacrifice we have access to the Father and the forgiveness of sin.  We now have the ministry of reconciliation by this same Spirit that is in Christ Jesus.  As Jesus said, …as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. (Jn. 20:21).  

  Let us not be deceived into the pantheon of multiple gods as the pagan religions of old.  Let us worsip the true Father, the Mighty God, the  Creator, the Holy One of Israel, the Holy Ghost, in Spirit and in truth.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

THE LAST OF THE CHURCH AGE

 ”And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans…” (Rev 3:14)

This message is to the church made up of Laodiceans in the last days.  This is for us of the Christian faith that are deceived during this time.  This is not written to anyone else.  It is not  written to an unbelieving person because they are not part of the church.  It is written to us, God’s witnesses to the world, in this time just before the return of Christ.  As in the  messages to all the church ages in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, we are to examine ourselves with these words.  But this time we are in the last days when many prophecies of the bible will come to pass.  This is the time we should be watching for the seven seals of Revelation that are now being opened, also the seven trumpet judgments, and the 3 woes, and identifying the Antichrist and the great whore and the false prophet.  We should know those who say they are Jews, but are not (about 90% of all Jewry are not of Israelite blood).  Its time for the rise of a single world government (much in the news today), and the mark of the beast and the time of Jacob’s trouble (the tribulation).  We should be looking for coming ministry of the two witnesses and to be sure  we have come out of the doctrines of the Great Whore.  And it is time for the long awaited, the earnest expectation, of the manifestation of the sons of God.  Its not long until the return of Christ as King, ruling his earthly kingdom and putting down the ungodly world system with those who rule over it.  A lot is to happen in our time and much of it won’t be pleasant.                                   

Here is our problem

In Luke 18:8 Jesus asks, when the son of man returns “shall he find faith on the earth?”  This is the time when ungodly men are preaching prosperity and centering in on our own blessings.  “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped the creature [man] more than the Creator”.  We have been deceived into thinking the reason we are here is so God can bless us, rather than being a blessing to God.  This is the time of  judgment for us  and for the whole world.  We need to see where we fit in,  it is time for self examination to see if we be in the faith.

In Rev.3:14, the Son of God addresses himself and the “Amen”.  That is, “the Lord do so”(Jer. 28:6), or what he does is final and eternal.  He also says he is the “faithful and true witness”.  He is faithful to see that all of these things will be accomplished:  that God’s word will be carried out, (the Lord do so).

What then are we to be doing?  In the 6 other messages to the church, Jesus always has something positive to say about the believer’s walk, but not this one.  We, in this age,  are neither “cold nor hot”.  We  are neither as refreshing as a cup of cold water on a hot day nor hot with a zealous desire to be God’s witness here on the earth.  Since we are neither cold nor hot he will spue us out of his mouth.  Not a very good testimonial of our Christian walk and not a place I care to be.  Then, in verse 17 he says,“Because”.  Here is the reason we are neither cold nor hot.  It is “because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing”.  If you think this is written to someone else the you don’t understand at all what this message is about.  This is written to the church of the Laodiceans, which we are.  He continues, “and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked”.  That is God’s judgment of his church in these last days.  We, of all people ought to be able to see that we have increased in goods and in many cases are ready to tear down our present ‘barns’ and build a new and bigger one to hold all our goods we have gathered unto ourselves.  We are content.  We have gone to sleep.  We have deceived ourselves into believing we are in need of nothing in our walk before our God.   He says we are wretched, miserable, poor , blind and naked, not before others, but before him.  This is no time to sleep, but a time to awake and become the servant of God that he offers us with his great salvation.

Here is the solution

After this rebuke, he shows us that “for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still”.  In the next verse he tells us what we can do about this walk of ours.  He, our Creator, counsels us “to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich”.  It is being “rich in the faith” that will carry us through what is coming, not our possessions, not our bank account, not our IRA’s.  Hebrews, chapter 11, shows us this faith that is tested under fire.  This gold is refined by repeated firings to purge out the dross.  The potter may reform the clay many times to get the vessel he needs.  To  do his counsel then, we will have to shake ourselves from our apathy and seek his help.

Also, we are to obtain white raiment to cover our nakedness.  Before, in our life of sin, our own righteousness was as filthy rags.  But now, if we have overcome as admonished in the Sardis church (Rev. 3:5). we are clothed in white raiment.  In Isaiah 61:10, God says he will clothe us “with the garments of salvation, [and cover us] with the robe of righteousness”.  Again in Rev. 19:8, “for fine linen is the righteousness of saints”.  To do righteousness is to do what is right.  Look at Matt. 25:35, 36, “For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat,:  I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink:  I was a stranger, and ye took me in:  Naked and ye clothed me:  I was sick, and ye visited me:  I was in prison, and ye came to me.”  Have we not the spirit of Christ motivating our very lives?  Are we not as he is?  He “went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him”.  God is with us.  He bought us with a price.  He will never leave us.  God, through Hosea gave us this;  “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy, break up your fallow ground:  for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.”  This is our white raiment.

The next thing we are counseled to do is “anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”  Until we were born again, we were unable to see the kingdom of God.  We could not see the things of the spirit.  But what are we seeing now of the kingdom?  Not much if we are content and have need of nothing.  There is no incentive.  The ungodly doctrine of the ‘rapture of the church’ (started by the Jesuits in the 1800’s) feeds this lack of incentive. If we are not seeing then we are not watching.  Peter tells us “But the end of all things is at hand:  be ye sober, and watch unto prayer.”   To be of help to God we must see and know his plan and purpose, we need this eyesalve.  If we are not aware of,  and not following his desire for the earth, then we must be following our own desires.  We must watch for and see his intentions, the fulfillment of his word.  God works to fulfill his word.  Jesus said, “My father worketh hererto, and I work.”   We must be about our father’s business.  We are also admonished to “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”   We will be caught unaware unless we change.

After all our apathy and neglect, with his judgment and counseling, God give us his love by saying, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten:  be zealous therefore, and repent.”  The Laodicean church has been deceived into thinking we are in good standing with God and we have need of nothing.  Many sincere preachers have propagated the false and misleading doctrines given through the centuries by the enemy of God.  We are warned time and again against these who have crept in unaware.  They have preached Christ, but we are warned, “take heed lest any man deceive you:  for many will come in my name, saying I am Christ; and deceive many.”  This ecclesiastical deception of the false prophet (and the governmental deception of the beast) has its own end when they meet their own deceiver, the devil, in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:10).  Don’t be partakers of their deceptions.  We must do as admonished and repent.

There is much more that can be written on this and the rest of the message to the Laodiceans, but I hope this will get us to see we have to look deeper into our own walk before God.  God has shown us his judgment, we can see our need.  Lets heed the scripture in Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” 

For information on the ‘manifestation of the sons of God’, contact Wayne Hancock at wayneman5@hotmail.com or see his blog at immortalityroad.wordpress.com.  For an excellent source on ‘those that call themeselves Jews, but are not’, contact Des Thomas at Kingdom Publishing, P.O. Box 442, Calhoun, Ga 30703-442.  For a treatise on the false doctrine of the ‘rapture’ contact Jim Close at james.a.close@goooglemail.com.

PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S PROCLAMATION

  Please take a few minutes and read the following.  If you have read it before it’s still worth the time.  If you haven’t, then the 2 or 3 minutes it takes may let you see how far the government of the United States has fallen away from the founding fathers desire to establish this nation on the principles of God and his righteous teachings.  Lincoln saw it.  Can you see the U.S. senate recognizing the authority of God and making this requirement of our new president?  Do you think the president would humble himself before God and make this proclamation today?

Whereas, the senate of the United States, devoutly recognizing the Supreme Authority and Just Government of Almighty God, in all the affairs of men and of nations, has by a resolution, required the President to designate and set apart a day for National prayer and humiliation:

And whereas, it is the duty of nations as well as of men, to owe their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions, in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord:

And, in so much as we know that, by His divine law, nations, like individuals, are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world, may we not justly fear that the awful clamity of civil war, which now desolates the land, may be but a punishment inflicted upon us for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole peopole?  We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven.  We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity.  We have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown.  But we have forgotten God.  We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superioir wisdom and virtue on our own.  Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!  It behooves us, then to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgivenesss.

Now, therefore, in compliance with the request , and fully concurring in the views of the Senate, I do, by this proclamation, designate and set apart Thursday, the 30th day of  April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting, and prayer.  And I do hereby request all the People to abstain on that day from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite, at their several places of public worship and their respective homes, in keeping the day holy to the Lord, and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties to that solemn occation.

All this being done, in sincerity and truth, let us then rest humbly in the hope authorized by the divine teachings, that the united cry of the Nation will be heard on high, and answered with blessings, no less than the pardon of our national sins, and the restoration of our now divided and suffering country, to its former happy condition of unity and peace.

In witness whereof, I have here unto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington this thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the indepencence of the United States the eighty-seventh.

By the President:    

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN   

   Would that we as individuals, and as a nation, would acknowledge the over site of Almighty God in the blessings we have received from Him. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

SATAN’S FOLLY

   More than likely you will recognize these people for one thing they have in common.  Obama, Bush, Clinton, Reagan, Johnson, Ford, Kennedy, Eisenhower, Nixon, Stewarts, Windsors, Churchill, Hussein, Putin, Ramses, Nebuchadnezzar, Hitler, Faruk, Napoleon, Alexander, Cyrus, Gandhi, Augustus, Herod, De Gaulle, Mandela, Bolivar, Stalin, Mussolini, Mao, Nicholas, Khan, Nimrod, Saul.  These are Presidents, kings, pharaohs, tsars, dictators, world leaders.  But they have another thing in common as leaders over the kingdoms set up by men.

   We all need to learn, as Nebuchadnezzar did after being made to live 7 years as the beasts of the field, “till he learned that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.”  (Dan 5:21).  In verse 17 of chapter 4 the scripture goes on to say, concerning the kingdom of men, that God “…setteth up over it the basest [lowest] of men.”  Have you ever wondered why one person becomes a world leader?  According to scripture it’s because God found them to be the basest of men.  But know this, not all that are over the kingdoms are in the headlines.  Many of these base people are not political leaders.  Some are the master manipulators of economy, education, law, religion, media and entertainment.  They make war and financial disasters for control and the perversion of God’s creation.

GOD’S PLAN – MAN’S PLAN

   In these days, world leaders (men of low estate), in order to fulfill God’s purpose are working to bring to pass one world government.  For God has foretold this to us in his scripture.  But some nations (kingdoms) are a hindrance to this end so they must be broken and melded into their master plan (not knowing that they are but pawns in God’s master plan).  ‘Globalization’ and ‘world economy’ are now key words in their plan.  Look how the world economy is being manipulated now.  These leaders are ushering in the one world government and it’s top  leader, the man of sin.

   Watch this all come to pass in the next few years.  Nations are being led headlong to a world controlled by one man and his cohorts.  It will all come to an end though when that ’stone kingdom’ comes and breaks in pieces all other  kingdoms and where the King will reign for 1000 years before giving it all over to his Father.  Then will these ungodly men with their ungodly deeds in ruling over God’s creation meet their just end in the lake of fire.  There they will join their leader, the Prince of this world system, Satan.

GOD’S ACCEPTANCE AND APPROVAL

  On Easter Sunday when I was 13, with 4 or 5 other boys my age, I went ‘forward’ at the end of the church service and publicly accepted Jesus Christ as my personal saviour.  After I was baptised that evening I expected a difference in my life.  There was none.  But, nine years later I finally received Jesus Christ as my saviour.  I had learned that to accept something you have to make a judgement call in your mind.  I had accepted years before that Jesus was the Son of God, but that didn”t make me a Christian.  On the day I received Him, it was not with my mind but  my heart.  I found, with great personal joy, there is a big difference between accepting and receiving.

  I have also learned that we have to be acceptable to God.  I had to repent of my sins to be acceptable.  I had to have my sins cleansed by the only sacrifice acceptable to God  And, I had to make a choice to  lay down my life to be able to receive His.  God is the One who determines my eternal destiny.  I couldn’t become high minded and accept Him.  He had to accept me.   He is the Creator, I am the created.  I had to humble myself before Him and now I live in heavenly places.  “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity,  whose hame is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place, with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit…” (Isa 57:15).

What does it take to be acceptable?

  Under the Old Testament all sacrifices had to be acceptable to God, and many times they were not.  No strange (out of the order sanctioned by God) offerings were accepted.  No offering from a stranger (not one of God’s people) was accepted.  Animal sacrifices for sin, etc, were without blemish.  But these type of physical sacrifices were done away with under the New Testament with the blood sacrifice of the sinless, unblemished Lamb of God at  the cross.

  What I have found to be acceptable in the scriptures is  in the sacrfices offered to God from the heart.  In the Old Testament there were varied sacrifices for varied things for God’s people, Israel.  Bull, goats, heifers, sheep, turtle doves, grain, etc.  Under the New Testament there are also varied sacrifices for Christians.  Let me show you some of what God has said we can do that He will accept.  First though, note these sacrifices must come from the heart and spirit within His people.   

            1 Pet 2:5, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ,”

  Also, God has us to realize what we are sacrificing (or else is it really a sacrifice).  In Rom 12:1 & 2, we are told to “…present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,…(and)…prove what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God…”.

In Ps 19:14, “let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord…”

Ps 119:108, “…the freewill offering of my mouth…”

Prov 21:3, “justice and judgement…”

Heb 12:28, ”..reverence and godly fear…”

1 Tim 1:2 & 3, “…quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty.”

1 Pet 2:20, patient suffering

I’m sure you could find others.  But note. these are not physical sacrifices but “spiritual sacrifices, accetable to God…”.  Given from the heart and not for personal gain.

  To prove what is acceptable and live in them we need to “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15).  Which brings me to the ultimate relationship of a man with God and God with that man.  It is a loving God that approves and a loving God that uses prepared vessels to meet the needs of His creation.  I don’t think there is a greater calling than this.  Look at Peter’s words concerning our Example.  Acts 2:22, “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you…”.  Jesus left us an example that we should follow his steps which we can do with a life given to serve Him.  What  greater calling than to walk with God’s acceptance and approval as a son of God.

See immortalityroad.wordpress.com for more on the sons of God