Remember Lot’s Wife?

Remember Lot’s wife?

This is the admonition Jesus gave to his disciples concerning his second coming.

Let’s recollect Lot’s wife.

Before Lot and his family left Sodom, the angels gave the Lord’s command.

Escapfor your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.”

Lot’s wife, however, disobeyed the Lord’s word and turned into a pillar of salt.

Now why do you suppose she would do that? Obviously, it was more than just curiosity.

To “look back” in this scripture is the Hebrew word nâbaţ which means to look intently at, to regard with pleasure and care, to consider, and to have respect for.

This means that Lot’s wife had an affinity for the place she was leaving. A sentiment for her home. An emotional attachment to the people she was leaving behind.

Jesus goes on after giving this admonition to say in Luke chapter 17,

Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall preserve it.

“Losing our life” is the crucial point the Lord tells us here.

According to the scriptures, our lives are not our own. We were bought with a price.

 “To lose” in this scripture means to die. Apollumi in the Greek. Which means to put to death or consider nonoperative.

Paul says that he dies daily. Death to self and the world is an everyday thing.

Did you know that if we love the world or the things of the world, then God’s love does not reside in us?

A sure way to tell a true Christian from a false one is if they are accepted by the world and love the things of the world.

What are the things of the world? Anything that the world esteems highly!

What does the world esteem highly?

John (1John 2) tells us that the things of the world are whatever your flesh or carnal nature lust after. Whatever your eyes lust after and whatever outside of God makes you feel prideful or you boast about.

So let me put this in modern terms. Whatever the world is running after, craving, pursuing, seeking for, desiring, addicted to, loving, and is their heart’s desire.

If you love those things too, you are not one of the Lord’s disciples. You may believe in Jesus Christ, but even the devil believes in God.

Remember that Jesus gave this warning.

Another way to tell a true Christian from a false one is how much they brag about themselves. How worthy they are. How blessed they are. How many special qualities that they have. How great their position in life is. How excellent their works are. How great life is treating them. Basically, whatever is all about them.
Paul said that he boasted only in the Lord. He put no confidence in his own abilities. He boasted about being weak so that God could demonstrate HIS power through him.

 Galatians 6:14 But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Jesus told us, as recorded by Luke(14), that if we desire to follow Jesus Christ and become one of his disciples, we must take up our cross. That is, we must be willing to suffer like he did.

How did Jesus Christ suffer?

He was misunderstood, persecuted, judged, bullied, hated, ridiculed, beaten, and even put to death.

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12

Remember Lot’s wife? She turned into a pillar of salt for looking back to what God judged as evil. In the Hebrew pillar is netsîyb, which means a post or garrison.

God made Lot’s wife into a signpost. For all with eyes to see. A reminder to “don’t look back.”

John 15:18-25

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep your’s also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

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The Door

There are natural doors that open to allow entrance and close to prevent entrance. In the Kingdom of God a door represents entrance or access from the natural realm to the Spiritual realm.

In Hebrew door is pethach. An opening, gate, entrance way. It is more than just an ordinary natural door. The root word for pethach is pâthach which means to open or loose.

God lives in the spiritual realm. The only way to enter into the realm of the Spirit of God is through the DOOR. Jesus is that door.

In Jesus’ time the sheepfold was a rock wall built of stones. This wall provided protection from predators. The enclosure also had a door which was an opening for the sheep to come in and go out.  The Shepherd would lie at the door in order to protect the sheep.

 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. John 10:1-5

In Genesis 18:1 Abraham had a visitation of the Lord at the door of his tent. You will find many references in scripture where the Lord dialogues with his people at the door. The Door represent Jesus Christ the Messiah in which we must enter to have fellowship with God.

Blood was sprinkled on the door. The Lord passed over the door so that the destroyer would not destroy. Ex. 29:32

The door of the tabernacle is where the Lord met with Moses to speak to him. Ex. 33:9

The offerings were put at the door of the tabernacle. Ex 40:29 Leviticus. 1:5, 4:18 Numbers 6:10

Prophets or Nazerites were dedicated to the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. Numbers 6:13

The Israelites repented at the door of their tents.  Numbers 11:10

The Lord came down in a pillar of the cloud and stood at the door of the tabernacle to speak. Numbers 12:5

The Israelites put incense at the door of the tabernacle. Numbers 6:18

God’s glory appeared at the door of the congregation. Numbers 16:19

The law was to be written upon the door posts of the Israelites houses and gates. Deuteronomy 11:20

A bondservant’s ear was to be pierced on the door. Deuteronomy 15:17

The Lord appeared at the door of the tabernacle in a pillar of cloud over the door of the tabernacle. Ezekiel 10:19

The cherubim stood at the temple door and the glory of the Lord was above them. Deuteronomy 31:15

Prophecy of giving Israel a door of hope. Jesus is that door. Hoses 2:15

The 5 virgins who were prepared went in with Jesus and the 5 not prepared had the door shut on them. Matthew 25: 10

In Revelations 3:20 Jesus says I stand at the door and knock.

Jesus knocks on the door or entrance to our heart, he calls us by his Holy Spirit. If we hear his voice and come through the door he will have fellowship us.

When we come to Jesus by responding to his voice we can go in through the door to the realm of the Spirit and then out through the door to the natural realm with our needs met.

Commune or fellowship with the Lord gives us access into the holy realm of God’s Kingdom.

In Revelation 4:1

A door was opened in the heavenly realm for John and the word of the Lord came to him.

Once we come through the Door we have access into the Holy of holies. We can now come before God’s throne with our praise, worship, prayers and intercession. We can even come to receive instruction in righteous, get revelation of the word of God and simply just hang out in God’s presence.

In Matthew 7 Jesus tells us to ask, seek and knock. These 3 words hold different meanings.

To ask is to petition, to seek is to diligently look for or inquire and to knock is to request entrance.

In Revelations 3:20 Jesus is talking to his church.

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

When we knock on the door, we are requesting access to the realm of the Spirit where God resides.

“Whoever knocks the door will be opened.”

We are gaining access to this realm of the Spirit when we come through the door. Jesus is that door into the presence of God.

There we can commune with the Lord. It’s a spiritual experience with God that takes us from this natural realm to the realm of the Spirit. It is our spirit fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit. Communing together in one accord. 

Not every Christian knocks on the door or comes through the door as made evident in the Lord’s plea in Revelations 3:20

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Either they don’t know they have this access to the place where God resides or they don’t believe it. Scriptures tell us that we have a better covenant based on better promises.

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. Hebrews 8:6

Our access to the realm of the Spirit is based on our having gone through the Door. The veil to the Holy of Holies is now removed. We can like the high priest did once a year, enter into God’s presence. We can come every day!

The heavenly realm of communion in the Holy Spirit is available to those who knock on the door. That is through Jesus Christ we can come into the throne room of grace. It is much more than petition. It is much more than intercession. 

It is having intimacy with the King of Kings in the realm of the Spirit of God. Dwelling in his very presence !

Knock and the door will be opened unto you for he who comes to me will never be refused. John 6:37

DO YOU NEED A MIRACLE?

Jesus performed many mighty miracles in certain cities in Israel but they still refused to repent.

Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not. Matthew 11: 20

What did these cities not repent of?

We have to read the whole Chapter of Matthew 11 to find out.

Jesus was preaching and teaching the people. He explained to them that John the Baptist was the greatest prophet of the OT because he came proclaiming Christ the Messiah. John was the messenger preparing people to receive Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah. The people as a whole did not believe John’s message.

Then Jesus goes on to say that people criticized John for his prayer and fasting or for being set apart. (Being a fanatic basically) and then they turned around and criticized Jesus for ministering and eating with sinners. They accused him of being a drunkard and a glutton.

Obviously the people did not believe or receive John as the Elias which was prophesied to come or Jesus as the Messiah prophesied to come.

Jesus then tells the cities he did the most miracles in that they were going to be in big trouble on judgment day because they were not repentant.

Their sin was that they did not believe.

Jesus performed many miracles in their midst and yet they remained unrepentant.

The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” Matthew 11:5

Lots of people came to see the miracles Jesus performed! Yet they still did not believe.

“But what went ye out for to see? ” Jesus asked the people concerning John.

The people it seemed went out to see a show.

They watched all the miracles being performed by Jesus and yet they did not believe that he was the Messiah. That is why Jesus pronounced future judgment on them!

Isn’t that kind of like today? How many people flock to miracle meetings to see the show yet fail to surrender their hearts to Jesus Christ?

No where in the Bible does it say that miracles produce faith. Some people think that. They even think that if they just had a sign from heaven then all their problems would go away.

Jesus says in his word that to seek a sign other than the one important one he has given is to be in unbelief.

A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed. Matthew 16:4

What did Jesus say to John when he wanted confirmation that Jesus was the Messiah to come?

After Jesus gave his testimony he said, “blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. ” Matthew 11:6

In other words Jesus said believe that he is the Messiah and don’t be offended because Jesus says that he is the Messiah.

Lastly Jesus tells us that the Father reveals through his word Jesus is the Messiah and the Son reveals the Father to those who receive the Son.

All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Matthew 11: 27

It is not miracles as wonderful as they are that produce faith! According to the Bible, it is revelation of the Holy Spirit through the word of God that produces faith.

And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 16:14-17

The Bible makes it clear that people who did receive miracles from Jesus actually believed before they got the miracle. It takes faith in Jesus Christ to get a miracle but watching miracles being performed does not produce faith.

And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour. Matthew 8:17

And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.” Matthew 9:28

The Bible teaches that Faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by the word of God!

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17

When God’s word is revealed to our heart then we will get a miracle!

A miracle specific to our need, for God knows what we have need of even before we ask him! (Matthew 6:8)

“Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.” Psalm 119:114

Occupy Till I come

In Luke Chapter 19 Jesus is talking to his disciples about the coming kingdom of God.

The disciples were excited about the Kingdom of Messiah being established in the earth. They thought that it was going to be realized in their day.  While Jesus taught principles of the kingdom of God, he told the disciples that his earthy kingdom was coming in the future.

In the meantime, Jesus told his disciples to occupy until he comes back to establish his kingdom in the earth. Jesus relayed a parable about a man who sets his servants in charge of his estate while he goes away on a journey. In the story the Lord gives each of his servants some money to put to use on his behalf while he goes away. Before he leaves, the Lord gives his servants this one instruction. “Occupy till I come.”

Occupy in the Greek is pragmateuomai which means to keep busy. To carry on with business.

To occupy is also a military term. It means to control and possess a hostile territory in order for the invading Kingdom to establish a military government against an enemy within the enemy’s own territory.

The Romans were in occupation in many different nations including Israel. During Jesus’ lifetime the Romans occupied Israel. The disciples were anxious to see this occupation come to an end. Jesus however uses as an analogy the term occupy to explain to his disciples that in the same way that the Romans were occupying their land they too were called to occupy in the world’s system or the kingdom of Satan until Jesus would return to rule and reign over the earth.  

Satan’s kingdom is organized in much the same way as the Roman empire. It has a system of hierarchies, military, and clergy. These principalities, powers, and rulers of the darkness of this world control behind the scenes the worldly affairs of men. They are busy trying to organize and implement the anti Christ system ruled by the satans under their leader Lucifer, who will manifest in earthy form in the near future as the “man of sin”.

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

Today the Roman empire is still ruling in the world but under a different title. It is now called globalism. The ruling class within globalism are the elites, the military class which have their armies stationed in almost every nation, and the Roman religion.

The Roman religion consists of all apostate organizations which have a unified coalition in which they are knowingly and some even unknowingly furthering the interfaith universalistic movement which will and is headed up by the false prophet as foretold in scripture.

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Jesus’ instruction to his disciples was to occupy until he comes back to establish his kingdom in the earth. Does that mean take up arms and fight with carnal weapons? No, it does not!

In fact, Jesus condemned the use of carnal weapons to battle spiritual realties.  

We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 2 Corinthians 10:4

Ephesians Chapter 6 gives us the weapons of our warfare. We are to put on the full armor of God to fight the good fight of faith.

Our assignment is to occupy till Jesus comes back. That is to restrain evil by the Holy Spirit in us through prayer, exposing darkness, setting captives free and declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people. Occupation is spiritual warfare against spiritual realities.  

Have nothing to do with the deeds produced by darkness, but instead expose them. Ephesians 5:11

When the powers of darkness are restrained by prayer the gospel can go forth, evil will be restrained, and the light of God’s glory will be made evident through his disciples!

Occupy till he comes!

 We will always praise your glorious name. Let your glory be seen everywhere on earth. Amen and amen. Psalms 72:19

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Faithful Promises!

Satanic forces are in opposition to our prayers. They want to stop the answers from materializing.

The powers of darkness cannot stop our victory but they most certainly can hinder. So don’t get discouraged over a set back. It’s just the devil putting out his resistance.

PAUL said that he wanted to go and preach in a certain area but the devil hindered him. The devil can hinder but never stop God’s plans. In fact when Satan hinders he usually shoots himself in the foot because it ends up working out for our good anyway!

Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us. 1Thessalonians 2:18

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Satan tried to hinder Daniel’s prayers but persistence in prayer perservered and won the victory!

 “Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.” Daniel 10:12-14

God gave David a vision. He told him what he was going to do and what the outcome of prayer would accomplish. The Lord has his watchman on the walls and they are in intercession. These watchman are not going to give God any rest until they get their answer. They are determined to pray and never give up.

This promise is yet to be fully realized but it will happen! The Lord has spoken!

I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Isaiah 62:6,7

The Lord also tells us we need to put action to our faith.

Vs. 10 of Isaiah Chapter 62 the Lord gives some strong DO words.

Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.”

When we pray we need to look at how we can prepare the way. Do we have some house cleaning to do? Are there stones in our gardens that need removing? Do we need to be a positive influence some where? How about casting forth that evangelism net if we want revival?

The Bible does say that faith without works is dead being alone. That is a spiritual principle. In other words if we are not actively living out that prayer request then we do not really believe the answer is on its way.

We need to act like we already have the answer if we know that it’s God’s will. This shows the devils that we are not looking at their garbage being thrown at us but rather we are looking to our God who has promised and is faithful to perform his promise.

Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him,” Isaiah 62:11

Yes, God hears our prayer. No matter how impossible they seem!

If we continue to abide, be faithful and patient, the Lord will bring the victory!

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised. Hebrews 10:23

RESTING IN CHRIST

Resting in the finished work of Christ is the key to walking in victory. Regardless of how much we apply Biblical principles to our life, unless we have this main key to the kingdom of God, we will find failure at the end sooner or later.

What is resting in Christ’s complete work? It is a spiritual principle that is set right out in scriptures but missed by many of us.

One sure way to know that we are not resting in Christ is striving. That is to make great effort to achieve something.

When we find ourselves in this state we know right away that we are not resting. Then we must get immediately back to the cross.

Does resting in Christ equate to passivity? No indeed it does not! What resting in Christ does is to set our eyes on the victor for the victory and not on ourselves.

To rest in Christ is to set the Lord always before us. That is to acknowledge Jesus as our Captain. Our leader and victor over all difficulties that may come our way.

Paul knew this resting in Christ. He said that the life he now lived he lived by the faith of Jesus Christ. Paul knew that he was accepted in the beloved. How could Christ who loved us enough to give his very life for us not also supply us with all the things we need to live victorious in this life?

To rest in Christ is to rest in his finished work. He beat the devil! He conquered sin! Jesus rose victorious!

What is our part? To rest in this fact! When we do we can be assured that Christ who lives in us will complete all the work that is needed in our lives.

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. Galatians 2:20

Resting in Christ is to abide in Christ. To accept what Christ says as true. To remain fixed in. To continue to dwell in. To remain in.

“If you abide in me,” Jesus said and his words or his teachings abide in you then you shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7)

In other words all the things that we need will be given to us as we rest in Christ. To rest is to have complete faith in the Lord’s ability to perform his word. It is to nestle in his bosom with absolute confidence. Does the Lord not know what is best for each of us? Is his plan not the best plan?

Have faith in God!

Faith is the substance of things hoped for. Faith in the finished work of Christ gives us hope. We never have to be worried that Jesus will not come through. He has promised! If he loved us enough to give his life for us how much more would he not freely meet our needs? We have only to patiently wait. (Romans 8:32)

Resting in Christ is to set our eyes on Jesus who is the author and the finisher of our faith. He will prefect that which concerns us as we trust in him!

It is Christ who lives! Christ who has conquered! Christ who is Lord of all! We rest in these facts and abide in his love.

Jesus is all our righteousness! He is working all things out for our good as scriptures tell us. (Romans 8:28)

We are complete in him!

And you are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and power:” Colossians 2:10

To be complete is to have all things without lacking. It is to be full and entirely in Christ! Can you see this by faith? IN CHRIST!

Jesus is the head of all principality and power. That means that because we are seated with him in heavenly places we are also positioned with him high above the rulers of this dark world. We are more than conquerors because we are in him! Let us rest in this knowledge!

Jesus is the name above every name. His victory is our victory. His completed work is our completed work because we are in him! Can you see this by faith? Then you are resting! Resting in assurity that Jesus Christ is the head. The chief and principle power of all in this life. If you are in him then you are secure. Rest in this reality.

It is finished Jesus said. Whether we are wrestling in prayer, serving, teaching or ministering we are always resting in Christ. Always confident that we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us and gave himself for us.

Are you resting in Christ today? If not won’t you get back to the cross? The place of your victory is there! The work has already been done! (Romans 8: 37)

The Acceptable Offering

In Genesis Chapter 4 we read that Cain brought his offering to the Lord. He brought the work of his hands, the toil of his labor.

God was not impressed with Cain’s offering. The Lord did not consider Cain’s offering to be acceptable.

Able was a tender of sheep. He also gave an offering to God. He took the first born of his sheep and gave that offering to God.

God accepted Abel’s offering but not his brother Cain’s offering.

It is interesting to note that both brothers gave an offering to the Lord. That is they felt the need to have God’s approval in their lives.

They also gave an offering in accordance to their respective vocations.

Cain who labored as a husbandman or a worker of soil produced the fruit of his labor. He was blessed in his vocation or ministry but when Cain tried to earn the Lord’s favor based on that vocation he was rejected.

Cain’s problem was that he thought his fruit came from his own effort. All that hard work he put in. All those hours of toil.

Cain was totally insulted because the Lord rejected his offering.

Cain obviously had good intentions. He wanted to please the Lord but according to the Lord, Cain’s offering was not acceptable. That is it was not considered to be valid, it was unsuitable.

This rejection of his offering caused Cain to go into a depression. That’s what it means to be downcast of soul. Really depressed. That depression ended up turning into jealousy towards his brother.

Why would Cain turn on his brother? Simply because he did not heed the advice God gave him when his offering was rejected.

God told Cain, that if he wanted to do well or what is right and acceptable, then he would be accepted. In other words Cain needed to do things God’s way not his way.

Cain ignored God’s advise we know because he saw that Abel was accepted by the Lord and he was jealous. What happens when a person is accepted by God? They are blessed.

To be accepted is to have favor. Be lifted up in a position of opportunity. To have a good reputation among others. Having worth or value.

Cain refused to do what was right. He refused to humble himself and get a sheep from his brother to present as an offering to the Lord.

That would require admitting failure. Admitting that he wasn’t such a hot shot. It would be like coming to terms with the fact that maybe his younger brother had more revelation in spiritual matters than he did.

God warned Cain. He said that “if you refuse to do well (yâţab) or what is right, what is acceptable then sin or offense lies or crouches like an animal
at your door.

Sin is looking to gain entrance, or place in your life.

If you don’t make it right Cain and do what is acceptable then the devil is going to come a knocking!

Many times we think that God is going to respect us because we are hard workers in his vineyard. So we offer up all our labor hoping for his approval. Just like Cain did.

Then the brother who is a wet behind the ears Christian comes along and lays down his love offering. He just simply relies on grace. Doesn’t do a thing but sit at the cross! Blessings coming out of his ears!

If we try to gain favour with God by our works then sin is crouching at our door! Waiting to spring on us at a weak moment.

We need to do what is right. That is go to the cross and rely on the lamb of God whose offering makes us acceptable. The Lord’s favor is bestowed on those who trust in his way of doing things not our own way.

God tells us to rule over the sin that is crouching at our door.
Don’t let it have any place!

Stick the pride back in our pocket where it belongs and count it all loss for Christ!

Who cares how many hours we have labored in the vineyard. The guy who just gets saved and works for one hour in the vineyard is going to get the same reward anyway! (Matthew 20)

Might as well just join him and sit at the cross because that is what makes us perfectly acceptable in the beloved anyway!

Our labor in the Lord is not in vain. It always produces fruit if we belong to God but our works should never supersede the sacrifice of God’s Son Jesus Christ.

That was the problem with Cain’s offering. Works in the vineyard no matter how noble will not make us acceptable to God.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8,9

LOGOS: THE WORD OF GOD

John 1:1 says that in the beginning of creation (for God has no beginning or ending) was the Word. That is the Logos in Greek.

The Logos means: something said, thoughts, reasoning, motives, divine expression, communication, speaking.

And the Word or Logos was with God. The word was side by side with God. THEOS in Greek which means diety, supreme dignity. (God the Father)

And the Word or Logos was God. (The Logos was also God)

And the Word Logos was made flesh.

God’s thoughts, reasoning, motives, divine expression, communication, speaking or Logos became flesh. (Sarx, a body with emotions and intellect)

And dwelt or skēnoō (which is to hover like the presence of God hovered in the Old Testament tabernacle.)

Among us. And we beheld his glory, or divine majesty.

The glory or divine majesty of the ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, that is born of God, proceeding from God the Father directly.

Full of grace or divine influence and full of truth. The truth which proceeds and originates from God, THEOS which is diety, supreme dignity. (God the Father)

Jesus in effect was God’s Word or Logos incarnate.

Scriptures tell us that God spoke under the Old Testament through his prophets but now he has spoken under the New Covenant through his Son the LOGOS who is the exact express image of God.
(Hebrews 1:1-3)

Since Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead and is sitting at the right hand of the Father we have now been given the Holy Spirit which reveals to us the Logos.

How does the Holy Spirit do this? Through the divinely inspired scriptures.
The Holy Spirit speaks to us by the Logos. (John 13:16 )

When the Holy Spirit reminds us of what God said it is through the Logos. All prophecy if it is Holy Spirit initiated will be found in the LOGOS.

The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth. The LOGOS is all truth. (John 17:17)

Even specific prophecies or words of knowledge or any gift of the Holy Spirit will have a scriptural precedent. They must be tested to see if they conform to the Word of God.(1 John 4:1 Galatians 1:6-8)

Revelation 19:10
And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

All scriptures the Bible clearly says in 2 Timothy 3:16 are GOD BREATHED!

That means the scriptures are (theopneustos in the Greek) divinely breathed – given by the very inspiration of God.

The Word and the Spirit are always in agreement.

And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 1 John 5:8

The Word of God the Logos was made flesh and dwelt among us.

When Jesus Christ was here He was the manifestation of the very words of the living God.

In the Old Testament prophets were given God’s very words which they wrote down.

They wrote what God told them to write.

If I write a journal and someone reads it then the person reading would know my very thoughts, my desires, my personality, likes, dislikes and even commands if I so wrote.

God in the Old Testament gave the prophets his very words. They wrote them down ver bateum. Even all the historical records.

It is the same as if God himself is speaking in person.

Under the New Testament Jesus Christ was sent as God manifest in the flesh. He was the embodiment of God himself.

Everything written down by the disciples are God inspired. Jesus Christ was speaking himself through his disciples.

They were only the microphone for God’s Holy word.


When Paul and other Apostles wrote down what the Holy Spirit spoke to them, their words were God breathed.

God himself inspired those words.

ALL SCRIPTURES ARE GOD BREATHED. DIVINELY INSPIRED.

When we read scriptures we are reading God’s own words. Scriptures are not just an historical record. Scriptures are the very words of God himself.

You can not separate Jesus Christ from his word. He is his Word.

To do so is to create your own Jesus. One according to your imagination and opinions. Jesus reveals himself by Holy Spirit revelation through the Logos.

Disregard of Holy cannon as God breathed is a dangerous prescident.
It leaves room for all kinds of doctrinal error with opinions, false beliefs and even apostacy.

Jesus is the Word of God made flesh. The very Logos of God himself who dwelt among his creation.

By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. Psalm 33:6

God’s word according to the book of Revelation given to John by the Holy Spirit must be kept in high regard. To add to his word or take away from his word is a serious thing.

Revelation 22:18-19

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

God’s promises in his word are Yes and Amen. Never will they fail you for they are God’s very words.

Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
Psalm 107:6,7

He Comes Like a Thief !

Why does Jesus say in scriptures that he comes like a thief in the night?

A thief sneaks in without anyone knowing to snatch something away. Jesus was referencing in this parable to his coming for his bride.

In Revelations 3:3 Jesus is reprimanding his church. In particular the church that was in Sardis. He tells them that if they don’t repent of dead works and strengthen their walk in the Lord by returning to him zealously and being watchful (watching in prayer) then as punishment for disobedience they would find Jesus coming to them as a thief in the night.

In other words, like a thief who comes unaware to the owner of the house, ,Jesus will come to snatch away his prepared bride but those luke-warm and not watching will be left behind.

This scripture reveals that there will be unrepentant believers left behind in the snatching away of his bride. Referred to by some as the rapture or translation of the Spirit.

In Matthew 25
Jesus talks about coming for his bride.
There are 5 virgins with oil in their lamps and 5 virgins without oil. The 5 with oil were watching and waiting having their lamps filled with oil.

What is this oil? A Holy Spirit filled life. The other 5 virgins had the word. They knew what the Lord’s will was. They knew he said he would come to get them someday but these 5 did not take his word seriously. They were fooling around in the world. They thought they had lots of time but suddenly like a thief in the night the bridegroom came and they were left behind.

In 1 Peter 3:10- 11 it also says that the day of the Lord’s return is going to come like a thief in the night.

Peter goes on to exhort Christians to keep the Lord’s exhortation in mind. To walk worthy of our calling while we are here. Not walking in riotous living but in holiness and the fear of the Lord.

That is what Jesus was talking about. Having our oil burning. Having zeal in our walk with the Lord. Going about our Father’s buisness but at the same time having our eyes fixed on his return. Living in the world but not of this world.

Jesus told his people to be zealous and repent for not watching and living a Spirit filled life. He warned that if the owner of the house had been watching he would have known in what hour the thief would come.

Are you watching for the Lord’s return? Are you ready for his appearing? Is the oil in your lamp burning with zeal? If not return to the lover of your soul today! You do not know in what hour your Lord will appear!

He comes like a thief in the night!

The Salt Of The Earth!

Why Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt?

I think the Lord was trying to make a statement like, “I have now cleansed the land.”

Repentance will often lead to tears of sorrow. The salt in our tears are heart cleansing so after a good heart wrenching cry of repentance the soul is cleansed by God.

Our tears also have a physical effect on our body. Scientific studies have shown that tears help the body recover from stress by excreting excess proteins and the cortisol hormone which can be damaging to the body in excess. Emotional tears also release endorphins responsible for reducing pain and improving mood.

Salt cleanses from disease. Our bodies have a perfect balance of salt and water. If we don’t have enough salt in our system then disease may rear it’s ugly head. It’s the same with sin. Sin is a deadly disease. Not only can it kill physically but it can kill spiritually.

That is why the Lord calls his church to be the salt of the earth. As long as God’s people are here there is healing and salvation. But what happens if the salt looses its saltiness? Sin creeps into society and the world becomes perverted. Only salt purifies and preserves.

The ungodly can trod all over the world when there is an unsalty church and that is why we are exhorted by the Lord to be like salt. Be life preserving. Bring the salt to a sin infected world. Bring to others the cleansing of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

Be the salt of the earth.