Thursday, September 13, 2012

Are You Ready For The Zombie Apocalypse?

And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
Revelation 9:3-6

One of Many Center for Disease Control Posters

Last night I finished a prophecy revival in a nearby town and was standing around talking with folks at the front of the church after the service was over.  A young man came to me and told me about a friend who is storing guns and ammunition in his house. When asked what they were for, he said, "I am preparing for the zombie apocalypse."  It seems unusual statements and actions are occurring around us more and more pertaining to this bizarre topic. It is one of those things that has even been in the news in the past few months; furthermore, it was so strange that I tried to put it out of my mind for a while.  Preparing for a zombie apocalypse is just weird.  Yet, in the back of my mind was the above verses describing events after the sounding of the 5th trumpet of Revelation which occurs near the beginning of the Tribulation.  Many have made videos and discussed this topic over the past few weeks, but it was just too weird for me to address until a person I respect, John McTernan, also associated these events with the possible fulfillment of Revelation 9 in a blog talk broadcast. Also, consider some of the uncommon and recent news.  Here are some news items, upcoming movies, and videos reporting on this aberrant topic.   Jerusalem Is Truly A Cup Of Trembling 09/09 by NTEB | Blog Talk Radio 

Zombie News
7 disturbing new cases of alleged cannibalism - The Week
Zombie Apocalypse : Pictures, Videos, Breaking News 
8 suspicious events surrounding the Miami zombie attack | Pakalert Press 

What makes this whole topic even more unusual is that some of this fear has been fueled by a recent FEMA/CDC ad campaign.  Why would the US Government spend millions on posters, comic books, and websites in a "tongue in check" ad campaign with the slogan, "If your'e ready for a zombie apocalypse, then your'e ready for anything"?  No joke!

CDC Sites and News
5 Scientific Reasons a Zombie Apocalypse Could Actually Happen | Cracked.com

I guess that is enough--you can search for more of this unorthodox news yourself!

Another CDC Poster


There is one possibility for all of this nonsensical news--it is not nonsense at all.  It may be a desensitization program designed for yet another upcoming prophetic event.  The LORD clearly warns about "strong delusion" in the last days for those who willfully ignore Him and His Word (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12).  The enemy of your soul also knows that the coming of the LORD Jesus is nigh and that one of the first events in the Tribulation period is the demon locust invasion when men will seek death but death alludes them.  This is a foretaste of Hell by a merciful God who would rather have men repent and turn to Christ then have them suffer for eternity.  Hell will invade this planet for a short season so men will be prompted to choose life over eternal destruction.  Even as a child I remember with a sense of wonderment as preachers spoke on the verse that says death will flee those who are not marked with the seal of God.

If we are seeing all of this crazy news, it may just be a warning.  This strange news, then, is not so strange at all.  It is another merciful reminder that the Day of the LORD is near.  God is extending another chance for repentance before the hellish nightmare of the Tribulation comes upon the world.  There is an escape from the zombie apocalypse!  The LORD commanded that those marked with the seal of God would be spared this nightmare during the Tribulation.  That seal is the covering of Jesus Christ's saving blood over your life. Don't wait until then to wonder if this is all true--the Word of God is always true and all prophecy will certainly be fulfilled.  There is a chance at a prior escape and it is one of the next major prophetic events on God's prophetic time table.  It is the rapture of the church!  Have you repented of your sin against a Holy God and called for the only available means of salvation--the eternal blood of Jesus Christ?  Accept His atoning work today!  Strange things are happening and it will only get stranger as Jesus Christ is Soon2Come!



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Tuesday, September 11, 2012

As For This Jesus...

And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
Exodus 32:1

As was mentioned in a prior post*, the children of Israel failed to draw near to the LORD for themselves when they were given the chance.  They told Moses to draw close for them, so up the mountain goes Moses.  He literally has a mountain top experience with the LORD as he visits God in a cloud to receive His teachings.  What a joyful experience it must have been.  Chapter 24 tells us that he later went up into the cloud for forty days.  "And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights (Exodus 24:18)."  Seeing him go should have made the Israelites long for a close personal walk for themselves as they too saw the mountain ablaze with the glory of the LORD.  While God's prophet receives outstanding revelation from GOD, they are at the base of the mountain growing ever impatient as Moses stays a bit longer then they wanted him to.  Others cannot have a mountain top for you; you simply must taste and see that the LORD is good for yourself or you will fall into the same error (Psalm 34:8).


This amazing retelling of the events of these people is also another Holy Spirit inspired shadow.  Around two thousand years ago, the LORD Jesus ascended into the heavenly mount.  The Book of Acts tells of His departure, "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight (Acts 1:9)"  Since the LORD has been in the holy place of intercession for us so long, the question is will we become impatient like they did?  In their impatience, they changed God to something that they could control and manipulate.  Note that they never used the covenant name of GOD to speak of the calf which in itself points to the lack of a close, personal relationship.  Is that what is happening today?  Are people changing Jesus to suit themselves.  Have they grown so impatient with the suffering servant of Mount Calvary that they make him into an idol of the mind that they can control?

It seems, unfortunately, that it is so.  Many are fashioning the LORD as they wish Him to be and claiming, "These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt (Exodus 32:4)" There are a plethora of ideas about Jesus today.  Consider a few:
Jesus the avatar
Jesus the witch
Jesus the angel
Jesus the spiritual guide
Jesus w/o commitment
Jesus of self esteem
Jesus the materialist
Jesus of compromise
Jesus of un-forgiveness
Un-correcting Jesus
Jesus of worldly affairs
Jesus of worship without sacrifice of self
Jesus just a man
Jesus of mercy without justice
Jesus of justice without mercy
The emergency Jesus 

Funny--even UN Non Governmental Organizations are calling for "Jesus" to come.  This demonic prayer is from World Goodwill and Lucis Trust (Called Lucifer Publishing Company until 1925).  It comes with this note on the World Goodwill/Lucis site:  "Many religions believe in a World Teacher or Saviour, knowing him under such names as the Christ, the Lord Maitreya, the Imam Mahdi, the Bodhisattva, and the Messiah, and these terms are used in some of the Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and Jewish versions of the Great Invocation."  This is nothing more than a prayer calling for THE ANTICHRIST!



The bottom line is don't let the LORD Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, the ONLY authorized and available means of salvation, find you dancing naked without the blood covering of His sacrifice when He comes down from above!  "And when Moses saw that the people [were] naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto [their] shame among their enemies (Exodus 32:25))." Like Moses who was terribly angry, Jesus is not coming back to be spit on, mocked, ridiculed, and scorned.  He is coming back to reign as the conquering King Of Kings and Lord OF Lords!  They had to look to one place to be forgiven when they were found in idolatry--to the bronze serpent which was a shadow of the cross.  You see, it is Jesus Christ the suffering Savior of Mount Calvary you must look to and not a "Jesus" of your own design.  Take Paul's warning seriously.  "For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him (2 Corinthians 11:4)."

Won't you call to the true Jesus today? Truly, He is soon to come down from that mountain!

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:14-16

Today's Headlines


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Thursday, September 6, 2012

Joel's Symbolism of Judgment



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 book of Joel is one of the great books of prophecy found in the minor prophets. This seer understood that the judgment Israel was facing in his day was directed by God to call the nation to repentance. Three judgments hit the land of Judah in succession. First, they were invaded by locusts that destroyed all of the crops and denuded the trees. After this a severe drought hit them. Finally, it appears that a fire ravaged anything that was left. Joel's message is simple--"If you think it is bad now, wait until the Day of the Lord!"

There is a lot of symbolism in this book that parallels America's current condition spiritually.  Before I go on, please remember that the events Joel described were real and the last day's warnings are just as true and will take place imminently. Yet, the message of this prophet can clearly speak a message to us today! Here is some of that symbolism and what it speaks of our condition.


1. God sent the locusts. He used them in an effort to draw the people back to Him. Compare these judgments with His warnings in Deuteronomy 28. "All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume." Dt. 28:42 God sends all judgment in a redemptive manner to draw us back to Him. Will we heed the warning judgment or shuffle off alone failing to repent and face further reprisals?

2. All that was green was destroyed. Green speaks of life and rest (Ps. 23:2), growth and fruitfulness (Luke 23:31, Ez. 17:24), and maturity (Job 15:31-32). Due to an invasion of spiritual locusts, few churches are seeing true life in Christ, very few are seeing actual growth (Members bouncing from church to church is not growth! It might make a pastor feel good, but it is not growth!), and few believers are pressing on to maturity.

3. The grain and drink offerings were cut off. These speak directly to the gospel. The grain makes bread and the drink offering was from wine. Few churches are actually preaching the true gospel message today. Rather, there is an emphasis on God, the great genii, who poofs blessings our way to make us happier in health, wealth, and prosperity. God isn't your heavenly bell-hop! You are his servant bought with a price you were not worth! All you deserve from Him is destruction, but in mercy and love He saved you by great grace in Christ! Time is short and he wishes you to be a servant He can trust in His field and not a whining baby crying for more milk!

4. The trees were stripped of their bark. Trees speak of the cross according to Acts 5:30 and 1 Peter 2:24. When was the last time you heard a message that proclaimed the importance of the blood of Jesus? Who preaches the cross and the power of a resurrected Savior? Many churches have denuded the cross and preach a message other than the truth. You had better listen to Paul's warning in Galatians for preaching anything other than Christ crucified, resurrected, glorified, and coming again. It is this message that the power of the Holy Ghost endorses.

5. The pomegranates were cut off. Pomegranates are a well known symbol of the law. It is said a pomegranate has 613 seeds which is the same number of OT laws. If you don't believe the laws of God are cut off, bring up divorce or homosexuality, among other topics, the next time you are with a group of people. Also, who walks in the law of love like the NT prescribes? Who always puts God first and their neighbor as themselves?

6. There was no oil. This is an easy one here. Does the Holy Spirit actually direct all of the affairs of the church today? If He did Christ alone would be exalted and not "gifted" speakers and innovative men directed programs. Signs and wonders and the gift of salvation always follow the Dove of Holiness!

7. The other fruit trees were cut off. Who walks in the fruit of the Spirit today? Who operates in Spirit led love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, temperance, and meekness?

8. The sheep and cattle suffer. How many churches are filled today with suffering, hurting members who are starving due to lack of personal commitment to Christ? Also, the ministry was not operating effectively due to the lack of the grain and drink offerings.

We are just where Paul told the Thessalonians we would be. "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;..." 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Spiritually, we are where Joel was too. Between a spiritual drought and the Tribulation. Thank God for the second chapter of Joel! Between these two events, God does a sovereign work. However, we need to do our part. What is our part?


Joel was written in a chiastic structure.  The center point of this structure is Joel 2:12-17.  There has to be repentance before moving on to the greater promises of the book.  All know that this book prophesied a last days outpouring; however, the entire stress in the book is on turning around.  Just 1 verse from the time of repentance and His blessing is restored and His Holy Spirit is sent.  So what is our part in bringing true renewal?
•Wail
•Cry
•Repent
•Rend your hearts and not your garments
•Sound the shofar for battle
•Tremble
•Fast and pray


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Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Get Moses Out of the Way--The Peril of Preacher Religion

And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
Exodus 20:19

What an invitation!  God was calling an entire nation to have a close personal relationship with Him.  Again, what an invitation!  However, Israel rejected His prompting and chose to have the "preacher" draw close to GOD for them--relationship by proxy.  The sad fact is that they never learned about the LORD for themselves, they chose to have another walk in their anointing, and their lack of the knowledge of the LORD and His teaching led them in ways that was an affront to the holiness of God.  The record of their calamity is for our example so that we will not walk along that same treacherous trail, but scripture clearly warns those living in the last days of this age repeat their folly.  " For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables (2 Timothy 4:3-4)."

Don't get me wrong, having a godly pastor and ministerial staff is important.  Moses was all that and more to those wilderness wanderers.  God raised him to be a mighty leader through years of training in the courts of Pharaoh and the pastures of Midian.  His leadership was rock solid because his skills were honed by the Rock, Himself.  There is a limitation to what godly leaders can do, nevertheless.  They cannot do your praying for you.  They cannot study the Word personally for you.  They cannot lead your family at times of family devotion for you. They cannot adequately train your children nor enhance your marriage for you. They cannot filter out the distractions that stand in the way of your relationship with God and others.  They cannot draw close to God for you.  Simply put, they cannot live out your dependence on the LORD while you sit by and warm a pew.



The Almighty is absolutely amazing!  His power is unmatched, His presence is limitless, His understanding is immeasurable, and His person is unchanging.  As the church, He wills for us the exact same relationship extended to those who witnessed the miracles in the Exodus.   "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light...(1 Peter 2:9)."  It just may be God's glorious power that makes us fear and draw back from Him.  Like the Israelites, we are apprehensive as we get close to the LORD.  Is this not what happened in Exodus 20?  As the awesome power of El Shaddai began to rumble the mountainside in a gracious and glorious display meant to ease their fears about His strength, guidance, and providence, the people cried out in fear.  They chose to allow someone else to experience His presence and rejected the voice of the LORD at a personal level.  They promised to listen to God via Moses, but the truth is that they never listened because they failed to get to know God for themselves.  "... but let not God speak with us, lest we die."

Who was used to change the Nile to blood?  Who spoke for God and sent the plagues of frogs, flies, and locusts?  Who heard from God and gave instruction for the first Passover?  Whose staff was raised as the sea rolled back?  Who saw the heavenly shadows of Messiah in the Tabernacle?  Moses! Moses! Moses! Moses!  Moses!  Always Moses!  Why do we not read of the exploits of others like we do in Acts?  We want the miracles if someone else labors in prayer.  We want the fresh bread of the Word if someone else does the study. We are a culture of ease wanting things to always go smooth and painless.  God, however, has called us to do valiant deeds in Christ through the presence of the Holy Spirit.  Don't you want to lead many souls to Him?  Don't you want the LORD to unlock greats truths in study?  Don't you want to pray and see the miraculous?  Don't you want to see the enemy flee as you call out in prayer?  Don't you want to pray the enemies of friends and family away and see their deliverance?  You! You! You! You! You! Let it be you in Christ and not another for you!

Exodus 32 reveals a horrid problem with preacher religion.  It can lead to false notions about God.  It manifests itself as impatience with the preacher when things do not go the way we think they should.  Why should they go "our way" when we cannot pray and draw close to God for ourselves.  When Moses was enjoying a mountain top experience a bit too long, the people got a bit too antsy and called for a replacement.  Not just a replacement of the preacher, but a replacement of God, Himself.  Their lack of a personal relationship led to a situation that caused them never to fully appreciate the holiness and majestic power of the LORD.  They never learned of His awesome, sovereign strength for themselves, and they failed to heed the Word they promised in the verse above to enact.  They made God a "thing" after their ideas, a god that they could control and manipulate.  Would this have happened had they sought out His awesomeness for themselves, learned His ways for themselves, and drew near to His heart for themselves?  It is doubtful!  And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.



Israel and Judah could not even recognize the LORD in the day He walked this earth as a man.  A greater than Moses, and Solomon, and Jonah was among them and they could not see but they could not see past Moses, Solomon, and Jonah.  The fulfillment of Abraham's promise, Isaac's dream, and the blessing of Israel was among them and He was missed. They could not see past Abraham, Isaac, and Israel.  A greater than all of those great leaders is speaking to you even now, can you hear Him for yourself or do you need another to speak to your heart for Him?  He wants to know you!  He is knocking--let Him in.  The Spirit of Jesus Christ is there with you now and His physical presence is Soon2Come!

We will have to revisit Paul's warning of heaping teachers in the last days!  Blessings in the LORD!

Signs of the Times
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Monday, September 3, 2012

So What Are You Building?

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
1 Corinthians 9:24

The word reminds us through precept and example to finish well.  Paul used the word picture of a race to convey this message.  The Bible also gives us many examples to emulate; however, it also gives us many examples to deviate from.  Giving both good and bad illustrations, God wants us to learn to run the race of life in Christ and end it well.  Thank God for grace!  Again, I say, thank God for grace.  Yet thank Him also for the grace of sharing truth in the lives of even the greatest of saints so that we can avoid their failures and finish well.  Thank Him for the grace that keeps us running well and obtaining all we can in Him!

One of those great saints has to be Noah.  Who has not been inspired by the man who lived in a civilization so vile and degraded that God saw the need to send the flood and cleanse the world  from such sinfulness?  Imagine how it must have been building a boat so large while being railed, mocked, and jeered.  The pressure of his neighbors and friends must have been intense, but His obedience to God was even more intense.  He will forever be immortalized as the obedient boat builder.  He not only built boats, he also built altars (see Genesis 8:20).  It was his altar building, a sign of a close and intimate relationship with the LORD, that  saved his family.  His righteous was a blessing to them all. 

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Hebrews 11:7

Scripture also records an event in Noah's life that is often overlooked which occurred after the flood.  Noah created a situation that brought a curse on a portion of his family.  He should have stayed at the altar, but the Bible records that he also planted a vineyard.  A vineyard is a place planted for personal pleasure. God recorded its planting to teach us to beware once we have had a great victory.  This is a time where many let their guard down. They have triumphantly overcame a great trial.  Rather than stay on guard, they feel that just a bit of play won't hurt.  It is at these vulnerable times that testimonies can be marred and curses can be inflicted.  Be careful! 



And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.

Genesis 9:20-21

Genesis 9 goes on to tell us that Noah's son Ham saw his drunken, naked father.  I wonder what it did to his view of the man he knew who spent so much time at the altar?  What a testimony troubler!  It also seems that Ham's son, Canaan, also saw the scene.  Canaan is forever cursed due to this mess.  It was Noah, however, who was ultimately to blame.  Had he not went pleasure seeking, stayed SOBER and vigilant, surely he would have seen the enemies plot to curse a family so blessed of the LORD.

So many today are following the bad example of Noah.  Church is neglected for the lake.  The altar is neglected  for the television.  Godly giving is neglected to sate with this world's temporary goods.  Business trumps Bible study.  Choir practice cancels personal devotion and worship.  Sermon study tops private study.  Temptations topple devotion and obedience.  There are just so many "vineyards" out there and they are different for us all.  Yet each one has the potential to wreak the same havoc as did Noah's.  The sad thing is that the cause of the curse is often not seen as the result of pursuing personal pleasures over promoting our personal relationship with God.

I feel like praying to end this one.  "Father, help us to see our hearts with your eyes.  We often cannot connect our actions with later repercussions.  We also have the terrible tendency to justify our actions and make wrong seem right.  Help us, then, by allowing the Holy Spirit to illuminate any vineyards we are planting in our lives.  Help us to see those areas where we are following our desires and not yours.  Make us to see our need to rely continually on the cross and to stay at the feet of our Savior, Jesus.  Help us as we know that Jesus Christ is Soon2Come.  Amen"
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Thursday, August 30, 2012

As Time Gets Shorter The Roaring Gets Louder

And he said, The LORD will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.


Amos 1:2

After doing a long study and a series entitled, The Lion Roars, on the book of Amos, I was still drawn back to this book again during my personal devotions.  Immediately I was drawn to this verse.  There are three things that need noticing.  First, it is the Lord who is roaring from Jerusalem.  Next, He is addressing the land from North to South.  Finally, the land is mourning.  Let's briefly take a look at each and see if this might just apply to us today as well.

 So why is it important to see that the LORD was shouting out to the people from Zion/Jerusalem?  Simply put, this was the place where the temple was and where the established seat of government was.  The problem was that the people of Israel were looking to Dan, Samaria, and Bethel for leadership and guidance rather than the one place God authorized.  They were seeking God in places easy for them to reach, but places where God did not wish for them to go.  The LORD was roaring from Jerusalem to remind an erring people that there was but one place to look--the throne God, Himself, establish and the temple that He allowed to be built in that one place.  It was/is Zion that represents the throne of Christ as the Priest and King.  It is Zion where He paid your debt of sin.  Look to the cross of Zion for salvation!
This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Acts 4:11-12


The Lord's shout was heard from North to South.   Amos was a sheepherder.  Volumes could be written on the word he used to described his job as he purposefully did not use the standard word for shepherd.  The word roughly translates to a "sheep raiser".  It was a job that ensured the flock was the best it could be and that the flock was without without spot or blemish.  It was the job of a common man.  This working man was called on by God to deliver his message about coming judgment, but he too suffers as he saw the drought brought on the land.  The pasture lands were said to be mourning.  Amos was from the pasture region of Tekoa which was about 12 miles south of Jerusalem.  Mt. Carmel was/is a lush region to the north of Isreal, but it too had dried up.  The whole land was agonizing from the roar of the LORD.  Everyone was suffering, including the prophet.  I wonder if he began to seek God with all of his heart to find out what was going on and in the process God called him?

Yes, the land was mourning.  So what?  Does land mourn?  Shouldn't the shepherds have been mourning?  Why were the people not mourning and crying out to God?  It does not say that the priests mourned, so it seems no one was seeking God at all.  This probably goes back to the first note, they all were too captivated with the idols of Dan and Bethel.  God roars through a crisis to get people's attention.  Maybe they were taking the easy worship route without the sacrifice of agonizing, repentant prayer?  They should have cried out to him, but their refusal to mourn, weep, cry, and repent only exacerbated an already bad situation.  Now God will make them mourn so that they will turn.  Sadly, few turned and within just a few decades the people of ten tribes were scattered worldwide until their regathering this century--a key sign that we are in the last days of the church age.  We need to read and heed!  We need to hear God's roar and take action!

 The LORD is roaring worldwide!  Heaven is shouting that it alone has the right to rule and set the only parameters for truth.  That truth is Christ.  The offended God, offended by our sin, set the only available means to reach Him through the sacrifice of Christ the Son on Calvary's cross.  Sadly, men today wish to do things their way and ignore God.  As God allowed a 7.7 to 8.2 earthquake and a drought to strike Israel as warnings in Amos' day, God is doing the same today.  Fish and animals are mysteriously dying worldwide.  Earthquakes are intensifying. I read today that there have been 7,163 quakes in just the past 30 days.  Droughts are plaguing countries globally while cutting the amount of available food.  Middle Eastern countries could start the next war over the supply of water not oil.  What is not hit by drought is being destroyed by floods.  The wars and rumors of war are only more intense. Hurricane Isaac was a sure sign that God will not put up with rebellion as this storm affected the city where a wicked event was about to start exactly seven years after Katrina--which also hit the wicked event and shut it down.  Yes, God is roaring loud and He is not happy with those who will not turn to Christ.  His grace has limits, and the limit has just about been reached.

Where are the "shepherds" and "sheep" crying for the harvest.  The fields are rotting and mourning, and there is no one tending them.  Is it not time to share the word of hope and salvation that is inherent in the gospel of an old rugged cross?  What was the first message the Son of God preached?  It is one that seems lost to a church that is too busy with Dan and Bethel to notice.  Here is Christ's first message,  From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:12)."  Don't be one of those who is looking to a man or a ministry for direction--seek God.  Don't look to worldly government to better your life--look to Christ.  Dan and Bethel are in ash heaps as this whole world will one day be.  Those who are Christ's, however, will  live forever!  Please do it quickly.  God's roaring will only get louder as a warning to all that time is short and Jesus Christ is Soon2Come!


 Please Take Action!
Petition Calling for the Immediate Release and Safekeeping of Rimsha Misrak « Persecution of Christians & Persecuted Churches

Other Posts on Amos
Jesus Christ--Soon2Come: When the LION Roars
Jesus Christ--Soon2Come: The Lion Warns
Jesus Christ--Soon2Come: Understanding the Lion's Warnings

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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Can You Take It? No More Warning

Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest. Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
Hosea 4:4-6

What a conundrum!  Israel is ever nearer to the destruction that is about to be brought on them by the Assyrians.  Yet, they cannot see that this judgment is from the LORD for their sin.  Rather than hear, they argue about whether it is sinful in the first place--sound familiar?  They will not hear the message that they are erring from God, so they are destroyed for lack of knowledge.  God would love for them to have the knowledge of truth that leads to repentance, but rather than heed the word, they argue and fuss with those sent to warn them.  This is the message of the verses above.  Israel will not understand their undone condition before God.  The LORD commands that they are no longer challenged to repent because they will only debate with those who are sent (v.4).  Then we are told that this lack of knowledge, willfully ignored knowledge of what it will take to have a right relationship with GOD, leads to their destruction.  Hosea was the last prophet sent to Israel.  Soon their rejection of truth and inability to take a rebuke led to their demise.  Yes, what a conundrum!

The Spirit of the LORD will not always strive with man (see Genesis 6:3).  His word is clear enough on what is right and wrong, but when sin reigns and God is rejected in a society, out come the "experts" who wish to philosophize over what God's word "really says".  Just the other day I was reading a news article about a church that was using some fairly worldly means to draw numbers into the church.  The word was clear--their actions were an affront to God's holiness and a mockery of the sacrifice of Christ.  One person dared say that the actions of this congregation were wrong.  Out came the experts.  There were comments like, "It doesn't ever take too long for the Pharisees to show up."  "You are not our judge--God is!" "Take your old-fashioned ideas elsewhere."  This is exactly the message that is shared above.  When people will not hear the truth of the word and those anointed to share it, GOD quits warning and allows them to go along in their delusion.  He has to because they willfully reject His counsel. That is a scary place to be.


Let me say again that we need to understand what sin is so that we can take it to the cross and seek forgiveness and cleansing.  Think of the message of this verse. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8)."  Or what about this verse?  "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us ( 1 John 1:10)."   Sandwiched in between is the often quoted verse 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  Just reason with me a minute.  How can you confess if you argue with God about his valid claim that it is wrong?  You can't!

Hosea warned!  He was their last chance.  Hear God as He is shouting to turn to Him before it is too late.  Hear those who lovingly rebuke, reprove, and exhort even as they are commanded by scripture.  Hear Jesus as He calmly knocks on the door of your heart awaiting the permission to enter.  Don't delay when He corrects.  After all, He is Soon2Come!

I highly suggest this page:  Easy-Believism: Another False Gospel | Amos 3:7
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