December 19th, 2011
It's important for us to
realize that the 'judgment' spoken of here is not a judgement that has
us looking at 'the body of Christ' (or others) but it is each individual
first looking at themselves. Am I serving God or am I serving Baal. I
must get the beam out of my own eyes so that I can see clearly to help
others get their mind's clear as well - and to that end - judge a
righteous judgement (that's what Jesus says). Even when Paul was
chastising the 'foolish Galatians' for being under the influence of
witchcraft he still calls them 'brethren'...
The following is a letter written by Derek Prince (date unknown)
_____________________________________________________________________________
Dear Friend:
As American Christians, we are confronted by a grim, undeniable fact: our nation has come
under the judgment of God. For this there are many reasons, but they can be summed up in one
simple statement:
We have committed the sin for which Esau was rejected—we have despised our birthright (Heb. 12:15–17).
God judges us according to the measure of light we have received. Jesus told the Jews of His
day that their judgment would be much more severe than that of Sodom and Gomorrah, because
they had received a much greater revelation of the truth (Matthew 11:20–24).
The same applies to America in this century. No other nation has had the same access to the
Word of God that has been granted to the American people. Through culture and tradition,
through churches and evangelists, through radio and television, and through the printed word,
America has been blessed above all other nations with the knowledge of God’s truth. Our
judgment for rejecting it will be correspondingly severe.
Many Christians do not realize that God’s judgment does not begin with the people of the
world, but with the people of God. Peter told the Christians of his day, “For the time has come
for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of
those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17). These words apply equally to the
church in America today.
Of all the sins that could be charged against the contemporary church, it is sufficient to
focus on two: materialism and compromise.
In Luke 17:26–30 Jesus predicted that the period before His return would be like the days of
Noah and Lot. He mentioned specifically eight activities characteristic of those days: eating,
drinking, marrying, giving in marriage, buying, selling, building, planting. Yet there is nothing
specifically sinful in any of these activities. What, then, was the problem?
The problem was materialism. The people of those days had become so engrossed in these
materialistic activities that they were unaware of the impending judgment of God on their
carnal lifestyle. When judgment came, they were totally unprepared.
The same is true today of most professing Christians in America. If the final judgments of
God should suddenly usher in the return of Christ, they would be totally unprepared.
Like materialism, the sin of compromise often goes unrecognized. About two years ago,
while praying, I had a mental picture of the interior of a typical church building with rows of
pews, a platform, a pulpit, a piano and so on. But the whole building was permeated with some
kind of fog. The outlines of objects could be discerned, but nothing was sharply defined. While
I was wondering what the fog represented, God gave me one clear word: compromise.
In the contemporary church, most of the main moral and doctrinal truths, so clearly
enunciated in the New Testament, have become blurred and ineffective. In 1 Corinthians 6:9–
10 Paul wrote: “Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
effeminate men, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” Yet the church today is full of people who commit
these sins, but remain totally unconcerned. In fact, they often boast of such sins.
A church member lay in a hospital, dying of AIDS, which he had contracted through
homosexuality. Then he received Christ and was given a New Testament. After reading some
way in the New Testament, he sent an urgent message to the person who had led him to Christ:
“Come and pray for me. I need deliverance. I never knew there was anything wrong with my lifestyle.”
About seven years ago, at the Christmas season, our staff had committed Ruth and me to
appear on two television presentations of PTL. Since we do not watch television, we had no
idea what to expect. I was supposed to be the “main speaker.” Out of the first hour, I was given
ten minutes, and out of the second hour, twenty minutes. Most of the time was given to appealing
for money and selling Tammy dolls. As far as I can recall, Ruth and I were the only people who even mentioned Jesus.
Shortly afterwards there was a public exposure of the scandals that have now become
notorious. But for me personally the most shocking thing was not any sexual or financial misdoing,
grievous as that was. What shocked me then, and still shocks me today, is the realization that
millions of Americans were being continually confronted with a totally false picture of
Christianity—one that had no room for the cross, with its demands for humility, for holiness
and for sacrificial living. How terrible to realize that people who have been seduced by such a
presentation may never hear the real truth of the gospel!
The PTL scandal is now history, but it has left us with a question we need to answer: was it
simply an isolated phenomenon, or was it a symptom of a disease that affects the Body of Christ
throughout America?
Yet within the church there is still a remnant of sincere, devoted followers of Jesus. If we are
among that number, how does God require us to respond to the present crises?
One clear answer is given in 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If My people who are called by My name
will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I
will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” The phrase, “My people
who are called by My name,” applies to all Christians who take the name of Christ upon
themselves.
For at least 30 years I have been teaching on this Scripture, but recently I was confronted by
a shocking realization! God’s people in our day have never fulfilled the first condition. We have
never truly humbled ourselves. Our pride—both religious and racial—remains as a barrier that
holds back the answer to our prayers for ourselves and for our nation.
Through the severe dealings of God in my own life, I have learned the most effective way for
us to humble ourselves. Very simply, it is by confessing our sins. If we regularly and sincerely
confess our sins to God, it is impossible to approach Him with an attitude of pride.
Furthermore, I have seen that God has only committed Himself to forgive the sins we confess.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Unconfessed sins are unforgiven sins. Thus the barrier of pride
builds up a second barrier of unforgiven sin.
The Bible exhorts us to confess our sins not merely to God, but also to one another. “Confess
your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (James 5:16).
Confessing our sins to God deals with vertical pride; confessing to one another deals with
horizontal pride. We can hardly maintain an attitude of pride towards someone to whom we
have just confessed our personal sins.
This applies especially to the relationship between husbands and wives. Those who regularly
confess their sins to one another are not kept apart by a barrier of pride.
Furthermore, confession of sin is an essential prerequisite to effective intercession. Daniel
was one of the most righteous characters in the Bible, but when he set out to intercede for his
people Israel, he began by acknowledging his own share in their sin (Daniel 9:3–13).
I believe that God is waiting for us as American Christians to humble ourselves before Him
and one another by confessing our sins. Only after we have done that, can we move on to claim
the healing of our land.
But I must add a word of warning. Do not begin to indulge in morbid introspection! The
Holy Spirit is “the finger of God” (Matthew 12:28; Luke 11:20). Ask God to place His finger on the
sins you need to confess. He will do it with unerring accuracy, probably bringing to light sins
which you never recognized!
I have confined this analysis to the situation in the United States. Much of what I have said,
however, applies to other nations who are heirs to the Judeo-Christian inheritance and to the
church worldwide. May God help each of us to accept our personal responsibility!
Yours in the Master’s service,
Derek Prince
Three Prayers to Live By
Ocotober 9, 2011
We (I) Repent!
Daniel 9: 4-17
I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed:
“O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
“Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah and people of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. O LORD, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; we have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.
“Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. The LORD did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.
“Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. O Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our fathers have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.
“Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.”
Thank You Father for Bringing Forth Your Son to Save Us!
1st Samuel 2: 1-10
Then Hannah prayed and said:
“My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.
“There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
“Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.
“The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength. Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry hunger no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.
“The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor.
“For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s; upon them he has set the world. He will guard the feet of his saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness.
“It is not by strength that one prevails; those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder against them from heaven; the LORD will judge the ends of the earth.
“He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
Thank You Jesus for Delivering Us From Our Enemies and Giving Us Victory!
2nd Samuel
David sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.
He said:
“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation.He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—
from violent men you save me. I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.
“The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called to the LORD; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.
“The earth trembled and quaked, the foundations of the heavens shook; they trembled because he was angry. Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it.
He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet. He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind. He made darkness his canopy around him—the dark rain clouds of the sky. Out of the brightness of his presence bolts of lightning blazed forth. The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded. He shot arrows and scattered the enemies, bolts of lightning and routed them. The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at the rebuke of the LORD, at the blast of breath from his nostrils.
“He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.
“The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not done evil by turning from my God.
All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees.
I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin. The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.
“To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd. You save the humble, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low. You are my lamp, O LORD; the LORD turns my darkness into light.
With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.
“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me your shield of victory; you stoop down to make me great. You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.
“I pursued my enemies and crushed them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed. I crushed them completely, and they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet. You armed me with strength for battle; you made my adversaries bow at my feet. You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes. They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—to the LORD, but he did not answer. I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth; I pounded and trampled them like mud in the streets.
“You have delivered me from the attacks of my people; you have preserved me as the head of nations. People I did not know are subject to me, and foreigners come cringing to me; as soon as they hear me, they obey me. They all lose heart; they come trembling from their strongholds.
“The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior! He is the God who avenges me, who puts the nations under me, who sets me free from my enemies.You exalted me above my foes; from violent men you rescued me. Therefore I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing praises to your name. He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.”
We (I) Repent!
Daniel 9: 4-17
I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed:
“O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
“Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah and people of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. O LORD, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; we have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.
“Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. The LORD did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.
“Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. O Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our fathers have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.
“Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.”
Thank You Father for Bringing Forth Your Son to Save Us!
1st Samuel 2: 1-10
Then Hannah prayed and said:
“My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.
“There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
“Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.
“The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength. Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry hunger no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.
“The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor.
“For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s; upon them he has set the world. He will guard the feet of his saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness.
“It is not by strength that one prevails; those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder against them from heaven; the LORD will judge the ends of the earth.
“He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
Thank You Jesus for Delivering Us From Our Enemies and Giving Us Victory!
2nd Samuel
David sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.
He said:
“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation.He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—
from violent men you save me. I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.
“The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called to the LORD; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.
“The earth trembled and quaked, the foundations of the heavens shook; they trembled because he was angry. Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it.
He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet. He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind. He made darkness his canopy around him—the dark rain clouds of the sky. Out of the brightness of his presence bolts of lightning blazed forth. The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded. He shot arrows and scattered the enemies, bolts of lightning and routed them. The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at the rebuke of the LORD, at the blast of breath from his nostrils.
“He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.
“The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not done evil by turning from my God.
All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees.
I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin. The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.
“To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd. You save the humble, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low. You are my lamp, O LORD; the LORD turns my darkness into light.
With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.
“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me your shield of victory; you stoop down to make me great. You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.
“I pursued my enemies and crushed them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed. I crushed them completely, and they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet. You armed me with strength for battle; you made my adversaries bow at my feet. You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes. They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—to the LORD, but he did not answer. I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth; I pounded and trampled them like mud in the streets.
“You have delivered me from the attacks of my people; you have preserved me as the head of nations. People I did not know are subject to me, and foreigners come cringing to me; as soon as they hear me, they obey me. They all lose heart; they come trembling from their strongholds.
“The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior! He is the God who avenges me, who puts the nations under me, who sets me free from my enemies.You exalted me above my foes; from violent men you rescued me. Therefore I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing praises to your name. He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.”
I Will Shake All Things
Monday, September 19th, 2011
The following message preached by Derek Prince some years ago is extremely relevant and important for today and contains prophetic words that have truly come to pass in recent months. At this writing tomorrow is September 20th, 2011 which is the first official day of the lifting of the ban on homosexuals in the US military services. This is truly the beginning of the end. Only a rock solid relationship with our heavenly Father through Jesus Christ will keep us from being shaken when God does shake the heavens and the earth at the end of this age.
The following message preached by Derek Prince some years ago is extremely relevant and important for today and contains prophetic words that have truly come to pass in recent months. At this writing tomorrow is September 20th, 2011 which is the first official day of the lifting of the ban on homosexuals in the US military services. This is truly the beginning of the end. Only a rock solid relationship with our heavenly Father through Jesus Christ will keep us from being shaken when God does shake the heavens and the earth at the end of this age.
Psalm 94:12-13
“Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O
LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;
That thou mayest give him rest from the days
of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.”
Hebrews 12:25-29
“See that ye refuse not him that speaketh.
For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall
not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he
hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also
heaven.
And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the
removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that
those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which
cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with
reverence and godly fear:
For
our God is a consuming fire.”
Haggai 2:6-7
“For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once,
it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens,
and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will
fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.”
Do you
believe in the judgment of God?
John 16:8-11
And when he
is come, he will reprove the world of sin,
and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Of righteousness, because I go to my
Father, and ye see me no more;
Of judgment, because the prince of this
world is judged.
Sin: All
unrighteousness is sin
Q: What is
crooked?
A: Anything that departs from that which is straight.
None of us
can escape God’s judgement.
Two
different judgements
- Judgement of condemnation (sinners)
- Judgement of reward (saints)
The same
person who is the savior is also the judge and His name is Jesus. The apostles when preaching to the Gentiles
always presented Jesus as both savior and judge:
Acts 10:42-43
“And he commanded us to preach unto the
people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge
of quick and dead.
To him give all the prophets witness, that
through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”
In fact God is first mentioned as judge – then
savior.
Acts 17:30-31
“And the times of this ignorance God winked
at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he
will judge the world in righteousness
by that man whom he hath ordained;
whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”
Jesus is
equally efficient, thorough and faithful as a judge and a as savior. As a savior he omits nothing. As a judge he omits nothing.
We can see
how the modern day ‘church’ has not carried forth with the true doctrine of our
Lord and apostle(s) when we look at the golden calves (high places) that were
put in Bethel and Dan by Jeroboam (1st Kings 12 and 2nd
Kings 10:29). Today’s Christianity has been
blinded by pride and idolatry in that they have done a two-fold disservice by
disallowing BOTH the power of God as Savior, which is represented by ‘Beth-el’ – which means
House of God (see 2nd Samuel 22:3 and Psalms 62:7) and God as Judge, represented by Dan – which means
‘Judge’.
2 Samuel 22:3
The God of
my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my
high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
Psalms 62:7
In God is my
salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God
The
Parable of the Pounds
Luke 19:11-27
“And as they heard these things, he added
and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought
that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.
He said therefore, A certain nobleman went
into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
And he called his ten servants, and
delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
But his citizens hated him, and sent a
message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.
And it came to pass, that when he was
returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be
called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much
every man had gained by trading.
Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound
hath gained ten pounds.
And he said unto him, Well, thou good
servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority
over ten cities.
And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound
hath gained five pounds.
And he said likewise to him, Be thou also
over five cities.
And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here
is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:
For I feared thee, because thou art an
austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou
didst not sow.
And he saith unto him, Out of thine own
mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an
austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:
Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into
the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?
And he said unto them that stood by, Take
from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.
(And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten
pounds.)
For I say unto you, That unto every one
which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall
be taken away from him.
But those mine enemies, which would not that
I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.”
God expects
a return on his investment. To be a lazy
Christian is to be a wicked servant.
Judgment
at the End of the Age
Nothing that
can be shaken will not be unshaken.
Luke 6:47-49
“Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my
sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
He is like a man which built an house, and
digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock:
and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could
not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like
a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which
the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that
house was great.”
Both houses
were subjected to the storm. Just
because we are ‘believers’ does not mean that things are always going to be
rosy – in fact it will be the opposite.
Q: What is
the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
A: Trouble
Building on
the rock is simple – hearing and doing of the teaching of Jesus Christ!
The problem
is not to tell people something that they do not know – but to remind them of
what they do know but don’t want to remember.
Many of us can testify to this by having loved ones that were on the
right way but have been swerved off course by doctrines of demons.
What are some of the things that CAN be
shaken?
Individual lives will be shaken
·
Sickness/disease, poverty, broken marriages
o
Not that these things can’t happen to true
believers but we will be given the strength to endure
Every house divided against itself will be
shaken (Matthew 12:25)
·
No unity, love and peace (in the faith)
·
Un-parented children
o
Not really such a thing as a juvenile delinquent
but more so delinquent parents
o
A police force can maintain order when the majority of
the population is under proper order (not rebellious). But when the majority is under a spirit of rebellion it will not be controlled.
o
At 24:50 in this video a prophetic statement is made
pointing to the recent riots in London that were primary orchestrated by young
people – even pre-teens were looting and causing destruction. The police had their hands tied due to the
numbers of rioters in the streets and were for the most part neutralized.
o
The root of this problem is due to parents lack
of proper training and discipline
Any institution not found on the teaching of
Jesus will be shaken
·
Banks
o
At the time of this video (I’m guessing late 80’s
early 90’s) the US had recently been through the Savings and Loan scandal which
caused an upheaval (or downheaval) in the US economy. This shifting caused a personal debt of $500
per citizen to be incurred. Allegedly, the
current day 2011 incurred per person debt is approximated $47,000
·
Businesses
·
Governments
o
Back then, the old Soviet Union and East Germany
o
Today – name a country
·
Religions
o
Many, many Christian churches will be shaken
Material structures (buildings) will be
shaken
Question to Remember: What is the one thing that God HATES the most?
Isaiah
2:12-19
“For
the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one
that is lifted up; and he shall be
brought low:
And
upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high
and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan,
And
upon all the high mountains, and upon all
the hills that are lifted up,
And
upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall,
And
upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures.
And
the loftiness of man shall be bowed down,
and the haughtiness of men shall be made
low: and the LORD alone shall be
exalted in that day.
And
the idols he shall utterly abolish.”
Isaiah
30:25
“And there shall be upon every high
mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of waters in the day of
the great slaughter, when the towers fall.”
The WHOLE Earth will be shaken
Revelation 6:12-14
“And I beheld when he had opened the sixth
seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as
sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth,
even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty
wind.
And the heaven departed as a scroll when it
is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their
places.”
The Heavenly bodies will be shaken
Matthew 24:29
“Immediately after the tribulation of those
days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the
stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:”
Nobody
outside of Christ will not be affected
Isaiah 24:1-6
“Behold, the
LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down,
and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
And it shall
be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his
master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the
seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury,
so with the giver of usury to him.
The land
shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this
word.
The earth
mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty
people of the earth do languish.
The earth
also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed
the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
Therefore
hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate:
therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.”
Three
reasons why this happens (verse 5) – Charges Against Humanity:
1.
Transgressed the law
a.
Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his
blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man – Genesis 9:6.
b.
An eternal edict set by God
2.
Changed the ordinance
a.
Changing the pattern of living that God has
instituted for us – The Family
i.
Women’s liberation movement
ii.
Homosexual marriages
3.
Broken the everlasting covenant
a.
The covenant God has made with men and women
through Jesus Christ
Isaiah 24:17-23
“Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon
thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
And it shall come to pass, that he who
fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh
up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows
from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.
The earth is utterly broken down, the earth
is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
The earth shall reel to and fro like a
drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof
shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that
the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings
of the earth upon the earth.
And they shall be gathered together, as
prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and
after many days shall they be visited.
Then the moon shall be confounded, and the
sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in
Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.”
This is not
a negative message being preached! This
is what is going to happen!
Revelation 6:14-17
“And the heaven departed as a scroll when it
is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their
places.
And the kings of the earth, and the great
men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every
bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the
mountains;
And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on
us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the
wrath of the Lamb:
For the great day of his wrath is come; and
who shall be able to stand?”
Answer to Remember: PRIDE (See Question to
Remember above).
Q: What is
the root cause of His wrath?
A: The
degeneration of human character, which is rooted in pride/idolatry.
Definition
of carnality: anytime we being to think and act and live as if this world is
our home, and we have something permanent here (Hebrews 13:14).
Thank you
Lord for being patient with us.
2nd Timothy 3:1-5
“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, trucebreakers,
false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of
pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the
power thereof: from such turn away.”
Corruption
is irreversible. The only solution is a new
creation – a new birth.
Deliverance
is for the desperate!
Secret undermining
force to this corruption is the occult (witchcraft/sorcery) which emanates from
false religion
2nd Timothy 3:8
“Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses,
so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning
the faith.”
2nd Timothy 3:13
“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse
and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”
Seducers =
Enchanters
2nd Timothy 3:16-17
“All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man
of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
The answer
to this corruption and satanic working is: PREACH THE WORD!!!
2nd Timothy 4:1-2
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the
Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and
his kingdom;
Preach the word; be instant in season, out
of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
Matthew 24:14
“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.”Methuselah
June 5th, 2011
God always sends PLENTY of warning to all people before judgment comes. We have it for ourselves in the form of the Old Testament prophets and in the sayings of Jesus and his disciples in the New Testament. A beautiful type of this, His mercy and grace, is shown in Methuselah prior to the days of Noah and the flood. It is widely known that Methuselah is recorded in the Bible as the oldest living person ever – living to the ripe old age of 969. What’s in a name you ask?
Methuselah (Mthuwshelach) comes from two Hebrew words:
The first word:
math (Strong’s 4962), which basically means “an adult (as of full length);”. The word is from mathay (Strong’s 4970) meaning: to extend, extent (of time), when
The second word:
shelach (Strong’s 7973) meaning “a missile of attack, i.e. spear; also (figuratively) a shoot of growth; i.e. branch:--dart, plant, put off, sword, weapon.” The root of the word is shalach (Strong’s 7971) which means: to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications):-- any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out).
So this guy’s name essentially says: “When I am dead, God’s judgment will come!”
We can prove from the Bible, by the time lines of Adam’s lineage, that this is true.
Enoch (the seventh from Adam) is 65 years old when his son Methuselah is born (Genesis 5:21). Methuselah is 187 years old when his son Lamech is born (Genesis 5:25). Methuselah dies when he is 969 years old (Genesis 5:27). Lamech is 182 years old (Methuselah is now 369) when his son Noah is born (Genesis 5:28). Then the Bible says that Noah was 500 years old when he had his sons Shem, Ham and Japheth (Genesis 5:32). This puts Methuselah at 869 years old. At this point, Genesis 5, the chapter on Adam’s pre-flood lineage ends and we begin the ill-fated Genesis chapter 6. At the beginning of chapter 6 we learn about how the host of heaven (God’s angelic created beings), crossed the boundaries of created life types (angelic, human and animal) and made physical, sexual contact with humans and animals. This was no doubt occurring throughout the verses of chapter 5 but God’s grace was upon the part of the lineage from Enoch down through Noah (four generations). Obviously, this also pertained to the animal domain as well because later we see that Noah was told to bring both “clean” and “unclean” animals into the ark (Genesis 7:2). In Genesis 6:10, in the midst of the description of the reprobation of mankind and God’s instructions to Noah, he repeats the fact that Noah begat his three sons (Genesis 6:10). Then we read in Genesis 7:6: “And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.” This puts Methuselah at 969 years old and DEAD – because we know that 1.) He dies and 2.) He was not on the ark. This also tells us that the ark was being prepared for roughly 100 years.
So we can picture this Methuselah walking around the earth all those long years, bearing a name that cries out: “When I am dead, God’s judgment will come!”. Also, factor in Noah preaching this for nearly 100 years, preaching which contained the testimony of prophecy that was handed down from Enoch. Still, only eight people made it on that ark. This has given me pause to be re-convicted about what it means to ‘die daily in Christ’ (1st Corinthians 15:31). I have not been dying daily enough lately. I pray for us all to take on the name Methuselah.
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