the Charismatic / Pentecostal preacher

murjahel · Aug 8, 2014

ANGELIC HELP

God never leaves us stranded. He is there to bestow supernatural empowerments, but He is also there to supply the other helps we need in our ministries.

Psalm 108:11-13 (KJV)
11 Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts?
12 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
13 Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.

The Holy Spirit is at work in each of our lives to bring us the helps we need.

Romans 8:26-28 (KJV)
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Angels are part of the help that He sends to us.

Psalm 34:7 (KJV)
7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

Daniel had an angel to shut the lions’ mouths.
Daniel 6:22 (KJV)
22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

The Christian world knows very little about angels, on the whole. The world, and even some Christians, think they're "female" and picture them so. Yet every angel mentioned in Scripture is male. Some think of angels as a tiny cherub shooting arrows at hearts or lovers. Most think of angels as winged creatures, yet only cherubim and seraphim are mentioned as having wings in the Bible.

There is much for man to learn from the Bible about angels.

The Bible indicates three basic types of angels.
Seraphim - Isa. 6:1-7
Cherubim - Gen. 3:24, Ezek. 1:5-28, Ezek. 8:1-4, 10:1-22, Rev. 4:6, 5:14, 6:1-8, 7:11, 14:3,9-11, 15:7, 19:4
Common Angels - mentioned almost 300 times in Scripture.

These are all spirit beings, yet they have bodies. These bodies have hands, feet, eyes, heads, voices, hair, and other parts as men have. (Gen. 8:2-8, 19:1-22, Judg. 13:6)

Jacob wrestled with an angel all night. The perverted sinners of Sodom and Gomorrah were anxious to get to the angels that came to rescue Lot and his family.

Angels often appeared very human-like. Yet the cherubim and seraphim are not very human-like.

Seraphim....appeared above the throne in Isaiah's vision. Each had 6 wings (two to cover his face, two to cover his feet, and two with which to fly). They shouted "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory".

Cherubim are sometimes shown with four faces and four wings. (face of a man, lion, ox, and eagle). They appeared beneath the throne of God in Ezekiel. In Revelation we see 4, each had a different head (one a man, another was a lion, a third like a calf, and the fourth as an eagle). These each had six wings and were full of eyes, they rested not day and night, but
continuously cried, "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is and is to come.

We know that the angels of God are organized, having archangels that direct others. Likewise the fallen angels of Satan are also shown to consist of "principalities, powers, rulers of darkness of this world, spirit wicked ones in the heavenlies."

From the Bible we learn of three archangels, Michael, Gabriel, and Lucifer. Lucifer left his position and rebelled.

Angels are able to appear as a burning fire, or as a man.

In 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 we read:
"....when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God...."

In Hebrews 1:7 we also see:
"And of the angels He saith; Who maketh His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire."

So there seems to exist a harmony of the idea that angels can change appearance.

CHRIST IS FAR BETTER THAN THE ANGELS, AND WE ARE BUT TEMPORARILY LOWER THAN THE ANGELS.

Hebrews 1:4
"Being made so much better than angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they..."

Angels were very important in the Jewish religion. Consider that when God gave the law to Moses, on Mt. Sinai, many angels were in assistance.

Deuteronomy 33:2
"And he said, the Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; He shined forth from mount Paran, and He came with ten thousands of saints (angels); from His right hand went fiery law for them."

Psalms 68:17
"The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels; the Lord is among them, as in Sinai in the holy place."

Acts 7:53
"Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it."

CHRIST IS SUPERIOR TO ANGELS

Jesus is the Son of God. Angels are created beings, meant to serve the Trinity and to serve mankind.

Psalms 2:7
"Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee."

Jesus was the eternal God, but at a designed time in history, He was implanted into the womb of Mary, and became the Son. The angels are "sons of God", because of being created by the Trinity. Jesus was the Creator Who became the Son of God, the angels were the sons of God because they were created by deity.

Hebrews 1:10-12
"And Thou Lord, in the beginning hath laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Thy hands..."

Jesus is the "firstborn" but He receives worship. The word "firstborn" does not mean that He had a beginning, as in a birth. But the word "firstborn" does not mean "born first". Solomon was called the "firstborn, but was actually born tenth. (I Chronicles 3:1-5). The firstborn is the child that receives the inheritance and blessings.

Angels are to worship this Jesus.

Deuteronomy 32:43
"...lets the angels pay Him homage..."

Jesus is served by the angels.

Hebrews 1:6-7
"And let all the angels of God worship Him. And of the angels, He saith, Who maketh His angels spirits an His ministers a flame of fire."

The angels sometimes served Jesus while on the earth. (Matthew 4:11, Luke 22:43) They serve Him and also serve us now. Christ is sovereign, and angels are servants.

Angels serve mankind, under God’s direction (not ours).

Hebrews 1:13-14
"...are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth (Greek = apostello = to send forth as a messenger with a commission) to minister for them that shall be heirs of salvation."

They are angelic apostles, sent forth, as are the apostles, to minister and start works for God. Jesus is a God Who is enthroned, and is anointed. Angels minister before the throne, and they do not sit upon the throne.

Hebrews chapter 1 tells us that Christ is better than angels:
a more excellent Name... (vs. 4)
the only begotten Son of God (vs. 5)
worshipped by the angels (vs. 6)
Creator of the angels (vs. 7, 11-12)
a member of the Trinity (vs. 8)
an eternal Being, not a created Being (vs. 8)
the eternal King (vs. 8)
the anointed One (vs. 9)
the exalted One (vs. 13)
the One Who if His words are rejected it is greater sin than the rejection of the words of angels (2:1-3)

Many angels fell with Lucifer. They were corrupted, after having served God for many millennia. They were therefore judged.

Hebrews 2:5-9
5. "For unto the angels hath He not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.
6. But one in a certain place testified, saying What is man that Thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that Thou visitest him?
7. Thou madest him a little (while) lower than the angels; Thou crownest him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of Thine hands.
8. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that He put all in subjection under him,, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
9. But we see Jesus, Who was made a little (while) lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

The humanity of Jesus enabled Him to regain the dominion that mankind had forfeited through sin. The writer, Paul, quotes Psalms 8:4-6 here, and explains why Jesus chose to become a man, placing Himself lower than the angels, for a time, so the dominion lost by Adam and Eve (Genesis 1:26-31) could be regained. God never promised to give dominion of this earth to angels, but to mankind. We should not have lost dominion, and yet, sin forfeited our great power in this earth. Jesus came and lay claim to this dominion as a man, even before the crucifixion. He had dominion over the fish (Luke 5:1-11, Matthew 17:24-27).

Man was put in the garden of Eden, with power, honor, and glory. Man lost his crown, and became a slave to sin, and subject to death. Jesus regained that glory, power, and honor. We share this kingdom that He has regained.

Revelation 1:5-6
"And from Jesus Christ, Who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father..."

The humanity of Jesus enabled Him to bring many of mankind to glory. Christ is united with us, and we are "brethren..." We share His nature, and have a right to the glory that He has. He had to become man to share this with us.

Hebrews 2:14-16
14. Forasmuch, then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, the devil;
15. And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
16. For verily, He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham.

His humanity enabled Him to disarm Satan and to deliver mankind from sin and its penalty. Angels cannot die, and if Jesus had come as an angel, He would not have been able to die for us. Jesus did not die for angels, but for mankind. They do not have redemption possible, as do we.

The above verse 14 says that Jesus came to "destroy" the devil. This word does not mean "to annihilate" but it means "to render inoperative, to make of none effect..." We have power over even one of the former "arch-angels". Lucifer, now known as Satan, must flee we puny human beings, when Jesus dwells within us, for He became a man, and shares His victory over the devil with us.

Jesus did not take on the nature of angels, but stooped lower than the angels, and took on human nature. But in His sinless life, His vicarious death for us, we share now in power even over the mightiest of angels.

Jesus did what angels could not do, He did what mankind had been unable to do, and therefore, His plan was not foolish. but brilliant beyond description. We now have the possibility to share the nature of God, because Jesus came to share the nature of mankind.

These angels, now are ministering to us, for we are children of God, redeemed and adopted into the family of God. They are our ministering servants, and though they momentarily have a body greater than ours, we shall soon be in bodies, in position far above them. While we await that time, they do minister to us in our human weakness.

murjahel · Aug 9, 2014

ANGELIC SERVICE TO PENTECOSTAL PREACHERS

JOSEPH ALERTED BY AN ANGEL

Joseph had an angel visit him, give him Gods message. This guidance was vital to the plan of God. When we need advice to do the plan of God, an angel can still be dispatched to speak to us Gods message.

Matthew 2:13 (KJV)
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

ANGELS CALLING ISRAEL HOME

In these last days, the angels are going about the earth, speaking to the hearts of the people of Israel that they are to return to their homeland. This call is vital to Gods plans for these last days.

Matthew 24:31 (KJV)
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

ANGELS ARE INVOLVED IN THE SECOND COMING EVENTS

The angels were present to worship the first coming of Jesus.

Luke 2:13 (KJV)
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

They shall be very involved in the events of the second coming of Jesus.

A DONKEYS ALERT TO THE PRESENCE OF AN ANGEL

The angels message will be heard, and if we be too distracted to hear their message, the donkeys of this world may have to speak out for the angels.

Numbers 22:23-28 (KJV)
23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
24 But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
25 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.
26 And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

The donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way and his sword drawn (Num. 22:23-25). When "the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam ... he saw the angel of the Lord" (Num. 22:31-38). We must let the Lord open our eyes to messages carried to us by angels. Surely, all is tested by the Word, but God still sometimes uses angels to confirm a message to us, that God has already spoken to our hearts.

Balaam was too wicked a person to hear Gods voice. The angel was not even seen by the wicked Balaam. It took a donkey crushing his foot against a rock to make him alert him enough to hear the donkey talk, and only then was the angel noticed. God wants to communicate, and angels are used. It is our job to stay alert.

ANGELS DIRECT OTHERS TO THE LORDS MINISTERS

Acts 10:1-8 (KJV)
1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:
6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.
7 And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;
8 And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa

Cornelius was directed to Peter by an angel. Peter went to speak to the household of Cornelius.

Acts 10:22 (KJV)
22 And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.

GUARDIAN ANGELS WATCH OVER ALL OF US.

The evils, plagues, try to afflict us, but the angels have charge over us. We call these angels to be guardian angels.

Psalm 91:10-11 (KJV)
10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

Angels deliver messages, bring protection, as guardians for us.

Acts 27:21-24 (KJV)
21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.
23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

We are protected, and watched over yet, by angels.

Angels still come, seen or unseen, but still at work. They may be entertained as though they were human like we, but they have an agenda to do for the Lord. They may deliver messages, or direct us to places or people who need help. They may give physical help where we are helpless.

One evangelist of some years back related a story to me about how a car he was in with others. The car slipped on ice partially over a precipice. Able to go the rest of the way over the cliff if someone moved wrongly, everyone was unable to move. Suddenly, there were three large persons standing in front of the car who lifted it up, and pushed it back onto the highway. Their position in front of the car was where there was nothing on which to stand. They disappeared as fast as they had appeared. Angels had done what was needed.

Hebrews 13:2 (KJV)
2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Even as children, we had guardian angels.

Matthew 18:10 (KJV)
10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

We need take heed, for the children in our midst are being guarded over by their own angels. How we treat those children is noted by God, and we would not want to anger their protective, guardian angels. The care which God exercises over them by having His angels, with them, but also beholding His face, and speaking to Him also, means that every good child of God, infant to adult, has these guardian angels. These angels guard, follower, aid, and watch over them.

We should not despise the obscurest, nor the youngest of Christians, for they are ministered to by angels who are always basking in the honor of God. Therefore, we are careful of our relationships. Christians are protected. Angels are appointed guardians. The angels are near to God, enjoy his favour, and Gods children are going to therefore be safe.

murjahel · Aug 10, 2014

PENTECOSTAL PREACHERS NEED BEWARE
OF FALLEN ANGELS.

In the Bible we are told a little about the fall of many angels that started some years before the flood.

Gen. 6:1,2,4
"And it came to pass when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair: and they took them wives of all which they chose. There were giants in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men, which were of old, men of renown.

2 Peter 2:4-5 adds some more to this:
"For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment and spared not the old world, but saved Noah, the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly"

Jude 6-7 also tells us:
"And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them, in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire."

And we also are told in 1 Peter 3:19-20:
"By which also He went and unto the spirits in prison: which sometime were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water."

LUCIFER, (i.e. Satan) FELL AGES BEFORE ADAM AND EVE, AND MANY ANGELS HAD FALLEN THEN WITH HIM. THEY STILL TRY TO TROUBLE US.

There are deceitful and evil angels, and therefore, we are careful not to be deceived, not to be hurt by the evil angels.

2 Corinthians 11:14-15 (KJV)
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed a the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Since the devil himself is able of appearing to be an angel of light, it is not curious that those who are in his service could also resemble him, and be capable of hurting or attempting to hurt, Gods children. Paul assumes this as an admitted truth, without attempting to prove it. The devil

The devil can appear greatly devout, duplicitous, and wicked. He is long practiced in deceit and delusion. Those that others have thought to be legitimate angels, though they appeared as holy and consecrated, were actually evil and only appeared to be pious.

The Mormon cult is based on an being calling himself an angel, i.e. Moroni,
who pretended to give a revelation of truth. It is errant, contradictory to the Bible, and proclaims a new way of salvation.

The whole system of Mormonism rests on what angels and deceased saints (who also were wicked spirits) supposedly taught Joseph Smith. The revelations that they gave contradict the Word of God. The angel Moroni announced a gospel that is not the same gospel as given in the Bible. Paul warned in Galatians 16-9, that even revelations that come from angels, if they differ from the Bibles revelation, if we believe them, let them be accursed."

Other cults were instigated with the help of evil angels, wicked spirits. We need to be careful when dealing with angels. There are true and false ones.
We should be on guard. We should not expect Satan will appear to be. He never shows himself to be a spirit of wickedness; or full of evil and hate.

Therefore, to avoid deception, everything we believe must be based on the Written Word of God, i.e. the Bible. We trust not other messages. Angels and books they have inspired are not to be trusted. Paul warned us:

Galatians 1:8-12 (KJV)
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Angels are meant to be helps to us in our ministries. They still labor, we may ignore or be unaware of them, for they do not seek to bring attention to themselves. Yet, they do still work to aid and help the ministers of the Lord.

murjahel · Aug 15, 2014

Too many seek to have the Lord FOLLOW them. Yet, we need to FOLLOW THE LORD.

The Lord often told the disciples, and tells us, to FOLLOW HIM. Yet, many in the ministries today are attempting to get the Lord to FOLLOW THEMSELVES. They want the Lord to get into the path they have chosen, and to have Him walk along with them.

Sometimes this partially, or temporarily works. The Lord will, for a time, walk along with us, while trying to get us to realize that He is the Lord and not the employee. Finally, after walking with us, blessing us, trying to teach us, we will come to a crossroads, and He will go one way, and if we choose the other, we suddenly find ourselves walking alone.

One way of illustrating this is to examine the story that Jesus told about the "good Samaritan."

Luke 10:30-37 (KJV)
30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Jesus does not identify this as a parable. He tells the particular road and gives details that "parables" omit. So, let's look at this story as an event that really occurred.

The individuals are:

victimizers = the thieves
the victim = probably a priest traveling to Jericho
a priest = probably traveling to Jerusalem
a Levite = probably also traveling to Jerusalem
a Samaritan = a people that were hated and avoided by the Jews
an inn-keeper = probably a Jew

The victimizers were not traveling with Jesus. They had their own goals, their own agenda. The goal was to take from whoever to enrich themselves. There are some in the ministries of today, who are enriching themselves, who are seeking for themselves, and see others as those God is putting in their paths, so as to enrich them.

The victims are often the ones walking a path alone, vulnerable, and not yet learning from the Lord enough to be wary of the victimizers. They are untaught, unprepared, and unarmed. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was a steep descent that locally was called "the bloody way." It was very dangerous, for Jericho was a city that housed around 12,000 priests. They traveled back from Jerusalem carrying much money. The 18 mile trip was a haven for thieves who often robbed and killed many. It was known as the most dangerous road in Israel.

The victimizers were thieves who preyed on the money-carrying priests. Hopefully none of the readers are the at a "victimizer stage" in their spiritual development. Yet, there are victimizers still at work in our day. These are the ones who dare to "strip others of raiment", "wound" them, depart and "leave" them "for dead." There are many in the congregations of the day, who do hurt the children of God. They may berate, criticize, gossip, etc. Sometimes the attacks become physical, though this is usually the exception.

The victims are usually seen as vulnerable. They probably are traveling alone. In our day, the victims are in some way "alone." Perhaps, by way of being a newer convert, they are not strongly attached in friendship with more mature Christians who would help them. Perhaps because of a divorce, they feel ostracized by many "so-called" saints who treat that as an "unpardonable sin." For some reason, the victim appears vulnerable by the victimizers. They are attacked and hurt. Probably all who are reading this, have at some point, felt like the victim. We know what it is like to be hurt by another "saint." The church is well-known (unfortunately) for being a place where many a person is greatly injured. Even Jesus Himself was mistreated by the religious of that day. He forewarned us of similar treatment.

The priest who came along the way was probably traveling to Jerusalem in his white, pure garments so that he can do temple service when he arrives at the temple. He "passes by on the other side." He probably wants to avoid defiling himself. This would have required going through a purification ritual when he arrived in Jerusalem. He may have felt pity for the victim, but did not want the trouble of having to care for the beaten victim, and then still have to be purified again before he could do his service in the presence of the temple. Many a "saint" is in this type of service to the Lord. They want to serve the Lord, but they don't want to be soiled by helping the victims. They think they have a higher level on which to serve. They think righteousness is found in worship, and don't know how to respond to a hurting and needy world. Hopefully most readers of this have gone beyond this level of Christian service. Yet, many churches are full of these type of "saints."

The Levite who passed by was not going to do temple service. He did not need to worry about the purity of his garments. Yet, he too passed by this victim. Perhaps he had a lesson to teach, or a dinner to attend. He may have been late on his efforts to attend the temple worship. Whatever the reason, he did care enough to come close and look with sympathy on the victim. Yet, he did not care enough to help. Many today are at a spiritual level that they care, but not enough. Some will be sure they don't look like they care too much about victims, or they might be a victim themselves. Their friends and ones they care about may be hurt by the victimizers, but if they don't move on, and stay away from the victim, the victimizers may not treat them right either. This may sound strange about a Levite to act this way, but it does occur even in our times. Some of the victimizers make sure that the religious community knows what the cost will be if any seem to side with their victims. Loss of power, ostracism, the threat of not being given a ministry in the worship center, are all implied and even verbalized threats.

So this "Levite" class of saint, like the priest class of saint, will "pass by" after their sympathetic pause near the victim. The price of being merciful and in the perfect will of God is too high for them to do what they know they should. If they had been following the Lord, their ministry here would have been different.

Instead of walking on by this victim, they, with the Lord would have stopped to help. They were distracted by their agenda, instead of looking to do the Lords agenda. They walked on, and the story of their life ends here, for the Lords agenda was with the victim, and we see the story go on about the victim, but the passers by who go on without following the Lord, ends here.

The Samaritan comes on the scene and sees a victim. He follows the Lord here, instead of expecting the Lord to follow in his agenda. His agenda changes when the love of the Lord is sensed to be on a victim, instead of on whatever plans the Samaritan had. In spite of danger from more victimizers coming and hurting him, the Samaritan lets his plans, his personal safety to be secondary to the plans of God. In spite of what it could have cost him, he gave assistance. He was of a people who were hated of the Jews. Samaritans were descendants of those who settled in Israel while the Israelites were in captivity. They intermarried some with the Jews after the return from Babylon. They had a religion that was similar to the Jews. They accepted the books of Moses as their Scriptures. They built their own temple on Mt. Gerizim. They taught that the Messiah would come 6000 years after the creation of Adam, as did the Jewish scholars. The Jews hated these people and would usually go far out of their way to avoid even passing through their territory. Yet, even as hated by the Jews as this man was, he came to this Jewish victim and had love for him.

Today, we find that the least likely ones are the ones who care enough to help a hurting saint. The Samaritan type often stand alone. They are at a level above the average. They don't need ecclesiastical permission to care for souls and hurting saints. As a man approved of God, this Samaritan not only aided the man, but took him to an inn-keeper to make sure this man received all the help he would need. There are some in the world today who have reached this level of Christianity.

The inn-keeper was ready to help. He did it as long as it didn't cost him personally. The Samaritan was the one who gave two day's wages to the inn-keeper to be sure the man was aided. The Samaritan gave of his own money, but the inn-keeper required payment for his services. People in ministries today need to beware doing the right thing for the wrong motive. It was not the inn-keeper that the Lord indicated was the "neighbor" in this story.

The Lord is trying to get a church ready for the rapture. He is bringing many, if not all, Christians to a crossroads. Do we have our own agendas, or are we following the Lord and His agendas? Are we saying to the Lord when we come to crisis, to follow me, Lord. We are to follow Jesus to the agenda that He has, not expect Him to follow us and our desires.

There at the crossroads, we will encounter victims. We will have to make a choice. The Lord ended the story with "Go, and do thou likewise." Thus, He intended to have us come upon victims often, and wanted us to know how to treat them when we did encounter them.

We have come to a crossroads in many ways. In the abortion holocaust, we are seeing nearly 2 million victims a year. Nearly 2 million more mothers need to be shown a way of salvation. These victims we must "pass by", or aid, or aid when it is beneficial to ourselves. Which of the roads have you taken?

The Lord will attempt to lead us to help others, to minister with dedication, to sacrifice our own agendas to follow His agenda. Some have to choose whether to continue to be a priest or Levite who can easily "pass by" and neglect to help the victims.

Their companions are those who have chosen the wrong road, and now to choose a different road will mean a loss of friends. The Lord has brought most, if not all, of us to this crossroads. We have made choices already, and our choices have determined where we stand with the Lord at this moment. The Lord is not pleased with the choices of all the saints. Have you been confronted with victims again and again. Have you consistently "passed by"?

The Lord is not well-pleased with these roads some choose to travel. He needs a group of ministers for the last days who will have visions and dreams, be seeking for the victims in these last days before the rapture. Our time to work is almost over. We must quickly do our work. We have no more time for playing church. This is the final days. The real message must go forth.

I have wondered how the Lord knew this story. There are two probable ways. He may have known by way of a word of knowledge from God about the events described. He may have been told the story by the victim who had recovered. Perhaps the Lord knew that the Levite and priest who "passed by" were in the crowd listening to Jesus. If so, their hearts would have been pricked by the Lord's story, and its obvious message.

Before the Lord can give a minister a great role in these last days, He must get us onto the proper road. Jesus must be the One being followed. He will not follow us to our own agendas, our own ways, our own plans. The priest and the Levite walked on, but were expecting their God to follow them, but He was not. He was bringing a Samaritan, to the agenda of the Lord.

The choice at the crossroads is vitally important in these last days. Will you be saying to the Lord at the crossroads of life, FOLLOW ME, LORD? Or will you be FOLLOWING THE LORD and work at His agenda? Your choice will determine whether you will be of great use to the Lord in these last days before the rapture.

The rapture will soon occur and find you on the well-traveled road with the many priests and Levites, perhaps with a few of the victimizers mingling in the crowd with their booty. Or you may be by the "wayside," and in the "hedges", on a different road of your choosing. It is a lonely road when following the Lord, for many have wandered off alone, hoping Jesus will follow them, but He is near the victims of life, not following carnal Levites and carnal priests seeking their own agendas.

The victims of life, that the Lord is looking upon with love and blessing, are the agenda of the Lord. Those that follow Jesus will be making frequent stops along the way, to minister to victims. It is on this road that the Lord will give great preaching ministries, revival blessings, evangelistic success, and power beyond measure.

MORE TO COME

murjahel · Aug 16, 2014

Paul had sought to have God follow him, till he learned to follow Jesus.

Paul traveled a road to Damascus as a victimizer. He thought he was in the will of God. He came to a crossroads, and met the Lord Jesus Christ. That meeting was unforgettable by Paul. His choice there at that crossroads led him to an entirely different lifestyle and ministry. He went from being a persecutor, to being the persecuted. He went from being the scourger, to being scourged. He went from being the one who imprisoned, to being imprisoned. Yet, he went from a road leading to hell-fire, to a road way to heaven. His choice at that crossroads made an eternal difference. He chose to follow Jesus, rather than to follow his own agendas.

The Samaritan came to the same crossroads as the Levite and priest. He made the correct choice and was commended by the Lord. The other two must answer someday at the throne of God for their choice of the more-often-traveled road.

Scripture indicates that we are to live our lives very differently from those who don't follow Christ:

John 15:18-21
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you . The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But these things will they do unto you for my name's sake' because they know not him that sent me

John 17:14-16
The world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world

FOLLOWING JESUS, WE HEAR HIS VOICE.

John 10:27-28 (KJV)
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.

The sheep follow their Shepherd. If we hear Jesus voice, it will be easier to follow Him. If we allow other voices, our own agenda voice, the voices of others and their personal agendas, it will be harder to hear His voice.

The flock of the Lord Jesus follows its Shepherd to pastures and streams. They flock will follow even past hard places, dangerous places, yet trusting the Shepherd. We are to not only obey Jesus, but also imitate Him, becoming more and more like our loving Shepherd. We must go where the Spirit leads. We need to yield to His guidance.

When Jesus was upon earth in His first coming, many followed Him from place to place. Hence Christians are called FOLLOWERS.

In Revelation 14:4 they are described as "they that follow the Lamb."

WE FORSAKE OUR OWN AGENDA TO FOLLOW HIM.
WE DO NOT ASK HIM TO FOLLOW US.

Matthew 4:18-22 (KJV)
18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19 And He saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed Him.
21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed Him.

Jesus did not ask Peter for a job. He did not start helping them in their fishing business. The main task of Peter from that day forward was to follow Jesus. He failed at times, but he came back to the real mission of following Jesus, not attempting to hand Jesus a net and telling Jesus how to fish. Yet, in many of todays ministries, we find ministers trying to get Jesus involved in their agendas, not yielding to the Lord, and saying where do you want to lead me, Jesus?

FOLLOWING JESUS IS A SACRIFICIAL LIFE, S
ACRIFICING OUR OWN DESIRES
AND OUR OWN NEEDS TO HIS DESIRES,
AND TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS FOR WHOM HE CARES.

Matthew 8:20-22 (KJV)
20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

MATTHEW FOLLOWED,
AND THOSE THAT WERE HIS FORMER FRIENDS
WERE INTRODUCED TO JESUS.

Matthew 9:9-13 (KJV)
9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.
11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

WE GAIN MORE BY FOLLOWING HIM,
THAT IF WE HAD TRIED TO FOLLOW OUR OWN AGENDAS.

Matthew 16:24-26 (KJV)
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

ALL OUR GOOD INTENTIONS OF OUR OWN AGENDAS,
ARE NOT SUFFICIENT, NOT BENEFICIAL,
UNLESS WE ARE FOLLOWING JESUS.

Matthew 19:16-22 (KJV)
16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me.
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

WE FOLLOW TO SUFFERING,
WHEN WE FOLLOW THE LORD.

Luke 9:22-26 (KJV)
22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.

GLORIFICATION, HONOR, ETERNAL LIFE,
COME TO THOSE WHO FOLLOW JESUS.

John 12:23-26 (KJV)
23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
26 If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honour.

We carry a cross as we follow Him. The temptation is always there to lay down the cross, and seek a less hazardous road. We invite Jesus often to come that way, we try to convince ourselves and Him that this other way is easier, more productive, less hazardous, more popular, politically correct, and prosperous. He does not listen to us, He walks on His way, and sees if we will FOLLOW.

Our path is supposed to be marked by the footprints of Jesus. The bloody nail prints still flow out blood for us, to cleanse us, to empower us, and those bloody foot prints are to lead us, to show us the way that He went, and we are to follow.

The cross we must carry on this walk of following is not heavy, for His burden is light. We are not carrying it alone, He is there, lifting for us, comforting us, explaining to us why we walk this path. Christ Jesus carries the heavy end of the cross.

Following Jesus may involve seeing others walk away on their own paths. It may seem like we are going to be awfully lonely on this walk with Jesus. Yet the friends we encounter along the way, are others who are following Jesus too. We may stop to help the victims, but we will find also a group of co-followers of Jesus with whom we can rejoice in the nearness of our final destination with the Lord.

"Choose you this day whom ye shall serve" (Josh. 24:15), can be reworded for ministers of today, to choose Whom you will follow.

We should follow Jesus, unhesitatingly as sheep follow a shepherd. Jesus has the right to lead us wherever He chooses. A soldier follows the captain, a servant obeys the lord, and so should we follow the Redeemer, the King of kings, the Savior.

The journey may seem long, but, in eternity, we will marvel at how short a time it actually was. His everlasting arms carry us to a blessed end. There may not be many smooth paths, there may be hard trials, but they lead to the "city which hath foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God."

Jesus has called many to ministries of various kinds. His calling came with a follow Me. The key to success in our ministries is to obey that call, and to follow Jesus.

murjahel · Aug 17, 2014

ALL PENTECOSTAL PREACHERS FEEL FAILURES HEARTACHE

The problem of failure in the ministry affects all. We carry quite a calling as we minister, and no one, not even Jesus, has succeeded in all that was attempted. Jesus had Judas turn on Him, betray Him, and Judas ended up in perdition, in hell fire, despite the best efforts of Jesus. A night of weeping in Gethsemane, was due partially, at least, to the failure of Judas. The betrayal kiss, the deceptive attempt of Judas upon Jesus, was heavy on Jesus heart.

Ministers fail to win souls, persons reject their best efforts to bring them to Jesus. Hearts harden at sermons rather than melt, and conviction is ignored, not yielded to, by those a minister carries in heavy burden. Jesus often mentioned the ears to hear, because there are many ears that refuse to hear, making a minister wonder what more could have been said, what more could have been done, to get hearts to open to the mercy available, the wisdom offered, the directions that could change a life.

Some failures are the fault of ministers, some are only partially our fault.

Adam told Eve that it would bring death and sin if she ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and of evil. She was later deceived by the serpent, and the failure of Adam to adequately convince Eve to not do it, brought then Adams own failure.

Moses knew that he was to deliver Israel from slavery in Egypt. He saw an Egyptian beating one of the Israelites, and in attempt to get the delivery process started, he killed the Egyptian. Poor timing, poor judgment, wrong methodology, brought a forty year wait in the desert for Moses, whose failure had then given much insecurity when the burning bush event renewed his calling. Failure in ministry can have long and hard consequences for the minister.

Samsons failure in his ministry brought imprisonment, shame, blindness, and only one final victory for his ministry.

Davids failure in ministry with Bathsheba, brought a rebuke from a prophet, two years of guilt and shame, the death of a son, and a record in the Bible for all ages to read, of the failure.

Elijahs pouting under a juniper tree, the fear in his heart of a woman seeking his death, was a failure he will always be ashamed to discuss.

Peter denied the Lord Jesus three times, as predicted, and despite his determination to not ever speak such kind of words, he failed. The grief of his failure was heavy on his heart.

Pauls early life of persecuting Christians, of helping to stone Stephen, weighed heavy on his heart, made some other Christians unwilling to ever even listen or to read his later great sermons and teachings. The failure of his earlier life weakened his ministry, and hampered his later work.

Ministers today often have a heavy heart, a saddened mind, due to failure in their works. Many a minister has studied, prayed, wept, prepared, preached with love and compassion, and watched sinful souls harden themselves and reject the loving Jesus. The rejecters have walked away from a ministers best attempts, and gone back into the sin and shameful lives they had before. The failures of the ministers may not have been due to themselves, but that does not alleviate their sorrow and feelings of failure.

A sermon may be loving and complete of effort against the sin of gossip and verbal criticism, and the minister can stroll then into the vestibule of his church and shake hands with parishioners who share with him and others as they depart the gossip and critical statements toward others and the minister himself, as they depart his message. Did they not hear? Did his sermon not make it plain? Did the Spirit not convict their hearts? Did his sermon have willful rejection due to his failure or theirs? This has happened in some manner to all ministries, for I am certain Jesus often wondered where were the ears to hear His words! Failure to be heard, failure to be understood, failure to be accepted is faced by all in ministry.

PAUL DISCUSSED THESE FAILURES IN 1 Corinthians 4:1-13 (KJV):
1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

We are stewards of the wonderful mysteries of God. Ministers have various ministries, but a central fact is that all of us are sharing in some way the very mysteries of the Lord. What a heavy burden to have those mysteries in our hands, in our minds, in our mouths, and to be charged, commissioned, and sent to share them with those who desperately need them!

What God asks of us is to share them faithfully. Those mysteries, though shared as best we can, using our finite minds to share infinite truths, are still often rejected, through no fault of our own. Our intent can be to do the best of our ability, and even if we succeed in doing it to the best of our ability, and we could have done no better, the hearts of the hardened sinner may reject, at least for now, those words.

The mysteries of God have power. Gods Word does not return void, and it will accomplish what God has sent it out to do, and that is to make people aware. That awareness is received by their spirit, even when their soul and mind is trying to block it out and reject it. That message is stamped upon their spirit, and if they continue to reject, someday at the Great White Throne judgment, their spirit will remind their person, that they knew and had heard the mysteries.

The faithful ministers can weep and agonize over the rejecters of the messages they preach and teach. The prophets can be stoned, beaten, killed and locked away, but the faithful preaching and prophesying is what they will be judged for, not for the fact that most, sometimes all, of the hearers refused to acknowledge that they heard.

3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

Our Judge is God. He is the One Who speaks to the ministers hearts, Who inspires rhema words to be spoken, Who is present to convict the hearers, Who then judges the ministers, not on how the hearers responded, but on how faithfully the minister delivered the mysteries of the gospel.

Paul said I judge not mine own self. That is a crisis temptation for ministers, i.e. to judge themselves. We could be too easy in our judgments, and not be looking for any error we have in our delivery of the mysteries. We could neglect intercession, we could neglect study, assuming that all will reject anyhow, and we need not prepare spiritually for the delivery as we should.

Ministers can also judge too harshly, and become discouraged, thinking they are not able to do the work of Gods calling. They could look for a spiritual cave in which to hide, and cease their sharing of the mysteries of God. They could berate themselves, weep in shame for themselves, when actually they had faithfully delivered the mysteries, but had simply been rejected due to the hardness of the hearers hearts, not due to their own failure.

5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

Ministers must not judge things until the Lord comes. Ministers often want a judgment on whether it is their fault or the hearers fault. Yet, Paul counsels us not to hurry that judgment for the devil would like to get ministers into frequent and constant judging, looking inward for faults, looking outward for confirmation of their work. Seeking mankinds praise and adulation for the work is not our job. We are to be too busy with the work to be watching for standing ovations. We are not to plaster our picture on every page of our newsletters, seek congratulatory offerings and gifts, or send out press releases on our greatness, in order to soothe the pain of seeing what looks like failures in our ministries. We await the reward at the judgment seat of Christ Jesus, which does not happen until rapture day. We are not to be sidetracked with efforts to be assured we are not failures. We are not here to lift up ourselves, we are here to deliver the mysteries of God, and to do it faithfully. Our Judge, Jesus Christ, will someday show us our rewards, and they await that time.

6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.
7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

Jealousies between ministers of the gospel are far too common. Trying to be the best at delivering the mysteries of God is not why we are here. Why do ministers puff up themselves in comparison to others? Why is so much time spent in competition over who is doing the best job of ministering? Why are we not doing our part, and appreciating the parts of others, without the attempts to prove our part is the greatest part? We see ministers bad-mouth other ministries more than they do the devil. We see competitive seeking for support to uplift ones own ministry, rather than allowing the Lord to tell saints to which ministries they should be faithful. Ministers gather enough for their ministry, have enough extra to buy jet planes, multiple mansions, and a dozen luxury vehicles, and not care that other vital ministries are impoverished due to their greed. The thought that their ministry is the only vital one is not right.

One is not a failure if no one supports them, one is not a success if the bank account is overflowing. Jesus will judge the efforts and the work of ministers on a standard that is not based on how many standing ovations one had accumulated, or on how much money has been sacrificially given to them.

8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

We all have a high calling. Every minister of the Lord will rule and reign as kings with our King of kings. We will all reign together in the millennium and on the new earth. This is a joint task, assigned to us, to be done with cooperation with the Spirit, Who is the Director of all of us. We are not to seek to be the boss of anyone else, we are all servants to the One, to our Head, to our Lord, i.e. Jesus Christ. None of us are higher than any other of us.

9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.
10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised.
11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place;
12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
13 Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the off scouring of all things unto this day.

When Paul speaks of being "made a spectacle" the Greek word indicates the idea of a Greek parade, which at the end of such a parade were brought criminals, bound and fettered to make them suffer public humiliation before the crowd. In the same way, the ones who minister for the Lord are often subjected by some in the congregation to humiliation for their simple cross-bearing presentation of the gospel.

Ministers are in a parade. A parade of failures, not a parade of those that the world calls heros. We are spectacles in this parade.

Paul also says that they are "fools" for Christ. The Greek word is "moros" which is the word from which we get "moron." A minister is often considered a moron by some in the congregation for the simple, cross-bearing gospel message.

Paul says that the minister is "weak", for it does take more energy to preach a half hour sermon, than it takes the average man to work an eight hour day. Ministering the Word of God with authority, with conviction, and with zeal is demanding, and drains all the strength of the minister.

The true minister is one who is "despised." There are many households where "roast preacher" is served for Sunday dinner. These people criticize the sermon, his haircut, his manner of delivery, his emphasis, and his not beating them to the door so he could shake their hand. Then this same group wonder why their children rebel, and do not seek counsel for waywardness from this same minister.

Paul also said the ministers "hunger", "thirst", are "naked", are "buffeted", and have "no certain dwelling place." This is because a minister is seldom overpaid.

If a manager of a department store, caring for trinkets, clothes, and furniture is paid many thousands, how can we think we are overpaying a minister who is charged with caring for the souls of the saints, the children of God? Yet, many will let their local minister suffer thirst and hunger, poverty and be destitute, so they can get the newsletter from a minister that has half the newsletter taken up with pictures of themselves.

The mayor, the congressmen, the senators are paid multitudes of thousands and they deal with the earthly things. So, all ministers are dealing with the mysteries of God that have eternal value. All need loved and cared for, in appreciation for their part of the work. God can lead the right people to the right gift of giving, to enable all ministries to have sufficient payment for their work, until the day when Jesus rewards them at the judgment seat on rapture day.

The true minister of the gospel speaks with the Almighty God, seeks His counsel and guidance. He is the under-shepherd of the flock that belongs to the Creator of the universe. They deserve all a congregation is led to give them in payment to keep that ministry going unhindered by lack.
more to come..

murjahel · Aug 18, 2014

The true ministers do "labor". This labor is too often a physical labor. The church congregations often think it is the minister's job to clean the church, fix the plumbing, change the light bulbs, and shovel the snow. Then they wonder why his spiritual being is weak and burdened. If Jesus came to next Sunday's service, would you expect Him to arrive early enough to shovel the snow, dust the pews, mop the floor, and still minister a fiery sermon?

Paul also stated the "being reviled, we bless, ... persecuted, we suffer it..." This refers to the insulting abuse that ministers often receive. This abuse can make a minister feel like a failure. All ministries have this abuse. Even Jesus, in His perfection, was reviled and He suffered. He was not a failure.

Ministers are to present the gospel, and not stand to weekly defend himself from the lies, innuendos, insults, and abusive treatment of the gossips, critics, and tares of the church. Ministers need to attend to the faithful, and to keep presenting the mysteries of God, ignoring the attempts of the devils cohorts to make them feel as failures.

"Defamed, we entreat..." The message of the true minister is often rejected. Often as ministers have tried to teach the truth of the Word, they have had attacks. The true minister will keep on entreating the people. The message will still be grounded in love and mercy. The idea that this defamation means they are failures is false. The defamation is to be expected, and our reaction is supposed to be to continue to entreat.

The true ministers of the Word are often treated as the "filth" and the "offscouring". This "filth" refers to the sweepings of the house that one brushes out the door. Many a minister has felt pushed away, in that same way. The "offscouring" is a word that referred to the scrapings from a pan of burnt on food, charred and worthless, they are scraped off and washed down the drain. This is how a true minister is often treated. This is despicable behavior of so-called saints. They are evil when they treat a minister of God with such an attitude.

There was a custom in Greece to incarcerate certain worthless criminals, who in time of plague, famine, etc. were thrown into the sea in the belief that they would "cleanse away" the guilt of the people. In that same way, many a minister has been shunned, hated, criticized, persecuted, expelled, and fired by some who want to blame him (or her) for the problems of the congregation. Instead of searching their own judgmental, hypocritical, bitter hearts for the problem, it is easier to throw the true minister to the sea. Such congregations will usually do this to minister after minister. The reason is, the real problem did not leave when the last minister was thrown out as the "offscouring". The real problem is in the hearts of the abusers, and those who enable them to carry on this tradition.

Remember where we started in I Corinthians 4:1-2:
"Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards, that a man be found faithful."

True ministers of the simple cross-bearing gospel are "ministers of Christ." They are the servants of Christ, not of man, nor of the church, nor of the board of deacons, nor of the denomination. They serve Christ, answer to Christ, heed the message of Christ... He alone is their Lord. He alone does the true minister seek to please. Those who seek to please the people, please the congregation, please the board of deacons, or please the denomination will stray from the true message, and adulterate, pollute, and defile the true message of the Lord Jesus.

True ministers of the Lord are "stewards of the mysteries of God." They administrate the presentation of the whole truth of God. They show in the Word, how the Christian life should be lived. They have a grave responsibility to not add to, nor to take away from its message. They must faithfully preach it, not dilute it. They must preach it even when some will try to embarrass them for it. When others will want to contend with them, and hope the minister will change the message to avoid the confrontation, they must forcefully hold fast to the truth of the Word of God. This is their burden of responsibility given them by God.

Ministers need our prayer and support. God alone is their Judge, and they answer to Him. Ministers do not even always know how to judge themselves. Did they do all that they should have, or could have? Many a minister has condemned himself for not doing this or that better, or more often. We are told in the Word not to do that kind of self judging, for the Lord is the only One Who knows exactly what He wanted us to do. The congregation should not judge the man of God, nor should he be too harsh on himself. Allow God to judge. He alone can do it properly. We await His judgment on our ministry. Till then keep trying to do all we are told to do, by Him...

We are not justified by the Lord due to the lack of feeling of being a failure. For all of us we feel that feeling. God knows our weaknesses, our true failures, and is a forgiving, loving Lord. He picks us up, dusts us off, anoints our wounds, fills us with more rhema to deliver, and walks with us every step of the way. If that is the life of a failure, well, it is not so bad.

It is the Lord Who judges us. It is He Who constantly charges us with His work. It is He only Who can truly reward us with eternal rewards. We serve Him. Until He comes, we are not to seek commendation for our works, for He alone can judge us fairly. He will bring all things to light.

Romans 2:16 (KJV)
16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Though the world and even those in the church may call us failures, and though even we, ourselves, feel as failures when hardened hearts refuse to yield to the Spirit of the Lord, we are still faithful to deliver the mysteries, and will someday find that we will eternally be rich in rewards from the Lord.

As Jesus said to the church at Smyrna:
Revelation 2:9-11 (KJV)
9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Faithful ministers are not failures in the true sense of the word. For even when one feels the failure of a hearer to respond to the Lords message, the faithfulness of the minister to present that message is a success. Jesus was successful even though Judas failed. We must faithfully do our ministry, and the only failure possible is to fail in delivering that message.

murjahel · Aug 19, 2014

THE REALITY OF SIN

The ministries need to identify the sins that doom souls. We preach, teach, prophesy and exhort against sin, and show the Answer, Jesus Christ. Sin is the enemy that the devil made sure we would have to battle. The devil and the sins he promotes are to be identified and ceased in the Christian life. We are not saved by works, but we are saved unto good works. We do not earn salvation by omitting sins, but our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus.

Galatians 3:10
"For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them."

We are delivered from the curse of sin. Sin can damn the souls of the Adamic race. We preach a salvation for these doomed souls.

James 2:10
"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."

There is a penalty for sin. If we believed that all go to heaven, as do the Mormons, then why evangelize? If, like the extreme Calvinists, we believed that only the elect will be saved, why evangelize? If we believed that every sin dooms the soul of the sinner, and we need to be perfect to make it, as the extreme Arminians, why evangelize, for we cannot ever make perfection?

The Bible teaches free will, we each have a choice to reject or accept God. And sinners need to be saved, by grace, not by works, from their sins. The way of sin has dire consequences.

Proverbs 8:36
"He that sinneth against Me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate Me love death."

Romans 6:23
"The wages of sin is death."

Sin torments the sinner. Guilt for sin, remorse for wrong deeds, conscience pricks for failures, Holy Spirit conviction for trespasses over God's boundaries, all plague sinners. There is no running from it. It follows like a shadow. People are driven into despair by sin.

Isaiah 48:22
"There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked."

Backsliders, who have known the peace of salvation, are the most miserable people in the world. They know, deep down, what they have lost. Sin has broken their communion with God.

Isaiah 59:2
"But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He cannot hear."

When a crisis comes to a backslider, it is a terrible state to be in, to not have a listening God when the prayer for help is given.

Sin enslaves people. It traps people. They think, "Someday, I'll straighten out." But sin grips, and doesn't want to let them go.

John 8:34
"Jesus answered them, 'Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is a servant of sin.'"

It is like the illustration of the string wrapped around a man. How easy it is for him to expand his muscular arms and break it. Yet, if he lets one wrap the string around and around him many times, soon - he cannot break the string. Sin is that way. If tolerated, and not repented of, the many times one has sinned soon grips with strength that is nearly impossible to break.

Yet, sin needs to be broken. Sin needs atonement. People are totally unable to break from sin without God's help. The past sins cannot be atoned for by people. Only God has provided an answer. There is no other answer than Jesus. He alone can break the habits of sin. He can atone for sins we cannot stop in our own power. He has provided a way of salvation.

Romans 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

THE SINFUL STATE OF THE CHURCH TODAY

There is a wide variety of ideas describing the "church" of today. To some it is a snooty country club, and to others it has become a political action group. It has often been described as a bunch of do-good-ers. Some have felt that it was a religious bunch on a joy-weekend. For many it becomes judges trying to legislate morals for the rest of the world. Many have found it to have a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde reputation, containing some good and some hypocritical people.

The church is in horrible condition, needed much identification of sin, much like Jesus identified the sins of the seven churches in Revelation 2 & 3. Ministers have found it much easier to preach against the sins of the world, rather than the sins right in their midst of the church. Sermons warn of the devil,s presence in the bar down the street. Sermons warn of the inappropriate contentographic movies on the movie channels. Yet, there is sin in the church, and the devil attends church services. It might surprise many to know that the devil still attends worship services. In fact, he attends some in heaven itself.

Job 1:6
"Now there came a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them."

We don't know which day it was, perhaps a Sabbath, or perhaps this type of service occurs daily in heaven. The term, "sons of God" occurs five times in the Old Testament. It always refers to the angels of heaven. These angels gathered to worship God at His throne. The evil one, the devil, entered amidst the righteous angels. If the devil can enter this worship service, certainly he and his demonic henchmen are possible in our worship services on earth. Even at the last supper, Judas was there whom Satan had entered. We are presumptuous to assume that the devil and the devilish do not care to attend our worship services. Their attendance records are probably often better than the saints' attendance records.

With the devil in attendance, we often find his work is evident also. That sinful work needs addressed, and preached against. The sins down the street are not doing much harm to the church, but the sins of those in the pew behind you, in front of you, and in the row behind the row in front of you, are the sins that need preached against.

Mere assembling is of no value. We do not get "points" for our attendance. We are not going to get to heaven for proper church membership and attendance. The devil attends church, and he will not be accepted into heaven. He came to criticize, to condemn, to complain, and to find fault. The devil came wicked, behaved wickedly, and left more wicked than he came. Many people in congregations of today do the same. It was amidst a holy congregation, and before the Holy God, that the devil lied about Job. It was there that he plotted the persecution of Job.

The best of congregations are not free of evil ones. At the last supper, the disciples asked Jesus, "Is it I?" (John 13:21-27). We too must search our hearts as we attend worship services. We must be careful we do not assume that our attendance assures our spirituality.

As Jesus spoke to those at the last supper and identified sins there, in Judas, in Peter, in the other disciples, we need to identify sins in the church. We may wash one anothers feet, we may take communion together, but that does not eliminate the sins on the horizon, just as it did not at the last supper there.

The devil and his workers assemble in the churches with us for various reasons.

1. To do mischief to the saints.

To accuse them before the Lord.
To distract them from heavenly thoughts
To encourage criticism
To sow dissension
To encourage pride
To discourage
To cool down ardor
To sow counterfeit saints (Matt. 13:25, 38-39)

2. To do mischief to the unconverted.

To distract them from God's salvation
To raise doubts in their minds
To suggest delay
To deaden feelings
To rob memory of the Word of God (Matt. 13:19)
To recommend procrastination in accepting Jesus

Just as the devil is brazenly impudent with God, and rails against God's people, and resolves to tempt man, and to torture man, so some in the congregations of today are brazenly impudent. We must beware of the devil's ways, for we find the same criticism, backbiting, slander, complaining, bitterness, trouble and abuse within congregations today, as was happening in Job 1.

The devil did not review himself at the end of the service. He did not recall his defiance and repent. Nor did he even consider his deeds to be wrong. In the same way, many in today's congregations come and go from service to service, and never consider the evil of their ways. We all need to weigh our thoughts and deeds in the congregation. The outstanding purpose of communion, is not the simple partaking of elements, but the examining of oneself in relationship to the whole of the body of Christ (i.e. the church congregation).

Many churches have become hindrances to the gospel, and to the work of Christ Jesus. The pews of many congregations are nearly empty. The truth is seldom taught in some congregations. The pews in many that are full, are full for the wrong reasons. Some have come to find out how to get rich, not how to get to Jesus. Some preachers preach hatred and riot... Some teach works and not faith. Some teach bigotry and isolation. Some simply go through a form, and escape untaught at all.

The false church is a source of heartache, and a source of disillusionment to a starving and thirsty world. The false church is selfish and power hungry. It contains the cruel, the devilish, and the hateful. There is much counterfeit Christianity in our day. This type of religion is dull, barren, and deadly. The Lord warned us that these "tares" would grow with the real wheat until the end times.

Matthew 13:30
"Let both grow together until the harvest..."

We are not to physically remove the tares from amidst the wheat. Yet, we are to preach against sin, and they should be uncomfortable when their own sins are preached against, not just the sins of those outside the church.

Since many in the church of today is in desperate need, we need to identify and confront the sins within the church. It is suffering, hateful, bigoted, unjust, miserable, perverted, shallow, stupid, ignorant, and unaware of it! Usually the true church has tried to apply superficial bandages to the leprosy of the church of today. It is like taking an aspirin for a broken arm, it only deadens awareness of the problem, and not very effectively. It is like taking tums for a cancer, inadequate and foolish. To cleanse the church of the selfishness, and cruel sinfulness needs a revolution within the church. This revolution must precede the great revival.
MORE TO COME

murjahel · Aug 20, 2014

THE CHURCH WANTS TO STAY BLIND TO ITS OWN SINS.

The words blind and blindness, in the Greek, come from tuphloo and poroo. Tuphloo, is from the root word tuph meaning to burn, to smoke, and speaks of the way smoke could be so heavy it would obscure and make it almost impossible to see. It speaks metaphorically of dulling of the intellect, making it difficult or impossible to discern. Poroo, is from the root word poros, meaning a thick skin, or a hardening. It is sometimes translated hardening. It is like the scales of hard matter that can cover the eye area, and make it impossible to see.

There is much blindness in Christianity today, as in all ages. In this age, it is especially prevalent, for the devil knows that his time is very limited, and he seeks to deceive even the elect, if he can. Spiritual blindness is prevalent, and it has further repercussions. It leads to further sin, further alienation from God.

Ephesians 4:17-19
...walk not as other gentiles walk, in the vanity of mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart... who being past feeling, have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Note there, in that passage, that those with spiritual blindness, have a vanity of mind. That means that their thoughts are totally worthless. They do not have thoughts that are productive to their spirit, they do not accomplish any spiritual good with their minds. Unfortunately, that describes many in many churches of this day.

There, in that passage, we also see that their understanding is darkened. The understanding they could have easily had, is not found, for it is like being in a dark room, and what is apparent, if the lights had been on, are totally missed due to the darkness fo their minds.

They also are said to be alienated from the life of God. This means that they the blindness means separation, alienation, estrangement from God. God is light, and in Him is no darkness, so if some walk in darkness, cannot see, then, God is not walking with them, and the life and strength, the wisdom and discernment, that would come with a walking with God is absent from those who are spiritually blind.

The passage above also speaks of the ignorance that is in them. There is a worldly knowledge, that some brag upon, with degrees, and doctorates, and proof of much study. Yet, if one is spiritually blind, they are void of real knowledge of the eternal, and they are ignorant despite the degrees and titles.

The passage speaks also of being past feeling. This refers to an emotional breakdown in the person. They do not feel compassion for the sinner, for the weak, for the hurting. They can do immense harm and hurt to people, be insulting and abusive with ease, for there is not the emotion of guilt, shame, and remorse, as there is in people who walk in the light of Gods grace and mercy.

The passage mentions, that spiritually blind people, also have given themselves over unto lasciviousness. Lasciviousness is not always a thing that is sin of itself, but it is the deed that makes one weaker, and leads to sin. So to purposely do things that make one too weak to avoid sins, is lasciviousness. The spiritually blind do not realize that this deed or action, may not be sin, but if they do it, their weakness being increased by such, is going to lead them into things that are definitely sinful. Therefore, willful lasciviousness is sinful. The spiritually blind, not seeing the danger in the path, travel it and then wonder how they were so weak they sinned.

The spiritually blind, finally get to the place where they work all uncleanness. This refers to the things that all of us know are sinful., The spiritually blind, in this final stage of the blindness, have become so depraved due to the long time of darkness, that they sin horrible, shameful sins, not realizing that they are the ones in darkness, and others see the shame of such sins, in better detail, for they are in the light.

These shameful, unclean sins, are done with greediness, we are told. The desire to gain, the desire for carnal mammon, the desire to prosper in earthly things, becomes their motivation, instead of the desire for heavenly approval and reward.

I John 2:11
He that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and knows not where he goes, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

The one who is spiritually blind, finds a hatred for the family of God. The lack of kinship is in sharp contrast to what Jesus meant for the family of God to have. This hatred takes one even further into darkness, and the hatred makes one wander to destinations not even suspected by the spiritually blind. Horrible abuse, horrible sins against the saints occur by those who are in darkness of spiritual blindness.

Matthew 15:14
Let them alone, they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall in the ditch.

In the church of today, there are some blind trying to lead the blind and both are falling into ditches. They preach against sins that are not even in their midst, they ignore sins that are dooming their own souls. They raise money to have enough to raise more money, they placate the convicted if they will give a sacrificial offering. The darkness in those groups keep them from seeing the next ditch into which they are going to fall. These are spiritually blind, are so unaware of their darkness, that they lead one another to more and more stumbling blocks and ditches into which they both fall. The spiritually blind do not seek help to discover truth and sight, but they lead others to places of falsehoods, heresies, and false doctrines.

Romans 11:7-11
Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the elect hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded... God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see.

When one is spiritually blind, the spirits can obsess them with an apathy, a spiritual drowsiness, a sleeping of mind. Therefore, they do not see spiritual truths, they do not see dangers ahead, they do not even know where they are headed.

II Corinthians 3:14
But their minds were blinded, for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament, which veil, is done away in Christ.

This veil of darkness is blinding many, and only Jesus can take away this blindness. It has a tendency to remain, and remain. Those spiritually blind do not seek sight easily, they become content in blindness, are unaware of the need of sight, for they think that their darkness is light.

What should we now do about the tragic state of the church?

Should we ignore it?
To ignore catastrophe would only make us one of the casualties.

Should we resent it?
Resentment only succumbs to its deadness.

Should we join in the deadness?
This would only insure that we also join in the judgment of this church.

No! We should change the church to something else, before the judgment of the church comes. Ministers of today need to preach, teach, prophesy, exhort, the way to remove the veils of darkness over the congregations.

Many are homesick for what the church had. Some have never experienced a church that possessed the meaningful experience that God intended. Many are standing with mouths-a-watering for the possibility they see within the church plan given by God in the Bible. Many want to stand up and claim what the Bible has revealed for them. The true church will be strong, loving, forgiving, and Godly. It will be able to show God's healing for the human hurts. It will deliver many from the fear, guilt, and shame of sin. The true church will be doctrinally pure. It will powerfully show forth signs and wonders. It will not be a human institution, nor will it be an independent organization. It will be a body of believers who are under the control of the "head", i.e. Jesus Christ.

The true church is getting ready for this revolution of change. The false church is opposing this revolution. The true revolution must be Biblical, and will be led by the Spirit of God. The revolution is now beginning in many parts of the country and world. We must soon choose sides, and will be forced to choose. The Lord Jesus is soon coming for a pure, unspotted, and unblemished church that is being the hinderer of sin, and the power of God in a dying world. The revolution in the church is reviving His church to this state.

Services of the church don't need large crowds. John the baptist was a "voice crying out in the wilderness." There he stood in an empty wilderness preaching the gospel, and the crowds came to hear this lone man who bellowed out the need for repentance. He announced a coming "kingdom", and a coming King. We too may start by announcing a coming kingdom, and a coming King, in like-lonely conditions. Don't be in despair at the greatness of the task. This is God's way, not ours.

The secret of the power of the true church is not in the numbers, nor in the majesty of its buildings. It is not in its political clout, nor in its popular acclaim. The power of the true church is the power of the Spirit.

Zechariah 4:6
"Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord."

The secret of being a church is in the presence of the Lord Jesus. He dwells within the true church. The church of Laodicea in Revelation chapter 3, has Jesus on the outside knocking, and seeking admittance. The true church of the last days will have Jesus within and enjoying His presence.

Ephesians 1:22-23
"He has put all things under His (Christ's) feet and has made Him the Head over all things for the church which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all."

The true church is the dwelling place of the Lord Jesus. He lives within His people. The true church is the "body of Christ." The multitudes that make up the true church are so filled with the presence of Jesus, that the whole is called - "the body of Christ."

SO WHAT SINS ARE WE GOING TO ADDRESS AS WE PREACH?

The pharisees will not want to hear sermons on hypocrisy. The publicans will not want to hear sermons on greed and theft. The gossips and liars will not want to hear sermons on sins of our tongues. Let us face it! The sins that most will put at the bottom of their desired sins to be informed of, are the sins that are rampant or are temptations in our lives. The sins that make the congregation mad at their presentation are the ones in their lives. The sins that are sought to be avoided, that are given prettier names to make them sound tolerable, are the sins the ministers of today need to address.

Jesus said to the churches in Revelation 2 & 3, that:
Revelation 2:2
I know your works.

The Lord does know the works, the good and the bad works, that are in the church. We may call them prettier names, like calling adultery an affair, or calling pride to be faith. Yet, the Lord still has sins listed under the original names, and when they are in the church of the Lord, they are far worse than when in the unsaved world. It is time we preach against the sins within the church.

murjahel · Aug 21, 2014

THE PENTECOSTAL PREACHER
HAS A MISSION LIKE UNTO THAT OF JESUS...

AS THE FATHER HATH SENT ME,
SO SEND I YOU.

WE ARE CALLED TO AN EMPTY LIFE

NOT A MISSION OF ACCEPTANCE
NOR OF APPRECIATION

John 20:19-21 (KJV)
19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
20 And when He had so said, He shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you.

The disciples assembled but not to worship, not to be taught, they were assembled for fear. The terror of the killings of the ones who followed Jesus was real. Jesus had foretold not only of His own death, but also of others who would be killed. Fear was their motivating factor in this gathering.

The discussion of the empty tomb was going on, but it was not enough to raise them out of fear. Jesus came into the room, showed them His hands and feet, with the nail prints still very evident. He proclaimed peace upon them.

Then He states, as the Father hath sent Me, so send I you.

This is a very startling, not very welcome statement to them, nor is it to many of today, who are in ministry. They had been through some trying days, they had seen their Lord, the Messiah, go through suffering beyond measure. They had seen His mission in coming was to give in total sacrifice, His life. Then, He finally reveals, after proclaiming peace for them, that they have a similar mission now for Him, to give their all, to suffer and be rejected, to be forsaken by those deemed to be friends, to carry a cross through life.

Ministers often get the idea that they are there to be appreciated, praised, complimented, rewarded, and revered. The title of Reverend in front of some of our names, is the most reverence that we will find. LOL In the ministry, not even our perfect Lord Jesus was revered. He came from God with a mission, and that mission required emptying Himself of all pride, all personal ambition, all self glory, all seeking of acclaim for oneself.

NOT OUR HOME, BUT A FOREIGN LAND IN WHICH WE MINISTER

John 17:14-19 (KJV)
14 I have given them Thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth.
18 As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

We have the Word, the message from Jesus, to take to this world. The world therefore hates us, for the message is not of the world, and it was rejected when Jesus gave it. Unless we adulterate the message with other teachings to make it appealing to this world, it is going to be hated and we are going to be hated also.

Jesus prays for His ministers to be kept from evil. We are to realize, that this is not our home, we are in a foreign world, for our home is heaven.

Jesus as Jesus was sent from His heavenly home to this foreign world, we are now sent into this world as ambassadors from our homeland, from heaven. We are to be sanctified, i.e. set apart, for a ministry here, one that is like unto what Jesus came to do, like unto how He was treated when He came.

THE KENOSIS OF JESUS

Philippians 2:5-8 (KJV)
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

The Kenosis of Christ, is a term that comes from the Greek word kenoo (G2758), meaning to empty out, to drain. When it says made Himself of no reputation, it is the word kenoo, meaning He emptied Himself, He drained out of Himself many things.

This is hard for us to do, and yet, we are sent into this world with the same mission, with the same calling as Jesus had. If we do not empty ourselves, then we are not following in the mission to which we are called.

Of what did Christ empty Himself?

It was not His divine nature, for He is God for all eternity (Mic. 5:1-2; Jn. 1:1-2; Heb. 1:8; Rev. 1:8-11).
Jesus was One of the Trinity, manifest in flesh during His life on earth (Isa. 7:14; 9:6-7; Mt. 1:18-25; Jn. 1:1-2,14; 1Tim. 3:16).

Christ emptied Himself of:

1. Jesus emptied, temporarily, Himself from His equality with God. He put Himself into total subjection to Another One of the Trinity. We too need to realize we are totally in subjection to the Lord Jesus, and not His boss, but followers and disciples of Him.
(Philippians 2:6-7; John. 14:28; I Corinthians. 11:3)

2. Jesus emptied Himself of His eternal, holy, pure, all powerful body, to take human-form. We still await our redeemed body. We have been made eternal spiritually, but we are in a human body that still suffers pain, weakness, and is slowly dying. We have human body frailties, till the adoption of the body at the rapture/resurrection.
(Romans 8, Philippians 2:6-8; 3:21; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke. 1:35; John. 1:14; Lk. 24:37-40; Zechariah 13:6; Galatians 4:4)

3. Jesus emptied Himself of the glory, honor, praise, worship that He had with the Father in heaven. We too will find hatred not love from the world, we will not be reverenced but rather we will be despised if we stay with our real mission.
(John. 12:23; 17:5; Matthew 16:27; Philippians 2:5-11)

4. Jesus emptied Himself of His authority in heaven and in earth. He had that returned after the resurrection. We will someday rule and reign with Jesus, but right now, we are not in authority over this world, but we have, as Jesus, authority over the devil, and can resist him and make him flee. (Matthew 28:18; Philippians 2:9-11; Ephesians 1:20-23; I Peter. 3:22)

5. Jesus emptied Himself of His divine attributes and outward powers that He had in heaven. He had no power to do miracles until His anointing with the Spirit, at the time when the Dove rested upon His head. We too have no power in ourselves. It is the power of the Spirit that does miracles through us.
(John 2:11; 3:34; Isaiah 11:1-2; 42:1-7; 61:1-2; Luke 3:21-22; 4:16-21; Matthew 12:28; Acts 10:38).

Jesus attributed all His works, doctrines, powers, to His Father. Jesus limited Himself to simple human status, to being only an Agent of God, and as One using only the authority delegated from God through the Spirit. We are told to follow in His steps.

Peter 2:21-25 (KJV)
21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
23 Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously:
24 Who his own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by Whose stripes ye were healed.
25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

Jesus was tempted by sin, resisted and did not yield to that temptation, to prove that in human form, in human weakness, mankind, even we, can also resist temptation with the aid of the Spirit of God.

Isaiah, in Isaiah 7:14-16, says the Messiah would be born without knowledge to know to refuse evil and choose good. Jesus was limited, emptied of all, so that the Spirit of God had to teach Him wisdom, show Him understanding, illustrate to Him counsel, anoint Him with might, reveal to Him knowledge, and help Him learn the fear and reverence of the Lord.

Isaiah 7:14-16 (KJV)
14 Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
15 Butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.
16 For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.

Jesus emptied Himself, and showed us by illustration, how to live a human life.

Isaiah 50:4-9 (KJV)
4 The Lord GOD hath given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth Mine ear to hear as the learned.
5 The Lord GOD hath opened Mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
6 I gave my back to the smiters, and My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not My face from shame and spitting.
7 For the Lord GOD will help Me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
8 He is near that justifieth Me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to Me.
9 Behold, the Lord GOD will help Me; who is he that shall condemn Me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

Jesus was born without the tongue of the learned, without knowing how to speak a word in season to help any soul, and would be wakened day by day to increase in knowledge and wisdom. We are born that way too. We have to learn to minister, we need to learn from the Spirit of God, like unto how Jesus did after He had emptied Himself.

We start out empty. We start when Jesus came after He had emptied Himself. We are limited as a baby, to grow in body, in soul, in spirit, to learn grace, wisdom, stature, and grow in favor with God. Jesus did not possess, nor claim the stature and powers of God, for Himself, but used the powers of God through the Spirit. So must we do that.

Too many want to be little gods, and want to claim to have powers in themselves. We have One, the Comforter, Who is with us to do miracles, but we are not deity. Jesus emptied Himself of all that to show us how to have a miraculous life, though we are only human.

Jesus promised all believers power to do the works that He did. We have the same powers that He had, we are to do His works, and even mightier works, though still emptied of any personal power of our own. (Matthew 10:1-20; 16:18; 18:18; Luke 10; 24:49; Mark 16:15-20; John 14:12-15; Acts 1:4-8).

Jesus humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Our road leads to a cross too. He came to bear the sins of the world, we still are concerned about those sins, if we are on the same road as Christ Jesus, and walking with Christ Jesus.

THE WALK WITH JESUS

Too many in ministry think they are there to be honored. We shall be, but not here. If we get honor here, it is due to not preaching the right message. The honor Jesus received, after all this merciful emptying, was a crown of thorns, a bloody robe, nails in His hands and feet.

Do we think the world has changed? Or have we tried to change? We have love for the world, like Jesus came with love for sinful mankind. We love enough to preach what they need to hear. Yet, what they need to hear is not wanted, not desired by them, and they reject it with hatred and violence. The message in these last days is going to be hated more than ever. The enemy will make these days to be perilous times, but we need not fear. We are on a hated road, but we are walking with Jesus, headed to our heavenly home, where much will be given to us, for walking this empty life.

murjahel · Aug 22, 2014

SOME POISON KOOL AIDS ARE BEING SERVED...
PENTECOSTAL PREACHERS OPPOSE AND IDENTIFY THEM...

In the ministries to which God calls us, there are many who will seek to hinder that calling. False teachers, false apostles, false prophets, false pastors, false saints will stand in the way of ministries. They will offer poison koolaid to replace the water of life to drink. The poison koolaid will kill.

Jannes and Jambres in the churches of today

II Timothy 2:1-9
"This know also, that in the last days, perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof; from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth; men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further; for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was."

Notice in verse 8 the reference to Jannes and Jambres. This is the only reference by name in the Bible of these two. According to Origen, there was an ancient book called the "BOOK OF JANNES AND JAMBRES". This lost book is no longer available, but I doubt that Paul read a heathen book by those who were the false prophets of Moses' day. More likely this is a reference to a book known and quoted twice in the Bible, the "Book of Jasher". It is quoted or referred to in Joshua 10:13, and II Samuel 1:18. And in Jasher 79:27 is the only locate-able source for this fact about Jannes and Jambres. So Jasher is quoted herein by Paul. According to Paul and this book that Paul quoted, these two were the ones who withstood Moses when he came to Egypt.

Jasher 79:27
"And when they had gone, Pharaoh sent for Balaam, the magician, and to Jannes and Jambres, his sons, and to all the magicians and conjurors and counselors which belonged to the king, and they all came and sat before the king."

Therefore these two were the sons of Balaam. They were two of the main "wise men" and "sorcerers" who called out by Pharaoh to confront Moses. These two had their rods turn into serpents (as had Aaron), but Aaron's serpent ate theirs. (Exodus 7:11-12) Then Jannes and Jambres made water turn to blood, as had the miracle done by God through Moses. (Exodus 7:22) Then they brought forth frogs as had Moses. (Exodus 8:7). Finally, they tried to bring forth lice, but this time -"they could not." (Exodus 8:18-19).

The powers of the devil had been used by these two as they did the first three miracles in confronting Moses. The Pharaoh had probably reveled in the apparent power of these two, but finally God stopped the powers of the next plague. God stopped their power.

Paul likened these two to the false, hypocritical leaders of the last days... For after the failure of these two in the plague of the lice, the Pharaoh rejected and banished these two. As unlikely as it seems, the two, Jannes and Jambres, left Egypt with the Israelites.

Seeming to be converts, but in reality, they were hypocritical. These two were two of the main instigators of those encouraging Aaron to make the golden calf. Like the "tares" of the last days, they were the false, the hypocritical, the false prophets of that day.

These sons of Balaam withstood Moses every chance they had, and attempted to be leaders and influences against the children of Israel. Like the "tares" referred to by Jesus, who are planted amidst the wheat of the harvest of God, to corrupt, to pervert, and to hinder the true harvest. These two hindered Israel for years.

Then, their father Balaam attempted to curse Israel for Balak. But God, and a talking donkey, stopped Balaam. Balaam then told Balak how to corrupt Israel by sending in the Midianitish women so their God would grow angry at them, and allow them to be defeated. The plan almost worked.

Balaam, Balak, Jannes and Jambres probably rejoiced. But then God found a man named Phineas who stepped in and slew an Israeli man who was defiantly challenging Moses' call for repentance.. While Moses was holding a prayer meeting at the entrance to the Tabernacle, this man and a Midianitish princess walked past the weeping saints, to a tent wherein they would commit adultery. Phineas took a weapon and slew them both as they lay in the tent.

The Lord had the people gather 1000 of the ones who attempted to lead this rebellion. Jannes and Jambres had increased their ranks many fold, and must have had a 998 co-conspirators in this rebellion.

Jannes (from Iohannes, a form of "John"), and Jambres (an Aramaic word meaning "to oppose") were killed here. Twenty four thousand total were killed. (23,000 others were killed in a plague by God.)

The devil's tactics never change. He still tries to get corrupters and hinderers into the ranks of Christianity. But God has a judgment arranged for these "resisters of the truth". There comes a time that God will call an end to such people.

Notice what Paul teaches here:

II Timothy 2:8-9
"Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth; men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further; for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was."

There comes a time when God wants them to "proceed no further". There is a time coming very soon when "their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was."

Just as God allowed these two to hinder for much time, God has allowed 'tares' to hinder, but soon these ones like Jannes and Jambres of our time will meet a death, unplanned by themselves, and be judged in a judgment sent by God.

An example of this is found in the Jonestown disaster. In Jonestown, Guyana, in 1978, an agricultural commune met disaster via the drinking of a "koolaid" concoction containing cyanide. Nine hundred members of a religious cult called the People's Temple, led by James Warren "Jim" Jones
(1931-1978).

This Jim Jones first founded a church called Christian Assembly of God in Indianapolis, Indiana in the late 1950's. His gospel emphasized racial and social equality. He preached about a soon to be devastated world, and that he was the only source of survival. Jim Jones was a charismatic leader who extorted money, encouraged sexual promiscuity, and administered discipline with beatings. When the press began to publicize such events and developments, Jones and 800 others fled to Jonestown.

Cut off from the outside world, shrouded by armed guards, the people worked as many as 11 hours a day. In November, 1978, congressman Leo Ryan visited the commune to investigate the previous and new charges. On November 18, Ryan and several others were killed. Then Jones gave his followers the poisoned koolaid. Some were likely forced, but others followed the order without question.

There are many other ministries today where the spiritual leaders are giving their followers another kind of "koolaid". There are many kinds of poison koolaids being served in churches today.

Jeremiah 49:12
"For thus saith the Lord; Behold, they whose judgment was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunken; and art thou he that shall altogether go unpunished? thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt surely drink of it."

Those who, like Jannes and Jambres, like Jim Jones, who hinder the church of today, are about to be stopped by the Lord. Judgment is coming. They have corrupted many.

Koolaids of many kinds are being offered by these "Jim Jones" of the church.

Sins of abuse against the children of God...
(as the false attacks against Moses by Jannes and Jambres...)

Sins of perversion of real worship...
(as the golden calf)

Sins of perverting righteousness...
(as the luring of the men to Midianitish women...)

These are all "koolaids" that are being served in many churches of our day. Judgment for these "koolaid" servers is coming. Ezekiel had a vision that described such judgment. The sins of Ezekiel's day made God depart the Temple. The same and similar sins of the last days will make the Lord return to judge, and He will begin with the ones like Jannes and Jambres, and Jim Jones, who have hurt the real people of God.

The Spirit of Truth has shown and taught me much during the last few years concerning the horrible sins within the congregations of the church. Now that I am more fully understand His message, and the shockingly sinful state of many congregations, I am being shown some of the Spirit's methods of changing the horrible sins, of stopping the "koolaid" servers, and the "Jannes and Jambres" of the times.

God showed Ezekiel about the last day judgment on these ones.

When Ezekiel was shown a vision of what it
was like in Jerusalem, he was shown:

an idol at the entrance to the temple,

pictures of false gods painted in the rooms of the priests in the temple, -

Belial's image was in the Temple,

child sacrifice was being done in Jerusalem,

sexual orgies were being held on the hillsides about the countryside...

and many other vile sins that were occurring within the temple.

God's presence left the temple. Prophetically, it described the sinful state of the church of the last days, caused by the "Jim Jones", and the "Jannes and Jambres" of our day. These were the poison koolaids of Ezekiel's day. The people who drank of one of those poison koolaids are as much in hell now as those who drank of Jim Jones' poison koolaid.

In Ezekiel 9, we find a vision described that pictures the judgment on the church of the last days. This prophetic vision has not yet been fulfilled, and many scholars believe this inspired Peter's reference to the judgment beginning at the house of God.

In the vision, seven angels come. Six have a slaughter weapon in their hand. The other has a writer's ink horn. He is told to go forth from the holy place and set a mark on the foreheads of those who "SIGH AND CRY FOR THE ABOMINATIONS."

Then the other six are sent forth and told to slay all who have not the mark. They are told to "BEGIN AT MY SANCTUARY." This vision pictures what will soon happen when the Lord sends angels, similar to the death angel that came on the first passover in Egypt. The judgment sounds serious.

Those who are like "bumps on a log" within the church had better get stirred. The revival movement in the last days is God's work. It is not optional, it is mandatory that we join. God is sending Jesus back for a revived church. He will first judge that church, before He judges the world. He will purge it of "Jannes and Jambres" of the "koolaid" servers of the day i.e. of those who hinder revival, offend others, or do iniquity.

It is not a wise time to be in the ranks of backbiters, gossips, faultfinders, criticizers, etc. When God is done with the judgment upon the church, then the church will have the biggest revival the world has ever seen. Just as when Jannes and Jambres were killed, the children of Israel soon went into the promised land. Following the judgment of those who promote the false, poison Koolaid doctrines of the last days, great revival will soon come.

Matthew 13:43
"THEN SHALL THE RIGHTEOUS SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN IN THE KINGDOM OF THEIR FATHER. WHO HATH EARS TO HEAR, LET HIM HEAR."

Revival, or judgment??? This was the choice of Ananias and Sapphira. This was the choice given Lot and his family. It was the same choice given Noah, and those of his day. It was the choice of the Israelites in the days of Jannes and Jambres... It was the choice of those following Jim Jones...

It is the very same choice given those in the church of the last days. Peter warns us that "JUDGMENT BEGINS AT THE HOUSE OF GOD. THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL SCARCELY BE SAVED." Can we afford to be "LUKEWARM" Christians? Can we afford to listen to the "poison koolaid" servers.

God has sent forth the angel to set the "mark" upon the ones to be spared the judgment... The separation of the ones to be spared has begun. What does this mean? How will we feel? What will distinguish this event, and make us know if we have received "the mark"? These and other questions are probably filling your minds now. And some, like the crowd that listened to new truths taught by our Lord, may be offended, murmur, etc.

But do not call me a "heretic" yet, for the Scriptures have much to declare. This truth may seem new, but the Spirit of Truth is revealing what the Bible has already proclaimed, and we are just having our 'vail' removed, that has kept us from seeing the truth of the Lord.

murjahel · Aug 23, 2014

POISON KOOL AIDS, the HERESIES of the day

In other terms, the "poison kool aids" of the day are in reality the HERESIES of the day. The word "heresy" is from the Greek word "hairesis". It came from the root word "haireo" which means "to choose." Technically, a heresy is "a chosen doctrine rather than a God-received doctrine."

The Pharisees were called the "straitest sect (hairesis)" [Acts 26:5]. They had chosen to add to the doctrines of the Old Covenant many restrictions that made it impossible for the average person to even attempt to be in right standing with God.

The Jewish people called the Christians to be "heretics" (Acts 24:14, 28:22). They thought that the acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah made them outside the doctrine of the Old Testament revelations. Of course, they were in error, and in reality, their denial of the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, and Son of God made them to truly be the "heretics", for their doctrine kept them from salvation.

There is one goal, one truth for the Christian life. Any personal choice varying from that ONE TRUTH, and is inconsistent with that ONE GOAL given to us by God, is HERESY. Heresy is a sin we need to beware, for heresies can damn the soul. Any heresy that removes us from what the Lord said is necessary for salvation, can doom a soul.

Heresies are not the minor doctrinal differences that can be found between most saints, but they are variances from what the Lord has shown is vital to salvation..

Like the koolaid of the Jim Jones cult that killed the 900, so many doctrines of our day are killing the souls of those in religious groups.

Jannes and Jambres came into the camp of Moses, and perverted the truth whenever they could. They enticed the people to worship a golden calf, and not to await the "law and plan for the tabernacle" being received by Moses on Mt. Sinai. They encouraged the sexual license with the Midianitish women later. Both these sins, i.e. heresies, resulted in the death of many.

There are heresies today that are the poison kool aids of the day. Too many people in churches are drinking them, unaware of the death they possess.

Amidst poison KOOL AIDS of these days, i.e. the errors and deceptions in local churches, that the Spirit of Truth has revealed were:

1. MORAL ERROR KOOL AIDS

Some saints lie one about another to turn some against others. Lying is a sin, and those who tolerate in word or in action the doctrine that one can lie, and not need repentance for it, are drinking a poison koolaid of deception and heresy.

Some who have homosexuals in their congregational choirs, and in another church the organist have serious moral problems. The pastors know these sinners are unrepentant. Yet, things continue unhindered by the leadership. This is a moral deception, and endangers the unrepentant homosexual to continue in sin, since they are unexhorted toward salvation. The ones who condone such sin, endanger their own souls, and the souls of others who grow to assume that such sin can be tolerated in Christianity.

2. FAKE SIGNS AND WONDERS KOOL AIDS

Some saints and even ministers who have pretended facts that they were told earlier to be words of knowledge from the Lord are counterfeiting what God has offered in reality. The deception of saying this was a 'word of knowledge' is error, and can damn the soul of the perpetrator if not repented.

Some saints have given prophecies, that they claimed were from God, of what they wanted to believe, and many others have believed such prophecies without testing them as commanded. One was of a young man that was to be miraculously healed of cancer just before he could die. They gave false hope, lying prophetic promises, and deceived many by such lies.

In the Old Testament these kind of liars were called 'false prophets'. They were angry at another who spoke the true prophetic word from God, and called him to be a "false prophet". The true message from God was that God would soon call the young man home to heaven. He could have died with faith, with hope, with knowing that God desired to bring him home for reward, but these false prophets not only lied, but claimed God told them to do so.

This is serious sin and no apologies were ever given to the one called the "false prophet", after the young man did die and go to be with Jesus). It was too late to apologize to the young man, but not too late to make things right with God, and with the one God gave a true message. The poison kool aid of deceptive, lying signs and wonders damns many souls.

Some ministers have faked words of knowledge, that witches in the area were condemning the soon to occur revival meetings, and then had a 'planted' person pretending to be a witch who confirmed that they were cursing the church and its meetings. The 'so-called' witch was really one of the helpers for the evangelists to soon come. The congregation was fooled, and prayed diligently against such 'witches', and came faithfully. The method of achieving such results has been called by its proponents to be 'PRIMING THE PUMP.' It is evil morally, and those who practice such and do not repent are liars, false prophets, and drinking a poison kool aid that will damn their souls. (I wish I could soften this message, but truth does not change, just because those who sin as such have good motives!)

Some ministers and evangelists have had people paid to throw away crutches, or get out of wheel chairs that in actuality they did not need anyhow. This is a fake miracle, and our Lord does not need to fake miracles. He can really heal the sick, and make the lame to walk. Fakery as such is a poison kool aid that these evangelists have drunk.

Some give messages in tongues and interpretations, or give a prophetic word from the Lord that includes the person's own desires and sinful wishes, as that a minister is to be kicked out of the church, or that a woman in a short skirt should be reprimanded, or that a piano of someone else's is to be given to the church. These are lies, and fake gifts of the Spirit, and the persons who indulge in drinking such kool aid die in sin if they do not repent.

3. FALSE DOCTRINAL KOOL AIDS

Some believe and teach that God blesses those who give to their ministries, and guarantee such givers 100 fold financial reward here on earth if they do such. They pervert many Scriptures and totally ignore others to teach such. They add on that if you are in any financial dilemma, you must have not given what you should, and you are the sinner. They teach that if you are sick, it is because you have not given to their ministry. They teach that any who teach otherwise are false. In reality, they are the false prophets of prosperity doctrine... and they are drinking a poison kool aid. Those who in their sins of greed, and in their ignorance of the true teachings of the Bible follow such false prophets endanger their souls with such poison kool aid. The Bible definitely warns of this. Beware.

Some congregations openly endorse sexual perversion, take their youth groups to "gay" bars (nothing is "gay" about such places, they are homosexual bars actually). Instead of preaching that God can forgive, deliver, and heal such perversion completely, they encourage the continuation of such abominations, by condoning the sins.

These poison kool aids, amidst others, have devastated congregation after congregation. Ministers were poisoned in some, ministers have shared such poison kool aid with others in some. Lies, prevarications, hypocrisies, false doctrines, poison kool aid doctrines, etc. of the Jannes and Jambres, and the Jim Jones's of our day, are doing a dastardly work. The Spirit of Truth needs to re-assert the gift of TRUTH to the church.

The Lord has tired of the Jannes' and Jambres', and He has tired of these poison koolaid servers. He wants to judge them, and He soon will.

II Timothy 2:1-9
"This know also, that in the last days, perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof; from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth; men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further; for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was."

The "perilous times" are here. The verses here in II Timothy are speaking of "religious" and "church" people. The churches are too often places as described in those verses. The "form of godliness" found in many congregations is an abomination to God.

We are instructed, even commanded, in these verses "from such turn away." We are not to tolerate, not to stay in their "churches", and not to be enablers to their sins.

They are "never able to come to the knowledge of the truth", so why real saints stay in such congregations? This has puzzled me, and I suppose the Lord is likewise puzzled. To remain with the ones with "corrupt minds", to remain in sham worship with those who are "reprobate concerning the faith" is a definite act of disobedience, and many will have to answer to God for such sin!

God has commanded that we "turn away" from them.

Even though many do not obey the Lord's commandment to "turn away" from such ones, we do know that God will fulfil His promises and soon "allow them to proceed no further." Their "folly shall be manifest" when God brings the "judgment" that begins at the "house of God." These are the ones that God will soon judge. Peter warns us in that same passage that the "righteous will scarcely be saved."

murjahel · Aug 24, 2014

Some won't go to church, some go and won't listen, some have 'roast preacher' for dinner criticizing every word he said. Some go to places to criticize, complain, fault find the Pentecostal preachers for their methods, for their authority, for their looks... This is far too common...

Who listens to our sermons, our teachings, our exhortations? I have wondered that often. Are the words that I teach here being useful in the schooling from the Holy Spirit in lives of the readers, or are they just being mocked, or made the subject of jokes? I do not know, and perhaps that is best... Are readers of my teachings here rejecting, or agreeing? Do they feel benefitted or challenged by these teachings? We do not, as Pentecostal preachers, need be concerned overmuch, for we are told to do and to preach what we preach by the Lord, by His authority. We do it for Him, and His judgment is the only one we need be concerned about.

All ministers wonder such things. We do not do it for ‘praise’ or commendation, but it is natural to not wanting to be wasting our time. Yet, even if we are, we have a command to ‘teach, preach, make disciples to the Lord. So, regardless of the reception of our messages, we continue to speak what the Lord has given us to speak.

THE MESSAGES WE SPEAK

Deuteronomy 29:29
"The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."

God has much that He has desired to tell His saints. He has revealed much in the Word of God that we need to study and learn. There are some things we will not learn until we reach heaven. Yet, even minus that much, there is so much that we will learn if we open our spiritual ears to the Spirit of the Lord.

"He that hath ears to hear, let him hear..."

This statement is found 8 times in the Synoptic gospels. (Matthew 11:15, 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9:23, 7:16; Luke 8:8, 14:35). It shows that the Lord realized that some do not listen to the truth when it is spoken. We find this to be the case many times. To find hearts hungry to hear, is getting rarer and rarer. Some hear the truth, but do not truly hear what is being said. They listen, or seem to be, and yet, they do not truly hear.

In Revelation 2 and 3, we find that Jesus reveals that the Spirit is trying during this church age to speak to the churches. "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches. “ It is found 7 times, once for each of the seven churches, and one for each of the church ages. The Spirit is trying to speak but many do not hear Him, even when He has revealed clearly what He is saying.

The saints in the early church sometimes would use an ear pick, a small tool used to clean ear wax and dirt from the outer ear canal. This was a religious symbol to them. In our day, we use a Q-tip to do a similar thing physically, but these early-rain revival saints did this to symbolize something spiritual.

We must, in this last days, open our ears, clean out the garbage poured into it - by the world, and - by the devil. We need an ear pick, a spiritual Q-tip, to eliminate the false, the perverted, and the sinful trash. The early church was aware of this, but in these last days, too many have forgotten the truth.

The Bible, God's Word, has tried to make it plain and evident how important it is to listen to the Lord, and to keep our spiritual ears from being hindered by the trash of the devil.

In the Old Testament, the priesthood had some symbolic lessons for them, that taught the importance of listening, of having ears dedicated to the Lord, and to hear Him. We seek such to listen and hear our messages from the Lord. The priesthood had to be the ones most dedicated to hearing, for they had to relay what they heard to the people, so it is vital the priesthood listen well. In the New Testament, we have all become priests.

1. The ear of the High Priest had to be sanctified.

The tip of the right ear was touched with sacrificial blood. The High Priest was committing to the recognition of the need to listen to the Lord, commit our hearing to Him. We need to tune out the call of the world, the sedition of the devil, and the inconsequential trash of life. To hear the Lord, we need to tune out these other voices.

Leviticus 8:23
"And he slew it (the sacrificial ram of consecration); and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron's right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot."

2. The tip of the ear of a cleansed leper had to be rededicated to the service of God by blood and oil.

This shows that when sin is cleansed out of a sinner, at salvation, the ear needs to be likewise dedicated to listening to a new message, not the message of the world, but a message from the Spirit.

Leviticus 14:14, 17, 25, 28
"And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot... and of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed..."

3. The ear lobe of the servant who chose to remain a servant was bored or pierce with an awl in token of perpetual servitude.

This shows that when we give ourselves to the Lord, and in love dedicate ourselves to Him and His will, we need to make sure our ears are a big part of that dedication. Too many want to serve the Lord, but want to listen and hear all sorts of voices, not of God.

Exodus 21:6
"...and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul, and he shall serve him forever..."

The Lord has always had trouble keeping ones who have started out to serve Him, to keep hearing what He has to say.

The Bible has many warnings for us.

Zechariah 7:11-13
"But they refused to hearken and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in His Spirit by the former prophets: therefore, come a great wrath from the Lord of Hosts. Therefore, it is come to pass, that as he cried they would not hear, saith the Lord of Hosts."

People, even in Christianity today, have made their minds as a hard stone, shutting out the Word of the Lord. The message of the prophets in the Bible has been ignored, not heard, or rejected by those to whom it is given. People today hear so much, and so much of what they listen to is trash.

Many listen to talk show hosts, or hostesses, more than they listen to the Lord, the minister of their church, and their Bible teachers combined each week. Their minds are "waxed gross", i.e. "made fat" with these teachings, ideas, and lies of the devil. When the truth is spoken by the Lord, through the Word, or through the prophets of God, or through the Spirit, the voice is not heard.

Isaiah spoke a word from God that is often quoted thereafter, for it has always been truth.

Isaiah 6:9-10
"And He said, Go and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and be healed."

Jesus validated this message given through Isaiah. Jesus quoted it and applied it to the people of His day.

Matthew 13:13-17
"Therefore, I speak to them in parables, because they - seeing, see not, and hearing - hear not. Neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, who saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing, ye shall see, and shall not perceive. For this people's heart is waxed gross (Greek = pachuno = make fat, stupid, insensible), and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest at any time, they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears for they hear. For verily, I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them."

The disciples were warned often that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem to be betrayed, crucified, and would then rise again the third day. Yet, they could not understand what the Lord was telling them. They heard the message, but did not perceive what was being told to them. Their minds were too full of the false expectations of a Messiah. They wanted Christ to overthrow the Romans and begin a new kingdom with Him as King.

When Jesus preached that they would "destroy this temple, and He would raise it up in three days", they heard His message, but thought He meant the earthly Temple structure in Jerusalem. They did not understand that He meant His body.

When Jesus told them that He was the "manna" sent from heaven, and if they wanted eternal life, they must eat of Him, they took Him literally, and many of His disciples left, and never followed Him again. They did not truly "hear" Him. Their ears needed a spiritual Q-tip to clean out the false doctrines, the wrong expectations, and the misconceptions, so they could hear the truth.

Pentecostal preachers who preach the unadulterated Word of God, still find deaf ears, or troubled souls, after the preaching of the Word of God. (more to come)

murjahel · Aug 25, 2014

Jesus, Moses, and Elijah spoke on the mount of transfiguration about what was about to happen in Jerusalem. Peter, James, and John were there, hearing part of the discussion, but Peter did not truly hear, for he wanted to stay there, build three temples, and let everyone come up there to worship Jesus. Why could he not comprehend the message being spoken??? He needed a spiritual Q-tip for his spiritual ears.

The early church also saw this truth of "ears" in need of a Q-tip as vital and necessary to be proclaimed, and given as a warning to the saints.

Acts 28:27
"For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles and they will hear it..."

If people would hear from the Lord today, if they would listen to the real message of the Spirit today, what would it mean? It would mean that they would be weeping for sins of the world, and not laughing their heads off in services that bring no souls to the Lord. They would be seeking heavenly blessings, and not trying to intimidate God into giving them financial blessings on this earth. They would be exposing the lies of false prophets instead of believing their lies and heresy. They would be searching their hearts for sins, repenting of such, instead of judgmentally and falsely attacking other saints for differences they have. They would not believe the lies of tares and hypocrites against the children of God. They would not be taken in by the false doctrines of the apostate church of today, but be hearing the real message from the Spirit to the churches. They would not believe the lies of abusive saints, and of their enablers, against the victims of spiritual abuse, and against those who have had the spiritual nerve to say the abuse in churches against young saints needs to stop. They would hear the Spirit confirm with spiritual discernment who are the true prophets, and who are the false prophets of our day.

Some have chosen to not hear the Lord and His message. They have rebelled so long that the Lord has given them over to a "spirit of slumber". This spirit is very prevalent in these last days. This demonic spirit of spiritual deafness had attacked and conquered many in the congregations today. They have sat through many prophetic messages and not heard them. They have read the Bible, but not understood what the Spirit is saying. They have ignored the truth, and the Spirit of truth, so long, that He has left, grieved, and vexed. They have heard false and lying accusations against some of God's children, and not understood or accepted what the Lord was speaking. The Lord always defends His own, and if people tune in to hear the Holy Spirit, they will not be fooled by the lies, twisted truths, and perverted slanders of abusive saints, of lying false prophets, and of backslidden members.

GOD HAS CHOSEN TO MAKE SOME UNABLE TO HEAR ANYMORE

Romans 11:8, 11
"According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear; unto this day. ...I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid, but rather through their full salvation is come unto the Gentiles for to provoke them to jealousy."

In the Old Testament period, the Israelites failed to hear the voice of God, spoken through Moses, spoken through Joshua and Caleb. They were judged for such hardness of heart, such deafness of ears. They listened to Korah, and to sinners who wanted to return to Egypt. They became fat with the words of others. God judged them, cut them off, and grafted in the Gentile church, and now we are being tested to listen to the Lord.

If we fail to hear the Lord, as did Israel, we too can be, and will be cut off. If our hearers seem to not hear, not comprehend, perhaps that is their problem. Perhaps a spirit of slumber has been allowed to give them deafness to hear the truth. This period of the church age is nearing the time when some will be cut off. Some have heard the message of the Lord in sermon after sermon. They have read book after book, and have seen and heard the message on the airwaves. Still they have not truly heard the message of the Lord.

Romans 8:17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 25
"...if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them... boast not against the branches... because of unbelief they were broken off... if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest He also spare not thee... if thou continue in His goodness, otherwise, thou also shalt be cut off... blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in..."

When people refuse, neglect, or shun the truth, they need to accept something. These ones begin to listen to other teachings, perverse doctrines, and heresies. This desire to hear the inconsequential messages is what the Bible calls "itching ears". They refused "sound doctrine", and now are swallowed up into the darkness of false doctrines.

"Itching ears" are those ears that are tired of the sound of truths and desire for something new, even if it is deceitful.

II Timothy 4:3
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears..."

There are so many today who are in a spiritual darkness. They are blind to the truths being revealed by the Spirit today. Truths we find so evident in Scripture, many cannot perceive, remember, or comprehend... The darkness is getting greater and greater.

The FAMINE of hearing has arrived, many are dying spiritually in this famine.

Amos spoke of a famine to come in the last days, when men would run to and fro about the earth seeking food and water and there would be none, and he spoke of spiritual food and water. Yet, Habakkuk spoke of the same time as being one in which "the knowledge of the Lord would cover the earth as the water cover the sea." Both are true, but the abundance of truth, the abundance of spiritual revelation is being not heard, not seen in our day by many who call themselves "saints".

Amos 8:11-13
"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for later, but of hearing the words of the Lord. And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst..."

There is another group, not in the famine, but being flooded with truth and learning from the Lord.

Habakkuk 2:14
"For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."

Are you in the group that is hearing the Spirit and understanding the Lord? Or are you in darkness, fooled by the devil, and blinded by the abundance of trash you have accepted? It is time to evaluate ourselves, and time to understand why some that we know are so blind, deaf, and dumb to the truth. It is time also to evaluate those to whom we teach, preach, and exhort for the Lord. Are they in the famine of hearing or in the group getting Gods great Words? Before it is too late, we need to get people to open their minds and ears to the truth. The Lord called out often to the people in that time to those who had ears that would hear. We keep speaking, even if many of our hearers are in the famine, for there are some who will hear and heed Gods Words. In the book of Revelation, the Lord spoke that those who had ears to hear could hear a message from the Holy Spirit. The message is being proclaimed by the Spirit in every church age, and we need to tune in to the true message, and we need to speak it forth.

TO OPEN THE EARS

The phrase "to open the ear..." is used in the Bible. Somehow we need people "to open the ear..." This originally meant to uncover the ear by partially removing the turban to allow better hearing. It is often used in a sense of revealing a secret or of giving important information. The Lord can open ears, so that His message can be heard, comprehended, and accepted.

Psalms 40:6
"Sacrifice and offering Thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened; "

USE SPIRITUAL Q TIPS
The lies of the world, the perversions of doctrine instigated by the devil, and the misconceptions caused by spiritual ignorance need cleaned out of our minds. It is time to use a spiritual Q-tip on our spiritual ears. We can, and should do this regularly. It means Bible study, and it means tuning into the Holy Spirit and to His message. He is the Spirit of Truth, and He is doing a special work for us in these last days.

Finding saints who have found they need to use a spiritual Q-tip, is not easy. The prophets of the Old Testament time, would go to a hillside at the time of the new moon. Some would gather to come hear the prophet. He would sing and worship for a time, till the anointing came upon him. The people would enjoy the worship time, and then hear the thus saith the Lord message at the end. This way, those who wanted to hear came, and those who did not want to hear, could stay at home. Yet, God did not always let the prophet always have the crowd that wanted to hear, for sometimes the prophet was sent to the city, to the people who did not want to hear, and there would preach and prophesy.

The prayer life of a minister for the Lord is vital. We need to pray for ears to be opened. We need to not be afraid to pray for the Lord to give us words, that like a Q tip will prick their hearts, as the words of Peter did on the day of Pentecost. Stephens words pricked the hearts of some hard hearted pharisees too. We get various reactions when the Q tip removes the obstructions, and again these people hear. They may hate us, they may love us, when their ears finally hear. As with Paul, when he went into a city, he had revival or riot. They were saved, or they sought to beat him, to imprison him, or to kill him. The ministry of Gods Words in these last days will bring reaction too. But, preach, teach, exhort and proclaim, and pray that God will give words that will be a Q tip to their ears, and allow them to awaken out of the spirit of slumber.

murjahel · Aug 26, 2014

We do, as shown in the previous lesson, preach to many who do not have ears to hear. Yet, we can categorize those to whom we preach in other ways. There were different nationalities, there were different social strata, there were different economic levels, and different intellectual levels.

In the days in which the New Testament was written, the Jews rejected the gospel message of Paul because they sought a different kind of Messiah than Jesus. The concept that the Jews would have crucified their Messiah was repugnant to them.

The Romans were polytheistic, but gave their ultimate allegiance to the Caesar. They despised any religion that excluded their other gods.

The Greeks were the intellectuals of the day, and they wanted a religion that was so complicated philosophically that only the intellectuals could understand it. The simplicity of the gospel made many of them reject it.

The newly converted Christians in the city of Corinth had a terrible environment to fight in order to live a Christian life. It was like living with neighbors on one side who had sexual orgies, and having bars or saloons on the other side of your home. Then if you had pagan temples on the opposite side of the street, you would have a faint idea of how it was to live in a city like Corinth.

The various kinds of hearers we have can be intimidating, and a heavy responsibility. When Paul visited Corinth, he had just come from Athens, where he was not well-received. He came to Corinth feeling rejected, and persecuted. He had good reason to fear for his life. The rejection of his message was becoming violent and life-threatening. He began his visit to Corinth with a weakness, a fear, and a trembling.

I Corinthians 2:3
"And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling."

Paul had a special vision that kept him from returning to Thessalonica.
Acts 18:9-10
"Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, 'Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.'"

When he first arrived, he had began to speak in the city. Aquila and Priscilla, two tent makers in the city, became his friends. Paul lived there one and a half years. Silas and Timothy joined him there and helped him establish the church.

The Jews opposed Paul so much in Corinth, as they had in Athens, that he finally turned to the Gentiles. Then he was offered the house of Titus Justus in which to live. It was located next door to the synagogue. Many were saved in the city, including Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue.

After leaving the city, and being gone for some time, he heard that the church members had become seriously tainted by their sinful environment.

Paul had to then minister by letter to the issues of those people. He had been told of:
party strife that centered about the different personalities of preachers,
one church member who was living in incestuous sin with his stepmother,
members were taking each other to court, abuse of the spiritual gifts of the Spirit,
lack of love for each other, lack of an orderly, decent worship service.

Paul had already written to the Corinthian church previous to the epistle we call I Corinthians. This letter was not included in the Bible, though I am sure it was inspired by God. Perhaps its message was meant only for the Corinthians of that day, and was not meant for the whole of the church age.
I Corinthians 5:9
"I wrote unto you in an epistle, not to company with fornicators..."
They had written back asking Paul about several of the doctrines that he had mentioned in that earlier epistle.
I Corinthians 7:1
"Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me..."

Paul had also heard reports from many others, about the church in Corinth, as he ministered.
I Corinthians 5:1
"It is commonly reported..."

The church at Corinth needed correction in many areas, as the letter called I Corinthians reveals.

Yet, they were proud, and thought they were a spiritual congregation. Since the city was full of sin and debauchery, they felt that, in comparison, they were holy and righteous. However, we are not to compare ourselves with the wicked, vile, sin-laden pagans to determine our spirituality. No, we must rather compare ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ. In comparison to Jesus, the saints at Corinth were greatly lacking in spirituality. In our time, we find that many still compare themselves to the most wicked of the day, and then they feel righteous, holy, when compared to the most sinful. We must compare ourselves only with the Lord.

Ephesians 4:13
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."

So though they had divisions, moral problems, doctrinal problems, finance problems, and disorderly services, Paul found much good in the church. Only by the Spirit of God can make such a group become children of God. The pagan background, the old habits, the wicked acquaintances influenced this church, but Paul saw in the Spirit, what good things that God could do with them. We might have walked out the door of this church, and written "ICHABOD" on the door. Yet, Paul loved and desired to help this church. He begins with the praise of their good points, and then quickly begins to deal with the many problems in the church.

Paul was concerned with the "black spots", but he did not ignore the good he saw. They, in Corinth, lacked wisdom and morality, but had much zeal. Paul was not ready to bury this church. He rebuked, and reprimanded them sternly. Paul had greatly toiled and labored over this church, and greatly loved this congregation. We, like Paul, speak to various problems, of many people. We must see beyond their faults, to what the Lord sees in them. This takes agape love.

MANY, TO WHOM WE PREACH, ARE LITERAL MEATHEADS

It did not take Paul long to get to the point of their problems. In chapter three, Paul tells them that they are "carnal."
I Corinthians 3:3
"For ye are yet carnal; for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?"

The word "carnal" is from the Greek word - "sarkinos". This word is often translated with our religious connotations. We have engendered the word "carnal" with these religious connotations, and thereby have lost the real idea behind what is being said. The word "carnal" meant in that day what the word "meathead" means in our day. Paul bluntly told these "saints" in Corinth, that they were "MEATHEADS." Paul was not always as "statesman"-ly as we like to think. He could be blunt, and to the point. The church at Corinth had become foolish and stupid, and were acting as "meatheads".

Today, we find similar types of problems in the church. Human nature does not change. We have all seen the bitterness of sectarianism, the immoral behavior amidst saints, excesses of liberty, and a lack of love between members. As in Corinth, there are "envying... strife... and divisions" in many congregations.

NATURAL VS. SPIRITUAL, ARE THE TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE

There are two kinds of people in the church congregations of that day, and of our own day. There are those ruled by the NATURAL MAN, and are therefore "carnal." There are also those who are ruled by the SPIRITUAL MAN.
I Corinthians 2:14-15
"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man..."

The "natural" person lives under the control of the fleshly passions and human desires. This person has no sense of spiritual values. Spiritual things are foolishness to this type of person in the church. They are concerned about the lawn being mowed, the welcome mat being cleaned, and the bills being paid for the church, but they are not anxiously seeking revival, nor calling out for God to bring sinners to repentance, and not seeking more gifts of the Spirit so they can minister to a hurting world more effectively.

Those who are ruled by the "natural" person, give themselves credit for their good works, and spiritual accomplishments. Pride builds within them, and many sins result from this pride.

The "spiritual" person lives under the control of the Holy Spirit, minds the things of the Spirit, and is a new creation in Christ Jesus. This person seeks to daily be more and more like Jesus Christ. The spiritual condition of the church, the salvation of souls in the community, and their relationship with the Lord are their vital concerns. The "spiritual" person remembers that they themselves were saved only by grace. All glory to God, and a humble life of worship emanates from their being.

Many of the ones in the congregation at Corinth were "natural" persons, and their thoughts and actions betrayed their "carnal", or "meathead" tendencies. Paul therefore counseled them, rather than ordering them. He gave broad principles to help them govern. He was content to outline a basis for the exercise of private judgment. Paul knew that he could not ever answer every crisis that might arise. If he could take these "meatheads" and instill some general rules for guidance and decision making, he could help them govern their future actions and be known as "spiritual" persons" and not any longer carnal meatheads.

We must beware of the pessimism that would make us imagine a troubled church ready to perish. Sometimes it is easy to think that a church is beyond hope. There are faults and crisis in every congregation. Even the Lord Jesus had frequent crisis with His congregation. Corinth had its faults, but Paul had no spirit of alarm or despondency. He counseled, warned, admonished, exhorted, and scolded, but he did not give up on those in Corinth.

True revival groups do not usually separate themselves from the "meatheads" of our day. They are often forced out of such congregations, but they do not want to leave. The true revival groups seek to have peace, harmony, revival, and soul-searching repentance. The true revivalists will only leave when totally rejected, un-repentantly abused by the leadership, or told of the Lord Jesus to leave. Paul knew there were serious problems in Corinth, but he continued to minister to them. He saw the evil, but also saw the zeal and potential that hopefully could be awakened.

Paul was no moral coward. He sternly rebuked, criticized and counseled. He loved these people as a father loves his children. He would not give up on them, and leave the Lord to worry about these wayward, foolish, and proud saints who were thinking and acting as "meatheads." No, rather, Paul attacked their initial problem first, i.e. the sin of pride.

The Corinthians had begun to feel holy, deserving of their blessings. They divided themselves into cliques, and each debated that their clique was the most holy. Paul frankly tells them: "You're acting like meatheads!" Unfortunately, that message needs to be preached to many congregations today.

murjahel · Aug 27, 2014

Paul reminds them that the Lord called them, not because they were mighty, noble, wise, rich, or powerful. He tells them that they were foolish, powerless, lowly, and hated "nothings" of the world. He reminds them of this to cause them to humbly admit their weakness. Paul is telling these Corinthians that they have no basis to be proud of themselves. Paul would then deal with the sins that their pride had evolved.

I Corinthians 1:18,26-29
"FOR THE PREACHING OF THE CROSS IS TO THEM THAT PERISH FOOLISHNESS; BUT UNTO US THAT ARE SAVED, IT IS THE POWER OF GOD. FOR YE SEE YOUR CALLING, BRETHREN, HOW THAT NOT MANY WISE MEN AFTER THE FLESH, NOT MANY MIGHTY, NOT MANY NOBLE ARE CALLED. BUT GOD HATH CHOSEN THE FOOLISH THINGS (the stupid ones) OF THE WORLD
TO CONFOUND THE WISE; AND GOD HATH CHOSEN THE WEAK THINGS (the powerless ones) OF THE WORLD TO CONFOUND THE MIGHTY. AND THE BASE THINGS (the lowest people) OF THE WORLD, AND THE THINGS WHICH ARE DESPISED (the most hated people), HATH GOD CHOSEN, AND THINGS WHICH ARE NOT (the "nothings"), TO BRING TO NOUGHT THINGS THAT ARE, THAT NO FLESH SHOULD GLORY IN HIS PRESENCE."

The many churches of today like to get proud of their money, education, experience, training, vocation, etc. but God blesses the humble, the weak, stupid, poor nothings of this world are oft chosen to be used of God in mighty ways.

God loves everyone. He loves bigots, stubborn people, the insensitive, the rebels, self-pitiers, quitters, misfits, bored people, irritated ones, the troubled, the wounded, etc.

The persons at Corinth were these types of persons. Some had forgotten that they were. They had begun to think that they were now the "spiritual", the holy, and the saints who should "have it all together". This pride caused many destructive behaviors.

Not only does God yearn to change, anoint and bless the weak, powerless, nothings of this world, He wants us to never forget that without the Lord, we will never be more. There are no self-made saints. It is the power of God that makes us saints. (I Cor. 1:18) We did not become a saint by our own power. No ! God took us while we were weak, stupid, powerless, etc. and made us to be saints. No flesh can glory in self, in the presence of God. We must rid ourselves of the pride that makes us look down on the sinner, and that makes us to think of ourselves as self-made saints, holy, and worthy of our position and acceptance.

There have been many restoration projects for God.

Look at Jonah. He was a prejudiced, bigoted, stubborn, rebellious, insensitive person. He ran from God, not to Him. God sent Jonah to Nineveh. Jonah ended up on a ship headed the opposite way (to Tarshish). Not until Jonah found himself in the belly of a great fish, did he start to straighten out. He finally repented. It was not until he was vomited onto the shore that he finally obeyed God. [There are not many rebels in the stomach's of fish.] God is still in the restoring business.

Joel 2:25
"I WILL RESTORE UNTO YOU ALL THE YEARS THAT THE LOCUSTS HAVE EATEN..."

ABRAHAM had once been a worshipper of idols. Yet he became the founder of Israel, and the "friend of God."

JOSEPH had a prison record. God took him and made him a prime minister of Egypt. God used this ex con to save Israel from famine.

MOSES was a murderer. God restored him to the person who led Israel out of slavery to the Egyptians.

JEPHTHAH was a hood, a gangster. Here was a person who was the "Al Capone" of Israel. God took hold of this person, and made him the deliverer of Israel from the Ammonites.

RAHAB was a harlot of Jericho. God put her in the "Hall of Fame" of faith in Hebrews 11.

ELI and SAMUEL were poor, inconsistent fathers. God made them strong men for Him.

JOHN MARK was a quitter. Yet, later he became very profitable for not only Barnabus, but also for Paul, for Peter, and for Luke.

PETER denied the Lord, and backslid. Although he was warned, he still denied the Lord three times in one evening. Yet, the Lord transformed him to the chief spokesman for the church.

PAUL was present when Stephen was killed. Many Christians in Jerusalem had a difficult time forgiving Paul. God took this rebel, and made him the "apostle to the Gentiles."

God likewise wanted to do a similar restoration project upon the congregation at Corinth. God had already begun such a work, and some of these projects looked at what God had done, and became proud of themselves. This pride was tearing the congregation apart.

God gives us people to whom to minister.

They are Gods restoration projects. We have no ability to change any of them, only God does. They are helpless alone, their pride has stopped them from ability to be improved without Gods help. Pride, and lack of acceptance of their own humble calling, hindered their usefulness to God. Pride in the congregations of today will bring new sins, and new abuses of spiritual love. We must remain available to the Lord, and humbly remember who we are. We must speak Gods Word to those who are in this bound state, are bound by sin and pride.

I Corinthians 1:29-31
"That no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him are ye in Christ, Who is God made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. That according as it is written, 'He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.'"

In many, or most churches, the devil has scattered some we will call "tares" (Matthew 13). These "tares" are used by the devil to hurt, wound, and trouble the people in the church. We are commanded to go about the church and "exhort" and encourage those who are wounded (Hebrews 10:25). The proud saints often degenerate into the "tares". The proud feel superior, holy, and personally deserving. They want to therefore criticize, judge, and abuse others.

Jesus is the Great Physician. He wants to "bind up the brokenhearted." He can take the humble, and enlist them into His church. In fact, He'd rather have the humble in His church than the "tares" or their "enablers." The "tares" are the offenders, and they would have been wiser to take a "MILLSTONE" and put it about their neck, and jumped into the sea. Our Lord loves the humble. He wants us to seek out the humble, and comfort them. If Jesus walked into your church this Sunday, He'd be looking for the humble. The Lord would be comforting and blessing these humble, thankful saints.

The "POWER OF GOD" can change all these circumstances.

1 Corinthians 1:18 (KJV)
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

God can take a person who may in the outward look troubled, wounded, rebellious, self-pitying, bored, or irritated -and enlist them into His church. The one thing God demands is willingness. He takes any who are willing and makes them part of His victorious church. The preaching of the cross, the gospel message, by whoever is still the power of God. It is not our great education, our wonderful personality, our vivacious attitude, nor our good looks, that make our message powerful. It is the power of God that makes what the world calls foolishness to have powerful effect on the hearts of the hearers.

Those that hear our preaching, are hearing then, the power of God. It is the power of God that they may seek to resist. The Holy Spirit is there to convict, to convince, to comfort, to lead, to guide to Jesus. We, who minister, are not to be the convict-er, we are to be the ones to show them the way to humbly seek the help and direction of the Lord. We need to encourage them that they can still get upon their knees to find God's help for their troubled, and "carnal" lives. The power of God does the rest. The hearers are not battling us, they are battling the power of God.

murjahel · Aug 28, 2014

PENTECOSTAL PREACHERS, SOMETIMES BLIND, SOMETIMES SEE

Sometimes it is great to see. On vacations, while traveling over the mountain, and as one goes over the crest of the mountain, the valley that stretches below can be awesome and beautiful to the eyes. The loved one so long apart can step through the doorway, and the sight is beautiful and appreciated. The house can be many years, many hard earned dollars in sacrifice to buy, but when the final bill is paid, and the deed is delivered with no mortgage remaining, the sight of such brings a smile to the face, and sparkle to those seeing eyes.

Yet, there are some things to which we need to be blind. The blindness is needed, for the view can be disturbing, horrifying, saddening, and sickening. Those things, not even God wants to view.

God loves blindness, and God hates blindness. Yes, both are true.

There is a time to be blind. We are being trained by the Word, and by the Spirit, to be blind to many things. The false prophets are being made blind to truth, blind to Gods ways. This is bad, but our spiritual eyesight needs to have in it, some blindness. This may sound strange, but there are some things we must not let distract us, must not let concern us, and we need to be blind to them.

Some have a hardening of the heart to some things that should be seen. The false ministers of the devil are blinded to many things. They will therefore attack those who speak truth, for they do not see that truth. The truth about the judgment of the church of the last days, is not seen by false teachers, for they are blind to it. They truly believe that we are wrong, for it is something they do not see. The ones prophesying of the nearness of Christ Jesus return, are thought to be false prophets, by the false prophets, for the real false prophets do not see those prophetic signs. They are blind.

What is blindness?

The word for blind, or blindness is often the Greek word tuplos, and in Acts 13:11, it refers to physical, real blindness (Acts 13:11). Sometimes, it is used to refer to spiritual blindness (Romans 2:19, II Peter 1:9, Revelation 3:17). Some are physically blind, but far more are spiritually blind, unable to see beyond the temporal, unable to see spiritual and eternal truths. The word means to burn, and refers to a scarring over of a burnt area, creating blindness. Often, in the Bible times, ones eyes would be burnt, to produce blindness, as part of a punishment. Samsons eyes were put out that way. The scarring from the burn, if not the literal burning of the eye, produced blindness. The burns, and hurts of life, oft produce blindness in the one hurt. They fail to see many things, for they are blinded due to that hurtful time.

Another word for blind, is the Greek word puroo, meaning a thick skin or hardening that covers ones eyes. There are things in life, that are loved, feared, or kept in ones life, that hide things from the mind. This scaling, or hardness of flesh, keeps one to be unable to see many things. Sometimes those things that cause the scaling over of the spiritual eyes, are hurts, sometimes things loved so much, that they block the view of other things. Sight becomes impossible due to that scarring or scaling over of the spiritual eyes.

The porosis of the eyes, is the spiritual hardening over the eyes. That word is found in Romans 11:25, Ephesians 4:18, and Mark 3:5. Sometimes the hardening over of the spiritual eyes, is caused by rejection of truth. Some reject truth, and soon they do not see the truth.

BAD BLINDNESS

Not many could enjoy physical blindness. Not many would wish for it. A world of darkness makes on miss some of the glorious sights of his world. Some glorious things in the spiritual, eternal realm are missed by those with spiritual blindness.

Ephesians 4:17-19
...walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart... who being past feeling, have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Note, that this passage speaks of the vanity of their mind. The pride in what is in actuality worthless thoughts, is often found in our times. They have pride and a false assumption of wisdom and knowledge. In reality, they are blind, but they think they have great spiritual insight. They are blind to facts that they do not even see as possibilities.

Their understanding is darkened. The blindness is a darkness, obscuring that which they could have seen, if minus the darkness. It is not hidden facts, that God is keeping from them, but their walking into darkness, that causes the lack of seeing. In the darkness, mankind stumbles into what they would have stepped over or around, had they had no darkness. Some are partially blind, and what is obvious to the sighted, is obscured by the shadow of darkness. They do not see clearly enough to easily avoid pitfalls or stumbling stones.

The passage also speaks of the blind ones being alienated from the life of God. God is light, and in Him is no darkness. So, if one is in darkness, they are not walking with God. The Spirit of God will teach us all things, and is Revealer of the Truth. So, when we walk with God, we walk in light, not darkness.

The passage also speaks of the ignorance that is in them. There is ignorance in many of the sinners of our day, as it was then also. They do not know that they are ignorant. They think they are smart. They think we Christians are naive, shallow, cultish, etc. In reality, they are simply blinded to what we are seeing. The unsaved are blind, and ignorant, yet think they see and think they are brilliant.

The passage speaks of this ignorance as being because of the blindness of their heart. So, the ignorance is not due to lack of study. The pharisees of Jesus first coming, had much education, but did not see things due to blindness. It is often despite the much education of some, that some are still ignorant. The reason for that ignorance is blindness, not lack of education.

These ones are also past feeling. This means that they no longer feel the conviction of the Spirit, for they have seared their conscience, resisted the Spirits former efforts, till the darkness they are in has become total and severe. The reproofs of the Spirit of God were ignored, shunned, and rejected. The darkness then is very dark.

That passage on blindness of the heart, also speaks of given... unto lasciviousness. Lasciviousness is doing that which is not sin by itself, but which weakens one to possible sin. To do such, choosing to make oneself more vulnerable to temptation, is then sin. The blind, do those things, for they do not see the danger of sin, of judgment for sin, or of even the nearby presence of sin. They walk therefore into lasciviousness, which then leads them to All uncleanness with greediness.

The spiritual blindness leads the unsaved to hate. They begin to hate the ones who are saved, they hate the saints of God. This is sinful to hate, so it makes the darkness, to be darker.

I John 2:11
He that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walks into darkness, and knows not where he goes, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

Many a saint has been attacked due to anothers blindness. They did not see what another saw, and that blindness made them hate the one who was seeing. We Christians will see, and see very clearly, due to the Light in which we walk. Those in darkness misjudge, misconstrue, and do not see what the Chiristian is saying.

Stephen was stoned, not because he blasphemed, nor because he spoke lies. He spoke truth and spoke honorably. Yet, his hearers, including Saul (who became Paul the apostle) did not see the truth, did not realize that it was not blasphemy.

The Sanhedrin had an illegal trial for Jesus. They hired false witnesses to lie. They twisted words, and demanded that Jesus be crucified. This was all due to blindness. Their hatred of Jesus had no valid reasoning. They thought their works and deeds were approved by God. Yet, in blindness, they had hate.

Matthew 15:14
Let them alone, they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

The blind feel comfortable leading. In fact, they like to lead more than the sighted ones do. Why? Well, they do not see the dangers, the pitfalls, the coming judgment. So, unsighted, blinded to seeing those dangers, they are comfortable leading others. The blind ones see no danger, the blind do not see the coming judgment on the church. They feel therefore no compulsion to warn, to be concerned over others safety.

The blind hate true Christians. For true Christians see the coming judgment, see the souls that are unready, and unaware. Therefore we Christians warn, shout wake up calls. The blind, unsaved ones are totally oblivious to the reason for the concern of the Christians.

The blind therefore, with nothing but blessings to pronounce, think they are the best leaders. That is why we often see those who preach judgment to come to be attacked, mocked and ridiculed by the ones who are spiritually blind. The attackers are blind to the truth of judgment, for they are blind.

God tires of blindness. Therefore, God gives spiritual sleepiness to those whose eyes are closed to truth.

Romans 11:7-11
Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the elect hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded... God hath given them a spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see.

There is an apathy, spiritual sleepiness in those that are spiritually blind. When a person blind to truth, has their eyes opened, the blindness removed, there is a sudden anxiousness, zeal, eagerness, excitement; for they are no longer blind, and the things they now see, excite them.

It takes Jesus, the Light of the world, to make blindness leave. The minds that have been blinded, can be opened, and truths and light can immerse the soul.

II Corinthians 3:14
But their minds were blinded, for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament, which veil is done away in Christ.

Therefore, we preach Jesus to the blind. The blindness of Israel will soon be removed, and they will see Jesus again, in new light. Jesus also gives sight to the spiritually blind ones. He can give spiritual sight to all that will call out for Him.

The bad blindness is due to sin. Sin blinds as smoke in ones eyes, as scales on ones eyes. The blinded ones walk in darkness, unaware of the consequences of sin. They do not know sin from righteousness. They do not see the coming judgments. They do not see signs of Jesus soon return. They do not see the love of God for sinners. They do not see the value of spiritual things. They do not see the worthlessness of carnal things. That is bad blindness.

NEXT... good blindness...

murjahel · Aug 29, 2014

GOOD BLINDNESS

There is a good blindness. There are things we should not see, should not be aware of, and should not want to see them. We do not want, we should not have, the bad blindness. We should not walk in spiritual darkness. Yet there is a blindness that we should have.

Isaiah 42:18-22
Hear ye deaf, and look, ye blind, that ye may see. Who is blind, but My Servant? Or deaf, as My Messenger, that I sent? Who is blind as He that is perfect, and blind as the Lords servant? Seeing many things, but Thou observest not. Opening the ears, but He hearest not. The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness sake; He will magnify the law and make it honorable. For this is a people robbed and spoiled, they are all of them snared in holes, they are for a prey and none delivereth for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.

Jesus is shown here to be as a blind person. There are certain things to which our perfect Lord was blind. He is as blind as He is perfect, for it is the blindness that validates His perfection. Jesus does not see nor hear certain things. He will see the sinner, and not see just the sin. He will condemn the sin, and not judge now the sinner. He will magnify the law, preach righteousness. Yet, Jesus will forgive the repentant, no matter how sinful they were moments before. While hating the sin, Jesus can see the sinner without hatred.

Blindness can be good if the blindness obscures that which distracts. Blindness to that which would demand judgment, allows Jesus to continue for now to offer grace.

Grace shines so brightly that we do not need to see the sinner, as we see the sin. We can view the sinners, and intercede for them. We can love the sinner, and hate the sin. Jesus is an example for that.

II Corinthians 4:18
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things that are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal.

We, as Christians, should become more and more blind to the temporal. The current affairs of everyday life, lose their appeal. The search for security is no longer vital. They see spiritual things, sense the lateness of the hour, and lose understanding of the reasons others see temporal as vital concerns.

The sufferings of the flesh, which some of us will suffer, are not seen, considered, dreaded. We Christians are blind to those, and see the eternal reward instead. To truly see the eternal, one must be blind to the temporal. To see the value of the sinners soul, one must be blind to the sin, and see instead the spiritual potential if they are save.

Jesus came to offer sight to the blind, and He can make those blinded, to truly see.

Jesus came for a purpose:

Isaiah 42:7
to open blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prisons, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

Isaiah 42:16
I will bring the blind by a way that they know not, I will lead them in paths that they have not known, I will make darkness light, before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them and not forsake them.

The blind do not know the way of God. The blind do not see the plan of God. Out of sync with those that follow God, they stumble in darkness, crash into the ones walking the straight path. Some walk so crooked in darkness, that anyone walking in the straight path are bumped by their crooked path. Jesus wants to enlighten them, remove the darkness of blindness, and let them see so that they too can walk a straight path, and avoid the collisions that are so common in the churches.

We, Christians, should have eagles eyes. Eagles have eyes that are telescopic, and microscopic. They can see in detail things close, and still focus on something several miles distant, and fly directly to it. Their eyes can see more shades of color than can mankind. They can judge fine degrees of shadow and texture in distant scenes.

Christ admonished the saints to be alert, and to watch for His coming. He told us to speak to situations seen in this world. The ability of the Christians to see the eternal events to unfold, to see the spot of sin on a seemingly spotless person, and to see the details of revelation in clarity, is coming them this day.

The Christians do not, as do some others, become near-sighted, missing that which is afar off. We speak and work with urgency, for they will see the distant becoming far sooner than others had seen and realized.

blind to some things, but still seeing more than ever before...
for we are not in darkness, but are children of light.

1 Thessalonians 5:4-5 (KJV)
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

The same light that makes us able to see, also can blind us to that we should not see. The brightness of the light of grace, lets us see sinners in need of grace and mercy, but the same light blinds us to the ugliness, the detestable nature, of the sins.

Yet, with all that wonderful spiritual light and sight, we must also, like Jesus, be blind to that which might repulse us so much we avoid witnessing to the worst of sinners. Saul became Paul, but some refused to be blind to his former sins, and they did not want to accept him as a Christian, let alone as an apostle. That sight of his former sins, kept them from being blessed by Pauls ministry. Some look at the former sins of some ministers of today, and would be better off if they like Jesus, could be blind to the former faults, and see them in the state of grace to which our Lord has placed them.

Some sinners in the bonds of sin, are repulsive to natural eyes. Some commit sins so horrible, it is hard to forgive or forget. We need, for those, a blindness, blinded to the former sins, by the brightness of the grace and mercy of our loving Lord. We do not walk in darkness kind of blindness, but we are to let the mercy of God shine so brightly in our hearts, that we are blind to their horribleness of sins, and see the brightness of the mercy of God that can wash those horrible sins away.

Jesus came and was blind to much of what He physically observed in this horrible world. He saw with the brightness of the grace of God. Gods grace is a light in which we walk. The light helps us to see Jesus, to see our mission, to see His redemption and hope. The light is so bright, that the darkest of things, like perverted sins, like ugly and vile debauchery in this world, like the detestable nature of sinners, are blinded to us by the agape love and mercy of our Lord. We can preach to the worst of sinners, and offer them purity in Jesus, and the hope of eternal life.

The thief on the cross had been most vile in his sins. Yet, Jesus saw with mercy and grace, one that had changed in heart. Jesus invited him to a meeting in paradise that same day. He did not require a million hail Marys, nor restitutions for sins. He offered the thief the mercy of God, atonement paid for by the blood that was just then being shed. We too, need to be blind to the ugliness of sins, blind to the repugnant nature of sinners, and see the beauty of Gods mercy.

murjahel · Aug 30, 2014

A true Pentecostal Preacher realizes he is not a god

Ye shall be as gods, knowing... was the first lie recorded of the devil. Some are still falling for that prevarication of the devil. A true Pentecostal preacher does not fall for that lie, nor does he/she try to incorporate that concept into the church.

In Genesis 3, we find the initial lie of the Bible, no other recorded lie any earlier, and the devil has used this same lie, or some form of it, upon many through the ages.

Genesis 3:1,4
he (serpent) said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?... The serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die, for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then shall your eyes be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing...

This first recorded lie of Scripture came from the father of lies. The devils lies have been so abundant, mankind has fallen for many of them. Some make it a habit falling for lies of the devil.

John 8:44
he is a liar, and the father of it...

Multitudes have believed lies of the devil, and the one to Eve, his first lie, is one that many believe, even today. Some think that other saints are not as knowing as they. They often do not know much of the Word, so they know that, and so they denigrate the Word. If the Word of God is shown to be in disagreement with their so called revelations, they believe their experience of knowing, rather than the Bible.

There are many in the ministry that get thinking that they are gods. They at least get too much pride in their education, their speaking ability, their power and gifts, etc. Their pride in self is assertive against the worship of our own Lord. They take credit for healings, miracles, and the salvation of souls. They keep count to brag, as though they did those things. They fall for the trap of the initial lie of the devil, and begin to think that they are gods of some kind.

There are enough people in the churches that think they are the returning Elijah or Enoch. They have been deceived by the devil that they are so blessed, and they think they are Gods chosen one to come and reveal things not in the Bible. Often, these things turn out to be contrary to Scripture. Yet, that does not stop these ones from spreading the lie, that their doctrines are from God. Gods revelations never contradict His written Word. Yet, some think that their experience, their vision, their dream, is higher than Gods written Word.

Rabbis in Judaism put their decisions, and explanations of Scripture above Gods own. They change and alter truths of the Word, and think their revelations supercedes that of the original Scripture.

Many in our time call themselves apostles and put their new truths above the Written Word of God that they often contradict. This is playing God, and is falling for the same lie as the initial lie of the devil in the garden to Eve.

The gnostics of the early church period were a group who believed a version of this same lie that the devil told Eve. Many books, found to be hoaxes, were written by those claiming a gnostic beliefs. Gnosticism comes from the Greek word gnosis meaning knowledge. The early gnostic followers did not have a belief in Jesus as Provider of salvation, but trusted in a special revelation of knowledge, and claimed the attainment of that knowledge constitutes a supreme achievement, and entitles them to a salvation. This gnostic sect gained some prominence in some of the early church ages. Valentinus, a mid second century clergy from Alexandria, was actually considered to be Bishop of Rome in 140 A.D. He was not given that promotion, and understanding of how far gnosticism was from the true gospel quickly spread. By 180 A.D., Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon, was publishing attacks on gnosticism. In the first century, gnosticism came to denote a prominent segment of the Christian community. They departed from the orthodox faith, and claimed that special revelation gnosis, the inner knowledge that they superimposed over all the orthodox teachings. Their weakness in this spread of their heresy, was that there was no historical record to verify that Jesus, or the apostles, had taught such ideas. Their doctrine was all mental, no physical verification existed. They held the conviction that direct personal, absolute, knowledge had come to them, and that special knowledge made them superior, and free.

These gnostics thought they had knowledge, and they tried to supercede their knowledge over the written Word of God. They believed the lie of the devil, that they were like Gods, knowing. How foolish mankind has been down through the centuries, to still be falling for that initial lie.

Simon Magus had originated this gnostic heresy in the first century. He was an early one of that century to believe that lie of the devil. Others soon followed that lie. Cerinthus continued such heresy, and Valentinus tried to keep it spreading in the second century. They attempted to use the Christian faith to spread their version of salvation. They claimed to be keepers of secret teachings, secret gospels, and secret traditions and rituals. Some ministers today are still preaching that kind of message. They think that they have some new revelation that supercedes all others. They want mankind to beat a path to their door, support only their message, cease their own ministries to support that of the apostles ministry. They are reaching to claim deity, and to claim an infallible, higher ministry than anyone else.

Valentinus claimed to have apostolic authority, given to him by Theudas, a disciple of Paul. He claimed to have the teachings that orthodox Christianity did not possess. But as early Christians listened to their teachings, the question often came up, as to what gospel they had to verify this teaching. The gnostics began to realize the need of written validation. By the end of Valentinus life, he had been branded a heretic, and retired from public life. It was likely that some of the first gnostic hoax books were composed by him or at his direction. Though some claimed to be written by one of the apostles, or someone close to Jesus, they actually are hoaxes.

His frustration at not having written apostolic validation for his arguments, seemed to impel him or his cohorts to begin composing gospels, epistles, etc. purportedly written by apostles and early disciples. With these false books being sported about, the tide turned against them, and church leaders began to cease the early toleration of them, and wrote scaling attacks upon their theology. By A.D. 180, Irenaeus was publishing attacks on gnosticism, and the vehemence against this sect became strong.

By the end of the fourth century, the struggle against gnosticism was virtually over. It was about that time that the Nag Hammadi texts were hidden away (390 A.D.), by one of the last adherents to such fantasy, and were not found for many centuries. Gnosticism had officially become a heresy and was not tolerated in Christianity.

Today, we have god claiming ministers writing their own books, (nothing wrong with writing books, unless they contradict Gods Word, and claim to be of higher authority than Gods Word). These false books being written usually have a dozen or more pictures of the author, and include glowing descriptions of the author. They often contradict basic Bible truths, but claim to be revelations verbally from God, and therefore above the Written Word. These books are as false as the gnostic books of the early church period.

What makes the idea that some get a special knowledge that is superior to even the Bible, a dangerous heresy? Their teachings are so contrary to truth, that to believe their doctrines compels one to not believe the doctrines that would bring them to salvation. The devil uses those gullible enough to believe the lie that they can have a special knowledge to go on to more and more asinine lies. What starts out to be simple revelation (they think) soon develops into a complex doctrine that contradicts the plain teachings of the Bible.

Books are written on how to build the church. Some claim that repentance needs to be no longer taught. Some say to put away the cross symbols, and preach some message of tolerance of other faiths. Chrislam churches are growing where they teach that the false god of Islam is the same God that is the God of the Bible. Some preach that there are many roads to heaven, and we need to tolerate all other faiths. These are doctrines taught by some who think they are gods and are knowing enough to supercede what the Bible teaches.

Modern gnosticism is a complex sect. The modern gnosticism differs from early church gnosticism. There are in each age, several systems for defining and categorizing. There is no popular one, especially with gnostics. So, even a most basic outline of their beliefs, will be debated even by their own adherents. There are so many fools in the ministry that believe the initial lie of the Bible, that they are like gods, knowing. They do not know, for they are fools for neglecting to worship the real God, and believe His infallible, eternal truths in the Bible.

Efforts to give a common description of the gnostic sects is unending, opposable by all of its segments and demands vast allowances for daily additions, alterations, and modifications. There are many false doctrines out there preached by these modern gnostic heretics, that it is hard to categorize all of them. But, to attempt a basic definition of their dogma, we can frame these tenets.

BASIC TENETS OF MODERN FALSE god MINISTERS

1. They believe in a direct, personal, and absolute knowledge that is accessible to human beings, and that knowledge is the supreme achievement of mankind. The originator of their experienced knowledge is built up in pride, and will then attack any who do not blindly accept them as Gods gift to mankind.

2. This salvation of humans by this gnosis, as it is called, replaces, in their eyes, the sacrificial atonement of Jesus as taught in Christianity. Gnostics do not like (to put it mildly) the doctrine of sacrificial atonement. They want no dogmatic dogma, no commandments, no possibility therefore of sin, and no dogmatic affirmations. They want only a progressive revelation with no static creed.

3. They see salvation as coming only through them. Every other group or denomination in Christianity is seen as inferior and the gnostics pronounce curses and judgment on all who do not give them worship as the revealer of new truth for this age.

THE INITIAL LIE OF THE DEVIL STILL FLOURISHES IN THIS AGE

The idea that the serpent told Eve, that she could, if she listened to him, be as gods, knowing... is still flourishing in this age. It is still a lie of the devil. Pastors, lay people, evangelists, prophets, etc fall for it daily. The Im Elijah, but too humble to tell you complex is one of the devils favorite. Their visions, revelations, dreams could be tested and found to be errant, so they avoid those who want to test all by the Word. They pronounce some kind of curse, thereby committing the sin of witchcraft, and hurry away.

The devil is called the deceiver of the whole world.

Revelation 12:9
...the great dragon, was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and satan, who deceiveth the whole world.

So, he not only is capable of deceiving all, but at some time or another has deceived all. He is still working. We will find more and more of these as we approach the rapture. Each deception to which persons succumb will lead to another.

To some, they have come with a revelation that all black people are descendants of Cain. Since all Cains descendants were wiped out in the flood of Noah, they had to come up with some fabricated scenario to explain how some survived. So, they decided that Noah was to take two of every kind of animal on the ark, and they decided that black people were akin to animals, so that is how they got past the flood. Now, though supposedly saved from extinction in that way, they decide that all Cainites are evil and therefore should be punished and even killed as Gods way. One lie led to another, and all were not from God at all. The bias and hatred of the originators of that lie was the reason they fell victims to the devils lie that he would show them things too deep for Bible believing Christians to understand.

Some others today have much of the world being nephilim, and therefore not able to be Christian. That lie leads to the next lie of the devil, that those with this special revelation need to gather weapons and ammunition to be ready to kill these evil ones. Anyone who would be dumb enough to teach other than they believe is judged to be one of the nephilim. So, even me teaching this fact about them, would make them decide I must be a nephilim, for I oppose their gnostic knowledge. LOL

One deception leads to another. They later will be deceived of the devil that now is the time to kill those who are Cainites, or nephilim, etc. The devil has long used one lie to lead to another till he gets murder committed. The babes in Egypt were killed, and few survived, Moses being one. In the time of Jesus first coming, 14,000 babes were killed. Today, many justify abortion. Some that kill abortion doctors also are deceived by the same devil. The ultimate goal of the devil is to bring death. He does not care who, whether babies or adults, Christians or non-Christians, he wants to have them murdered.

Judas traveled with Jesus. His name, according to Jesus, was written in heaven, and yet, he believed the devils lies, and entered into a conspiracy to kill the perfect Jesus. If the devil can convince one of Jesus church, one who heard truth taught daily, how much easier is it to convince many Christians today.

John 13:27
...after the sop, satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

Judas could be deceived. Likewise, we could, if we are not careful. We also could be dumb enough to not need the devil to deceive us, for many fall for the lie told by the deceived one. They do not check the Bible to see if it is Scriptural. They do not recognize the pride and arrogance of the one who passes on the devils lies.

They have believed themselves to be gods, and think they know, and the believing of the devils initial lie, is leading to many stupid, heretical cults that call themselves churches.

murjahel · Aug 31, 2014

NOVICES OF MANY KINDS, CAN BE TRANSFORMED, CHANGED BY THE POWER OF GOD, INTO ABLE & ANOINTED PENTECOSTAL PREACHERS...

In the New Testament, we see novices of many kinds referred to. There was
party strife that centered about the different personalities of preachers, and some novices were promoting one personality over another. They were not promoting Jesus, nor the gospel message, but promoting a super saint and his kind of preaching.

Another novice was defending one in great sin, for they were a member and their giving would be missed if they were confronted about their sin. This one church member who was living in incestuous sin with his stepmother.

Another novice was encouraging members to take each other to court over any disagreement.

Novices are typically proud, and that pride makes them susceptible to many indisgressions. They think they are spiritual, but the world around them is full of sin and debauchery, and only in comparison to that are they were holy and righteous. We are not to compare ourselves with the wicked, vile, sin-laden pagans to determine our spirituality. No, we must rather compare ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 4:13
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."

Compared to Jesus, we lack, all of us do. We need to be blessed by God with the spiritual gifts of utterance (tongues, interpretation of tongues, and prophecy), and the gifts of knowledge (word of wisdom, word of knowledge, and discernment of spirits). Then, gifted, experienced, anointed, we can accept the pastorate ministry. But, when still a novice, we are easily stumbled, and we may easily do damage to the flock.

Novices must eagerly anticipate and desire the return of Jesus. While anticipating and wanting the return of Jesus, we more easily mature in the faith. The school of the Spirit enriches us into utterance and knowledge, we become gifted ministers.
I Corinthians 1:5-7
"That in every thing ye are enriched by Him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; ...so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus."

To get distracted by envy of other ministries, strife over doctrinal details, divisions over who is the best minister, debate over minor details, and struggle against humans instead of battle against evil spirits, will keep a blooming novice from maturity.

I Corinthians 3:3
"For ye are yet carnal; for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?"

The word "carnal" is from the Greek word - "sarkinos". This word is often translated with our religious connotations. We have engendered the word "carnal" with these religious connotations, and thereby have lost the real idea behind what is being said. The word "carnal" meant in that day what the word "meathead" means in our day. Paul bluntly told these "saints" in Corinth... that they were "MEATHEADS." Paul was not always as "statesman"-ly as we like to think. He could be blunt, and to the point. The church at Corinth had become foolish and stupid, and were acting as "meatheads". They were all novices in the faith, battling each other, not warring in the spiritual warfare to which we are called.

There are two kinds of people in the church congregations. There are those ruled by the NATURAL MAN, and are therefore "carnal." There are also those who are ruled by the SPIRITUAL MAN. The novice is still ruled by the natural, carnal man.

I Corinthians 2:14-15
"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man..."

The "natural" person is still a novice, and lives under the control of the fleshly passions and human desires. This person has no sense of spiritual values. Spiritual things are foolishness to the novice. Novices are concerned about the lawn being mowed, the welcome mat being cleaned, and the bills being paid for the church, which are all good, but they are not anxiously seeking revival, calling out for God to bring sinners to repentance, and seeking more gifts of the Spirit so they can minister to a hurting world more effectively.

Novices are ruled by the "natural" person, and therefore give themselves credit for their good works, and spiritual accomplishments. Pride builds within them, and many sins result from this pride. Till they live under the control of the Holy Spirit, with their minds on the things of the Spirit, and is a new creation in Christ Jesus, they need to be rejected as pastors.

When matured, the former novice will seek to daily be more and more like Jesus Christ. The spiritual condition of the church, the salvation of souls in the community, and their relationship with the Lord are now their vital concerns. The former novice remembers that they themselves were saved only by grace. All glory for successes is given to God, and a humble life of worship emanates from their being.

I Corinthians 1:18,26-29
"FOR THE PREACHING OF THE CROSS IS TO THEM THAT PERISH FOOLISHNESS; BUT UNTO US THAT ARE SAVED, IT IS THE POWER OF GOD... FOR YE SEE YOUR CALLING, BRETHREN, HOW THAT NOT MANY WISE MEN AFTER THE FLESH, NOT MANY MIGHTY, NOT MANY NOBLE ARE CALLED. BUT GOD HATH CHOSEN THE FOOLISH THINGS (the stupid ones) OF THE WORLD TO CONFOUND THE WISE; AND GOD HATH CHOSEN THE WEAK THINGS (the powerless ones) OF THE WORLD TO CONFOUND THE MIGHTY. AND THE BASE THINGS (the lowest people) OF THE WORLD, AND THE THINGS WHICH ARE DESPISED (the most hated people), HATH GOD CHOSEN, AND THINGS WHICH ARE NOT (the "nothings"), TO BRING TO NOUGHT THINGS THAT ARE , THAT NO FLESH SHOULD GLORY IN HIS PRESENCE."

The former novice was one of those, the weak, foolish, base, and despised ones, but now matured in the faith have become able through Jesus and the empowerment of the Spirit to humbly do great works.

God loves everyone. He loves bigots, stubborn people, the insensitive, the rebels, self-pitiers, quitters, misfits, bored people, irritated ones, the troubled, the wounded, etc. Novices may have been that kind, but now in Christ, are powerful saints.

Novices assume they are "spiritual", the holy, and the saints who should "have it all together". This pride causes many destructive behaviors. Yet, God yearns to change, anoint and bless the weak, powerless, nothings of this world. Still we must without the Lord, we will never be more.

There are no self-made pastors. It is the power of God that makes us mature, and leave the status of novice. No pastor became an empowered, anointed saint by their own power. No ! God takes a novice while still weak, stupid, powerless, etc. and makes them anointed pastors.

No pastor should glory in self, in the presence of God. Novices must rid themselves of the pride that makes them look down on the sinner, and that makes us to think of themselves as self-made saints, holy, and worthy of our position and acceptance.
God has taken many novices and made them powerful and blessed.

ABRAHAM had once been a worshipper of idols. Yet he became the founder of Israel, and the "friend of God."

JOSEPH had a prison record. God took him and made him a prime minister of Egypt. God used this ex con to save Israel from famine.

MOSES was a murderer. God restored him to the person who led Israel out of slavery to the Egyptians.

JEPHTHAH was a hood, a gangster. Here was a person who was the "Al Capone" of Israel. God took hold of this person, and made him the deliverer of Israel from the Ammonites.

RAHAB was a harlot of Jericho. God put her in the "Hall of Fame" of faith in Hebrews 11.

ELI and SAMUEL were poor, inconsistent fathers. God made them strong men for Him.

JOHN MARK was a quitter. Yet, later he became very profitable for not only Barnabus, but also for Paul, for Peter, and for Luke.

PETER denied the Lord, and backslid. Although he was warned, he still denied the Lord three times in one evening. Yet, the Lord transformed him to the chief spokesman for the church.

PAUL was present when Stephen was killed. Many Christians in Jerusalem had a difficult time forgiving Paul. God took this rebel, and made him the "apostle to the Gentiles."

I Corinthians 1:29-31
"That no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him are ye in Christ, Who is God made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. That according as it is written, 'He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.'"

the Charismatic / Pentecostal preacher

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