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People of The Living God |
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February 2020
WATCHMEN ON THE WALLS
THE ADVERSARY’S COHORTS
Warren Berry
With the recent assassination of Qassem Soleimani by an American airstrike, fear has swept through, not only America but through other nations as well. Controversy has mounted and factions have become even more hostile. With the impeachment being the lead topic for the past six months (or more) and the constant wrangling among our politicians over every little (and mostly unimportant) thing, the recent assassination has fueled the fire, which is becoming a raging inferno. While “People of the Living God” attempt to stay out of politics in this magazine, we do feel it is important to be informed in order to synchronize today’s events with scripture. Jesus told His disciples to expect days of trouble and tribulation immediately before His return. In fact, He tells us that situations as we see in the world today are the very signs that His return is not too far off.
When we look at history over the past two thousand years from a Christian and biblical worldview, it is perplexing to find that man never seems to learn the lessons of history. When Jesus gave His disciples the Great Commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, He didn’t intend it to merely be those few who were present that day just prior to His ascension. This commission was to all Christians. Those few disciples took the gospel into various parts of the known world and Christianity spread. Christian scholars don’t know how the gospel was founded in Rome, but we find the Apostle Paul writing his famous treatise to the Church in Rome. Some credit its founding to the Apostle Peter, but that is speculation at best. When disciples went south into Africa, there were Christian groups already there. Nevertheless, the gospel spread as those early Christians were led and empowered by the Spirit of God. We know that the Apostle Paul carried the gospel to much of Asia and into Greece. Christianity increased and God added to the church such as should be saved.
While the Roman emperors brought about tremendous persecution upon the early followers of Christ, the church continued to grow and the word of God was powerful in those days. Yet as time went by, it seems the church began to slip into ritualism and religiosity, and even a degree of paganism slipped in as tradition became the norm and the Christian vitality and zeal slipped away while the burning desire for holiness at any cost was snuffed with the cloak of superficial churchanity.
With the increasing turmoil in the Mideast over the past few decades, and the spreading of Islam throughout Europe toward the north, Africa in the south, Asia eastward, and into the Americas in the west, it seems as though Muslims are doing more to spread their false and hate-filled teachings than we who are disciples of Jesus Christ are laboring to spread the Gospel. Islamic doctrine is a teaching of everything Christianity is not. It is a doctrine of hate, violence, force, tyranny, murder, rape, pedophilia, and just about every other form of ungodliness. For years the Muslim nations in the Mideast were held pretty much in poverty, which hindered the promotion of Islam. But with the Industrial age came the need for oil to fuel modern machinery. It seems like overnight the Mideast became the world’s major supplier of crude oil needed to keep the wheels of industry rolling and, in the process, their poverty turned to wealth. With that wealth, they have launched the religion of Islam into all the world. Their teachings dictate that everyone must become Muslim, followers of Mohammed, and their drive and determination is to adapt all societies and nations to Sharia Law. The thing that is most amazing about this is that they boldly declare their intentions. In the west, though, they hide behind humanitarian activities to disguise their evil intentions. They cloak themselves as “angels of light,” “sheep in wolve’s clothing,” but are actually the ministers for Islam, for when the rubber meets the road, they will side with their religious tyrant leaders and their true identity will be seen.
The method Islam uses for recruiting is similar to other religions of the world; they use indoctrination. Their children are taught from birth to embrace the teachings of the Quran, the Hadith, and the Sira and use them for their establishment of Sharia Law. Children are taught from birth violence and hate, to face Mecca and pray several times a day, for that is pleasing to Allah. And they are persuaded that they must be ready to die for Allah. They are brainwashed into a religion that is totally false and one that will take them all to hell in the end.
Unlike Islam, true Christianity cannot be forced upon anyone, because it requires one to desire it.One must first be convicted and then acknowledge that he is a sinner and seek God for forgiveness and cleansing. Jesus said that one must be “born again” (John3:7) in order to enter His kingdom and that every man must “seek” to enter (Matt.6:33). It is a choice that every man, woman, or child must make and it cannot be forced. Some might say that Atheism is not forced. I guess that depends on which country one lives in, for in Russia, China, and other Socialist countries, force is used. But let it not be claimed that Christianity has not attempted to force its beliefs on people. It has and still does in some cases. Force is clearly not the teaching of scripture and, therefore, those who attempt to force Christianity on others are not ministering according to God’s word. It is true we must proclaim the gospel with strong persuasion but not with force.
The real question then becomes: Why does Islam seem to be growing worldwide while Christianity appears to be slipping away in the west, not only in Europe but also in the Americas? Where is the fervor and zeal of saints of the past? And more importantly: Where is the power of the early church where the glory of God was manifested in healings and deliverances, in supernatural manifestations and miracles, where the “Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved”?
We are in a spiritual warfare and it seems that most Christians are content to merely drift along rather than engage in the battle set before us. We must realize that Islam is not a man-made religion, concocted in some person’s evil and perverted mind. It is a religion brewed up in the kitchen of hell. It not only is inspired by hell but is driven by evil spirits which control those who submit to it. Its teachings are demonic. They are beyond reason or common sense. There is no rationality to them. Islam is devoid of truth, for it is founded upon lies and governed by the father of lies. Its strength lies in the fact that all men have a fallen nature, a nature prone to sin and ungodliness. If the sin nature is not curbed in some way, either by laws of the land, societal standards, or through God’s word, ungodliness increases. There must be some line drawn, a police to stop sin from increasing in one’s life. The way one is reared has a tremendous influence in how far into sin he will go. The fallen nature is fed and fueled by hatred and evil. Hence, the fanaticism of Islam.
In speaking of His return, Jesus informs us that Christians living just prior to His coming will find themselves suffering. “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake” (Matt.24:9). “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved” (Matt.10:22). Jesus stated very clearly and emphatically that His disciples would be hated by all men and by all nations. It seems almost daily we are confronted with another news report which exposes how Christians are perceived in the 21st century, and that perception is becoming more and more hostile. Genuine Christians must speak truth, which is not Politically Correct. The Politically Correct law, designed by the cohorts of hell, is directly poised to hinder God’s truth from being declared. Christians who speak and preach truth will find themselves not “Politically Correct,” rather they will stand firm on God’s word because His word is “The Truth.” As the time of Christ’s coming nears, we must trust God every moment, through the good and the bad days. Our hope is not in America or its leaders, it is in God. God has promised to finish the work He has started and He will keep His word. Jesus cannot fail nor can His word. Many are troubled by our President and by our Congress and the turmoil within our nation and throughout the world. But don’t think that God doesn’t set up whom He will and removes whom He will. This whole world is the stage upon which God will bring forth a glorious church without spot or wrinkle, but one that is holy and pure. He is demonstrating to principalities and powers His wisdom and His ability, and in the end there will be a company in heaven which no man can number of all nations, tribes, and tongues. They will be clothed with robes of white and will stand before the throne of God with praises on their lips and palms in their hands. God will see the travail of His soul and be satisfied. And this good news must be preached or declared in all the world for a witness unto all men and then shall the end come.
LIBERATING SLAVERY
Alfred King
Liberation and slavery are contradictory terms and yet this is exactly what scripture teaches is God’s way for true disciples of Christ.Those who have been freed from the slavery of sin, liberated and set free from their past life of iniquity, and translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son have experienced “Liberating Slavery.” They have become love slaves to Jesus Christ. Their love for Christ has captivated their hearts and now their whole life is spent in service to the One who loved them and delivered them from the chains of darkness and the shackles of sin’s bondage.
In the laws of Moses, there were instructions given as provisions for the poor in the land.If an Israelite found himself in a financial bind he could sell himself into slavery to another Israelite. The purchaser of the slave would cover the man’s financial responsibilities, thereby relieving him of his debt. He sold himself as a slave to the man who paid his debt and would serve him for seven years. At the end of seven years, the purchaser was to release the slave, giving him his freedom and providing him the means to begin a new life. However, if the slave loved his master and did not want to leave, he could become a lifelong slave. He was called a “love slave.” “And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee; Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise” (Deut.15:16-17).
This is a great example of how Christians are to love the Lord; to love Him so greatly that they desire no longer their freedom to continue in their past way of life.Instead, they have been filled with a love for Jesus Christ, and they are eternally bound to Him as a “love slave.” Ultimately, this is what God is looking for in the hearts of His people. He is not interested in merely an outward performance of good works, but desires to be loved, just as He loves them. God so loved the world that He sent His own Son to seek and save that which was lost and, in that seeking, He is seeking those who have a heart for God. It is very sad that so many Christians go through life desiring to live by God’s word and live in obedience to His commandments merely so they will somehow escape hell and gain heaven. There are many that are so “works oriented” that they miss the freedom that comes when one serves God because he loves Him rather than because he doesn’t want to go to hell. All too often, this perspective of Christianity creates a life of constant condemnation or produces the modern Pharisee, whose pride sticks out like the quills of a porcupine and has the odor of a pole cat. They are offensive and raunchy. You can read about these types of people in the four Gospels.
This is not to say that all “work oriented” people are going to hell, nor can we judge them, for we do not know their hearts, only God does.And we must realize that those who love God will be “work oriented” as they seek to fulfil God’s will in their lives. To serve God involves ‘work.’ However, it is sad and unfortunate that Paul’s words in Romans eight (“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”) are not a reality to them. They live in a world of guilt, by which the enemy is able to readily condemn them, continually whispering condemnation in their ears.
As one who has fought condemnation, especially in my younger years, I realize that being familiar with and even able to quote Romans8:1, does not release one from the “guilt” torment.One of the difficulties in dealing with condemnation is being able to discern between condemnation and conviction. Condemnation is a tool used of the devil while conviction comes through the Holy Spirit. When one’s desire is to please God, he is very conscious of sin and is always examining his actions. This is the path of all serious Christians. But for the believer who has not yet gained a spiritual revelation of his liberty in Christ Jesus, it becomes difficult for him to enjoy life, for he questions everything that seems to be carnal and of this world. Trying to extricate himself from these things while the flesh is desiring them and while others who seem to be Christians get tied up in them, he wrestles with what is right and acceptable, and with what is not in keeping with scripture. Trying to be spiritual, many times he becomes carnal, striving to gain righteousness and holiness through self-energy and self-discipline. In Romans10:3, Paul expresses it this way, “For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
What is the real solution?There must be a deliverance through the power of the Holy Spirit. One cannot escape through his own abilities or intellectual mind-altering exercises. Spending time in the word and prayer is a must if one will be set free. Staying in the word is essential, and yet that very word is one of the things Satan uses to condemn us. For the Christian, scripture is the foundation by which he lives his life. Again, Paul speaks of this very point, concerning the scriptures, in Roman7:10, “And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.” Notice the conflict Paul expresses relative to the scriptures. And yet, scripture holds the answer for our freedom. Examining our heart and its motives in the light of scripture can be the means to freedom. One might say with Paul, “It is scripture that seems to condemn me.” Remember, the devil knows scripture, too, and he used it against our Savior in the wilderness. If we ask ourselves, “Am I doing this or not doing that out of a heart of love to God, or is there some selfishness involved?” Of course we need to realize that we have an innate instinct for self-preservation, which in itself is not sin. Jesus commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves, which indicates that all men love themselves. If we only had a love for our souls as we have for our lives, and were as concerned for its wellbeing, we would be a lot better off. But, alas, the soul’s wellbeing seems to be secondary.
Should Christians Forgive Themselves?
Let’s look at one area which seems to me to be a problem area, the area of forgiveness.The issue of forgiveness is a most critical area of concern in our walk with God. So serious is it that Jesus said that if we don’t forgive others, we will not be forgiven (Matt.6:14-15). Forgiveness is a topic and study in itself, but in this article, we want to focus on the topic of forgiving oneself. There are many psychologists, preachers, and Bible teachers who speak about how important it is for us to forgive ourselves. Personally, I have always poo-pooed this idea, feeling that I am not God to forgive myself and if I start forgiving myself, I may find myself lessening my resistance to worldliness, carnality, and even sin. Therefore, I refused to forgive myself. This is the real purpose of this article. Should a Christian forgive himself? For the person who suffers from condemnation, being able to forgive himself would then take away condemnation. With condemnation, a person suffers severely from guilt. Guilt is very painful to one with a sensitive conscience.
Let’s begin by considering what the results are if we refuse to forgive ourselves while also examining scripture so that we stay in step with God’s word.What happens if we fall into sin or if we don’t live up to our personal expectations and we don’t forgive ourselves? Let it be clear that when we have fallen into sin, we must first go to God, pleading Christ’s blood over ourselves and repenting before God. Repentance means we confess our sin, place it under the blood of Jesus, and determine not to commit it again. This may give relief for a day or two, but it doesn’t take long before we are plagued again with condemnation, either for the same transgression or for another. The condemned one finds no peace in his own mind and, therefore, beats himself up over and over again. And this is especially true if he continues to fail over and over with the same issues. It is easy to come to the place where one feels he is fighting an impossible battle. Jesus told His disciples that they were to forgive 490 times in a day as long as the offender repented (Matt.18:22). Does God require of His servants to do that which He Himself will not do? Never! But because forgiveness is an attribute of God’s nature, this gives me a lot of hope.
How can one live a joyful Christian life if he is constantly condemning himself?He can’t. If he has no joy, he will find himself weak, for the joy of the Lord is our strength. There are a couple of problems he faces. First, he is always trying to do something that will make himself worthy of acceptance or that will override his shortcomings so he will feel that God is now pleased with him. His successes, however, bring satisfaction only for a season, a temporary peace that fades in time. Second, it places his focus on himself and his works rather than God and what God has done for him through Jesus Christ, and this is the major problem. He is self-oriented instead of Christ-oriented. It also discredits the work Christ has done because, while he knows intellectually that Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient for him, his attitude and actions imply that he must add to what Jesus accomplished. This topic is somewhat sensitive, because there is a fine line between what we are required and expected to do according to scripture and that place where we are called to rest in God. Jesus said His yoke is easy and His burden is light. The person who walks in condemnation does not find his yoke easy nor his burden light. Therefore, he obviously is missing that place to which Jesus bids him come.
Some of the problems that bring about condemnation can be caused from our past.For instance, one’s childhood can cause him to be prone to condemnation. If a child feels he cannot or does not live up to his parents’ expectations, he feels rejection, and that rejection can be real or imagined. His past experiences in which he felt rejection carry over into his Christian life. If the church he attends is very strong in teaching the importance of obedience and the seriousness and dangers of failure, he may find himself falling into the same prison he was in as a child. This can happen easily in Christian homes where the parents run a very strict household.
Do you feel shame when you think of things you have done in the past, or are you confident it is covered by the blood of Jesus Christ?Of course we will feel remorse, yet when you consider those past sins and Christ’s redeeming grace, it can be the means of gendering praise and causing joy to arise in your heart. The sin that brought condemnation and death is now the very issue, when God’s forgiveness is experienced, that melts the heart and bows the soul in broken prostration, bringing praise and gratitude to the living God. God’s plan of redemption and reconciliation becomes our cause of worship and in that precious and wonderful work of Jesus, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Where then does this bring us?How then can we find the freedom our souls long for? It is by falling in love with Jesus Christ. It is when you become a love slave to Him who purchased you in His own precious blood. It is when you find that one’s hope rests, not in his abilities, but in the complete and perfect work of Jesus in His death, resurrection, and ascension into glory, where He sits at the right hand of the Father, always making intercession for those who put their trust in Him. As one draws closer to God, God becomes more precious, our love for Him grows, and our soul desires to depart from iniquity and from everything that might grieve His heart.
How one wants to look at “self-forgiveness” may be controversial, but I have found that if we look to Jesus Christ, we will gain the proper perspective.It seems to me that if we truly believe that Jesus loves mankind and desires that none should perish, we can trust Him to fully forgive our sins when we fall. I do not have the position nor the authority to forgive myself because only God can forgive me. In Psalm51, David said, “against thee, thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight.” David did not have the right to forgive himself; he knew only God could forgive. While Bathsheba’s family or Uriah’s family were required by God to forgive David, only God has the authority and power to truly forgive David and remove his sins from his account. This is the wonder and glory of the New Covenant; that God forgives sinners. One can come to know Christ in such an intimate and personal way that he can find in Him a full salvation, a complete pardon, and an imputed righteousness from the One who alone can forgive and through whom we can stand before God in righteousness. This does not mean that we can continue in sin that grace may abound, but we can rejoice in the Lord knowing that He will finish the work He has begun.
Paul wrote to the Philippian church admonishing them to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil.2:12).But he didn’t stop there; he continued in verse 13, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” We see from these verses that God expects us to walk humbly, obediently, and righteously and, at the same time, He promises to give us His enabling, His power, His love, His grace, mercy, and strength and even His desire. Therefore, all glory goes to Him and none to ourselves. Praise God!
I conclude with a post from Facebook by Lesley D. Denise on October 14, 2019.
“I was at the grocery store this morning and heard a loud crash and something shattering.Being nosy, I walked towards the sound and saw some people whispering and looking back to the end of the next aisle. When I walked down that aisle, I saw an older lady had hit a shelf containing dishes with her cart and many had fallen to the ground and broke. She was kneeling on the floor embarrassed, frantically picking up the shattered pieces, while her husband was peeling off the bar code from each broken dish saying, ‘Now we will have to pay for all this!’
“I felt so bad for her, and everyone was just standing there staring at her!!I went and knelt beside her and told her not to worry and started helping her pick up the broken pieces. After about a minute, the store manager came and knelt beside us and said, ‘Leave it, we will clean this up. Let’s get your information so you can go to the hospital and have that cut on your hand looked at.’
“The lady, totally embarrassed, said, ‘I need to pay for all this first.’The manager smiled, helped her to her feet and said, ‘No ma’am, we have insurance for this; you do not have to pay anything!’
“For you who have read this so far, I would like you to give me a minute.Wherever you are, close your eyes, and imagine God doing the same for you!
“Collect the pieces of your broken heart from all the blows life has thrown at you.
“God will heal all your wounds, and I assure you that your sins and mistakes will be forgiven.You see, we all have the same insurance, and it’s called Grace. When you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior and ask for forgiveness, the Manager of the universe, GOD, will say to you, ‘Everything has already been paid for, now go on your way, all is forgiven!’”
GUILT
Dear Saints of the True and Living God,
I greet y'all today in His dear Son's name, our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.To Him alone belong all the glory, honor and praise.
Recently Bro. Al and I were having our usual Sabbath morning conversation.But this morning it was different, for he asked me a question that was so profound that it brought tears to my eyes. I'll share with you the question in a moment, but first, let me ask you to try to be in a place physically and mentally alone and say a prayer to Father and ask Him to open up your heart and your understanding, for what I'm about to ask you goes along perfectly with Bro. Al's message today. And I know it's a question concerning a spiritual battle that a lot of you may be dealing with, and it's something that I faced for 3½ years after I first committed my terrible crime and sin and came to prison.
Bro. Al asked me concerning the time when I first went to the county jail on a murder charge, of which I stand guilty.He asked, how did I know I was forgiven and how did I deal with the guilt. Like I said, that is a profound question, and as I tried to answer him, I wept in my heart. When a lowly sinner is seeking forgiveness for his past, no matter how long it's been since his crime, he still will feel remorse as he revisits it, and so it was with me when Bro. Al asked me that question. For even though I know in my heart that the blood of Jesus is sufficient to wash away everyone's sins, which includes mine, I regret my past.
When I was in the county jail I was under such guilt for my crime until I couldn't eat or sleep.I tossed and turned all night long. I would pray and cry all day for forgiveness, but I felt no peace so I didn't think God was hearing me. Have you ever felt that way? Suicide was in my thoughts night and day for two reasons. One: I was so afraid of facing everything I had done and everyone I had hurt, and two: I couldn't forgive myself. Forgiving yourself absolutely doesn't free you from the penalty of your actions, but it gives you the assurance that God has forgiven you. The guilt wore me down so low that I wanted to die so I wouldn't have to face and go through all the pain I felt from others, pain that I gave them. I could actually feel what I made them feel, and it was so deep and hard on them that my heart shattered. But it took God to shatter my heart into a million pieces so His light and love could get through, so I could see and feel what He felt for them and for me.
I came to prison and during the day I would enjoy going to school, for I only had an 8th grade education.I worked out on the weight pile (prison term for weightlifting equipment), I played handball, and I went to rehabilitation classes. I was in church every chance I got. Also, I sang in the church choir and did solos with my guitar in church. But in the back of my mind I was still trying to pay the debt I felt I owed to God and society. A deep ruing called guilt was ever present with me, and it persistently grew worse for the first 3½ years of my incarceration and with that guilt was the ever present thoughts of killing myself to end my guilt and pain. Satan will try to drive you to drugs and alcohol over your guilt. Bro. Al told me that some will say that it is a strong lack of faith because you should know that God forgave you when you first asked him to, but bear in mind that a newly born-again person isn't as strong in the word as a preacher is and is struggling to survive the harsh attacks that an old, strong demon lashes on him or her. This is especially true when that old, sly devil knows the personality of that child in God and sees a warrior spirit in her or him, so he is trying in every way to make you doubt your repentance. Not to mention all the tricks he knows to use by using others around you to make you give in, and he used all of those things to try to stop me, for my personality is a leader of men or women in good or bad.
So, at nighttime when the doors were locked and I was alone, I had to battle to overcome my flesh and Satan, for then the badgering would start again in severe conflict for my soul.Satan would start showing me my crime, the ones where I tore their hearts out and the pain I gave them all. Remember that sin is sin. Sure, but my guilt was more severe than someone who may have stolen a piece of bubble gum from a store shelf, so I would fight a suicide demon all night at times.
Then, in 1987 in a one-man cell, Satan began anew one night.A voice began speaking to me to hang myself off of the vent in my cell. I say a voice spoke it, for let me tell you that after 33 years now past that point in time I've learned a lot about my enemy, Satan, and how he operates in his cunning slyness, for he is the prince of the power of the air where his principality is. He broadcasts his thoughts to you, and you think it's you thinking those thoughts when, in reality, it's him deceiving you. So the thought was to hang myself off the vent with my sheet. I would turn over on my bed and say, “But the Lord is my shepherd.” He would again show me my crime and sin and I felt all the despair I caused others and I would lay there repenting and crying, but the thought would come again so I would turn over again and say the same thing again, “But the Lord is my shepherd.” Then I felt the strongest power that made me actually feel I was going to do it to myself and I screamed, “Help me, Lord Jesus, for I can't go another step!” Then I felt the strongest loving feeling I had ever felt when I said that, and a voice in my spirit said, “Many times I've carried you, and tonight I'll carry you again.” I got up, turned on my lamp, picked up my guitar and wrote my first of many songs called “He Carries Me Again.” Now, let me mention guilt and what happened to it. Most of y'all reading this article have read about the second king over God's then blessed nation named David. Anyways, you've read how David had a man named Uriah killed just so he could steal his wife that he had gotten pregnant during an adulterous relationship. But, David was a man of prayer and would write down his feelings, and we know them today as the Psalms. Well, my crime so paralleled David's and so as I battled guilt and Satan's badgering telling me that no murderer could be saved, I began to use David's life as a means of my defense until I overcame the guilt. Now, keep in mind that though you overcome guilt by God's word, prayer, and God's Spirit, that in no way lets you off the hook as though you aren't guilty of your crime in man's eyes, so to man you must pay your debt to society. As I began to learn God's word and visualize David's life and how he felt, I realized that that is also how I felt. I was so drawn to Psalm51:1-14. That psalm was so heart wrenching to me, and I poured over it daily as I read God's word. Now, I want you to especially notice verse 14, for in it David was asking God after he had repented so thoroughly in the verses above it. See, first we must pour out our hearts in seeking forgiveness with God and He will always forgive us when we repent. But He knows our hearts and He knows how guilty most of us have felt after our crimes or sins. But David asked God, then, to take away his guilt. Why? Why do we need to no longer feel guilt (not remorse, they're separate feelings)? Because you can't point another sinner who's struggling with their guilt to a loving, forgiving Savior if you also are struggling with the same thing. For, if we do, then we don't truly have faith in God's word. Those under the Old Covenant law would let the priest kill the animal for his blood to remove their sins. Its blood isn't greater than the blood of Jesus, my brother or sister. Let me say that He doesn't have to die every day to save us. He died once and for all, so His precious blood is sufficient and will also wash away your sins forever.
Along with your sins, He also will help you learn to deal with the guilt.Does it happen overnight? I doubt it, for if it did then where is the remorse? But as you let God help you deal with your guilt over sins you've repented of, I promise you that, though we're all different and come to terms with our guilt in different ways and time lengths, it will happen! I'm free today because of the blood of Jesus and since that night in 1987 with God's help I haven't had to fight that same battle again, for God's word and Spirit enabled me to overcome that battle.
I so pray that what I've said today has helped someone who may be struggling with the guilt of their sins to let go of the guilt in prayer to the One who loves you and doesn't want you to continue to hurt over your sins.Jesus has already paid the penalty for your sins. But, also, His blood was to cleanse you from the guilt. It isn't wrong to feel remorse for your crime; you should. But guilt and remorse are always going to be two different feelings.
God bless you!
I remain a prisoner of Jesus Christ
Jimmy Windham #127054
SCDC Lee CI
Now, let me ask you who are in prison a question.How would you like to receive a free copy of my book entitled A Prisoner of Jesus Christ on Amazon? I've felt led to try to let any prisoner who can't afford to buy a copy or have someone send him the book, to be able to receive a free copy. Here's what I want you to do. Send your name, D.O.C. number and prison address to Bro. Al and their mailing address and we'll try to send you a copy. Also, if you are reading this beloved Godly magazine and wish to help us sponsor this free book to prisoners project, then send a check or money order to the church address and tell them it's for the free book project, but please don't let it interfere with your monthly support of this God-used booklet.
Thank you!
Bro. Jimmy
THERE MUST BE A RESTITUTION
Harry R. Miller
“Let no man deceive you by any means”! Such is the warning given concerning the “coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind…that the day of Christ is at hand” (IIThess.2:1-3).
The apostle Paul was an ardent teacher of the second coming of the Lord Jesus, but he did not teach as Babylon is teaching today, saying that Christ might come at any moment. He taught plainly that certain things must come to pass “first.”
Christ Jesus also taught that many things must precede His return: “Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places…Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold…For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time…Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven…Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near” (Matt.24:7-33).
Notice here that Christ in speaking to His disciples said, “When ye shall see all these things,” thus showing that there is a certain definite plan, or program, for the events of the last day, and that His saints shall remain to see the end of all of these things. “For the elect’s sake” the program “shall be shortened” (Matt.24:22).
Another great thing that shall precede the coming of our Lord is the complete overthrow of ecclesiastical Babylon, that “great harlot” who “corrupted the earth,” and who is guilty of the “blood of prophets, and of saints” (Rev.18:24). Great and mighty shall be the fall of the illegitimate church with all her creeds, her denominations, and her soul-damning paraphernalia. No wonder there shall be “weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth” (Matt.13:42 and 8:12).
Churchmen were unprepared for the visitation of Christ in the days of the apostles. Vain religion and the doctrine of the churches had completely blinded the eyes of men, and comparatively few knew Jesus as “the Christ.” So, also, in this last day, few men will be ready for the events of the future, and as the torrents of heavenly goodness are poured forth, many will be swept from their foundation of sand and will perish with the utter fall of their Babylonian mother (Luke6:47-49; 12:39; Matt.24:43; 7:24-27).
As Babylon crumbles and crashes under the withering blast of the fiery judgments brought about by the “sword of the Lord,” Zion will fully awaken. For centuries the Spirit of the Lord has cried, “Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion…Shake thyself from the dust” (Isa.52:1,2). Zion or Jerusalem, represents the true people of God, the “bride” of the Lord (Rev.21:2,9,10). She doesn’t realize her strength; she can’t understand that she is “joint-heir” with the Son of God, and that if she asks anything in His Name it shall be done.
The Hindu elephant driver will often make a chain of straw to tie up the big animal at night. The straw could never hold the beast for a moment; but he has a great reverence for his keeper, and as long as he thinks he is tied, he feels safe in the place where his master put him. Zion, the church of Jesus Christ, is as dumb to her own mighty strength as the elephant in the Hindu caravan, and she is as bound by a great straw chain of error.
Through the ages, the doctrines and traditions of the ever-apostatizing churchmen have robbed Zion of her knowledge of His creative power, and of the fact that He is a living God who is ever present to help His people, and “to show himself strong in behalf of them that walk uprightly.”
“Behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people” (Isa.60:2). “The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant” (Isa.24:5). “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves…Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness…men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith” (IITim.3:1-8).
Such is the condition of apostate Christendom today that there is practically no hope of reforming the so-called church of Jesus Christ. Their hearts have become so hard with the doctrines and creeds of Babylon that the simple truth of the Spirit of Christ will never be accepted by the modern giants of Pharisaism. Paul says they will be “ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (IITim.3:7).
“In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt.15:9). This is Christ’s own statement in berating the apostate churchmen of His day. The church professed to be serving the Living God, but God and they had little in common. So it is with the church of our day. Christ once selected the ministers, and by the power of His Spirit directed the ministry (Acts13:2), but now the Conference and the Synod do this work.
The lamp of prophecy has completely gone out (Rev.2:5; Amos8:11), and no more is the voice of the Lord, by the power of the Holy Ghost, heard within the church. The New Testament tells us that Christ “set” prophets in the church (ICor.12:28), and Christ gave prophets “for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Eph.4:11,12). Where are these prophets? And where can their voices be heard today? The modern church has ruled out every form of supernatural communication, and the only thing that they do believe in that is supernatural is the voice of the devil!
Not only does the modern church deny the direct leading of the Spirit of Christ, but they also deny that there is any supernatural power or that supernatural things are wrought among men by God. If anything supernatural does happen, they often class it as being of the devil. Those that claim to believe in these miracles of God have no real faith; it is a mere belief. Because of this there are many fake healers and would-be miracle workers among the professors of our day. These are the mockers spoken of in Jude who “have not the Spirit” who try in the flesh to imitate the work of God (verses 18 and 19).
Where is the power to raise the dead? Where is the man who can say, “In the name of Jesus rise up and walk”? Where is the power to strike down the Ananias and Sapphira of today? No more can men use aprons and handkerchiefs as vehicles of mighty power as they did in Acts19:12. No more do the apostles give witness with “great power” (Acts4:33). No more do men pass through the air as Philip did (Acts8:39), neither can the Lord add daily those that should be saved (Acts2:47).
But “at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps” (Matt. 25:6,7). The hour of the great awakening is at hand, and the time of the trimming is here. Cast aside all preconceived notions, and antiquated dogma, and let the Spirit of the Lord lead you “into all truth” (John16:13).
“Let your loins be girded about” (Eph.6:14), “and your lights burning” (Luke12:35). Light is truth, and it is the embracing of the truths of God that shall bring forth the great awakening among His people. As the Spirit of the Lord is sought for by the earnest soul in mighty prayer, God will lead that soul into great light which shall shine brighter and brighter if he will “walk in the light as he is in the light” (IJohn1:5-7).
Great is the preparation that the remnant church of Christ must make before the King can return. The true doctrines of the Kingdom of Glory must be revived; the power and the signs that confirm the testimony must be restored that there may be a “faithful and true witness” of the “gospel of the Kingdom.”
There must be a restoration of the “faith which was once delivered unto the saints,” and the power and signs that He said would follow “them that believe” (Mark16:17). Christ cannot return until these things are brought to pass. “And he shall send Jesus Christ…whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts3:20,21).
Here is truth that is more than “fundamental.” It is vital. If any truth ever was essential to salvation, this is a major one for Christians of our day. there must be a restoration; Christ must remain in heaven until everything that His people ever possessed has been regained; His Kingdom must flourish and even dominate the earth.
Among the greatest of things that shall be restored are the special gifts and callings of God. We read: “God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues” (ICor.12:28).
Through the power of the Holy Spirit all of these things shall again be in operation in the remnant church of the living God. Apostles are needed as badly today as they were in the days of old, and they are just as important a factor in the body as any other of the major callings.
The bride, “the Lamb’s wife,” must make herself ready. How shall she be made ready without the instruments that the Almighty set in the body? “And he gave some apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry…till we all come…unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph.4:11-13). Man is to be made perfect by the mighty power of the Spirit, and at the end of time there will be a glorious “manifestation of the sons of God” (Rom. 8:17-19).
All heaven is waiting with great expectation for this mighty manifestation that is yet to shake the world. “Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain” (James5:7).
The early rain of apostolic times is considered a moderate downpour. It loosened up the soil for plowing and the sowing of seed (Gospel likened unto seed, Matt.13). “He hath given you the ‘former rain’ moderately” (Joel2:23). In the eyes of the churchmen of today it seems almost impossible to have a repetition of the outpouring of heavenly power as they had it in the days of the apostles, but the Lord called that outpouring “moderate” in comparison with the one that is yet to be poured out.
As the Spirit is poured out, He will manifest Himself in varied ways. He will not confine Himself to a group of people that ride hobbies, or that limit Him to a creed; but He will break forth as a fountain of waters to the remnant of His people who are meek enough to accept any and every manifestation of His presence and His power.
The operation of the gifts shall be the same as it was in the days of old, so that the wayfaring man may be able to search the Scriptures and find that the Word and the Spirit agree.
In the restoration of “the faith that was once delivered unto the saints,” the hearts of God’s people will have to be submissive to truth as it is unfolded to them. Many of their old ideas and all dogmas of former days will have to be cast aside. True meekness is not the assumed passive air of a churchman, but it is a willing spirit to be led, a spirit that will submit completely to the leading of the Almighty (Matt.11:29; IPeter3:4; Num.12:3; Zeph.2:3).
With the outpouring of the Holy Spirit there will be much prophecy (Acts2:17), genuine, divine communication. Where there is much prophecy, there will be much instruction, correction, rebuke, and leading. This will be a wonderful help and a character builder to the obedient and believing saint; but woe be unto the doubting Thomases, and to the stubborn, self-willed professors of Christianity. They will not be led, but will rebel at the word spoken through the prophets, and the end thereof shall be destruction.
One of the wonders of the “body of Christ” is that it has continued to exist during the long absence of divine communication. Communication lines are the most vital things to an army or to a nation. Cut off every form of communication, and the army or nation will soon cease to exist; so also with the human body. Communication between the head and the extremities of the body is vital to its proper functions and even to its continued existence. For almost nineteen centuries the main body of true Israel has received no communication from Him who is “the head of the body,” and only a very few giants of prayer have been able to hear from above. The rest of the body has wandered and groped in the darkness of this long night.
But “at evening time it shall be light” (Zech.14:7), and again, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come” (Isa.60:1); and again, “It shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy” (Acts2:17). Here we have definite promise of the restoration of the Spirit of prophecy that will lead us as He led in the days of old.
The lamps of prophecy which have been dormant for centuries shall again blaze by the fire and oil of the Spirit, and the wise virgins shall “go forth” into the service of the Master where direct and definite leading shall “finish the work in righteousness”
The Spirit again speaks as He did to Philip in Acts8:29, and again angels of the Lord converse and give instruction as they did in Acts10:3. Godly men are again being set aside for the ministry as it was in Acts13:2. Visions, dreams, and prophecies are again being given to many godly men and women, and great is the joy as heaven’s leadership is restored.
“Beloved…it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude3).
THOUGH THE FIG TREE NOT BLOSSOM
Alfred King
Habakkuk 3:17-19: “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.”
These verses from Habakkuk are some of the most beautiful and powerful words found in scripture. They issued forth in prayer of a man who lived during the time when Judah’s sins had reached their climax. Habakkuk was burdened and grieved over the sins which were prominent in Judah, and he poured out his heart before the Lord. In chapter three, Habakkuk very poetically acknowledges the power of God which had been recorded throughout Israel’s history. He expresses through prayer God’s powerful judgments that fell upon both Israel’s enemies as well as those which fell upon Israel when they had transgressed. Now God’s judgment hung heavily over Judah, and the prophecies of Jeremiah and of the prophets were ready to be fulfilled upon God’s chosen people. In chapter 3:5, Habakkuk speaks of how God’s power was expressed in the past. “Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.” In verse seven he refers to God’s judgment upon Midian, “I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.” In verse 8 he asks the question: “Was the Lord displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation?” God’s displeasure was not with the rivers nor the sea, the mountains nor the sun and moon, which he mentions in the next couple of verses. They were merely metaphorically the outward signs of God’s judgment.
His judgments were originally against Israel’s enemies and those who came against His people. It was against the heathen, (verse12), “Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger.” Habakkuk was given special insight into God’s judgments upon the heathen. The very earth, rivers, and mountains were affected as God executed His punishment upon Israel’s enemies. As Habakkuk continued to list the various historical events of Israel’s past, he included those times when God’s hand was raised up against His own chosen people. Israel had continuously fallen into idolatry and other abominations which brought God’s wrath upon them.
Habakkuk is now in grief over the pending judgment of God against Judah. He seems to have some spiritual understanding of the destruction of Jerusalem that Nebuchadnezzar would bring upon them. So great was the destruction, so sad was the immediate future of Judah, that he prayed in verse16, “When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.”
The destruction of Jerusalem at the hand of Nebuchadnezzar was grievous, but the destruction of Jerusalem under the hand of Titus in 70 AD seemed even more tragic. At this time, they had fallen so far from God and His ways that they failed to recognize the Messiah when He came. Instead of welcoming Him, they hated Him and had Him crucified. The destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, and the events leading up to it, is probably one of the worse accounts of brutality, destruction, and horror that has ever fallen upon a people. God judged His people. Is it possible that Habakkuk foresaw this destruction as well as that by Nebuchadnezzar?
Today, as we look upon our land and behold the flood of evil which is engulfing our nation and our world, we look into the future and see possible calamities that we may face and are tempted to pray as Habakkuk, that we might sleep in the day of trouble. But Habakkuk did not stop his prayer before God at verse 16. In verse 17, he takes on a different view of things, another perspective of God. He turns His attention to another characteristic of God. While God is a God of judgment, He is also a God of mercy, love, and grace. Habukkuk looks away from the evil he sees around him and the judgment that he knows will come, and he looks into the very face of God. There he sees a God of love, a God who will not forsake His people nor break His covenant, therefore, he rejoices. He prays, “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places (Hab.3:17-19).
So often when we are going through the valley of the shadow of death, our focus and attention is riveted on our personal problems, those things that are affecting us at the moment. We see only the problems in our lives and possibly our failures and mistakes, and those things drag us down into a pit of discouragement and despondency. They manage to turn our eyes from Jesus Christ and His complete and perfect work to those adversities that surround us. Sometimes we may despair of life itself, just as the Apostle Paul was tempted to do when he was overwhelmed by trials and persecutions (IICor.1:8). Yet, Habakkuk lifts himself up from the pit of despair and hopelessness and faces the God of mercy and grace. The tone of his prayer changes and he sees that God is not through with Judah, rather He had promised to bring them again into their homeland. He begins to rejoice in the “God of my salvation.” He acknowledges that God is his strength and the One who is able to hold him through all the trials he will face. He places his complete trust in the One who is not only able to deliver His people, but promises to bring them through the lion’s den and through the fiery furnace. He is able to slay the Goliaths that rise up against God’s people and is able to deliver them from every enemy.
There are many Christians today that struggle with strongholds in their lives. They may wonder why they are so weak and fear God’s judgment coming upon them. We need to have a healthy fear of God and walk softly and circumspectly before Him. We must tremble at His word and hide it away in our hearts so we will not sin against Him. Yet we must never focus so much on our own shortcomings that we fail to see what God has done for us. We must ever face the cross and see, in it, our hope, our righteousness, our life, and our salvation. If our salvation rested entirely on our performance, we would be of all men most miserable. But our salvation rests in the finished work of Jesus Christ, and our power and strength are found in Him alone.
When we turn our eyes upon Jesus Christ and behold His beauty and glory, joy fills the heart and all other things become mere shadows. They are merely sufferings that are only for a moment. The overshadowing of God’s glory lifts one up into the most glorious presence of God, a place where peace is found and all troubles flee away. Let us, as believers in Jesus Christ and lovers of God, always rejoice in Him, for He will make our feet like hinds’ feet and cause us to ride upon the high places.
THE PRICE OF OIL
Harry Miller
It is a simple matter to see that time is an important factor in the securing of a supply of “oil” fit for the lamp of a “virgin.” “Go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.” So many people have accepted the erroneous idea that salvation for the soul costs nothing! Consider the words of Jesus in answer to this question: “Which of you intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it…So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple” (Luke14:28,33). Sit down, my friend, and count the cost. Becoming a disciple of Christ is an expensive affair! These parables also present a picture of the cost: “the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it” (Matt.13:44-46).
“I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire” (Rev.3:18). God appeals to the tradesman who will pay the price to secure things of eternal value: “Buy of Me…white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear” (Rev.3:18). “White raiment” is of a very special value in this latter day (and bear in mind that it must be bought): “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints” (Rev.19:8). Let no man despise godly works. The admonition, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil.2:12), is not idle talk.
Many sects have gone overboard on the doctrine of “grace,” Calvinism, or “once saved, always saved.” To a sin-loving generation this doctrine is most acceptable; it offers safety in Christ while living for self and for mammon. Be vaccinated with Christianity and live for evermore! According to this warped philosophy, belief is all that God looks for in a Christian. This so-called belief assures men that the grace of God is frustrated by man’s works of righteousness. Of course, if anyone feels that he must do some work of righteousness, he can do it for an extra reward, but his work will have nothing to do with his salvation – so he is told!
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the book, according to their works” (Rev.20:12). “All the churches shall know that I am He which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works” (Rev.2:23). “We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ…every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Rom.14:10,12). “The righteous judgment of God; who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil” (Rom.2:5-9). In the face of Scriptures like these the “once saved, always saved” doctrines fall to pieces. These statements from God’s Word set forth the fact that the Lord of heaven will judge all creatures according to their works, not according to their professed beliefs.
The one main teaching of the parable of the ten virgins is this: that those who make the proper preparation for the return of Christ will be saved; and those who do not make such a preparation will be lost. Outside the marriage chamber there “shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt.22:13).
The Corinthian church was certainly an apostolic body, yet the apostle Paul gave them a number of warnings, “lest ye have believed in vain” (ICor.15:1,2). In the second epistle to this same church he reminded them, “For by faith ye stand” (IICor.1:24). In the last chapter of this same letter he told them to “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith” (IICor.13:5). Remember, these folks had done more than “accept” Christ as their personal Saviour – they moved in the midst of “the demonstration of the spirit.” Yet there was a danger that they might become “reprobates” (disapproved, rejected).
Peter, in writing to those of “like precious faith,” said that we have in Christ “Exceeding great and precious promises,” and that “by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature…giving all diligence add to your faith…For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful…But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence (get to work) to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do (works) these things, ye shall never fall” (IIPeter1:4-10).
“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready” (Rev.19:7). The wise virgins were ready because they had applied themselves to the required preparations: they worked to become ready: “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure” (IJohn3:3).
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches…He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels” (Rev.3:5,6).