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People of The Living God |
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October 2018
WATCHMEN ON THE WALLS
“AND BECAUSE INIQUITY SHALL ABOUND…”
Armando Montes
“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matt. 24:12). Many years ago our Lord Jesus Christ made this statement when He answered His disciples’ questions about His second coming and the end of the world. Here, then, we find a condition that must precede the advent of our King of Glory, and because we are living in the time of the end, let us give thought to this verse that has a special application to the followers of Christ today.
We are going to divide this verse into two sections to have a more accurate understanding of its message.
“Because Iniquity Shall Abound”
“Because” tells us that there is a cause, a reason; “because” speaks of the reason by which anything is or is not done. According to the words of our Lord Jesus, the universal extent of iniquity has been a factor to bring in the coldness that we see today in the love of many Christians.
What is iniquity? Before you try to find an answer, let me tell you that the Greek word for iniquity is ANOMIA, and George Ricker Berry translates it as “lawlessness,” and Thayer defines it as “contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness.”
“If any man have ears to hear, let him hear” (Mark 7:16). There should be no doubt in the mind of anybody that we are living in the last days that our Lord Jesus foretold in Matthew 24. Lawlessness is spread throughout the world. Violence and crime is everywhere. Violence moves people today as never before. This is the “spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2). Man has always disregarded and “transgressed the laws” of the Living God, but our Lord Jesus plainly said that this condition would increase and multiply before His return. This is the very condition that He likened to “the days of Noe” and that will bring the righteous judgment of God on the land.
By nature, man doesn’t like any kind of law, but what we have now is something much worse than this; it is contempt, rejection and fighting against the laws of God and men. Man has a sinful and rebellious nature. Every society or group of people needs laws for their protection and welfare. Take away the laws of any nation, or social system, or group of individuals and very soon you won’t find anything but turmoil, chaos and confusion. This is one of the reasons why the Lord gave man His laws.
Here, in this country, a misconception of true freedom is leading the whole nation downhill to its final destruction. Friends, outside of God there is NO freedom, only bondage and slavery. “The whole world lieth in wickedness” (I John 5:19). If you don’t believe the Word of God, look at the world situation RIGHT NOW. What do you see? The countries of Central and South America are fighting for a better way of life. The independence in the African nations has not been the solution to their problems. The countries in the Middle East are boiling in anger and hate one against the other…Wherever we go we find hatred, envy, greed, murder, theft, lawlessness…
We’re not going to take time to give you any information about the social, political, economical and religious problems that the whole world is facing today. You can find it in any serious newspaper or magazine. Besides this, we would have to be blind to deny the problems that daily affect our lives in one way or another. Nevertheless, let me quote from somebody who was not a Christian when she made the following statement: “I am not a Christian and have no intention of ever becoming a Christian…I am a very moral person and the world hurts me with its behavior, and its language, and its crudeness. More and more of my married friends are ‘shacking-up,’ the jokes at parties are getting really filthy and the language is unnecessary to express oneself adequately. I am sure our civilization is heading for destruction. It doesn’t matter whether one reads the Bible, the philosophers, the ancients, or the poets, it is there.” (A friendly agnostic listener; Haven of Rest).
“The Love Of Many Shall Wax Cold”
The second part of this verse raises the following questions: What kind of love is this? Who are the many? and What does it mean to wax cold?
The Greek word translated “love” in this case is AGAPĒ, and one of its meanings is “the love of men toward God.” The same Greek word is applied to the love of God toward man. Love is a characteristic of a true child of God. Only a sincere child of God can have this love for his Creator. “We know that we love Him because we keep His commandments” (John 14:15,23).
Man doesn’t have this kind of love in himself because, by nature, he is an enemy of God. The Lord puts this love in the heart of everyone that surrenders himself to Him at The time of his conversion. When we touch Jesus Christ and His Blood cleanses us from all unrighteousness, we can’t but love Him for the wonderful things that He has done for us. At that time we are willing to do anything for Him. This is the love that drives us to lay down our lives for Him because “greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). This love also means sacrifice and service because we’re to present our bodies a living sacrifice.
Now, let us identify the “many.” The “many” are not the miracles workers of Matt. 7:22,23, because Jesus called them “workers of iniquity.” In spite of their wonderful works they worked against the law of God, and anybody who despises His laws and government is not a friend of the Lord. These individuals don’t love the Lord because they don’t obey His words: “He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings” (John 14:24).
The “many” can’t be the many professing Christians that we have in the so-called religious world today. Not at all! They have been blinded by the sectarian system. They don’t know God. “They profess that they know God” (Titus 1:16), but their works, their lives deny their profession and claims.
The “many” cannot be the people of the world because our Lord Jesus plainly said, “the world hath not known Thee” (John 17:25). Besides this, Brother John stated that, “If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in Him” (I John 2:15). Man in the world, without God, is completely lost, helpless and hopeless. He needs to come into a personal relationship with God.
The “many” are those who have tasted the love of God in their lives. The “many” are those who know God “in spirit and in truth.” The “many” have the love of God that identifies them. They know whom they have believed (II Tim. 1:12). The “many” are those who have been washed in the Blood of the Lamb and have come into a personal relationship with the Living God. They were enemies of the Lord; they were guilty before God, but now they have been “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24). Because of the many professing Christians that we have now, and because of the tares that we find in the kingdom of God, it is difficult to recognize them, but “the Lord knoweth them that are His” (II Tim. 2:19).
In the physical realm, we believe, there are at least two things implied in the process of something growing cold:
1. Something has to be hot or warm.
2. A period of time is involved in this process.
Now, let us apply these principles to our spiritual lives. When we first met the Lord we surrendered our lives to Him unconditionally and unreservedly. We wanted to live ONLY for Him. When we first found the peace and the joy of the Lord in our hearts we were willing to do anything for Him. We had a real and sincere zeal for the work of the Lord. We had a true devotion and consecration to God. We had the fire of the Holy Spirit burning in our hearts. Our spiritual life was “hot” in the sight of the Lord. In few words, we had what the Bible calls “first love.”
Now, let me ask you an important question: What happens to our “first love” after some months or years? If we are sincere with the Lord and with ourselves we have to admit that it is easy to lower our guard, sit down and compromise. “In process of time,” we start to lower the standards of the Living God, “precept upon precept; line upon line…here a little, there a little” (Isa. 28:10). After a short period of time we have compromised with the standards of the world, and our devotion to the Lord is not the same. Eventually – unless we allow the Holy Spirit to keep working in our lives – the fire will go out and only ashes will remain in our hearts. This will be a very sad state.
Now, let us look at our present Christian life. Little by little our love to the Lord has been waxing cold. What we find in ourselves is a waning love, and unless the Holy Spirit intervenes, death will come to our souls. We must admit that there are degrees of coldness and apathy in our walk with the Lord. Some cases are worse than others, but the naked truth is that the body of Christ is in a state of slumber and needs to awaken. THE WHOLE BODY OF CHRIST IS SICK and needs to be restored to health.
We thank the Lord because we haven’t reached the state of Israel of old when “there was no remedy” (II Chron. 36:16) for them. Our Mighty Lord Jesus said that “the love of MANY shall wax cold.” He didn’t state that “the love of ALL shall wax cold.” It means that you and I have hope. We don’t have to be in the condition of indifference, coldness and spiritual dearth of the many. “But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Cor. 15:57). We don’t ask you to look for the solution in the sectarian system. God forbid! The Lord is not in it; even more, the Lord is against it, and in due time it will be destroyed with all the Babylonian confusion that we have in the world (Rev. 14:8; 18:2,8; Isa. 24:20).
We are living in the end time when the Lord is going to judge the earth in righteousness. Isaiah prophesied of this time and said that “the land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled…the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left” (Isa. 24:3,6). Our Lord called this period the days of the “great tribulation” (Matt. 24:21,22). The anguish, the sorrow and the distress for the world will be terrible. Woe unto them! We praise God because, at the same time, these days will be the most glorious days for His people. This is the time when the Lord will protect His people without any “rapture” or catching away. Here, on this old world, the glory of the Lord will clothe His people, and the manifestation of the sons of God will vindicate the Almighty Father of Glory before the world, angels and men.
We are also living in “the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21). The gifts and callings are going to be restored to the people of God to set His house in order and bring the child of God “unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). The government of God and true theocracy will be restored to His people. Many other wonderful things will be restored to the true Church of Jesus Christ. Before this can be accomplished the Lord is working in us to bring us to our “first love,” the same devotion that existed in the early church.
If you are a true child of God, you have been born again and have entered into His Kingdom (John 3:3,5; I Peter 1:22,23). The eyes of your understanding have been enlightened (Eph. 1:18), and you have tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come (Heb. 6:5). We are in His Kingdom RIGHT NOW because He “hath translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son” (Col. 1:13). This is something wonderful, but it is only part of what the Lord has provided for us. Many wonderful things are just ahead of us. They are in store for His chosen, for those that will meet His demands and measure up to His standards.
Daniel foretold of these days when he wrote that “judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints POSSESSED the kingdom” (Dan. 7:22). This Scripture was fulfilled when the Apostolic Church possessed the kingdom, but this marvelous condition didn’t last too long because carnality entered and spread in the ranks of God’s people and they lost the gifts, callings, and operations of the Spirit of God. Today, we are close, very close to the time “when the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and POSSESS the kingdom FOR EVER, even for ever and ever” (Dan. 7:18). In this opportunity, the sons of God will walk in this divine state that will last forever.
It behooves us to earnestly seek the Lord and ask Him to restore all the majesty and glory of His kingdom to His people and to “make Jerusalem (His people) a praise in the earth” (Isa. 62:7). It also behooves us to live such a life of dedication and consecration to Him that we can become “vessels of honor” – instruments in His hands – to usher in the power and glory of His kingdom and that we will be “called, and chosen, and faithful, good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (Rev. 17:14; I Peter 4:10).
THE LION AND THE LAMB SHALL FEED TOGETHER
H.M. Riggle
“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Isa. 11:6-9). “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord” (Isa. 65:25).
These texts are used by many as descriptive of the happy state of things during the supposed millennium. It is believed that there will be a literal fulfillment of the prophet’s picture here given. Some with whom I have conversed say that the fire spoken of in Second Peter will burn over all the earth, consuming its works and all the present state of things, restoring it back to the Edenic state. After this, the millennium will take place, at which time all the wild animals will be tame and the prophet’s prediction will literally come true. I asked one of these teachers what would become of the animals while the judgment fires were sweeping over the earth, burning up everything therein. I stated that either the animals must be burned up and afterwards resurrected, or else they must be translated and held somewhere in mid-heaven until after the purifying and consuming fire had swept over the earth. He replied, “Well, the Lord can do either.” Such betrays utter blindness of men and the desperate straits they are driven to, when they endeavor to uphold a wrong doctrine.
A careful study of Isaiah 11 clearly shows that the first advent of Christ and the blessings of His kingdom during the Christian era are referred to. “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.” This refers to the coming of Messiah, who was “the root and offspring of David.” Verses 1-5 refer directly to Messiah and His work. Then follows the foregoing language concerning the animals (verses 6-9). And in verse 10 we read, “In that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.” In Romans 15:12, Paul quotes this identical prophecy and applies it to the Christian dispensation. It refers to the Gentiles seeking Christ and entering into His rest.
In foretelling the work of Messiah and the blessings of His kingdom during the Christian dispensation, the prophets with one accord employed figurative language. The various animals are used in the Word of God to represent different characters of men. For example: Jesus said to his disciples, “Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” To Peter He said, “Feed my lambs.” Concerning Herod, He said, “Go ye, and tell that fox” (Luke 13:32). False teachers are compared to “raving wolves” and “grievous wolves” (Matt. 7:15; Acts 20:29). Paul said, “Beware of dogs” (Phil. 3:2). Speaking of the characters of the damned, it is said, “Without are dogs” (Rev. 22:15). Hypocritical professors are called “serpents” and “generation of vipers.” In Matthew 25, God’s people are called “sheep” and the unsaved “goats.” So in Ezekiel 34 God’s people are compared to “sheep,” “cattle,” etc. This is the sense in which we are to understand Isaiah 11:6-9 and Isaiah 65:25. It teaches how the grace of God in this glorious dispensation would destroy the serpent-like, devouring natures of men, and make the most lion-hearted sinners, the most ferocious characters, docile and harmless; even so meek that a “little child” can teach and lead them. It also teaches the glorious love and unity that exists among the redeemed in God’s kingdom, where there is no wrangling, backbiting, deceit, or devouring one another; but peace which nothing offends, and where all are helpers of each other’s joy, workers together. And the prophet adds: “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain.” Instead of this state of things existing in the literal, natural world, it is a description of the happy condition of the people of God in His holy mount; and this mountain is none other than the Church of God. All in this fold are harmless as doves. In the 35th chapter of Isaiah the prophet, speaking of the highway of holiness upon which the redeemed in this gospel dispensation were to walk, it says, “No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there” (Verses 8-9).
It is very clear that the animals were used to represent the beastly natures of men, which are destroyed in holiness; and also that no ferocious character is on the way to heaven. Surely literal wild animals cannot walk on a spiritual way, the road to heaven, which is the highway of holiness. Here, again, we see that the very things people expect to realize in some future time are now realized and enjoyed by the saints in light.
(Taken from CHRIST’S KINGDOM AND REIGN)
THE HARNESS OF THE LORD
Bill Britton
There is a terrific operation of the Spirit going on today to bring the Sons of God into an absolute confinement to the perfect will of God. This is the Day of His preparation, the day in which He is preparing the channel through which He shall pour forth His Glory for all of the world to see. This channel is His Body in the earth, that glorious company of people who are being conformed through much tribulation and fiery tests to the Image of the Son of God. This is His “battle axe and weapons of war” with which He shall subdue kingdoms and overcome all His enemies. This is His “mighty and strong One” to whom He shall commit the work of judging this world. This is His Overcomer, His “great army” with which He shall bring the nations into submission. The weapons of their warfare are not carnal, natural weapons, but they are mighty weapons, mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. These are those who shall “be strong and do exploits.”
But before God can commit this great and tremendous ministry into their hands, they must submit themselves to the discipline of the Lord, letting Him truly be the Lord of their entire lives. We have long since dealt with the question of open sin, but now God is dealing with the inward rebellion of our own wills. Some good Christians are not now being so dealt with, for they are not in this Firstfruits Company, but, nevertheless, there is a real dealing of God going on within those who are called into the High Calling of God. This is a very real thing, and is the work of the Refiner’s Fire. To those who are going through it, some of its aspects are horrible, but very necessary, and the end result thereof is glorious as we are brought into absolute and complete submission to the will of our Lord.
It was in a minister’s conference and convention in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that God gave me a vision which I want to share with you concerning this harnessing of our own wills. There were more than 30 ministers present in this particular Thursday morning service, and God, the Father of spirits, was present to deal with His sons, to correct them and discipline them to absolute obedience to His will. There was such a stern dealing in the Spirit that no one could go to the pulpit and minister; there was a reluctance among the ministers to say anything except that which was directly ordered by the Spirit. And as those men of God sat there in the awesome presence of Almighty God, some of them having many years of ministry, some missionaries, all of them capable of getting up and preaching a powerful sermon, I was impressed by the way they responded to the discipline of the Spirit. And in the midst of this terrific dealing of God with our spirits, the Holy Ghost gave me a vision…
I Saw The King’s Carriage
On a dirt road in the middle of a wide field stood a beautiful carriage, something on the order of a stagecoach, but all edged in gold, and with beautiful carvings. It was pulled by six large chestnut horses, two in the lead, two in the middle and two in the rear. But they were not moving, they were not pulling the carriage, and I wondered why. Then I saw the driver underneath the carriage, on the ground on his back, just behind the last two horses’ heels, working on something between the front wheels of the carriage. I thought, “My, he is in a dangerous place, for if one of those horses kicked or stepped back, they could kill him, or if they decided to go forward, or got frightened somehow, they would pull the carriage right over him.” But he didn’t seem afraid, for he knew that those horses were disciplined and would not move till he told them to move. The horses were not stamping their feet nor acting restless, and though there were bells on their feet, the bells were not tinkling. There were pom-poms on their harness over their heads, but the pom-poms were not moving. They were simply standing still and quiet, waiting for the voice of the Master.
There Were Two Young Colts In The Field
As I watched the harnessed horses, I noticed two young colts coming out of the open field, and they approached the carriage and seemed to say to the horses: “Come and play with us, we have many fine games, we will race with you, come catch us…” And with that the colts kicked up their heels, flicked their tails and raced across the open field. But when they looked back and saw the horses were not following, they were puzzled. They knew nothing of harnesses, and could not understand why the horses did not want to play. So they called to them: “Why do you not race with us? Are you too weak? Do you not have strength to run? You are much too solemn; you need more joy in life.” But the horses answered not a word, nor did they stamp their feet or toss their heads. But they stood, quiet and still, waiting for the voice of the Master.
Again the colts called to them: “Why do you stand so in the hot sun? Come over here in the shade of this nice tree. See how green the grass is? You must be hungry, come and feed with us; it is so green and so good. You look thirsty, come drink of one of our many streams of cool clear water.” But the horses answered them with not so much as a glance, but stood still, waiting for the command to go forward with the King.
Colts In The Master’s Corral
And then the scene changed, and I saw lariat nooses fall around the necks of the two colts, and they were led off to the Master’s corral for training and discipline. How sad they were as the lovely green fields disappeared, and they were put into the confinement of the corral with its brown dirt and high fence. The colts ran from fence to fence, seeking freedom, but found that they were confined to this place of training. And then the Trainer began to work on them, with his Whip and His Bridle. What a death for those who had been all their lives accustomed to such a freedom! They could not understand the reason for this torture, this terrible discipline. What great crime had they done to deserve this? Little did they know of the responsibility that was to be theirs when they had submitted to the discipline, learned to perfectly obey the Master, and finished their training. All they knew was that this processing was the most horrible thing they had ever known.
Submission And Rebellion
One of the colts rebelled under the training, and said, “This is not for me, I like my freedom, my green hills, my flowing streams of fresh water. I will not take any more of this confinement, this terrible training.” So he found a way out, jumped the fence and ran happily back to the meadows of grass. And I was astonished that the Master let him go, and went not after him. But He devoted His attention to the remaining colt. This colt, though he had the same opportunity to escape, decided to submit his own will, and learn the ways of the Master. And the training got harder than ever, but he was rapidly learning more and more how to obey the slightest wish of the Master, and to respond to even the quietness of His voice. And I saw that had there been no training, no testing, there would have been neither submission nor rebellion from either of the colts. For in the field they did not have the choice to rebel or submit; they were sinless in their innocence. But, when brought to the place of testing and training and discipline, then was made manifest the obedience of one and the rebellion that lay hidden in the heart of the other. And though it seemed safer not to come to the place of discipline because of the risk of being found rebellious, yet I saw that without this there could be no sharing of His glory, no Sonship.
Into The Harness
Finally, this period of training was over. Was he now rewarded with his freedom, and sent back to the fields? Oh, no. But a greater confinement than ever now took place, as a harness dropped about his shoulders. Now he found there was not even the freedom to run about the small corral, for in the harness he could only move where and when his Master spoke. And unless the Master spoke, he stood still.
The scene changed, and I saw the other colt standing on the side of a hill, nibbling at some grass. Then across the fields, down the road came the King’s carriage, drawn by six horses. With amazement he saw that in the lead, on the right side, was his brother colt, now made strong and mature on the good corn in the Master’s stable. He saw the lovely pom-poms shaking in the wind, noticed the glittering gold-bordered harness about his brother, heard the beautiful tinkling of the bells on his feet…and envy came into his heart. Thus he complained to himself: “Why has my brother been so honored, and I am neglected? They have not put bells on my feet, nor pom-poms on my head. The Master has not given me the wonderful responsibility of pulling His carriage, nor put about me the golden harness. Why have they chosen my brother instead of me?” And by the Spirit the answer came back to me as I watched. “Because one submitted to the will and discipline of the Master, and one rebelled, thus has one been chosen and the other set aside.”
A Famine In The Land
Then I saw a great drought sweep across the countryside, and the green grass became dead, dry, brown and brittle. The little streams of water dried up, stopped flowing, and there was only a small muddy puddle here and there. I saw the little colt (I was amazed that it never seemed to grow or mature) as he ran here and there, across the fields looking for fresh streams and green pastures, finding none. Still he ran, seemingly in circles, always looking for something to feed his famished spirit. But there was a famine in the land, and the rich green pastures and flowing streams of yesterday were not to be had. And one day the colt stood on the hillside on weak and wobbly legs, wondering where to go next to find food, and how to get strength to go. Seemed like there was no use, for good food and flowing streams were a thing of the past, and all the efforts to find more only taxed his waning strength. Suddenly, he saw the King’s carriage coming down the road, pulled by six great horses. And he saw his brother, fat and strong, muscles rippling, sleek and beautiful with much grooming. His heart was amazed and perplexed, and he cried out: “My brother, where do you find the food to keep you strong and fat in these days of famine? I have run everywhere in my freedom, searching for food, and I find none. Where do you, in your awful confinement, find food in this time of drought? Tell me, please, for I must know!” And then the answer came back from a voice filled with victory and praise: “In my Master’s House, there is a secret place in the confining limitations of His stables where He feeds me by His own hand, and His granaries never run empty, and His well never runs dry.” And with this the Lord made me to know that in the day when people are weak and famished in their spirits in the time of spiritual famine, that those who have lost their own wills, and have come into the secret place of the Most High, into the utter confinement of His perfect will, shall have plenty of the corn of Heaven, and a never ending flow of fresh streams of revelation by His Spirit. Thus the vision ended.
Interpretation Of The Vision
“Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it” (Hab. 2:2). “Harness the horses: and get up, ye horsemen” (Jer. 46:4). I’m sure that many of you who can hear what the Spirit saith to the Church, have already seen what God was showing in the vision. But let me make it plain. Being born into the Family of God, feeding in the green pastures and drinking of the many streams of the unfolding revelation of His purposes is fine and wonderful. But it is not enough. While we were children, young and disciplined, limited only by the outer fence of the Law that ran around the limits of the pastures (that kept us from getting into the dark pastures of poison weeds), He was content to watch us develop and grow into young manhood, spiritually speaking. But the time came to those who fed in His pastures, and drank at His streams, when they were to be brought into discipline or “child-training” for the purpose of making them mature Sons. Many of the children today cannot understand why some of those who have put on the harness of God cannot get excited by the many religious games and the playful antics of the immature. They wonder why the disciplined ones run not after every new revelation or feed on every opportunity to engage in seemingly “good and profitable” religious activities. They wonder why some will not race with them in their frantic efforts to build great works and great and notable ministries. They cannot understand the simple fact that this Company of saints is waiting for the voice of the Master, and they do not hear God in all this outward activity. They will move in their time, when the Master speaks. But not before, though many temptations come from the playful colts. And the colts cannot understand why those who seemingly appear to have great abilities and strength are not putting it to good use. “Get the carriage on the road,” they say, but the disciplined ones, those in God’s harness, know better than to move before they hear the voice of the Master. They will move in their time, with great purpose, and great responsibility.
And the Lord made me to know that there were many whom He had brought into training who had rebelled against the discipline, the chastising of the Father. And they could not be trusted with the great responsibility of mature Sonship, so He let them go back to their freedom, back to their religious activities and revelations and gifts. They are still His people, still feeding in His pastures, but He has set them aside from the great purposes for this end of the age. So they revel in their freedom, feeling that they are the Chosen ones with the many streams of living water, not knowing that they have been set aside as unfit for His great work in this end of the Age.
And He showed me that though the chastising seemeth grievous for the time, and the discipline hard to endure, yet the result with all the glory of Sonship is worth it all, and the glory to follow far exceeds the suffering we endure. And though some lose even their lives in this training, yet they will share alike in the glory of His eternal purposes. So faint not, saints of God, for it is the Lord that doth bring thee into confinement, and not thine enemy. It is for thy good, and for His glory, so endure all things with praises and thanksgiving that He hath counted thee worthy to share His glory! Fear thou not the whip in His hand, for it is not to punish thee, but to correct and train thee, that thou mightest come into submission to His will, and be found in His likeness in that Hour. Rejoice thou in thy trials, in all thy tribulations, and glory thou in His cross, and in the confining limitations of His harness, for He hath chosen thee, and He hath taken upon Himself the responsibility of keeping thee strong and well fed, so lean thou upon Him, and trust not in thine own ability and thine own understanding. So shalt thou be fed, and His hand shall be upon thee, and His glory shall overshadow thee and shall flow through thee as it goes forth to cover the earth. Glory to God! Bless the Lord; He’s wonderful! Let Him be Lord of your life, friends, and complain not at that which He bringeth to pass in your life.
Plenty In The Time Of Famine
For in the hour when famine sweeps the land, He shall feed by His own hand those who are submitted to His perfect will, and who dwell in the secret place of the Most High. When terror stalks the land, those in His harness shall not be afraid, for they shall feel His bit and bridle and now the guidance of His Spirit. When others are weak and frail and fearful, there shall be those who shall be strong in the power of His might, and shall lack for no good thing. In the hour when the traditions of the religious systems have proven false, and their streams have dried up, then His Chosen ones shall speak forth with the true Word of the Lord. So rejoice, Sons of God, that you have been chosen by His grace for this great work in this last hour.
The fence which kept the colts in their own meadows and their own pastures means nothing to the team in the harness, for the gates open to them, and they go forth pulling the King’s carriage into many strange and wonderful places. They do not stop to eat the poison weeds of sin, for they feed only in the Master’s stable. And so to those who are brought into absolute subjection to His will, there is no Law. For they move in the Grace of God, led only by His spirit where all things are lawful, but not all things are expedient. This is a dangerous realm for the undisciplined, and many have perished in sin as they leaped over the fence without His harness and His bridle. Some have thought of themselves as being completely harnessed and submissive to Him, only to find that in some avenue of their life there dwelled rebellion and self-will. Let us wait before Him until He puts His noose around us and draws us to His place of training. And let us learn of the dealings of God and the movings of His Spirit until at last we feel His harness drop about us, and hear His voice guiding us. Then there is safety from the traps and pitfalls of sin, and then shall we abide in His house forever!
WEANED FROM THE NATURAL
Dennis Davis
Unlike people in third-world countries, people in America are more concerned today about losing weight than finding something to eat. Food is actually relatively cheap and good, so it seems as if everything is secure. However, signs and effects on earth are accelerating and spiritual preparations for our Lord's soon return are in order.
God is a spirit and we should be filled and led by the Holy Spirit. That means our natural, worldly methods will not work nor be accepted. In these last days, the requirement will be for us to operate in the supernatural or spiritual realm of God for the church to make any real progress. The weapons of our warfare are spiritual (II Cor. 10:4). God is a Spirit and must be worshiped in the spirit (John 4:24).
I would like to relate a few supernatural experiences that God has blessed me with and then provide a brief exhortation that may help someone. (Not that I am anyone special; far from it!)
The White Stone:
I was waiting for a part to be made for the bell in the church steeple and went for a walk in nearby woods. While praying in the spirit I noticed a single white stone on the path. I heard the still small voice of the Lord telling me to take this stone to the pastor's sister and tell her God loved her. I thought if I did so, she would think I was some kind of a nut. But the instruction seemed to get stronger, so when I got to the church I thought, well here it goes, and gave her the message and the stone. She walked quickly away without a word and I thought, yep, I probably was thought to be a weird old man.
Later, my wife came up to me and said Judy was in a back room in complete tears and said, “A year ago I held a white stone just like the one brought to me and said to the Lord, 'If you love me, have someone bring me a white stone.'” I was then, also in tears and have been every time I tell this testimony.
First Words:
Years before the white stone blessing, I had the wonderful born again experience with Jesus. Shortly after receiving Jesus as my Savior, I attended a prayer meeting that was held for those intent on receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit. An evangelist and several people who had previously received the indwelling of the Holy Ghost prayed with a number of us believers.
People all around me began speaking in tongues – I did not. Greatly disappointed I sat on a rock in the woods at noon time for over a month asking the Lord for this infilling. Finally, after disposing of a pet belief that I had, I heard the Lord (again in a still small voice) tell me “you have it!” I spoke a couple of words in tongues. I spoke them to the Father and still do not know for sure what they meant. I have prayed in tongues, now, for nearly 50 years. This experience will lead you to understanding, wisdom, prophecy, and hopefully, membership in the Kingdom of God – Do not miss the opportunity.
Angled Dress:
I was with a small group of Christian friends for a prayer meeting. The host was about to say goodbye to his daughter and a few of her classmates. But, before he did, he asked one of the girls if she would like us to pray for her problem (scoliosis of the spine causing one leg to work at more height than the other). She replied that she did not think she had enough faith – we said leave the faith to us. During our praying, both legs became the same length right in front of our eyes! She felt as if electricity had run through her body and, when she stood, her dress hem was at an angle because it was cut to adjust to her leg problem. Before and after x-rays confirmed a true miracle healing.
Two Sticks:
Brief visions from the Lord can become numerous with *practice. One recent example was a go ahead sign to use two parts of an article rather than one. I saw two sticks, each having slight bends in them – then the sticks moved together to form one straight stick. I knew to use both parts of the article to make it whole. Visions are usually brief and take some deciphering to understand, and they are usually personal.
Black Suitcase:
In a dream one night, I saw a black suitcase with a black object in it – I knew they were thoughts that needed to be corrected. The next night I had a dream about bright white material that I was to use to make a new suitcase (corrected thoughts).
Sense Of Humor:
The Holy Spirit can display a sense of humor – in fact, quite often in visions and a still small voice. Once you figure out what the visions or words were meant to convey, they can be very descriptive and humorous. Do you remember the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words? This is true of the Holy Spirit visions, and you will know that they are not provided by your natural self.
It seems that much of the church world is trying to build with straw and sand rather that from the gifts of the Spirit. (By the way, this was another vision)
How can the Spirit prevail if we, ourselves, are not filled with the Holy Ghost? To be filled with and led by the Spirit takes seeking, learning and *practice (as any professional knows). Paul wanted all to *practice and learn (I Cor. 14:31). The more we *practice the gifts of the Holy Ghost, the more we will be given (Matt. 25:28).
We are pilgrims on the earth and should not be afraid to do what the Bible has told us to do. Words and visions from the Spirit of God are pure, peaceable and gentle (James 3:17). Think about this: if Jesus did not do what the visions from the Father showed Him and did no miracles (John 5:19), there would be no Christian church. To continue the church we need to do the same!
Adore the Father and Jesus, and do not quench the Spirit, and have faith as your treasure.
*Editor’s note: We at People of the Living God do not teach ‘practicing’ the gifts of the Spirit as one might practice a musical instrument or practice tennis to become more proficient. The reason we mention this point is that so many churches today claim to be able to teach people to speak in tongue, meditate until you get a vision or receive some prophetic word from God. This is absolute error and is not the way in which the Holy Spirit operates. The word ‘practice’ used in the above article is okay if it is understood more in the sense of disciplining oneself or becoming more sensitive to the Spirit’s leading. We feel that the word ‘practice’ can easily carry the wrong connotation. There definitely is a learning process in spiritual things, and that is learning to yield to the Holy Spirit’s leading. What the Holy Spirit gives, whether in dreams, visions, prophecies, tongues, etc. is perfect, for God is perfect. The problem lies with man. We are not perfect and we must learn to listen and discern in order to know what the Holy Spirit is communicating. As an example, it is easy to sit in school, a class, or even in church and hear every word spoken and yet not hear (comprehend) anything that was taught. Our physical ear hears but our mind can be thinking about other things. Learning to listen is something that must be practiced, and this requires discipline. We must discipline ourselves so we stay in tune with the Spirit’s leading and then we can truly hear His voice.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor,
This is the verse that I have been thinking about, meaning that God needs us to be pure in our heart so that we can see him. Now to see God is much difficult. How do our hearts become pure? What does it means to be pure? How can we see God? Moses never saw God; he saw a burning bush and heard a sound, Exodus 3. I need an explanation on this.
Thanks, J.G.
Dear J.G.
The scripture you are referring to is from what is generally called, “The Sermon on the Mount”. It is found in Matthew 5, verse 8. It reads, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God”.
There are different ways of looking at this scripture and I believe they each are pertinent to our Christian walk, so I will present a couple to you for your consideration. A biblical definition of ‘pure’ is: Free from corrupt desires, from guilt and sin, and from every admixture of what is false. It is unadulterated, clean, chaste, uncorrupted, sinless, etc. Pure in a more secular perspective is something that is uncontaminated, unpolluted, unalloyed. A metal that is unmixed with any other metals or contaminants.
The first and most simple to understand concerning ‘seeing God’ is that those who go to heaven, where they will see God, must have pure hearts. From the definition given above, the pure in heart are people who live holy lives before the Lord, even in the midst of a sinful society. They keep themselves free from those things which would defile them. They walk according to God’s laws, and desire to please Him always in everything they do. When they stand before God on judgment day, they will see God. In I John 3:2-3, we read, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him (purified); for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” We keep ourselves pure in this life so that we are conformed to His image, and if we remain faithful to the end, we will see Him.
The second way in which men can see God is not a seeing with the physical eyes but through the eyes of the Spirit. By this I mean that the closer we walk with God, the more clearly we behold who He is. We find that He is a love beyond what our human intellect can understand or describe. We find He is a God of mercy and grace, attributes that transcend any imaginable concept which Webster or any other dictionary can define. The more intimate our relationship with God becomes, the more we see Him in His beauty, glory, majesty, power, omnipotence, and in such revelations our soul soars into that spiritual realm where God’s divine person is seen, not with these physical eyes but with the eyes of our souls. These types of revelations come as one walks in the Spirit. In Revelation 1, John writes of being in the Spirit on the Lord’s day and he heard a voice behind him saying … (verse 10). He then turns and see Jesus speaking to him. Jesus was not seen by John as he saw Jesus in the flesh, for this was a spiritual encounter. If you read through the first chapter of Revelation, you will see that it was Jesus who was speaking to John and John saw Him. This was a wonderful experience which John had.
You mentioned Moses hearing God’s voice but not seeing Him. This is true at the burning bush; however, there were other times when Moses did see God. Consider a couple of scriptures concerning Moses: Ex. 33:11, “And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.” Deut. 34:10, “And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.” Ex. 24:9-11, “Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.”
Isaiah also saw God. He records this in Isaiah 6:1, “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.” Both Moses and Isaiah, as well as John, were very godly men, men who had pure hearts and, consequently, God revealed Himself to them.
With these encounters Moses had with God, we must include the event found in Exodus 33. Moses prayed to God and asked God to show Himself to Moses. Ex 33:18-23, “And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.” This seems to be contradictory to the verses we read in the previous paragraphs. However, we must realize that there are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I think we can gain a better understanding of these scriptures if we refer to what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church in I Corinthians 10:1-4, “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” The One Moses saw and spoke to face to face was Jesus, not the Father. While no man can see the Father and live, some have seen the Son, Jesus Christ.
Jesus was and is the expression of the Father. He revealed the Father to man by His words, deeds, signs, healings, miracles, and also by His love, compassion, mercy, grace and through His authority and power, which were all expressions of the Father’s person. Jesus addressed this in His question to Philip in John 14:9, “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?” It was not that Jesus was the Father, for He said several times that the Father was greater than He and that the works He did were the Father’s, not His, declaring clearly that He and the Father were not the same person although they were and still are one in character and divinity. The writer of Hebrews starts his epistle exalting Jesus as the “express image” of the Father. Heb. 1:1-3, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Consider these verses carefully, for in them are several profound truths which help us understand the relationship between the Father and the Son. They help us to see Jesus a little clearer and also help us understand the Father a little better.
You also asked, “How do our hearts become pure?” God informs us through Jeremiah the prophet of the natural condition of man’s heart. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings” (Jer. 17:9-10). Jeremiah is pointing out the depravity of man’s heart. This is the opposite of being pure in heart. Therefore, there must come a radical change in man’s heart if he wants to see God. How, then, does one obtain this pure heart which is so necessary? There is only one way. We must be born again (John 3). It is in this new birth that man is changed and his heart is changed. The reason one must be born again is that we are the descendants of Adam and, through Adam’s transgression, all his descendants obtained his sinful nature. Man then is born a sinner and cut off from God. To be born again is to be born from above or by the Spirit of God. When a person recognizes his sinful state and his total helplessness to save himself, he then comes humbly to Jesus Christ, repents of his transgressions and his iniquities and pleads for Jesus to wash him in Christ’s blood. Jesus came to take away the sin of the world and He paid the price for man’s sins. This is why Jesus said, “No man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6). He also said, “I am the door” (John 10:7,9). There is only one way to gain eternal salvation and that is through Jesus Christ, and this is obtained by being born again. In the born-again experience, one is passed from death into life. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). The death that passed upon all men through Adam is destroyed and now the believer has obtained spiritual life through Jesus Christ.
Once one is born again, he is cleansed and is pure before God. The blood of Jesus cleanses us as we walk daily with Him and live according to His word. It is not that we are actually holy or pure for we still have sin that remains within, but we start out on the path that leads to eternal life. Like a baby, he is not born mature. However, once he is born, he begins to grow and develop to become a mature adult. Likewise, the newly born again believer is a babe in Christ Jesus. God sends the Holy Spirit into this newborn life to teach him, guide him, and protect him as he grows into spiritual maturity. Full maturity is to become like Jesus Christ, to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and to make no provision for the flesh (Rom. 13:14).
While we are not completely pure in heart after being saved, we are accounted as pure through the blood of Christ. The blood cleanses the impurities that remain. It is not that we continue in sin and only allow the blood to cleanse, rather we are to engage in the warfare against sin ruling in our bodies. It is a battle between God’s will and ours. This is commonly called, “State and Standing.” Our state is that we still sin and fall short of perfect obedience. Our standing before God, because of the blood of Jesus that covers us, is that we are holy. Christ’s righteousness is imputed unto us and therefore, we are accounted as pure and holy before God. But let us not be satisfied to remain in a state of spiritual immaturity; rather let us press onward. Let us press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:14). Let us earnestly contend for the faith (Jude 3). Let us put on the whole armour of God (Eph. 6:11). Let us not grow weary in well doing (Gal. 6:9). Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us (Heb. 12:1). Let us go on to perfection (Heb. 6:1). And this list goes on and on showing that we must strive to enter in at the strait gate and trod the narrow path that leads to eternal life (Matt. 7:14).
It will be very helpful for you in gaining insight into these things if you will read through the chapters (and in some cases, several chapters) from which the scriptures mentioned above are taken. I pray God will grant you that understanding which only the Holy Spirit can give as you prayerfully study and meditate on these things. God bless you and your family.
The Editor
“THE LOVE OF GOD”
Jimmy Windham
(Condensed from,”The Love of Jehovah”)Reprinted by special request!
My subject today is on the love of God as the scripture tells us in 1 John 4:7-12. Please read with me verse 7 & 8. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; for everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
First, we all say we know love and surely we all know about love and we all love in our own capacity. We love our families, friends and church members, but it’s the love of Jehovah God (The true and living God), the word of God made flesh, which is Jesus our Messiah and Savior I want to share with you. Truly, I can’t do His love justice because I’m human, but recently He touched my spirit with a revelation of His love. Scripture says in Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” We who are Christians know in our hearts that we love God, but our love is nothing in comparison to the love of God. The scripture in John 3:16 begins with: “For God so loved the world.” Have you ever thought on a loved one at times or searched your heart to feel the love for your children and how deeply you love them? I have, and as I pondered for a moment on each of my children, my heart ran over with the love I felt for them. Then the strangest thing occurred. Each one would come before me and a voice inside asked me, “Would you die in his or her place?” I felt the entire emotions of the question as if it were actually happening and from that love, deep in my heart, I answered honestly and said, “Yes, I would die in his or her place.” Surely, as parents we all know that we’d die before we’d let even one of our children suffer or die. The love we have for our family is wonderful, but this isn’t the love I want to share with you today because God showed me another version of love, His love. I told Him, “Father, I can’t even begin to comprehend your love.” Let me explain, please.
I have been incarcerated in South Carolina for nearly 34 years. I’ve walked upright before the Lord as close as I possibly could, and although I’ve made mistakes and even sinned I never let go and sinned a sin unto death. I have a repentant heart and before the sun went down I repented to any individual I felt I had wronged and I repented to my God. Without the grace and mercy of a loving God none of us would be justified in His sight. My circumstances and where I live aren’t yours, nor are yours mine. In the time I’ve been in this Institution, there have been a couple of riots, several murders, multiple stabbings, and there are violent confrontations every day. Drugs, alcohol, homosexuality, con games, cursing and stealing are commonplace in here. But where sin abounds grace doth much more abound. In the entire time I’ve been incarcerated there has never been one day that I haven’t mentioned the saving grace of Jesus Christ to someone the Lord allowed my path to cross. It’s His love that has carried me through, and it’s God’s love I’m talking about today.
I mentioned prison because after I felt the love I have for my family, God showed me His love and He reveals it to me through prisoners, and that is what I share with you now. When David, our last son was born, we knew he would be the last because my wife couldn’t have any more children. One day, when my wife Sue was six months pregnant, she came to me with a look of fear on her face. She told me that David hadn’t moved or kicked in over two weeks. I instantly prayed for him. Shortly afterwards, she told me he had kicked again, so we praised the Lord for that.
I loved all my children the same, but David was a special, innocent, precious little baby. He had an innocent spirit and loved being alive. I mention David because David was the one the Lord showed me and then He presented another scenario in order to reveal to me the love He possesses for His children, a love I can’t comprehend. He said, “Imagine an inmate who is so violent until he’s been put on death row for his serious crimes. The inmate is supposed to die a terrible death in the electric chair the next day.” He asked me, “Would you take your innocent little son, David, and let him die in the place of that inmate?” I instantly, with no hesitation, said, “No! I could not.” That type of love isn’t in me. I can’t even comprehend a love that deep. He took me further with another picture and a scripture. The scripture states in Romans 5:7-8, “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” We all had a death penalty on us because we were all born in sin. But God Jehovah sent his only innocent Son to pay the debts of all our sins while we were still in our sins. Let me show you the picture I saw. Can you imagine a father who had only one innocent precious son who put that son in that electric chair for that ungodly, evil, violent, inmate and let him die so the inmate could live? Can you comprehend that love? I doubt if any of you can. I know I can’t.
Now, also imagine this father gave his son for two condemned inmates like I saw when the Lord showed this to me. That father walked up to the first inmate’s cell to talk with him. That inmate told him, “Mister, you’re a fool. I don’t care anything about you or your son, so you just go away and leave me alone to live the way I want to live! Can you imagine the pain the father would feel? Well, just imagine him leaving that cell and walking up to the other inmate’s cell who was also saved from death and that inmate fell on his knees, took the father’s hand and kissed it, then he looked up and said, “Sir, thank you for letting your son die in my place and for letting me live. What can I do to repay you?” The father tells him, “Son, there’s nothing you can do, you’re free now to live.” So the inmate tells that father, “Sir, I want to become your son. I want to know all about your son who died so I can become like him. Will you let me be your son?” The Father tells him, “Yes, I’ll accept you just as you are and you can be my son. The inmate is set free from his prison to go live his life, but instead he goes home with the old man.
Well, God’s love is so far above our love, and this is just a small scenario to help you see what I felt and saw about the love Jehovah has for us. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, and we, through faith, accepted the love and gift of God’s Son and the Spirit of God’s Son came into our hearts. Scripture tells us, “Beloved now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is.” If we continue to study about the Father’s Son we’ll be like him.
A man of God I know wrote two scriptures in his last newsletter, and I’d like to add them to what I’m saying. Isaiah 49:14-16, & Malachi 3:16: “But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.” God Jehovah will never forget even one of His children. We have a covenant with God Almighty that is sealed with the blood of Jesus.
Jesus told us that He’d never leave us or forsake us, that He’d be with us always even to the end of ages. God and His Word cannot lie, so don’t listen to anyone who tries to separate you from God’s love. If you fall, don’t wait for your Father to start chastising you to get up, because those He loves He chastens. I used to hate to spank my sons, but the love I had for them to shape them into the fine men they are today outweighed the lashes I gave them. God knows how to correct us in love, but just because He’s chastising you in your faults or failures doesn’t mean that He doesn’t love you or has doomed you to eternal death. If we, who are human, love our children to our death and God’s love is so unconditional and perfect that He gave His only Son to die for us, then how shall His grace and mercy run out? It can’t! His mercy endureth forever! He has cast all of our sins away from us as far as the east is from the west. That’s an endless circle and even though we fail Him, He won’t ever fail us. His love is unconditional. God is Love, and His love is free. His grace is free, and His mercy is free. Believe His word that He wrote to you in John 3:16, but remember this also; Jehovah God didn’t let Jesus die for your sins and mine in vain, nor did He send Jesus into the world to condemn us. In John 3:17 He says He sent Jesus to save you. So, His love is unconditional and so is the salvation and eternal life He will give you for accepting His Son’s death and life as your own. It’s God’s gift to you and His grace.
Dear friend, can’t you see what a loving, precious, kind, good and merciful God Jehovah is? God is love and there’s only one way to come to God. There’s only one sacrifice that saves any of us from the death penalty, and there’s only one way to live so we can by faith live unto God. His love and mercy are unconditional, thank God, or none of us would ever be conformed to the image of His Son, but thank God, He promised we will be. Read Romans the eighth chapter, it tells of God’s unconditional love. Soon God will restore all things and then there will be the manifestation of the sons of God.
In closing this that I’ve felt led of the Lord to write, I pray whoever reads this can get a glimpse of God’s love as I see it.
God Bless you all
A Prisoner of Jesus Christ
THANK YOU!
We want to thank those who have responded to our request for contributions for publishing the book written by Jimmy Windham. Brother Jimmy Windham is a prisoner incarcerated in the South Carolina Department of Corrections. Brother Jimmy was convicted of murder in 1984 and has been in prison since that time. However, shortly after he was imprisoned, he realized he was desperate and called out to God, Who miraculously saved him and turned his life around. Over the years, Brother Jimmy has grown in the Word of God and in his relationship with God. He has lived and preached the Gospel to the inmates incarcerated with him and has led many to the Lord. He wrote a book about his life in 2012, which People of the Living God and Bill Britton Ministries have labored together in getting it ready to publish. Brother Jimmy’s desire is that it will be made available to put in prisons for inmates so that they will see that God can work in their lives as He has in Brother Jimmy’s. He also hopes and prays that young people will read it and it help some turn from the path they may be on, that same path that Brother Jimmy took and which handed to him a life sentence.
This book project has been a slow process, but it is just about completed. It appears that getting it published will cost about $3000, and that is the goal we are aiming for. Brother Jimmy has expressed his thanks for all those who have contributed thus far, and we at People of the Living God, as well as those at Bill Britton Ministries, also want to express our thanks.
As previously stated, once the goal is reached we will inform our readers, and if we do not reach that goal we will return any funds sent for that project. If you feel led of the Lord to contribute to this project, please state that the donation is for Brother Jimmy’s book project. Again, Thanks for all those who have contributed and may God use this book for His glory.
The Editor
THOSE TRICKS ARE NOT NEW
Wesley Owen
“then Jesus was led out into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit, to be tempted there by Satan” (Matt. 4:1).
Have you ever wondered why the Spirit of God would lead Christ to be tested? It was all within that great plan of our God that His Son, who had taken on the form of man, should be our living example and light in our reaching our Christian potential. Let's look at the method that Satan used to attempt to persuade Christ.
“And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God” (Matt. 4:3).
The devil was first striving to make our Lord question whether he was truly the Son of God. This old trick is still being used on us today, whether we be new-born or are older in Christ. How many times has Satan attempted to make us think, “It's not real”? This occurs to many shortly after that miraculous experience of salvation, as well as to others who have had further spiritual experiences. He attempts to convince us that our beautiful experience wasn't real by leading us to believe that since the love, joy, and peace that were felt during our spiritual bath is not being felt as strongly, it was not real. There are those who wonder why they didn't experience a complete change in their lives from the time of their salvation, or other beautiful experience with our Lord. Satan constantly strives to plant doubt in our minds. We must strive “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love” (Eph. 3:17). It is faith, not emotions, on which we base our experiences. It is true, we will feel many glorious emotions, but it is our faith that establishes its reality. We must combat the devices of Satan by commanding our minds, souls, spirits and bodies to be obedient to the will of our Lord.
“For forty days and forty night he ate nothing and became very hungry. Then Satan tempted him to get food by changing stones into loaves of bread. It will prove you are the Son of God,” he said. But Jesus told him, “No! For the Scriptures tell us that bread won't feed men's souls; obedience to every word of God is what we need” (Matt. 4:2-4).
From the physical standpoint, when man has not eaten for forty days he is weak and is, indeed, in need of food. True to Satan's traits, he approached our Lord at a time when He should have been vulnerable. Even though Satan used food as a lure, Christ did not weaken. He commanded His body to be obedient to His Father. This same trick of using man's physical weakness is used upon us today. How often do we allow physical weakness, whether it be an illness or simply fatigue, to rob us of time with our Lord: “I just can't get my thoughts pulled together to study the Word of God;” “I'm just not in the mood;” “Not right now, maybe later;” “I'm too tired.” Even though Christ, our model and our light, was tired and certainly hungry, He never allowed the human, physical weakness to interfere. We, too, must use His example and command our minds, souls, spirits and bodies to be obedient to the things of the Lord.
“Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone” (Matt. 3:5-6).
Again, the devil uses his tricks to cause Christ to weaken. Jesus retorted, “It also says not to put the Lord your God to a foolish test!” (Matt. 4:7) – This is another approach Satan so commonly uses today.
“Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me” (Matt. 4:8-9).
We are all aware of the answer that Jesus gave: “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (Matt. 4:10). To make this even clearer, allow me to quote again from the Living New Testament. “Get out of here, Satan' Jesus told him. 'The Scriptures say, Worship only the Lord God. Obey only him!”
Our carnal lust will drive us, if allowed, to sell our souls for the smallest part of the kingdom of this world, which is doomed for destruction. Man longs for a peace and joy within himself, but somehow he becomes confused in his drive to obtain it. He attempts to obtain the love, peace and joy from the things of the world. “If only I had…then I would be happy.” Have you ever stopped to think why the rich and those striving to be rich are desperately trying to obtain happiness from things such as cars, clothes, and/or chemicals, are too often ending their search with suicide? God MUST be the first and foremost part of our lives in order to find that love, peace and joy that is so sought after. It takes a constant watch and conscious effort to keep our minds, bodies, souls and spirits in obedience to our Lord. As we triumph over each trial or temptation, be it small or large, we are learning that valuable lesson of taking hold of the power that is rightly ours. We are helping to make Christ's enemies His footstool (Heb. 10:13).
Just as the spirit of God led Christ to be tested, He also allows these tricks of Satan to be used on man. It allows man still another choice to yield or resist. By resisting we glorify our God, and our walk with Him becomes more glorious, and we are strengthened.