A Time of Transition--Part 2

"Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil."

Joel 2:12-13

The links between Israel and the church, mostly the western church, are very interesting and frightening.  Yesterday there was a report that President Peres of Israel is willing to cede the Golan Heights to Syria.  This is such a strategic military possession.  If Syria controlled this high point they could rain down munitions on all of Israel.  Surely God would not allow this.  It cost them the blood of many men to conquer this area during the Yom Kippur War of 73.  This was the key region to the whole war and the control of it is vital to Israel's protection and security.  This again reminds me of the physical/spiritual parallels that exist between these two.


Both Israel and the church are allowing political correctness to cripple them.  Israel is so worried about world perception that they are risking the lives of their military in order to not appear too aggressive.  Remember May of last year when they raided the Mavi Marmara?  Their soldiers were pummeled and thrown around before they finally opened fire.  Of course the world condemned their actions as always disregarding the truth that any ship running a legal blockade has committed an act of war.  They let the world condemn them but had it been in another part of the world the ship could have been sunk and justified by the same media and UN groups that decry "Israeli atrocities".  Just sail on into Iranian waters and watch the response. This is just one of many actions that have drawn UN and international condemnation.  Just Google search "UN condemns Israel" and look at the huge number of stories confirming this opinion.  Next, search "UN condemns Hamas, Hezbollah, or Gaza" and see the difference.  While you will find some condemnations, they usually have condemnations for Israel mixed in. 


What about the church?  From marriage to abortion to the homosexual agenda, there seems to be too many worried about what the world thinks.  Whatever happened to holiness?  Did not God say, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord...? (Hebrews 12:14)"  It is imperative that we detach ourselves from the detritus of this world and turn to following Christ with all our hearts.  If we are to see the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as Joel prophesied, the latter rain, it will come when we humble ourselves in repentance and walk in the promises of the word.  We can't listen to the media and the majority and do valiant things in and for Christ.  Jesus was not swayed by popular opinion but by the will of the Father.  He was not concerned with political correctness but truth.  Can we do any less?   I believe God wants a Spirit filled work that is a witness not only to the world but one that provokes Israel to jealousy so that they will hunger and thirst for Messiah Jesus.  Think of what Paul said in Romans 11:11, "I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy."  He wants us to be living in love and holiness to the point that no one can deny the power of the risen Lamb.  Let's start by following God's word regardless of what men's concepts of political correctness say!


Where would Israel have been if Esther would have caved in to political correctness?  Where would the church have been if Luther, Huss, and Wycliffe caved in to that same sort of pressure?  Those who do the greatest works for Christ serve God like Jesus did.  They follow the example of Jesus whom Isaiah prophesied about, "For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.  (Isaiah 50:7)"


Israel and the Middle East


President Peres Says Israel Willing To Cede Golan to Syria - Defense/Middle East - Israel News - Israel National News


Israel holds secret talks with Russia in bid to thwart recognition of Palestinian state - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News


George Will: Mideast peace process is a mirage


Peace Now Worried Jews May Build on Jewish-Owned Land - Defense/Middle East - Israel News - Israel National News


Israel: Missiles in Next War Will Reach Tel Aviv


Palestinians: 9 killed in IDF air strikes on Gaza - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News


Iron Dome intercepts three Grad rockets as attacks on southern Israel continue - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News


US Embassy Cable: Hamas-Hizbullah Arms Smuggling - Defense/Middle East - Israel News - Israel National News


Peres to Ban: UN can't remain neutral with regard to Gaza


Salvo Of 12 Mortar Shells From Gaza Hit Southern Israel - Defense/Middle East - Israel News - Israel National News


As in the Days of Noah--The Rise of Godlessness--Our Need For Repentance!


Texas Pastor Charged in Wife's Shooting Death - FoxNews.com


The Barna Group - Barna Identifies Seven Paradoxes Regarding America’s Faith  *****


UK NEWS: CHARISMATIC PASTOR JAILED FOR 8 MONTHS FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING TEENAGE BOY « WWW.MADNEWS.BIZ


Beck to address CUFI conference | Glenn Beck | Jewish Journal  Since when is Mormonism, which holds Jesus and Satan as brothers, Christian?  This is a severe lack of discernment--another sign of the last days!

A Time of Transition

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 1:9

After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

Revelation 4:1

The prophet Ezekiel was given unique insight about the last days and the diaspora returning to Israel.  We have been watching this being fulfilled since the rise of modern Israel which came on the dry bones of Hitler's holocaust.  Ezekiel's prophecy then spoke of a day of national revival when all Israel will know the LORD and be filled with God's spirit.  Like Adam who was nothing but a lifeless body until the Ruach HaKodesh--the Spirit or Breath of God--breathed life into the man, Israel will stand lifeless spiritually until God breathes life into the nation.  We see the body standing in Israel proper, but one day God will breath a newness of life into the nation and Paul's prophetic prayer that all Israel should be saved will be realized.  This will happen when Messiah Jesus returns, but a foretaste of it will occur when 144,000 supercharged Messianic Believers share the truth of Jesus Christ with great power during the Tribulation.

Sometime before the beginning of the Tribulation, which is God's 7 year war on rebellious man for the means of final redemption, His ambassadors will be called home.  The focus will shift from the Spirit filled church as the Lord, during the Tribulation, will begin to resurrect Israel spiritually.  Could we be seeing the beginnings of this change now and not even know it?  It is evident that there is a closer bond between the believing church and unbelieving Israel than most detect.  Here are at least 7 ways that the church and Israel are currently experiencing similar events.  Let's take a look at some of the negative parallels and later we will look at some of the more positive parallels such as the healing revivals of the 40s coinciding with the resurrection of national Israel or the Shearer School House Spirit outpouring in 1896 when Zionism officially began.

First, both are conceding promises.  We know that Israel is covenant land and that Jewish blood was shed in many wars since 1948 for that land, yet many in the Israeli government are willing to give up covenant land to keep the peace.  In many Christian circles, the promise of power and a spirit filled witness from the Spirit of God are being traded for the trinkets and silliness of this world.  Many hours of heart rending prayer was lifted in many nations but the church has conceded the land to the enemy.  Revivals have all but ceased there as the church turned towards its needs rather than preaching the Gospel.  Furthermore, many view all of the promises, works and miracles of the LORD through the lens of a humanistic, scientific philosophy. They are not sure if the crossing of the Red Sea was a fairy tale or an actual event.  Please don't get me started in evoLIEtion! Have you ever noticed on a Christian channel that "theologians" seem to have a naturalistic explanation for every miracle or judgment of God?

Second, Both Israel and the church are in defense mode and they only engage the enemy when provoked.  First, Israel does hit back at the enemy, but lately it has been only when the rockets have fallen on the its citizenry.  Political correctness limits them from taking a preemptive strike as they have done in the past.  The church in many ways is not taking on the enemy of men's souls.  There is no preemptive prayer for revival but rather we offer damage control prayer long after the enemy has done his work.  The gospel is a radical message.  Hell is also still really hot and everlasting, yet most of the church is focused on blessings, contentment, and pleasure to the expense of the souls in danger all around them.  Not only that, but our rights in many once Christian nations are being stripped away at a frightening rate with few fighting the battle of prayer and protest.  We are too worried what the world thinks to engage the enemy with this radical gospel. 

Third, both are under heavy attack by the whole world.  It is obvious that Israel is in trouble.  It seems that every government in the world is aligning against the beleaguered nation.  During the recent uprisings in Syria Assad blamed Israel for the problem and people believed him!  Did you know that the most persecuted group of any type in the world is Christians.  Look at the Muslim uprisings in Egypt, Libya and many other nations.  Christians have been killed, raped, and forced from their homes.  Hundreds of churches have been burnt to the ground and no one, including our President who protested the destruction of mosques while ignoring Christian persecution, seems to care that believers are dying.  In 2006 Gordon Conwell Seminary published a statistic that  171, 000 Christians are martyred each year.  Recent statistics show this number to be much higher.  A silly man burned a koran last year.  In response blood thirsty blind zealots following the true spirit of Islamic teaching killed scores.  

We will view more of these parallels another day, but they remind us that the church is short on time and there are many that need to be given the choice to accept Christ worldwide.  How about you, are you in defense mode conceding promises, or are you taking the fight to the enemy?  What are you doing for Christ's sake?    

Israel and the Middle East

UN slams plans for settlement building as 'illegal'

George Will: Mideast peace process is a mirage

Israel and Hamas near a Spring war

 European countries want UN, not U.S., to advance Mideast peace talks - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News

Peace Now Worried Jews May Build on Jewish-Owned Land - Defense/Middle East - Israel News - Israel National News

Christian Persecution

Growing Intolerance for Christianity in U.S., Christian News, The Christian Post

Repost--Drought!

This is a re-post of one of the most viewed articles of 2010.  It still gets about two views per week.  Back tomorrow with a new post.  Enjoy!


It is similar to the message shared in church this morning--Such a Pleasant Place.  The text verse was 2 Kings 2:19.  "And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren."  Are we so lulled to sleep that we view the world around us as a pleasant place even though there is no harvest and all attempts to have a true revival are miscarried?  That is what is meant by the water is nought.  The trees dropped their fruit early and the women miscarriaged their babies but it was a pleasant place!  ???   

Drought!

The post-exhilic prophet, Haggai, was deeply burdened by God to see the restoration of the temple in Jerusalem. While many deportees had returned, they were more concerned about their personal lives than they were the things God willed. YHWH allowed a drought to begin to consume the land as a result. "Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house." Haggai 1:9 Beware of those who constantly preach "blessing" over a heart changing relationship with Christ!

There is a huge disconnect with the concept that godless behavior eventually brings crisis. The noxious plague of immorality in this nation coupled with a spineless group of "believers" who feel the Almighty is merely a celestial sugar daddy who wishes nothing more than to fulfill their every wish and fancy are leading us ever closer to an encounter with the ferociousness of God's holy fury. We must repent and humble ourselves before His Royal Holiness!

Three months after this first message, Haggai was given another interesting message. " Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No. Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean." Haggai 2:11-14

Like the prior message, this word from the Lord addresses the loss of harvest. God asks two opposing questions. Priests would often carry sanctified food in a fold in their garment. (see Leviticus 6:27) The query is whether this sanctified food causes profane (common) food to be clean. The priests answer, no. Then God asks if one who touches a corpse will cause defilement to the holy meal. The answer is yes. Our personal holiness cannot make another holy. Every man must choose repentance for himself. They must turn to God through Christ individually. On the other hand, the defilement of dead things runs through a society like an infectious disease. Notice that is the Message here, "So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD;" Moral defilement can infect all who touches it thereby causing the defilement of death. Anything that is unclean and corrupt causes all it touches to be corrupt. Would you eat a hamburger setting on a decomposing carcass? Most sane people would not.

Maybe the loss of a spiritual harvest is connected with our lackadaisical attitude towards the things of God? Maybe there is a direct correlation with our lack of seeking His face through contrite prayer and the moral condition of our land? Maybe our failure to repent of known sin is causing us to lose this nation to false ideologies and religion? It could be that our flirting with the dead and corrupt things of this world has caused a situation where all we touch becomes defiled?

There is an answer. Defilement by a dead body was a serious problem. It took a seven day cleansing period involving the ashes of the famed red heifer. On the 8th day the offender was pronounced clean. The ashes are a type of the cross. The seven days speak of a perfect, complete cleansing. The 8th day is the type for a new beginning. America's only hope is deep, heart rending contrition. Nothing short of absolute repentance and humility before God can turn the tide of judgment. We must humble ourselves before the mighty hand of God.