A relative called me recently and asked me to look at a video of a news broadcast that contained a brief image that appears to fit the description of the “pale horseman” described in the Book of the Revelations.
God has seven “spirits” and according to a prophecy of the coming Messiah by Isaiah in chapter eleven, verse two; six of these are described. “And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;”. John the Revelator tells us of these spirits of God as well: “And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.” These “spirits” are an interaction of God with mankind, and also include the “spirit” of creation.
These Spirits can be viewed from the point of view of humanity as the characteristics of God. They accomplish the actions and interactions of God with the created universe and humanity. God (elohiym-authority of great creative power) took counsel of His own will and created all that exists by His wisdom:
"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:" (Eph.. 1:4-11)
The Apostles discuss the power and wisdom of God as being manifest in Jesus Christ (I Cor.1:24). John revealed the Word as the will of God from before the foundation of the world and seen by us as the Messiah in John 1:1.
When we look to the signs and wonders that follow the Christians in the book of Acts of the Apostles, we see that they all have a purpose that brings the attention of people to their personal need of God, and to a God that can satisfy that need. Salvation is always the result of, or the goal of, these miracle events. None of the types of miracles manifested includes a “flash and boom” to cause consternation or fear.
Recently, a video broadcast of the civil war in Cairo Egypt included a sudden appearance of a pale horse and rider that miraculously disappeared from the crowd of fighting citizens. Considering the above scriptural point of view, this is not a manifestation of something in the apocalyptic account of Revelations. The horsemen described in that book are revelations of the powers of Nations involved in the environment near the end of the church age of Grace. The scripture does not suggest these are going to be observed as real objects as described in revelations, but rather they are metaphor: the horse symbolizes a warring king of responsibility.
The pale horse represents the ensuing death.
When Jesus rode into Jerusalem at the beginning of the festival, his family and friends were disappointed because he did not ride a horse into town. That would have symbolized his role as an authority on Earth as a king. They had hoped he came to relieve them of the Roman government rule over Israel. Instead, he rode the colt of an ass that symbolized peace. This was the objective of his ministry; to bring peace.
This is a similar metaphorical remark as the “mark” of the beast described to be in the forehead and the palm of the hand. It might simply represent an implication of thought and action rather than an actual imprinting on the hand and forehead. The saints were “sealed” in their forehead as well, yet they bore no distinguishing marks on their foreheads that we can determine. So these statements are the result of Hebrew usage of idiom to explain the events to transpire. We may be separated from the bulk of society as a result of our faith and belief; we should be recognizable as very different and excluded from the transaction of society at large possibly because we will not be afforded the civil rights to participate based on the illegal status of our religious belief.
Paul gives us a definite description of this process to the church in Thessaloniki:
"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (II Thess. 2:1-12)
A lying wonder is a falsehood. What we saw in that video clip is a manipulation of our society, and many will believe it. This will confuse and frighten a world of spiritually deceived people into a form of submission to the “assumed” apocalyptic processes based on an unknowable purpose by an unknown agency.
If I Am in Christ, I am admonished to be “anxious for nothing”. I am to be a symbol of the hope of Jesus Christ to my society, a banner made by God to attract the population that will seek God, rather than reject Him. I need to lift up Jesus before the people around me, not cower in fear of the coming judgment. If I become afraid, I will seek his face for peace in all things.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
The Heart
The successes we have in the kingdom of God are more a matter of our behavior from the heart than anything else we do. God relates to us spiritually and interacts with our “heart”. He wants us to interact with him the same way.
Gen 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Gen 6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
Gen 8:21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
The heart is an unknown for most of us. It is commonly believed that men are the least knowledgeable about how the heart works, and the emotional sensitivity of ladies make them much more aware of the notions within the heart: they often can say what they “feel” while men very often have to stop and really think hard to understand what is within the heart. Often, men just do not consider it at all.
Most of us recognize that emotions are connected to our internal thinking; our subconscious responses to stimuli often provoke an emotional response. This is what the Bible refers to as the heart. It is not the emotional seat (that is the belly or bowels); it is not the conscious logical thinking process (that is the mind) it is the underlying set of conditions that govern how you perceive everything. The conscious thoughts we have arise from these parameters that are in our “heart”. Those parameters are learned from our upbringing and our understanding of “truth”.
In fact, we are strongly cautioned to watch out for what goes into the training of children, and what adults digest as thinking material:
Pro 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
ADDICTIONS AND BAD HABITS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS GOING TO STOP YOU FROM HEARING YOUR HEART.
The story of Noah reveals to us that God not only has emotional responses from His heart, but those responses can be influenced by the behavior of people. Noah offered a burnt offering of thanks out of gratitude for being saved by God. Because of this response from a man who followed God’s nature closely, God changed his mind about how he would relate to his creation after that. What God said in Gen 8:21 is that because the heart is evil, he would have to do something else about that…
Exo 4:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
Very often we are not aware that we make decisions in life based on our heart. Many marriages suffer because the heart of a person can be hardened toward another. When that happens,thoughts about the spouse become excessively logical and harsh. The emotional content of a relationship can melt away under these conditions. Suspicions and judgment follow, and compassion may disappear. There is no contact with the part of a person, the heart, which tells your partner what your true thinking about them might be.
You see, when you have a relationship, it is because your inner thinking, the parameters you have had set in your own psychology by close contact with a person point out to you that you must include this person in life to be happy. You may have no idea that this has happened until something triggers the mental thought that causes you to say”I need this person in my life”. This is felt as an emotional response. We call that emotional response a particular signal word: we “love” someone. The same process exists for family, but the results are not the same. How we love family is very different because the emotional response is different and the parameters in our “heart” are different. WHEN WE DISCOVER WE LOVE GOD, THERE IS AN EMOTIONAL RESPONSE, OFTEN SEVERAL RESPONSES. THIS LOVE FOR GOD IS DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING WE HAVE EXPERIENCED BEFORE KNOWING GOD.
The response to God’s love for us is important. We see that Noah expressed his emotions as an act that would please God. Men very often show emotion this way. We do things for people rather than expressing emotions verbally or with physical contact. Women are commonly facile at expressing emotional responses and so this leads to understanding through vocalization and physical contact.
God hardened Pharaoh’s heart resulting in a loss of compassion and mercy for the people of Israel. He would no longer be concerned with the well being of these slaves. This cut off the possibility that Moses would be effective in convincing the Pharaoh to let Israel go free. THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION WERE ERASED AS A RESULT OF A HARDENED HEART.
What we must develop as a Christian is a heart that is not hardened toward the kingdom of God. Realizing that our communication with God is spiritual, and that our hearts are affected by this communication and we see that this is the crux of a relationship with God.
Several things to consider:
1) God provided rules of behavior so that we would not be offensive to his “heart”, as the people in Noah’s day were. These rules are called the Law of Moses.
2) God saw that even providing a correct upbringing by the law did not guarantee that our heart would be in it, and he would harden his heart toward us. So he changed the system again.
3) God came as a human partly so we could relate to him better. A spirit is a hard thing to make a solid connection with if it is not close to our own “perception” of life. The man, Jesus the Messiah, was just that connecting figure we needed. We know that he has emotions like us, feels pain, sickness and even death like us. We can connect better because God seems much more like us now.
4) GOD KNEW THAT RULES AND PROCESSES ALONE WOULD NOT KEEP US IN LOVE WITH HIM. SO HE GAVE US PART OF HIS SPIRIT TO LIVE INSIDE US WITH OUR OWN SPIRIT. This way, God could interact with us emotionally, and at a level that affects the heart directly. It is so important to have the Holy Ghost within you so that this can happen in your life. Without this, your relationship with God is difficult to maintain, and your understanding of him is diminished. In fact, you cannot become part of the “bride of Christ” in resurrection without it.
One of the most important signals for us that we are doing well in the kingdom of God is that we love our brothers in the kingdom of God. (I John 4:12 )This emotional acceptance of (often) strangers is not the result of our own “parameters” but the influence of God’s heart within us. The spirit of God modifies how we relate to everyone else. A newly filled Christian will often go around hugging total strangers and have a genuine feeling of brotherly love for everyone.
This is the plan that God had in mind to change things for us. This is how God wants us to relate to Him. If you have not yet received the Holy Ghost, you cannot fathom this emotional connection because it is only from God. It cannot be learned by human experience. If you do have the Holy Ghost within, then you already are aware of this property of salvation.
What can we do to be successful in the kingdom of God? We have to maintain a relationship with God very much like the ones we maintain with other people. Family, spouses and close friends always make an effort to accommodate, have compassion for and consideration of the others in their life. We have to do this same thing for God.
WE DO NOT POSSESS THE SKILL TO DO THAT AUTOMATICALLY. WE ATTEND CHURCH FAITHFULLY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE RIGHT PARAMETERS TO PUT IN OUR HEART. PREACHING IS DESIGNED TO DO THIS.
We pray every day to keep lines of communication open with God. If you do not draw close to him, the same results occur as when you fail to talk to your own people. Marriages suffer; friends grow cold and indifferent. Family members start to leave you out of their immediate plans.
We listen to God. We read his words regularly, and the Spirit he put within us teaches us as we read.
You wish to be successful in the kingdom of God? This is how: FAITHFUL ATTENDANCE TO WORSHIP, FAITHFULLY READING THE WORD, AND PRAYING EVERY DAY. Doing this causes many things to happen: God keeps you in his immediate plans, you are constantly aware that he loves you very much, and your compassion for others grows. The spirit within you seems to bubble over onto others, and God will definitely use you to reach others.
1Jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
1Jn 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
1Jn 4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
The successes we have in the kingdom of God are more a matter of our behavior from the heart than anything else we do. God relates to us spiritually and interacts with our “heart”. He wants us to interact with him the same way.
Gen 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Gen 6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
Gen 8:21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
The heart is an unknown for most of us. It is commonly believed that men are the least knowledgeable about how the heart works, and the emotional sensitivity of ladies make them much more aware of the notions within the heart: they often can say what they “feel” while men very often have to stop and really think hard to understand what is within the heart. Often, men just do not consider it at all.
Most of us recognize that emotions are connected to our internal thinking; our subconscious responses to stimuli often provoke an emotional response. This is what the Bible refers to as the heart. It is not the emotional seat (that is the belly or bowels); it is not the conscious logical thinking process (that is the mind) it is the underlying set of conditions that govern how you perceive everything. The conscious thoughts we have arise from these parameters that are in our “heart”. Those parameters are learned from our upbringing and our understanding of “truth”.
In fact, we are strongly cautioned to watch out for what goes into the training of children, and what adults digest as thinking material:
Pro 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
ADDICTIONS AND BAD HABITS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS GOING TO STOP YOU FROM HEARING YOUR HEART.
The story of Noah reveals to us that God not only has emotional responses from His heart, but those responses can be influenced by the behavior of people. Noah offered a burnt offering of thanks out of gratitude for being saved by God. Because of this response from a man who followed God’s nature closely, God changed his mind about how he would relate to his creation after that. What God said in Gen 8:21 is that because the heart is evil, he would have to do something else about that…
Exo 4:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
Very often we are not aware that we make decisions in life based on our heart. Many marriages suffer because the heart of a person can be hardened toward another. When that happens,thoughts about the spouse become excessively logical and harsh. The emotional content of a relationship can melt away under these conditions. Suspicions and judgment follow, and compassion may disappear. There is no contact with the part of a person, the heart, which tells your partner what your true thinking about them might be.
You see, when you have a relationship, it is because your inner thinking, the parameters you have had set in your own psychology by close contact with a person point out to you that you must include this person in life to be happy. You may have no idea that this has happened until something triggers the mental thought that causes you to say”I need this person in my life”. This is felt as an emotional response. We call that emotional response a particular signal word: we “love” someone. The same process exists for family, but the results are not the same. How we love family is very different because the emotional response is different and the parameters in our “heart” are different. WHEN WE DISCOVER WE LOVE GOD, THERE IS AN EMOTIONAL RESPONSE, OFTEN SEVERAL RESPONSES. THIS LOVE FOR GOD IS DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING WE HAVE EXPERIENCED BEFORE KNOWING GOD.
The response to God’s love for us is important. We see that Noah expressed his emotions as an act that would please God. Men very often show emotion this way. We do things for people rather than expressing emotions verbally or with physical contact. Women are commonly facile at expressing emotional responses and so this leads to understanding through vocalization and physical contact.
God hardened Pharaoh’s heart resulting in a loss of compassion and mercy for the people of Israel. He would no longer be concerned with the well being of these slaves. This cut off the possibility that Moses would be effective in convincing the Pharaoh to let Israel go free. THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION WERE ERASED AS A RESULT OF A HARDENED HEART.
What we must develop as a Christian is a heart that is not hardened toward the kingdom of God. Realizing that our communication with God is spiritual, and that our hearts are affected by this communication and we see that this is the crux of a relationship with God.
Several things to consider:
1) God provided rules of behavior so that we would not be offensive to his “heart”, as the people in Noah’s day were. These rules are called the Law of Moses.
2) God saw that even providing a correct upbringing by the law did not guarantee that our heart would be in it, and he would harden his heart toward us. So he changed the system again.
3) God came as a human partly so we could relate to him better. A spirit is a hard thing to make a solid connection with if it is not close to our own “perception” of life. The man, Jesus the Messiah, was just that connecting figure we needed. We know that he has emotions like us, feels pain, sickness and even death like us. We can connect better because God seems much more like us now.
4) GOD KNEW THAT RULES AND PROCESSES ALONE WOULD NOT KEEP US IN LOVE WITH HIM. SO HE GAVE US PART OF HIS SPIRIT TO LIVE INSIDE US WITH OUR OWN SPIRIT. This way, God could interact with us emotionally, and at a level that affects the heart directly. It is so important to have the Holy Ghost within you so that this can happen in your life. Without this, your relationship with God is difficult to maintain, and your understanding of him is diminished. In fact, you cannot become part of the “bride of Christ” in resurrection without it.
One of the most important signals for us that we are doing well in the kingdom of God is that we love our brothers in the kingdom of God. (I John 4:12 )This emotional acceptance of (often) strangers is not the result of our own “parameters” but the influence of God’s heart within us. The spirit of God modifies how we relate to everyone else. A newly filled Christian will often go around hugging total strangers and have a genuine feeling of brotherly love for everyone.
This is the plan that God had in mind to change things for us. This is how God wants us to relate to Him. If you have not yet received the Holy Ghost, you cannot fathom this emotional connection because it is only from God. It cannot be learned by human experience. If you do have the Holy Ghost within, then you already are aware of this property of salvation.
What can we do to be successful in the kingdom of God? We have to maintain a relationship with God very much like the ones we maintain with other people. Family, spouses and close friends always make an effort to accommodate, have compassion for and consideration of the others in their life. We have to do this same thing for God.
WE DO NOT POSSESS THE SKILL TO DO THAT AUTOMATICALLY. WE ATTEND CHURCH FAITHFULLY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE RIGHT PARAMETERS TO PUT IN OUR HEART. PREACHING IS DESIGNED TO DO THIS.
We pray every day to keep lines of communication open with God. If you do not draw close to him, the same results occur as when you fail to talk to your own people. Marriages suffer; friends grow cold and indifferent. Family members start to leave you out of their immediate plans.
We listen to God. We read his words regularly, and the Spirit he put within us teaches us as we read.
You wish to be successful in the kingdom of God? This is how: FAITHFUL ATTENDANCE TO WORSHIP, FAITHFULLY READING THE WORD, AND PRAYING EVERY DAY. Doing this causes many things to happen: God keeps you in his immediate plans, you are constantly aware that he loves you very much, and your compassion for others grows. The spirit within you seems to bubble over onto others, and God will definitely use you to reach others.
1Jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
1Jn 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
1Jn 4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Saving Sodom
Gen 9:27 God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
Since the time of Adam and Eve in the garden, spiritual influences have governed the long term development of humanity; the customs of family and clan, then walled city-states and finally nations. All of these influences over history are spiritual work in the heart of man. The result of spiritual influences that are not of God has developed a world of chaos and sin. Generally speaking, since the fall man does not seek the influence of God, and cannot hear Him.
Adam could hear God, who was a spirit, and he talked with God daily. How long this lasted no one knows. One thing is certain, Adam and Eve could no longer hear God’s voice after they collectively listened to the influence of another spirit and fell in sin. From that day forward, man has struggled with influences in life that are not seen nor are heard with the ear.
As time went on, God executed His plan to bring man back to Him; to be able to hear Him once again as the strong influence in life.
The flood removed the exceedingly bad outcome of self-governed behavior in humanity. This was because only a select group of people understood the rudimentary principle of worship. It was four generations before man began to call on the name of the Lord after the fall to sin. Noah was one who could hear God and built the vehicle of salvation of a small group of people.
Noah’s three sons started us all over again. The scripture we read here is a promise given to Japheth that is fulfilled by Shem and that encompasses all the rest of human history. This promise is culminated in the savior of all men, Jesus Christ. Yes, tonight we see that God intended to bring man back to him, and God started with Noah’s boys.
Noah was guided by the influence of God and Noah could understand how to live so that God was pleased with him. What we need to seek is a way to hear God and to live so that we please Him.
The promise given in this passage is revealed by examining the idiom of Hebrew culture, the tent. To enlarge the tent meant to increase the number of people living in the tent. You were going to have some kids. To live in the tents of Shem is another idiom that means that Japheth will develop a culture that mimics or is influenced by Shem. Japhethites will develop a society that is similar in structure to that of Shem in terms of law, ethic and morals. Japheth will be blessed by the culture of Shem.
The one group in this equation that did not dwell in the tents of Shem was the Canaanites who developed the really evil serving societies of the planet. Throughout history these people have been on the bottom of the success ladder because they were cursed. That means that society did not receive the blessings of God. This is how Canaan was a servant. They were not blessed with good influences. They did not dwell in the tent of Shem.
We know that the Bible tells us that Shem produced the Hebrews, the bringers of God’s law to mankind. We also know that the non-Jews (Gentiles) are descended from Japheth and Canaan. So there is a representation that bears examining. What is the difference between Gentiles that are Japheth descended as opposed to Canaanites? The answer is the blessing. This is the only thing that separates them as a society.
America is an example of the Japheth model that is heavily influenced by the Hebrews. Our society recognized God and the morals of that Hebrew society. There was no large scale destruction of society as a result of lawlessness and sin. But Sodom was a society that was Canaanite and was the model of cursed societies everywhere.
The alarming news is that now America is going the way of Sodom. This society has promoted promiscuity, especially among the young, and has created a legal system that has started ignoring the ethic and law that the Hebrew society brought to us. Family integrity is dissolving away in the loose lifestyle of strange flesh. Now we have widespread disease and crime. Rampant immorality has produced an escalating death toll due to disease and drug abuse. Alcoholism has become the escape valve that leads to destroyed lives and families.
How did this society become more like Sodom? Why will society lose the blessing?
We left the tents of Shem.
Since the time of Adam and Eve in the garden, spiritual influences have governed the long term development of humanity; the customs of family and clan, then walled city-states and finally nations. All of these influences over history are spiritual work in the heart of man. The result of spiritual influences that are not of God has developed a world of chaos and sin. Generally speaking, since the fall man does not seek the influence of God, and cannot hear Him.
Adam could hear God, who was a spirit, and he talked with God daily. How long this lasted no one knows. One thing is certain, Adam and Eve could no longer hear God’s voice after they collectively listened to the influence of another spirit and fell in sin. From that day forward, man has struggled with influences in life that are not seen nor are heard with the ear.
As time went on, God executed His plan to bring man back to Him; to be able to hear Him once again as the strong influence in life.
The flood removed the exceedingly bad outcome of self-governed behavior in humanity. This was because only a select group of people understood the rudimentary principle of worship. It was four generations before man began to call on the name of the Lord after the fall to sin. Noah was one who could hear God and built the vehicle of salvation of a small group of people.
Noah’s three sons started us all over again. The scripture we read here is a promise given to Japheth that is fulfilled by Shem and that encompasses all the rest of human history. This promise is culminated in the savior of all men, Jesus Christ. Yes, tonight we see that God intended to bring man back to him, and God started with Noah’s boys.
Noah was guided by the influence of God and Noah could understand how to live so that God was pleased with him. What we need to seek is a way to hear God and to live so that we please Him.
The promise given in this passage is revealed by examining the idiom of Hebrew culture, the tent. To enlarge the tent meant to increase the number of people living in the tent. You were going to have some kids. To live in the tents of Shem is another idiom that means that Japheth will develop a culture that mimics or is influenced by Shem. Japhethites will develop a society that is similar in structure to that of Shem in terms of law, ethic and morals. Japheth will be blessed by the culture of Shem.
The one group in this equation that did not dwell in the tents of Shem was the Canaanites who developed the really evil serving societies of the planet. Throughout history these people have been on the bottom of the success ladder because they were cursed. That means that society did not receive the blessings of God. This is how Canaan was a servant. They were not blessed with good influences. They did not dwell in the tent of Shem.
We know that the Bible tells us that Shem produced the Hebrews, the bringers of God’s law to mankind. We also know that the non-Jews (Gentiles) are descended from Japheth and Canaan. So there is a representation that bears examining. What is the difference between Gentiles that are Japheth descended as opposed to Canaanites? The answer is the blessing. This is the only thing that separates them as a society.
America is an example of the Japheth model that is heavily influenced by the Hebrews. Our society recognized God and the morals of that Hebrew society. There was no large scale destruction of society as a result of lawlessness and sin. But Sodom was a society that was Canaanite and was the model of cursed societies everywhere.
The alarming news is that now America is going the way of Sodom. This society has promoted promiscuity, especially among the young, and has created a legal system that has started ignoring the ethic and law that the Hebrew society brought to us. Family integrity is dissolving away in the loose lifestyle of strange flesh. Now we have widespread disease and crime. Rampant immorality has produced an escalating death toll due to disease and drug abuse. Alcoholism has become the escape valve that leads to destroyed lives and families.
How did this society become more like Sodom? Why will society lose the blessing?
We left the tents of Shem.
Monday, May 25, 2009
What Are Prables For?
The account in the Gospels of Jesus’ teaching the parable of the sower is sometimes misunderstood. The purpose in discussing the various problems individuals will face as they try to enter into the kingdom of God is to let us know what we need to be prepared to combat.
The passage in no way suggests that we leave these situations and allow the people facing these problems to perish.
The passage ends with the declaration “he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear.” That means pay attention and understand!
What do we need too understand? That we are to be proactive in helping to remedy these problems as they arise. We need to be actively working months after the altar call as much as we do during the salvation process.
The parable is an instruction to become a “gardener.” If the weeds are choking the plants, get out the hoe.
If the birds are snatching away the seed before it can germinate, build a scarecrow.
If the plant has shallow roots, put in support rods and keep the plant watered frequently until they can take hold.
Last Sunday, my teacher spoke about friendship. It was the perfect introduction to discipleship. We must become the friends of those who are trying to find the kingdom of God as their home.
Friendship is not like any other relationship. Other relationships begin without your knowing of the existence of the relationship. Romance, family and any other benevolent situation is not quite like friendship.
You chose to be a friend.
It takes a lot of work. It takes thinking about it. It takes faith that your effort will improve the circumstances and behavior of another person. Friendship is about others.
While this is a simplification, the result is the same for any situation of friendship. It is a selfless act.
So, why not choose to be a friend to a newly repentant person who has been missing from the kingdom?
They can really use a good friend.
The passage in no way suggests that we leave these situations and allow the people facing these problems to perish.
The passage ends with the declaration “he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear.” That means pay attention and understand!
What do we need too understand? That we are to be proactive in helping to remedy these problems as they arise. We need to be actively working months after the altar call as much as we do during the salvation process.
The parable is an instruction to become a “gardener.” If the weeds are choking the plants, get out the hoe.
If the birds are snatching away the seed before it can germinate, build a scarecrow.
If the plant has shallow roots, put in support rods and keep the plant watered frequently until they can take hold.
Last Sunday, my teacher spoke about friendship. It was the perfect introduction to discipleship. We must become the friends of those who are trying to find the kingdom of God as their home.
Friendship is not like any other relationship. Other relationships begin without your knowing of the existence of the relationship. Romance, family and any other benevolent situation is not quite like friendship.
You chose to be a friend.
It takes a lot of work. It takes thinking about it. It takes faith that your effort will improve the circumstances and behavior of another person. Friendship is about others.
While this is a simplification, the result is the same for any situation of friendship. It is a selfless act.
So, why not choose to be a friend to a newly repentant person who has been missing from the kingdom?
They can really use a good friend.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
The Parable of the Sower
Luk 8:6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
Luk 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
"…And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."
Every person that walks through the church doors is a potential plant that will bring forth fruit; every person.
Each one of these persons who commits their life to God at an altar of repentance has found the living water, yet many perish. The Word is there, but it fails to sustain them.
For a while they believe but eventually something comes along and destroys their belief. This passage of scripture says that it is a lack of moisture because there is no root to bring moisture into the stem.
What is responsible for this lack of moisture? Is it not true that all persons who come to God initially have no roots?
The other parts of this parable point out the difficulties that one can face. Satan steals the Word before it can take hold in the heart. Some are lost because the cares of this life choke it out. Do we just let them die?
What is it that we need to hear in this parable?
We need to become “gardeners”
We can weed a garden. We can pray a wall of protection and an environment of worship for the ones the enemy tries to steal away the Word.
A plant that has no root system requires frequent watering and protection from extreme sunlight and wind until a root system develops.
That new convert is about to walk out of the building and into the wind and bright sunshine.
They are about to be inundated by torrential rains of information tugging at them from friends who think they have gone crazy, and convince them so, to acquaintances who want them to buy more drugs, all right outside the walls of the building. Old habits that held them before are waiting to jump back into their lives
What will protect them from the rain, the wind, the harsh sunlight until they can have a root system that will hold them on their own?
You.
Become part of the close-by network that provides constant moisture. Part of the strong roots nearby that holds them up. Join yourself to the new ones, wherever you are.
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Luk 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
"…And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."
Every person that walks through the church doors is a potential plant that will bring forth fruit; every person.
Each one of these persons who commits their life to God at an altar of repentance has found the living water, yet many perish. The Word is there, but it fails to sustain them.
For a while they believe but eventually something comes along and destroys their belief. This passage of scripture says that it is a lack of moisture because there is no root to bring moisture into the stem.
What is responsible for this lack of moisture? Is it not true that all persons who come to God initially have no roots?
The other parts of this parable point out the difficulties that one can face. Satan steals the Word before it can take hold in the heart. Some are lost because the cares of this life choke it out. Do we just let them die?
What is it that we need to hear in this parable?
We need to become “gardeners”
We can weed a garden. We can pray a wall of protection and an environment of worship for the ones the enemy tries to steal away the Word.
A plant that has no root system requires frequent watering and protection from extreme sunlight and wind until a root system develops.
That new convert is about to walk out of the building and into the wind and bright sunshine.
They are about to be inundated by torrential rains of information tugging at them from friends who think they have gone crazy, and convince them so, to acquaintances who want them to buy more drugs, all right outside the walls of the building. Old habits that held them before are waiting to jump back into their lives
What will protect them from the rain, the wind, the harsh sunlight until they can have a root system that will hold them on their own?
You.
Become part of the close-by network that provides constant moisture. Part of the strong roots nearby that holds them up. Join yourself to the new ones, wherever you are.
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Tyre
I wrote this blog almost two years ago. It was given to me as I worked in the yard, and seemed at the time very relevant as a warning.
It seems even more relevant to me today now that we have a President who says our country is not a Christian country (better check the history books) and has the name of Jesus covered at Universities where he gives talks.
Here it is for your review:
Isaiah 23
This chapter is the prophecy of Isaiah concerning the destruction of Tyre, a coastal city of grand splendor and wealth as a result of free trade in shipping. It was a daughter city, first established by the Assyrians forty years before Solomon’s Temple and then populated by many area people of various trades and skills. It was a city of great renown and possibly the greatest city of the time other than Babylon. It was the chief city of Phoenicia.
The society was then a wide mixture of people, and a city with great towers and fortifications; a mighty city with great security.
It was also a city grown so wealthy that the people were puffed up, spent great sums on luxury and entertainments, and somehow thumbed their political noses at the rest of the world. They were able to resist war efforts by other nations until the time after Isaiah began this pronouncement against Tyre.
Another aspect of this society was the economic character: free trade was not without the corruption of merchants and the government who used unfair weights of measure. Moral character was very low in both the government and on the personal level.
So great is the security of this city and its trade importance, that many other cities and nations depended on her for their own financial stability.
The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that
there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.
Tarsus is a Spanish port from which Tyre had much gold and silver, but Tarshish also means the Sea, and represents all sea traders that are being warned of the failure of trade with Tyre soon to come.
Chittim (Kittim son of Javan) is the Greeks and Macedonians and is where Alexander arises from. This references the mechanism by which Tyre will be destroyed by Alexander. It also is the origin of the travelers who bring news of this destruction to Tyre.
Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon,
that pass over the sea, have replenished.
And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her
revenue; and she is a mart of nations.
Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the
sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up
young men, nor bring up virgins.
Zidon is the parent city of Tyre, and more ancient than Tyre. It is being warned to not replenish the population of Tyre.
As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the
report of Tyre.
Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.
Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet
shall carry her afar off to sojourn.
The prophet is warning the surrounding economic forces of the impending doom of their trading port. He is also pointing out to the local commerce cities that their famous and wonderful city is going to be transported away and be no more.
Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose
merchants are princes, whose traders are the honorable of the earth?
The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory,
and to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.
Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more
strength.
He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath
given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strongholds
thereof.
And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of
Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest.
Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian
founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers
thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.
Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy
years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall
Tyre sing as a harlot.
God brought about the destruction of this great city, and Babylon, and Egypt for exactly the same reasons: Puffed up, Sinful and rebellious societies. Great wealth and earthly success brought about a change in the fabric of the societies and they forfeited the old paths for the sensual and self-indulgent lifestyle. In each case, no real city remains. In each case, the society no longer carries any influence in the world that resembles their former estate. The city of Babylon was rebuilt, but not a soul lives there. Tyre is now a small fishing village whose inhabitants barely eek out a living. Egypt is a dust bowl of major proportions, and rules no other lands, controls no other economics, and is surviving only because of the hard effort to coexist with her neighbors.
Isaiah is giving the word to Tyre that her days are numbered, and when she returns after seventy years, her export will be the righteousness of God, and holiness. Interestingly, this is a city where Paul passed through and was protected by some disciples found there.
And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD
will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication
with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.
And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not
be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell
before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.
We are at the same place as Tyre, Babylon, Egypt, and many others that God has chastised. The United States has many enemies within and without. It would be an easy thing for the government of this country to swiftly change to a destructive one. We could easily fall prey to many different threats. We need to wake up to the fact that we are all little people living in a land that has great big attitude, but is on a spiritual precipice and about to fall.
Are we going to be like Lot, who barely escapes the destruction of Sodom because Abraham was trying to convince God not to destroy the city for the sake of the righteous? God did not have much respect for Lot, He only allowed his miserable survival because of His promise to Abraham. The sin of that society destroyed Lots testimony of righteousness, and ruined his life.
Will there be enough righteous in this country to prevent another Tyre happening here? What is it that we think makes us an exception to those other destroyed places? One Nation Under God is not simply a National motto, but almost no one believes it anymore. People are afraid to acknowledge God publicly as a result of the ACLU and politically correct mandates in our country.
Like Lot, we are immersed in our society, bound to its economics, fixed in our perception of reality through the eyes of a wealthy and prosperous nation. Our population would laugh in our face if we told them that they must give up the attitude, the economic necessity to succeed, the sensuous lifestyles and the entertainments, and seek Gods face or be destroyed. The government as a whole is not aware of any word from God, because they do not see Him. They must be politically correct, and not mention His name. To appear to listen to God would mean that they acknowledge His dominion over them.
God is warning us now. Repent.
Will there be any crowns of righteousness from the USA of today? Will our miserable existence allow us to find a room in heaven?
The United States is not special in this respect. It may be destroyed like all other nations who usurped Gods authority in the land.
Repent.
We must find a way to shed the influences of our society, and take off the rose colored glasses and see our nakedness, or poverty, our lack. Yes, us. The anointed, the spirit filled as well as the not-so-righteous people of this country are warned to repent. What happens to the USA happens to God's people as well. There is something wrong with some of us. We must return to the old paths. Our elders are rapidly disappearing from the scene. They are the last of a generation of people in American society as a whole which feared God. The many remaining have been raised in a society much like Tyre and Sodom. How will we fair at judgment?
When is the last time we prayed all night, or fasted for three days. When is the last time to go out to the streets to visit with people? When was the last time people were convicted of their errors during a sermon at your church?
Now, people think you are a psychopath if you walk up to them on the street and introduce yourself. Our modern society is not receptive to God at all, largely because of the sophistication of people’s thoughts and manners, and the deviations in good behavior found in so many people. It is just not safe to let people approach you on the street.
So we shy away from this approach because we are worried that people are going to rebuff our effort. Is this not what God said would happen to us? Should we not proceed anyway? Remember Jonah and Nineveh. Maybe our citizens will repent as well, just as Nineveh did; we must not run from it like Jonah did, however.
A word from the Psalms (19:11-13):
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the LORD
are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also
than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great
reward.
Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion
over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great
transgression.
The great transgression spoken of here is rebellion. By definition, rebellion is bitterness. It derives from a Hebrew word that means the head waters of a stream. Often, these waters are bitter because the water stands and stagnates. This morning in Sunday School we read from this passage in Matthew 24:9-14:
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye
shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate
one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax
cold.
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a
witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
I believe we are there now. This seems to be the crucial time, the changing of the guard, so to speak, in the world status of nations and people.
This seems very negative, and quite disturbing. I think that this is necessary for me to understand that I can only remedy this situation in my life by following the Psalmist advice. I believe this was for my benefit, but is also a cry to all others. This Nation may receive a wake-up call soon.
Please preachers, preach conviction, castigate sin, make us aware! We must no longer feel that filling the pews by making it a kinder, gentler Gospel is the point of our efforts, but to bring in “whosoever will” and give them the real deal. Do not soft-soap the truth, but lay it out from the beginning to the end, including the hard, insensitive-seeming parts. Maybe repentance can be found. Maybe our nation will remain. Maybe there will be crowns of righteousness yet.
Please God, keep me from the presumptuous sins, give me the true judgments of God rather than financial success, luxuries of entertainments, sensuality, and attitude. Do not let me become a Jonah, but let me walk in righteousness, even though my society may never do so.
It seems even more relevant to me today now that we have a President who says our country is not a Christian country (better check the history books) and has the name of Jesus covered at Universities where he gives talks.
Here it is for your review:
Isaiah 23
This chapter is the prophecy of Isaiah concerning the destruction of Tyre, a coastal city of grand splendor and wealth as a result of free trade in shipping. It was a daughter city, first established by the Assyrians forty years before Solomon’s Temple and then populated by many area people of various trades and skills. It was a city of great renown and possibly the greatest city of the time other than Babylon. It was the chief city of Phoenicia.
The society was then a wide mixture of people, and a city with great towers and fortifications; a mighty city with great security.
It was also a city grown so wealthy that the people were puffed up, spent great sums on luxury and entertainments, and somehow thumbed their political noses at the rest of the world. They were able to resist war efforts by other nations until the time after Isaiah began this pronouncement against Tyre.
Another aspect of this society was the economic character: free trade was not without the corruption of merchants and the government who used unfair weights of measure. Moral character was very low in both the government and on the personal level.
So great is the security of this city and its trade importance, that many other cities and nations depended on her for their own financial stability.
The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that
there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.
Tarsus is a Spanish port from which Tyre had much gold and silver, but Tarshish also means the Sea, and represents all sea traders that are being warned of the failure of trade with Tyre soon to come.
Chittim (Kittim son of Javan) is the Greeks and Macedonians and is where Alexander arises from. This references the mechanism by which Tyre will be destroyed by Alexander. It also is the origin of the travelers who bring news of this destruction to Tyre.
Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon,
that pass over the sea, have replenished.
And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her
revenue; and she is a mart of nations.
Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the
sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up
young men, nor bring up virgins.
Zidon is the parent city of Tyre, and more ancient than Tyre. It is being warned to not replenish the population of Tyre.
As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the
report of Tyre.
Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.
Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet
shall carry her afar off to sojourn.
The prophet is warning the surrounding economic forces of the impending doom of their trading port. He is also pointing out to the local commerce cities that their famous and wonderful city is going to be transported away and be no more.
Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose
merchants are princes, whose traders are the honorable of the earth?
The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory,
and to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.
Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more
strength.
He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath
given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strongholds
thereof.
And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of
Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest.
Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian
founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers
thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.
Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy
years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall
Tyre sing as a harlot.
God brought about the destruction of this great city, and Babylon, and Egypt for exactly the same reasons: Puffed up, Sinful and rebellious societies. Great wealth and earthly success brought about a change in the fabric of the societies and they forfeited the old paths for the sensual and self-indulgent lifestyle. In each case, no real city remains. In each case, the society no longer carries any influence in the world that resembles their former estate. The city of Babylon was rebuilt, but not a soul lives there. Tyre is now a small fishing village whose inhabitants barely eek out a living. Egypt is a dust bowl of major proportions, and rules no other lands, controls no other economics, and is surviving only because of the hard effort to coexist with her neighbors.
Isaiah is giving the word to Tyre that her days are numbered, and when she returns after seventy years, her export will be the righteousness of God, and holiness. Interestingly, this is a city where Paul passed through and was protected by some disciples found there.
And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD
will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication
with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.
And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not
be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell
before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.
We are at the same place as Tyre, Babylon, Egypt, and many others that God has chastised. The United States has many enemies within and without. It would be an easy thing for the government of this country to swiftly change to a destructive one. We could easily fall prey to many different threats. We need to wake up to the fact that we are all little people living in a land that has great big attitude, but is on a spiritual precipice and about to fall.
Are we going to be like Lot, who barely escapes the destruction of Sodom because Abraham was trying to convince God not to destroy the city for the sake of the righteous? God did not have much respect for Lot, He only allowed his miserable survival because of His promise to Abraham. The sin of that society destroyed Lots testimony of righteousness, and ruined his life.
Will there be enough righteous in this country to prevent another Tyre happening here? What is it that we think makes us an exception to those other destroyed places? One Nation Under God is not simply a National motto, but almost no one believes it anymore. People are afraid to acknowledge God publicly as a result of the ACLU and politically correct mandates in our country.
Like Lot, we are immersed in our society, bound to its economics, fixed in our perception of reality through the eyes of a wealthy and prosperous nation. Our population would laugh in our face if we told them that they must give up the attitude, the economic necessity to succeed, the sensuous lifestyles and the entertainments, and seek Gods face or be destroyed. The government as a whole is not aware of any word from God, because they do not see Him. They must be politically correct, and not mention His name. To appear to listen to God would mean that they acknowledge His dominion over them.
God is warning us now. Repent.
Will there be any crowns of righteousness from the USA of today? Will our miserable existence allow us to find a room in heaven?
The United States is not special in this respect. It may be destroyed like all other nations who usurped Gods authority in the land.
Repent.
We must find a way to shed the influences of our society, and take off the rose colored glasses and see our nakedness, or poverty, our lack. Yes, us. The anointed, the spirit filled as well as the not-so-righteous people of this country are warned to repent. What happens to the USA happens to God's people as well. There is something wrong with some of us. We must return to the old paths. Our elders are rapidly disappearing from the scene. They are the last of a generation of people in American society as a whole which feared God. The many remaining have been raised in a society much like Tyre and Sodom. How will we fair at judgment?
When is the last time we prayed all night, or fasted for three days. When is the last time to go out to the streets to visit with people? When was the last time people were convicted of their errors during a sermon at your church?
Now, people think you are a psychopath if you walk up to them on the street and introduce yourself. Our modern society is not receptive to God at all, largely because of the sophistication of people’s thoughts and manners, and the deviations in good behavior found in so many people. It is just not safe to let people approach you on the street.
So we shy away from this approach because we are worried that people are going to rebuff our effort. Is this not what God said would happen to us? Should we not proceed anyway? Remember Jonah and Nineveh. Maybe our citizens will repent as well, just as Nineveh did; we must not run from it like Jonah did, however.
A word from the Psalms (19:11-13):
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the LORD
are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also
than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great
reward.
Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion
over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great
transgression.
The great transgression spoken of here is rebellion. By definition, rebellion is bitterness. It derives from a Hebrew word that means the head waters of a stream. Often, these waters are bitter because the water stands and stagnates. This morning in Sunday School we read from this passage in Matthew 24:9-14:
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye
shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate
one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax
cold.
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a
witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
I believe we are there now. This seems to be the crucial time, the changing of the guard, so to speak, in the world status of nations and people.
This seems very negative, and quite disturbing. I think that this is necessary for me to understand that I can only remedy this situation in my life by following the Psalmist advice. I believe this was for my benefit, but is also a cry to all others. This Nation may receive a wake-up call soon.
Please preachers, preach conviction, castigate sin, make us aware! We must no longer feel that filling the pews by making it a kinder, gentler Gospel is the point of our efforts, but to bring in “whosoever will” and give them the real deal. Do not soft-soap the truth, but lay it out from the beginning to the end, including the hard, insensitive-seeming parts. Maybe repentance can be found. Maybe our nation will remain. Maybe there will be crowns of righteousness yet.
Please God, keep me from the presumptuous sins, give me the true judgments of God rather than financial success, luxuries of entertainments, sensuality, and attitude. Do not let me become a Jonah, but let me walk in righteousness, even though my society may never do so.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of these...
I went out this week with others from the church to look for homeless individuals. There were sack lunches to be handed out, and the locations were in the old district of town, across the tracks.
I witnessed a number of things, and I would like to tell you a few things about the homeless and about what God is doing with this outreach.
First, let me relate several encounters that we shared as we traveled about looking in alleys, around parks and abandoned buildings.
I never took notice before, but there are a large number of people who live in abandoned places. There was an elderly gentleman who was sitting in a chair on the porch of a condemned house. There were no windows, doors or facilities in that house. It was filled with refuse of various sorts, and clearly could not be maintained.
The man on the porch responded to the offer of a lunch negatively. He thanked us for the offer, but explained that he had enough money to buy food. He was still sitting in that chair, and said that this was once his home, but his retirement did not afford him the money to pay the bills and keep up the house. He still existed there, but with nothing we would consider “livable”. He did nothing wrong. He accomplished the steps our society considers acceptable, but was left in his old age in this condition because there was not enough money.
Next there was a shed or an old abandoned mechanics barn. On the outside was a sign that said “no drugs allowed”. There were five people living in this shed, and had banded together to prevent the drug traffickers from enticing them into that addictive process. I suppose they understood the need for mutual support in so dangerous an enterprise. I wonder how long it will last for them. We stopped and handed out lunches, and a woman asked “are you from a church?”. I responded that yes, we were, we just wanted to help folks out. She replied “well you made a hundred and one today!”.
As I ponder the life they lived and how they might have come to be homeless I remembered my own past. I was homeless for a time. I managed, by the Grace of God, to get back into mainstream society, but it was a rare case indeed. I had had the Holy Ghost and a lot of Biblical training to help me make choices that turned things around for me. These people do not necessarily have that advantage. I had prayer, and some people praying for me. There was a connection made for me when I could not help myself. This is the necessary ingredient needed to change the lives of those who are for one reason or another trapped in the darkness of the world. The chains that bind them are as real as air, and as easily palpable.
When God began to talk with me about this, I began to respond to God's influence in my heart with questions. I wondered how I could make any difference that mattered in these lives, other than to pray for them. What I did not realize was that God had prepared me well for this burden. He made me to know that it was the face-to-face contact that would make a difference. That there was a need for friendliness and trust before the goal could be realized.
I have spent a little time thinking about this. For those who do not understand, let me outline a few things for you to think about.
There are two basic ideas we have to embrace before we proceed to understand the situation of homelessness:
It could happen to any of us
The homeless are just like you and I.
There are people with advanced degrees, those who have had high paying jobs, and many who have, through no action of their own, found themselves stuck on the street. The main reasons people must exist this way are:
Some are illegal immigrants.
Some are veterans.
Some are people who found out a low-paying job doesn’t come close to paying for rent, electricity, food, and medicine.
Some have been rejected by family
The Bible speaks plainly about homelessness:
“And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.
Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with
thee.” (Leviticus 25:35-36 ).
“Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.
And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:
And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” (Isaiah 58:6-8,9-10).
“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
(Matthew 25:34-40).
Some important details:
With a tent and fifteen dollars, a homeless man can have shelter and food for the day, without the requirement of checking into a shelter, meeting its regulations about substance abuse and a curfew.
In any case, he will not find a job, a car, an apartment or health insurance this way. An abandoned building is also just as useful to him.
Homeless people who have worked in the past may be able to receive Social Security or even disability. If you combine this with the income from a full time, minimum-wage job, most could not afford the cheapest rent, electricity, and food.
There are a number who simply cannot work for a list of reasons that are larger than the following list, but are all still a reality:
because of physical disabilities.
because of mental illnesses.
because They are lacking in people skills and have a severe lack of coping ability.
They are fugitives from society, the society that we represent. They certainly will be uncomfortable with the idea of attending church at first. Many will simply say no to any involvement from a church on an ongoing arrangement. They want to stay where they are. They are often in the clutches of darkness (most likely all of them are, in some fashion or another).
We want to gain a foothold in that community by showing them that the establishment is not after them through us; that we are there to help and not exploit them. Until this presence is established, they will not respond well to the idea that we want them to change. I cannot change them if I tried, anyway. We need God to do a spiritual work in them.
God may be presented to these folks in a slightly different way. It must be shown to them that God has not abandoned them, and that He is able to heal them spiritually. Until that spiritual healing begins, they have almost zero chance of finding a better life or trying to integrate back into mainstream society. Remember, many of these are the people which cannot enter the established missions for help, either.
A spiritual outreach to help these people will take significant time. It will take dedication and resources.
The homeless are also aware of the fallacy of self-interest and self gratification. We must accomplish the goal of harvest in the forgotten fields, rather than just satisfy our own convictions about helping the homeless.
If you have a moment to pray for us in this effort, we will all benefit from it.
I witnessed a number of things, and I would like to tell you a few things about the homeless and about what God is doing with this outreach.
First, let me relate several encounters that we shared as we traveled about looking in alleys, around parks and abandoned buildings.
I never took notice before, but there are a large number of people who live in abandoned places. There was an elderly gentleman who was sitting in a chair on the porch of a condemned house. There were no windows, doors or facilities in that house. It was filled with refuse of various sorts, and clearly could not be maintained.
The man on the porch responded to the offer of a lunch negatively. He thanked us for the offer, but explained that he had enough money to buy food. He was still sitting in that chair, and said that this was once his home, but his retirement did not afford him the money to pay the bills and keep up the house. He still existed there, but with nothing we would consider “livable”. He did nothing wrong. He accomplished the steps our society considers acceptable, but was left in his old age in this condition because there was not enough money.
Next there was a shed or an old abandoned mechanics barn. On the outside was a sign that said “no drugs allowed”. There were five people living in this shed, and had banded together to prevent the drug traffickers from enticing them into that addictive process. I suppose they understood the need for mutual support in so dangerous an enterprise. I wonder how long it will last for them. We stopped and handed out lunches, and a woman asked “are you from a church?”. I responded that yes, we were, we just wanted to help folks out. She replied “well you made a hundred and one today!”.
As I ponder the life they lived and how they might have come to be homeless I remembered my own past. I was homeless for a time. I managed, by the Grace of God, to get back into mainstream society, but it was a rare case indeed. I had had the Holy Ghost and a lot of Biblical training to help me make choices that turned things around for me. These people do not necessarily have that advantage. I had prayer, and some people praying for me. There was a connection made for me when I could not help myself. This is the necessary ingredient needed to change the lives of those who are for one reason or another trapped in the darkness of the world. The chains that bind them are as real as air, and as easily palpable.
When God began to talk with me about this, I began to respond to God's influence in my heart with questions. I wondered how I could make any difference that mattered in these lives, other than to pray for them. What I did not realize was that God had prepared me well for this burden. He made me to know that it was the face-to-face contact that would make a difference. That there was a need for friendliness and trust before the goal could be realized.
I have spent a little time thinking about this. For those who do not understand, let me outline a few things for you to think about.
There are two basic ideas we have to embrace before we proceed to understand the situation of homelessness:
It could happen to any of us
The homeless are just like you and I.
There are people with advanced degrees, those who have had high paying jobs, and many who have, through no action of their own, found themselves stuck on the street. The main reasons people must exist this way are:
Some are illegal immigrants.
Some are veterans.
Some are people who found out a low-paying job doesn’t come close to paying for rent, electricity, food, and medicine.
Some have been rejected by family
The Bible speaks plainly about homelessness:
“And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.
Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with
thee.” (Leviticus 25:35-36 ).
“Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.
And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:
And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” (Isaiah 58:6-8,9-10).
“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
(Matthew 25:34-40).
Some important details:
With a tent and fifteen dollars, a homeless man can have shelter and food for the day, without the requirement of checking into a shelter, meeting its regulations about substance abuse and a curfew.
In any case, he will not find a job, a car, an apartment or health insurance this way. An abandoned building is also just as useful to him.
Homeless people who have worked in the past may be able to receive Social Security or even disability. If you combine this with the income from a full time, minimum-wage job, most could not afford the cheapest rent, electricity, and food.
There are a number who simply cannot work for a list of reasons that are larger than the following list, but are all still a reality:
because of physical disabilities.
because of mental illnesses.
because They are lacking in people skills and have a severe lack of coping ability.
They are fugitives from society, the society that we represent. They certainly will be uncomfortable with the idea of attending church at first. Many will simply say no to any involvement from a church on an ongoing arrangement. They want to stay where they are. They are often in the clutches of darkness (most likely all of them are, in some fashion or another).
We want to gain a foothold in that community by showing them that the establishment is not after them through us; that we are there to help and not exploit them. Until this presence is established, they will not respond well to the idea that we want them to change. I cannot change them if I tried, anyway. We need God to do a spiritual work in them.
God may be presented to these folks in a slightly different way. It must be shown to them that God has not abandoned them, and that He is able to heal them spiritually. Until that spiritual healing begins, they have almost zero chance of finding a better life or trying to integrate back into mainstream society. Remember, many of these are the people which cannot enter the established missions for help, either.
A spiritual outreach to help these people will take significant time. It will take dedication and resources.
The homeless are also aware of the fallacy of self-interest and self gratification. We must accomplish the goal of harvest in the forgotten fields, rather than just satisfy our own convictions about helping the homeless.
If you have a moment to pray for us in this effort, we will all benefit from it.
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