Prophets give perspective from God’s point of view. They couple God’s word with God’s ways. Only the Lord Himself can reveal His ways to Man, and often He does this through His prophets, though God desires to fellowship with all men. God’s ways are true to His character and consistent with His dealings with Man. When we have knowledge alone we lack His heart about the matter of which He speaks.
Many want to prophesy knowledge and foretell the future. They don’t know God well, though they may know His word. However, the Pharisees knew God’s word very well but could not read the signs, nor did they know Him. Jesus said they were the blind leading the blind (Mt 15:12-14). When we spend time with God, learning His purposes and seeing things from His perspective, we prophesy valuable insight to the listener. That insight becomes revelation in the Holy Spirit’s hands.
Revealed knowledge is for a purpose. Let the prophet find God’s purposes, and reveal them to men. Let him show God’s perspectives, having set aside his own. Knowledge is not enough. Quoting scripture is not enough. God wants His heart revealed when we prophesy so that others may come to know Him. Amen.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Great faith
God builds our life up so that He can develop great faith in us . . . so that He can call us to great works. It is His design that we do so (Eph 2:10). We cannot have the one without the other. Our physical life will be strewn with trials and unobtainable visions that, should we walk without the Lord, will defeat us. Yet, if we begin with small faith, and walk with trust in the Lord, we will develop great faith and accomplish great works.
Abraham was called to be the father of nations. Yet this was not something God could do alone for Abraham. Abraham needed to develop faith. The barrenness of his wife Sarah was the trial. There was no way around her barrenness, and her maid Hagar could not be a surrogate for God’s will. The trial Abraham and Sarah faced meant more than being patient for God’s timing; it meant believing God for the impossible, for not only was Sarah barren, but the time spent waiting added to the impossibleness, for she was past the age of bearing children.
We cannot have the spiritual without the physical. The actual trials in our lives work faith in us, more precious than gold (1 Pet 1:7). For those who are called to spiritual greatness, there will be physical trials. If we are to walk like Jesus and even do greater things than He did, we must have great faith develop in us through our physical life. Jesus’ disciples once asked Him why they couldn’t cast a demon out of an epileptic boy. He told them “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as mustard seed, you can say to this mountain ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Mt 17:20-21)
Our mountains are physical barriers to what we have to do. We need faith to get those mountains out of our way. The faith comes first, and the speaking follows. Some are teaching a form of declaring by faith that which we are believing for, and then what we declare will come to pass. James taught that faith without works is dead (Jms 2:17). To use James’ example, we cannot declare that our brother or sister is warm, and fed; we need to physically give them what they need (Jms 2:14-16). Likewise, we cannot declare our mountain be removed just by wishing it away; we need to have faith. And faith is manifest in the works we do daily.
Abraham’s daily works of faith began as a journey from his homeland to the land God promised him. His faith was tested by many things before the actual son, Isaac, was born to Sarah. And Isaac was whom the promise of God was to come through. He was the beginning point for a nation to be born. At any point along Abraham’s life he could have lost faith for the great work that God had called him too. But his actions showed that he believed God’s promise.
Are you on a journey with insurmountable mountains? Do the circumstances of your life bode against the calling of God for you? Then consider that God has called you to great faith, and press on with the Lord. Trust Him, and believe His promises to you. A mountain can be removed. Your whole life up to this time has been designed to deepen your faith so that you can do just that. Amen.
Abraham was called to be the father of nations. Yet this was not something God could do alone for Abraham. Abraham needed to develop faith. The barrenness of his wife Sarah was the trial. There was no way around her barrenness, and her maid Hagar could not be a surrogate for God’s will. The trial Abraham and Sarah faced meant more than being patient for God’s timing; it meant believing God for the impossible, for not only was Sarah barren, but the time spent waiting added to the impossibleness, for she was past the age of bearing children.
We cannot have the spiritual without the physical. The actual trials in our lives work faith in us, more precious than gold (1 Pet 1:7). For those who are called to spiritual greatness, there will be physical trials. If we are to walk like Jesus and even do greater things than He did, we must have great faith develop in us through our physical life. Jesus’ disciples once asked Him why they couldn’t cast a demon out of an epileptic boy. He told them “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as mustard seed, you can say to this mountain ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Mt 17:20-21)
Our mountains are physical barriers to what we have to do. We need faith to get those mountains out of our way. The faith comes first, and the speaking follows. Some are teaching a form of declaring by faith that which we are believing for, and then what we declare will come to pass. James taught that faith without works is dead (Jms 2:17). To use James’ example, we cannot declare that our brother or sister is warm, and fed; we need to physically give them what they need (Jms 2:14-16). Likewise, we cannot declare our mountain be removed just by wishing it away; we need to have faith. And faith is manifest in the works we do daily.
Abraham’s daily works of faith began as a journey from his homeland to the land God promised him. His faith was tested by many things before the actual son, Isaac, was born to Sarah. And Isaac was whom the promise of God was to come through. He was the beginning point for a nation to be born. At any point along Abraham’s life he could have lost faith for the great work that God had called him too. But his actions showed that he believed God’s promise.
Are you on a journey with insurmountable mountains? Do the circumstances of your life bode against the calling of God for you? Then consider that God has called you to great faith, and press on with the Lord. Trust Him, and believe His promises to you. A mountain can be removed. Your whole life up to this time has been designed to deepen your faith so that you can do just that. Amen.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
The letter to the Laodiceans
The Letter to the Philadelphians is covered in 2 recent lessons; “Reinstating the office of the Prophets” (9/5) and “True and False brethren” (9/6). I will not review those lessons but ask you to read them if you have not already done so for the message of Jesus to the Church at Philadelphia. Thank you.
The letter to the Church at Laodicea (Rev 3:14-22) begins by Jesus calling Himself the “Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.” (Rev 3:14) He is telling us that He is in agreement with God, which is what “Amen” means; to be in agreement. This has a deeper meaning than what we give it when we tag amen to the end of our prayers. Jesus’ agreement with His father caused Him to live a life faithful to God’s purposes and molded Him to be inwardly honest, or true. In the plan of God, we begin with agreement, our works spring from obedience, all the while our inner man is converted to truth, and not only do we become a witness on His earth to God’s nature through the life we live, but we rule with Jesus.
Agreement with God is what satan, the enemy of our souls, works against. In the Garden of Eden satan asked Eve “has God said?” (Gen 3:1). He wanted her to question God’s words, and thus prevent her agreement. Our enemy is the same today, placing his questions of doubt in our mind when we hear or read God’s words. He does this because we would be a scary threat to satan’s kingdom if we all agreed with God, obeyed Him, became His image, and ruled with Him. When we are finishing reading the book of Revelation the last word written is “Amen.” It is of great significance that the people of God are in agreement with Him.
Christians are on a continuum of knowing God’s word and learning how to obey Him. At any point, should we disagree with what He is saying, we will not be able to obey Him. This was the problem with the church at Laodicea. They were insincere; lukewarm. Their hearts were not united with His, as a bride would become one with her groom. They had picked out what to agree with and therefore, what to obey, themselves. This left them untrue, and not formed into His image. They were unfit for rulership and Jesus offered them one last chance to change.
The first step in repentance was that the Laodiceans needed to have trials. Jesus says “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire.” The Laodiceans had avoided trials that the Lord had sent their way. In order to have “gold refined in the fire” they needed to submit to His hand in their lives. Peter tells us that our faith is tried by fire (1 Pet 1:7). We cannot have faith without agreement with God. Trials come upon us to prove whether or not our faith is genuine.
The second step in their repentance was to buy “white garments to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness.” The white clothes represent purity of works and are evidence of both agreement and obedience. When we see the bride of Christ, prepared for the wedding, she is clothed in “clean and bright linen” (Rev 19:8). We should find ourselves in agreement with what God requires of us, no matter how inconvenient, distasteful, or what suffering it may cause. This agreement allows us to be formed inside to God’s purposes. As we obey Him we take on His image. Of significance, in the parable of the ten virgins awaiting the bridegroom, there were five virgins who were not prepared. Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.” (Mt 25:12). They weren’t in His image, and could not be let into the wedding feast.
The question is, how much do we want our lives to be comfortable, and how many seeker-friendly churches will be formed because of this? We need spiritual insight to be inwardly honest in our Christian walk. The third step in repentance was to buy “eye salve” so that they could see. The Laodiceans could not see because they thought they already had all they needed. They said “I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.” (Rev 3:17). This is a quote from Hosea 12:8 and embodies the belief that riches would cover spiritual lack and deceitfulness. The heart that loves ease and insists on its own way becomes full of deceit. Jesus is offering to open the Laodicean’s eyes so that they could see that they were not rich . . . indeed, they were spiritually impoverished! When our security comes from what we have, works that are a pleasure for us to do, and a refusal of the life laid down to the cross, we become spiritually bankrupt.
Jesus set out the plan of restoration for the Laodiceans, affirming His love of them. He also offers the repentant believer His fellowship, saying “I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.” (Rev 3:20) This offer holds true for us today. If we are sensitive to the Spirit of Jesus, we will hear Him call us aside to have conversation with Him. Jesus wants to lead us away from seeing things through our own eyes and show us how He sees things. This inner dining requires the kind of honesty in our inward parts that allows correction and redirection by His Spirit. And this fellowship, built on honesty and obedience, prepare the believer to sit down with Jesus on His throne.
Jesus says “To him who overcomes I will give the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” (Rev 3:21) We have to overcome to obtain the right because that is how Jesus got the right to sit down on His Father’s throne. He learned obedience through those things He suffered, became obedient to the cross, and then was glorified by His Father. There is no way to walk the walk to the throne without taking the steps of Jesus. Amen.
The letter to the Church at Laodicea (Rev 3:14-22) begins by Jesus calling Himself the “Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.” (Rev 3:14) He is telling us that He is in agreement with God, which is what “Amen” means; to be in agreement. This has a deeper meaning than what we give it when we tag amen to the end of our prayers. Jesus’ agreement with His father caused Him to live a life faithful to God’s purposes and molded Him to be inwardly honest, or true. In the plan of God, we begin with agreement, our works spring from obedience, all the while our inner man is converted to truth, and not only do we become a witness on His earth to God’s nature through the life we live, but we rule with Jesus.
Agreement with God is what satan, the enemy of our souls, works against. In the Garden of Eden satan asked Eve “has God said?” (Gen 3:1). He wanted her to question God’s words, and thus prevent her agreement. Our enemy is the same today, placing his questions of doubt in our mind when we hear or read God’s words. He does this because we would be a scary threat to satan’s kingdom if we all agreed with God, obeyed Him, became His image, and ruled with Him. When we are finishing reading the book of Revelation the last word written is “Amen.” It is of great significance that the people of God are in agreement with Him.
Christians are on a continuum of knowing God’s word and learning how to obey Him. At any point, should we disagree with what He is saying, we will not be able to obey Him. This was the problem with the church at Laodicea. They were insincere; lukewarm. Their hearts were not united with His, as a bride would become one with her groom. They had picked out what to agree with and therefore, what to obey, themselves. This left them untrue, and not formed into His image. They were unfit for rulership and Jesus offered them one last chance to change.
The first step in repentance was that the Laodiceans needed to have trials. Jesus says “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire.” The Laodiceans had avoided trials that the Lord had sent their way. In order to have “gold refined in the fire” they needed to submit to His hand in their lives. Peter tells us that our faith is tried by fire (1 Pet 1:7). We cannot have faith without agreement with God. Trials come upon us to prove whether or not our faith is genuine.
The second step in their repentance was to buy “white garments to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness.” The white clothes represent purity of works and are evidence of both agreement and obedience. When we see the bride of Christ, prepared for the wedding, she is clothed in “clean and bright linen” (Rev 19:8). We should find ourselves in agreement with what God requires of us, no matter how inconvenient, distasteful, or what suffering it may cause. This agreement allows us to be formed inside to God’s purposes. As we obey Him we take on His image. Of significance, in the parable of the ten virgins awaiting the bridegroom, there were five virgins who were not prepared. Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.” (Mt 25:12). They weren’t in His image, and could not be let into the wedding feast.
The question is, how much do we want our lives to be comfortable, and how many seeker-friendly churches will be formed because of this? We need spiritual insight to be inwardly honest in our Christian walk. The third step in repentance was to buy “eye salve” so that they could see. The Laodiceans could not see because they thought they already had all they needed. They said “I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.” (Rev 3:17). This is a quote from Hosea 12:8 and embodies the belief that riches would cover spiritual lack and deceitfulness. The heart that loves ease and insists on its own way becomes full of deceit. Jesus is offering to open the Laodicean’s eyes so that they could see that they were not rich . . . indeed, they were spiritually impoverished! When our security comes from what we have, works that are a pleasure for us to do, and a refusal of the life laid down to the cross, we become spiritually bankrupt.
Jesus set out the plan of restoration for the Laodiceans, affirming His love of them. He also offers the repentant believer His fellowship, saying “I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.” (Rev 3:20) This offer holds true for us today. If we are sensitive to the Spirit of Jesus, we will hear Him call us aside to have conversation with Him. Jesus wants to lead us away from seeing things through our own eyes and show us how He sees things. This inner dining requires the kind of honesty in our inward parts that allows correction and redirection by His Spirit. And this fellowship, built on honesty and obedience, prepare the believer to sit down with Jesus on His throne.
Jesus says “To him who overcomes I will give the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” (Rev 3:21) We have to overcome to obtain the right because that is how Jesus got the right to sit down on His Father’s throne. He learned obedience through those things He suffered, became obedient to the cross, and then was glorified by His Father. There is no way to walk the walk to the throne without taking the steps of Jesus. Amen.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
The Letter to Sardis
The Letter to the church at Sardis (Rev 3:1-6) is one in which we see two contrasting aspects of God’s ways: He wants to redeem a dead church, or, He will remove the gifts and works appointed to them, coming as the Thief. In this letter, Jesus is setting the stage for their success, or their loss.
Our life is expressed in what we say and do. The church at Sardis had imperfect works which showed that they were dead. However, the people there looked upon their works as full of life. What the people needed was discernment. In Jesus’ admonition to them He warns them to “wake up”. Their intellectual reasoning was dull and Jesus wanted to give them discernment. Once Jesus got them to the point of discernment, He wanted their efforts to bring forth works filled with life, so He asks them to “strengthen” what is good. Finally, Jesus commands them to “remember” what they had received; their foundation upon which they built. What was given to them was holy, and what they built with needed to be holy also.
What do we build with? Paul admonishes us to build with “gold, silver, and costly stones” because when we build with “wood, hay or straw” our works will not survive the test of God’s fire (1 Cor 3:12) . Costly stones, or jewels, represent God’s redeemed people. In Malachi we read “And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels: and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. And ye shall return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not.” (Mal 3:17-18 KJV)
Individually, our character and works must be based on knowing and handling the word of God with integrity (2 Tim 2:15). Corporately, our works must be based on the same integrity, following God’s will and employing godly men to accomplish it. If our workers are consultants, wanting to bring our church into a “new look” by making it seeker-friendly, they may be willing to compromise the integrity of the scriptures to accomplish their goal. If they want to bring the church into prosperity they will want products to market instead of sound teachings that promote individual integrity in Christians.
Jesus wants to restore His people to the soundness that is only found in God’s integrity, expressed through His words, and applied by His Holy Spirit in us. He does not want to come as a thief, though He will. A thief takes away what was given. We see this concept in the parable of the watchful servant (Lk 12:35-48). The unfaithful, impatient servant had his job taken away. Also, in the parable of the talents (Lk 19:12-27) we see that the unfaithful servant’s talent is taken away. Jesus becomes the One who judges and takes talents and jobs away from people who are unfaithful because He wants His people nurtured (one servant beat them, and did not give them their portion on time), and because He wants good leaders set over His people (one servant buried his talent, but the faithful ones were given more to rule over). God wants good for His people, even if it sadly costs some their talents and positions.
Those who have integrity of character and works are dressed in white. Jesus will not come like a thief, taking away their name from the book of Life. He will not only leave their name in the book, but He will acknowledge them before His Father and His angels. Do we want to be known by those who serve God from heaven? Do we want our heavenly Father to boast about us as He did Job? Or will we compromise it all to follow unscrupulous men whose ideas lack integrity? Jesus wants to redeem us and our ministries. The choice is ours. Let us be found in white, watching and faithfully serving the King. Amen
Our life is expressed in what we say and do. The church at Sardis had imperfect works which showed that they were dead. However, the people there looked upon their works as full of life. What the people needed was discernment. In Jesus’ admonition to them He warns them to “wake up”. Their intellectual reasoning was dull and Jesus wanted to give them discernment. Once Jesus got them to the point of discernment, He wanted their efforts to bring forth works filled with life, so He asks them to “strengthen” what is good. Finally, Jesus commands them to “remember” what they had received; their foundation upon which they built. What was given to them was holy, and what they built with needed to be holy also.
What do we build with? Paul admonishes us to build with “gold, silver, and costly stones” because when we build with “wood, hay or straw” our works will not survive the test of God’s fire (1 Cor 3:12) . Costly stones, or jewels, represent God’s redeemed people. In Malachi we read “And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels: and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. And ye shall return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not.” (Mal 3:17-18 KJV)
Individually, our character and works must be based on knowing and handling the word of God with integrity (2 Tim 2:15). Corporately, our works must be based on the same integrity, following God’s will and employing godly men to accomplish it. If our workers are consultants, wanting to bring our church into a “new look” by making it seeker-friendly, they may be willing to compromise the integrity of the scriptures to accomplish their goal. If they want to bring the church into prosperity they will want products to market instead of sound teachings that promote individual integrity in Christians.
Jesus wants to restore His people to the soundness that is only found in God’s integrity, expressed through His words, and applied by His Holy Spirit in us. He does not want to come as a thief, though He will. A thief takes away what was given. We see this concept in the parable of the watchful servant (Lk 12:35-48). The unfaithful, impatient servant had his job taken away. Also, in the parable of the talents (Lk 19:12-27) we see that the unfaithful servant’s talent is taken away. Jesus becomes the One who judges and takes talents and jobs away from people who are unfaithful because He wants His people nurtured (one servant beat them, and did not give them their portion on time), and because He wants good leaders set over His people (one servant buried his talent, but the faithful ones were given more to rule over). God wants good for His people, even if it sadly costs some their talents and positions.
Those who have integrity of character and works are dressed in white. Jesus will not come like a thief, taking away their name from the book of Life. He will not only leave their name in the book, but He will acknowledge them before His Father and His angels. Do we want to be known by those who serve God from heaven? Do we want our heavenly Father to boast about us as He did Job? Or will we compromise it all to follow unscrupulous men whose ideas lack integrity? Jesus wants to redeem us and our ministries. The choice is ours. Let us be found in white, watching and faithfully serving the King. Amen
Sunday, September 16, 2012
The Letter to Thyatira
Today’s lesson will be on Jesus’ letter to the church at Thyatira (Rev 2:18-29). Jesus describes Himself as having eyes “like blazing fire” and feet like “burnished bronze.” He has eyes that see the motives of our hearts and make true judgment. Feet represent preparation for the works we are called to. He is telling us that He also knows our preparations, whether they have been complete, and whether or not they are from God or our own will. Therefore, Jesus “searches the hearts and minds and (I) will repay each of you according to your deeds.” (vs 23) He has right judgment and can spot a cheat who has tried to circumvent God’s appointed steps of preparation, or a liar who has set themselves in a place not appointed to them. Because Jesus submitted to the preparation of His Father and finished His works (Jn 19:30), He is able to discern ours. Because He learned obedience from the things He suffered (Heb 5:8), so shall we.
Thyatira had many works, yet they tolerated a minister, Jezebel, who called herself a prophetess. Jesus said she was not a prophetess. In 1st and 2nd Kings we read about Jezebel, a woman elevated in authority because of her marriage to the King of Israel. She killed many of God’s prophets and put her own prophets in place, leading the nation of Israel in worship to Baal. A Jezebel is one who usurps the Spirit of Prophecy and teaches others to do the same, ministering from their own spirit, or from an evil spirit. In Jesus’ letter to Thyatira He addresses where true authority comes from and what makes a person a true prophet.
We read that Jezebel misled people in the congregation. The spiritual immorality is similar to Pergamum in that she taught them that they could mix the worldly with the holy. She took the suffering out the preparation lessons of God’s people by joining them to worldly comfort. But even more, she encouraged ministry from any source, begetting spiritual children that had impure ministries. This undermined the ministry of the Holy Spirit, Who prepares all prophets in their walk before God. Any minister who teaches his students to prophesy out of their own spirit pollutes the word of God and defiles the student. Yet there are ministry schools which circumvent the ways and wisdom of God for easy quick lessons, making gain by polluting those they teach.
A true prophet will have the Spirit of Prophecy, searching the hearts and minds of men, for this is part of what prophecy does (1 Cor 14:25). It is not popular to tell a man or woman about their heart, except we bring something good up. Yet it is not the purpose of prophecy to tickle people’s fancy or mislead them into thinking God is blind. Prophecies are words from God, and not words from men. This is what Jesus is going to sort out.
Jesus is also going to set straight the place we serve from, and how we got there. If we appoint ourselves to a ministry that He does not appoint us to, we will be removed. True and pure and faithful ministers of God have a loving relationship with Him. Jesus shares information with these men and women as servants and as friends. But those who appoint themselves, and prophesy out of their own spirits have their own information. They are therefore open to satanic input, because they are spiritually immoral, having a love of pre-eminence and favor from men. Many impure ministers get into “discovering” secrets, which are satan’s lies. And this is the sad event occurring in some ministries today; the word of God is not pure, and the prophets have hardened the hearts of the listeners who no longer believe they are hearing God’s words.
True authority comes only after one follows true submission to the fore ordained preparation for service to the King, Jesus. Therefore, Jesus promises these true servants “authority over the nations” with an iron rule. He will not compromise to please men, but will set His standard in place. Jesus gives the morning star. Peter writes that we have prophetic knowledge as “a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” (2 Pet 1:19b) As Paul wrote, we have this knowledge “in part, and we prophesy in part”, until the perfect comes. (1 Cor 13:9-10) This partial knowledge isn’t discredited because of its incompleteness or Peter wouldn’t have asked us to pay attention to it (2 Pet 1:19). However, the tendency of the human mind is to fill in the gaps of our incomplete knowledge, making it complete by the addition of our own thoughts, or by satan’s lies.
The true preparation of a prophet is to still one’s spirit and wait on God. The hastiness of men tempts them to produce prophecies, one after another, to satisfy an imagined demand on them. The preparation we find in God’s prophets is to be patient, not sharing information until the “morning star” arises in their hearts and they have understanding from the Spirit of Prophecy. A star only has true light when the sun (Son of God) shines on it.
If men set themselves in ministry and teach people that they can have knowledge, and that they can use their own power and authority, let those men beware, for so did Jezebel. Let them be careful that they are not circumventing God’s preparation of His people by substituting men’s thoughts and satan’s lies for the sometimes long and tedious preparation of a true, submitted servant and prophet. Yet for those who have not followed after spiritual Jezebels, they will walk with Jesus in power and have the morning star (Rev 22:16). Amen.
Thyatira had many works, yet they tolerated a minister, Jezebel, who called herself a prophetess. Jesus said she was not a prophetess. In 1st and 2nd Kings we read about Jezebel, a woman elevated in authority because of her marriage to the King of Israel. She killed many of God’s prophets and put her own prophets in place, leading the nation of Israel in worship to Baal. A Jezebel is one who usurps the Spirit of Prophecy and teaches others to do the same, ministering from their own spirit, or from an evil spirit. In Jesus’ letter to Thyatira He addresses where true authority comes from and what makes a person a true prophet.
We read that Jezebel misled people in the congregation. The spiritual immorality is similar to Pergamum in that she taught them that they could mix the worldly with the holy. She took the suffering out the preparation lessons of God’s people by joining them to worldly comfort. But even more, she encouraged ministry from any source, begetting spiritual children that had impure ministries. This undermined the ministry of the Holy Spirit, Who prepares all prophets in their walk before God. Any minister who teaches his students to prophesy out of their own spirit pollutes the word of God and defiles the student. Yet there are ministry schools which circumvent the ways and wisdom of God for easy quick lessons, making gain by polluting those they teach.
A true prophet will have the Spirit of Prophecy, searching the hearts and minds of men, for this is part of what prophecy does (1 Cor 14:25). It is not popular to tell a man or woman about their heart, except we bring something good up. Yet it is not the purpose of prophecy to tickle people’s fancy or mislead them into thinking God is blind. Prophecies are words from God, and not words from men. This is what Jesus is going to sort out.
Jesus is also going to set straight the place we serve from, and how we got there. If we appoint ourselves to a ministry that He does not appoint us to, we will be removed. True and pure and faithful ministers of God have a loving relationship with Him. Jesus shares information with these men and women as servants and as friends. But those who appoint themselves, and prophesy out of their own spirits have their own information. They are therefore open to satanic input, because they are spiritually immoral, having a love of pre-eminence and favor from men. Many impure ministers get into “discovering” secrets, which are satan’s lies. And this is the sad event occurring in some ministries today; the word of God is not pure, and the prophets have hardened the hearts of the listeners who no longer believe they are hearing God’s words.
True authority comes only after one follows true submission to the fore ordained preparation for service to the King, Jesus. Therefore, Jesus promises these true servants “authority over the nations” with an iron rule. He will not compromise to please men, but will set His standard in place. Jesus gives the morning star. Peter writes that we have prophetic knowledge as “a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” (2 Pet 1:19b) As Paul wrote, we have this knowledge “in part, and we prophesy in part”, until the perfect comes. (1 Cor 13:9-10) This partial knowledge isn’t discredited because of its incompleteness or Peter wouldn’t have asked us to pay attention to it (2 Pet 1:19). However, the tendency of the human mind is to fill in the gaps of our incomplete knowledge, making it complete by the addition of our own thoughts, or by satan’s lies.
The true preparation of a prophet is to still one’s spirit and wait on God. The hastiness of men tempts them to produce prophecies, one after another, to satisfy an imagined demand on them. The preparation we find in God’s prophets is to be patient, not sharing information until the “morning star” arises in their hearts and they have understanding from the Spirit of Prophecy. A star only has true light when the sun (Son of God) shines on it.
If men set themselves in ministry and teach people that they can have knowledge, and that they can use their own power and authority, let those men beware, for so did Jezebel. Let them be careful that they are not circumventing God’s preparation of His people by substituting men’s thoughts and satan’s lies for the sometimes long and tedious preparation of a true, submitted servant and prophet. Yet for those who have not followed after spiritual Jezebels, they will walk with Jesus in power and have the morning star (Rev 22:16). Amen.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Letter to Pergamum
Today’s lesson is on the letter to the church at Pergamum (Rev 2:12-17). This letter contrasts what Christians take as spiritual food: that which is sacrificed to idols, and hidden manna. Jesus is the manna from heaven (Jn 6:48-51), and told us that His flesh was food to eat (Jn 6:53-58). Jesus told the Pergamums that they had people who “hold to the teaching of Balaam . . . and to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.” (Rev 2:14-15)
Eating meat sacrificed to idols was the temptation set before the Israelites as they traveled to the Promised Land. Balaam had encouraged the Midianites to invite God’s people to their worship, and so those who had formerly eaten manna from heaven partook of the food of devils. This led to immorality, and the Israelites’ hearts turned away from the Lord. Jesus is writing to the Christians at Pergamum about not partaking of satan’s bread, the manna of the world. If Jesus’ flesh is the Word of God, and can mold us into His image, then satan also has words by which to entice God’s people with, and those words will cause us to remain in the image of unredeemed Man.
The sword of Jesus’ mouth is that word which divides “soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Heb 4:12). He told the Pergamums to “Repent therefore! Otherwise I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” (Rev 2:16) Jesus will war with words of truth, contending with falsehood and drawing the line where purity ends and sin and error begin. He will separate what is holy from what is worldly. This type of prophecy is condemned by our churches because it is not nice, yet it will come forth from Jesus’ mouth by those prophets that remain true to Him.
It is to the overcomer that Jesus promises hidden manna. God does not want to give His words to people who do not value it nor would they follow it, for in the end, those very words sent to guide them will stand as a witness against them for not following. Those who follow after the world will not follow after the Son of God. But those who love God will be given hidden manna and a new name. Though both types of Christians may have appeared the same in the beginning, they will grow each into their own identity, varying vastly in appearance in the end. Those who eat the Word of Life will be the wheat, and those who eat meat sacrificed to idols, or the world, will be tares (see Mt 13:24-30).
We could almost take this letter as a sermon for all believers about remaining sincere to our affections for God, except that Balaam was God’s prophet who knew God’s ways. Though we all should be true to God, the sin of Balaam involved subverting God’s ways in order to cause the fall of the Israelites, and all this to please Balak and for his personal monetary gain. God is directly addressing spiritual leaders of the church who cause His people to stumble around in sin, worldliness, and idolatry, all the while making money from them. These would be the ministers, prophets and other members of the 5-fold ministry that teach people they can “have it all” and still be a Christian. Though this makes the leaders popular, and wealthy, they are leading God’s people astray.
The Balaam-type leaders set the stage for the Nicolaitans, who teach God’s people to put their trust in the leaders. They have created a separation between laymen and clergy, setting themselves above those whom they should serve. The Nicolaitan leaders want the homage of people, but they do not set people in their appointed place to serve the Lord. People in these types of churches are hindered from receiving what God has to give them because their leaders interfere with the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Neither of these types of leaders, Balaan, nor Nicolaitans, prepare the bride for the marriage feast with Jesus.
In this time, more than ever, we need to heed the admonishment to love the truth (2 Thess 2:13), realizing that there will be “counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders . . .” (2 Thess 2:9). In this time, more than ever, we need to have discernment about what is being taught to the people of God. And in this time, more than ever, are our affections to be on God, and not on the security men can give us. Let us hold the people of God up and pray for their faithfulness, for these are times full of deceptions. But let us also look forward to the prize of receiving the hidden manna, and the white stone of victory. It is worth the spiritual battle we are all facing. Amen.
Monday, September 10, 2012
The Letter to Smyrna
Today we will look at Jesus’ message to the church at Smyrna (Rev 2:8-11). Jesus asserts Himself as being the “First and the Last”. He is the First Fruits of those who have passed away (1 Cor 15:20) and so states that He “died and came to life again.” (Rev 2:8). Jesus will complete what He has begun, and He wants to complete it in us by raising us one day from the dead just as He was. The Christians in Smyrna would partake in the resurrection of Life if they overcame.
We see that the conditions for the Smyrnan church were not good. They were in poverty and suffered persecution. Like the Philadelphians they suffered oppression from people who named God’s name but did not follow Him. The false children of God are said to be of the Synagogue of satan. Because they called God and His people bad and themselves good, they were blaspheming, or vilifying the godly. From of old satan’s tool has been for the false to call the true, false. False believers call light darkness and darkness light. They call good evil and evil good (Is 5:20). Though Isaiah prophesied this condition thousands of years ago, this type of slanderous blasphemy was seen as a trial to come on the end-time believers.
Jesus set the tone for how we were to view our brethren. He admonished us not to call them “Raca”, or empty, worthless people (Mt 5:22). To go further, Jesus asked us to receive each other on the basis of our service to Him (Mt 10:40-42; Lk 9:5). He contrasted that with false believers who love to honor and receive honor from one another (Jn 5:44), whereas He did not care about receiving honor from men (vs 41). In fact, Jesus said “Woe unto you” when you are popular and well received for that’s how the false prophets were treated (Lk 6:26).
Though the Church was not yet formed, Jesus was giving us all a picture of the slander and blasphemy that were to take hold in her; brethren seeing their brothers as having no worth, and giving them no place to serve the Lord. When we read about the Mother of all Prostitutes, we see that she treated the “saints, apostles and prophets” so poorly that they were to rejoice when God judged her (Rev 18:20).
Jesus comforts the believers at Smyrna, saying “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days” (Rev 2:10a). This oppressive prison is spiritual, though there will be physical martyrs in our times. However, satan will use the false brethren to seal up the true believers into a prison of non-acceptance. In this time, more than any before it, Christians who want to use their gifts and fulfill their calling will be denied a place to do so, for a season. Jesus says, “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Rev 2:10b).
Ten days represents a space of time that reaches its completion. The trial has an end, however, the saints that are shut away from serving God must be faithful. Though they feel like the purposes of their lives are passing out of their reach, they must continue in faith. To be seen as having no worth when the One of great worth resides within is a severe trial.
For so severe a trial, overcoming brings just as glorious a reward. The overcomers will not partake of the final judgment, or the second death (Rev 2:11). They will be part of the first resurrection. Jesus will complete His work in them and they will be blessed and holy, raised to rule with Him (Rev 20:4-6).
When we look at our ministries and churches today, we see that some are exclusive clubs wherein only a select few may serve God with their gifts, and the rest must follow them. Those that are in leadership receive great honor and give honor to others in similar positions of leadership. They commend and recommend those within their groups, and deny others. If Jesus Himself were to come to them as an unknown prophet, they would not give Him room to speak. Jesus is coming to many men in many places, and that is why He asked us to receive each other (Mt 10:40-42). Recognize Him and receive Him in your brethren and do not take part in the ways of the false believers. Amen.
We see that the conditions for the Smyrnan church were not good. They were in poverty and suffered persecution. Like the Philadelphians they suffered oppression from people who named God’s name but did not follow Him. The false children of God are said to be of the Synagogue of satan. Because they called God and His people bad and themselves good, they were blaspheming, or vilifying the godly. From of old satan’s tool has been for the false to call the true, false. False believers call light darkness and darkness light. They call good evil and evil good (Is 5:20). Though Isaiah prophesied this condition thousands of years ago, this type of slanderous blasphemy was seen as a trial to come on the end-time believers.
Jesus set the tone for how we were to view our brethren. He admonished us not to call them “Raca”, or empty, worthless people (Mt 5:22). To go further, Jesus asked us to receive each other on the basis of our service to Him (Mt 10:40-42; Lk 9:5). He contrasted that with false believers who love to honor and receive honor from one another (Jn 5:44), whereas He did not care about receiving honor from men (vs 41). In fact, Jesus said “Woe unto you” when you are popular and well received for that’s how the false prophets were treated (Lk 6:26).
Though the Church was not yet formed, Jesus was giving us all a picture of the slander and blasphemy that were to take hold in her; brethren seeing their brothers as having no worth, and giving them no place to serve the Lord. When we read about the Mother of all Prostitutes, we see that she treated the “saints, apostles and prophets” so poorly that they were to rejoice when God judged her (Rev 18:20).
Jesus comforts the believers at Smyrna, saying “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days” (Rev 2:10a). This oppressive prison is spiritual, though there will be physical martyrs in our times. However, satan will use the false brethren to seal up the true believers into a prison of non-acceptance. In this time, more than any before it, Christians who want to use their gifts and fulfill their calling will be denied a place to do so, for a season. Jesus says, “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Rev 2:10b).
Ten days represents a space of time that reaches its completion. The trial has an end, however, the saints that are shut away from serving God must be faithful. Though they feel like the purposes of their lives are passing out of their reach, they must continue in faith. To be seen as having no worth when the One of great worth resides within is a severe trial.
For so severe a trial, overcoming brings just as glorious a reward. The overcomers will not partake of the final judgment, or the second death (Rev 2:11). They will be part of the first resurrection. Jesus will complete His work in them and they will be blessed and holy, raised to rule with Him (Rev 20:4-6).
When we look at our ministries and churches today, we see that some are exclusive clubs wherein only a select few may serve God with their gifts, and the rest must follow them. Those that are in leadership receive great honor and give honor to others in similar positions of leadership. They commend and recommend those within their groups, and deny others. If Jesus Himself were to come to them as an unknown prophet, they would not give Him room to speak. Jesus is coming to many men in many places, and that is why He asked us to receive each other (Mt 10:40-42). Recognize Him and receive Him in your brethren and do not take part in the ways of the false believers. Amen.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
The Letter to Ephesus
The last three lessons were based on God’s message of no compromise, found in the book of Revelation. I wrote about the corruption that is epitomized by the Mother of Prostitutes, and the purity that is found in the bride. Today we will look at the successes and failures of the first of the seven churches Jesus spoke to in the book of Revelation.
The first church is Ephesus (Rev 2:1-7). Jesus begins by asserting His authority and right to ministry, stating He “holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.” The stars are God’s messengers and the lampstands are churches (Rev 1:20). Jesus holds the churches and the messengers from God to the churches in His hands. He is the Apostle of our Faith, and our great high priest (Heb 3:1).
Those who minister to God’s people on His behalf are depicted as stars, each reflecting the light of the sun, or Son of God. Without this light their lampstands would remain dark. Many times Jesus said that He was the light of the world; He is the One who brings us truth.
The Ephesians tested ministers to see if they were true apostles, and found some to be false. This showed they held the truth, and authenticity, in high regard. Jesus knew their deeds, and their endurance in the face of hardship, and commended them. However, Jesus also knew that all these things can come from a spirit of religion. He was looking for the Ephesian’s love of Him.
Jesus points out to the Ephesians that they had left their first love. There is a discourse in Jesus parables called “treasures in heaven” wherein Jesus uses three illustrations to depict the state of the heart (Mt 6:19-24). The first admonishes us to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth, for where your treasure is there also is your heart. Our outward affections can be manifested by what we have, and by what we do, and when tied to this life will pull our love away from the One who is the giver of Life.
The second illustration is about the eye of the body, which gives it light. Paul writes a prayer to the saints that the “eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know . . .“ (Ephes 1:18). Here we see that light is necessary in the heart to bring understanding of what we are to receive from God. Without God’s light, we have an “eye” that is “full of darkness” (Mt 6:23).
In the third illustration we read about serving two masters; God, and Mammon, or earthly goods. It will tear our heart apart to let them both be our masters, and in the end we will hate God. These three parables show us the conditions that can turn the heart away from her first love of God: affection of what we have and what we can do; not having a heart full of truth; and serving our possessions.
The Ephesians were delivered from all forms of worldliness when they were translated out of darkness and into the kingdom of light (Col 1:13). They even hated the practice of the Nicolaitans who compromised the truth to allow sin in the life of the believer. Their church had noteworthy deeds and their elders had great discernment. But all Jesus did for them did not keep love for Him burning in their hearts. They had forgotten Whom their ministry and church had come from, and what state He had redeemed them from. When we forget our love of Jesus and appreciation for the redemption of our lives, our works will come from a spirit of religion and we ourselves will become inwardly dark.
Jesus’ admonition to the Ephesians is to return to those things they did at first, which sprung from love. Interestingly, He states that eating from the tree of Life is a privilege, and only after returning to their love of Him will they have this privilege. We see, then, that love has the power to keep the heart pure and the works that proceed will be holy. Let us remember Who holds us in His hands, and where our ministries come from. If we return to God with all our hearts we will have the privilege to eat from the tree of Life in His paradise. Amen.
The first church is Ephesus (Rev 2:1-7). Jesus begins by asserting His authority and right to ministry, stating He “holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.” The stars are God’s messengers and the lampstands are churches (Rev 1:20). Jesus holds the churches and the messengers from God to the churches in His hands. He is the Apostle of our Faith, and our great high priest (Heb 3:1).
Those who minister to God’s people on His behalf are depicted as stars, each reflecting the light of the sun, or Son of God. Without this light their lampstands would remain dark. Many times Jesus said that He was the light of the world; He is the One who brings us truth.
The Ephesians tested ministers to see if they were true apostles, and found some to be false. This showed they held the truth, and authenticity, in high regard. Jesus knew their deeds, and their endurance in the face of hardship, and commended them. However, Jesus also knew that all these things can come from a spirit of religion. He was looking for the Ephesian’s love of Him.
Jesus points out to the Ephesians that they had left their first love. There is a discourse in Jesus parables called “treasures in heaven” wherein Jesus uses three illustrations to depict the state of the heart (Mt 6:19-24). The first admonishes us to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth, for where your treasure is there also is your heart. Our outward affections can be manifested by what we have, and by what we do, and when tied to this life will pull our love away from the One who is the giver of Life.
The second illustration is about the eye of the body, which gives it light. Paul writes a prayer to the saints that the “eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know . . .“ (Ephes 1:18). Here we see that light is necessary in the heart to bring understanding of what we are to receive from God. Without God’s light, we have an “eye” that is “full of darkness” (Mt 6:23).
In the third illustration we read about serving two masters; God, and Mammon, or earthly goods. It will tear our heart apart to let them both be our masters, and in the end we will hate God. These three parables show us the conditions that can turn the heart away from her first love of God: affection of what we have and what we can do; not having a heart full of truth; and serving our possessions.
The Ephesians were delivered from all forms of worldliness when they were translated out of darkness and into the kingdom of light (Col 1:13). They even hated the practice of the Nicolaitans who compromised the truth to allow sin in the life of the believer. Their church had noteworthy deeds and their elders had great discernment. But all Jesus did for them did not keep love for Him burning in their hearts. They had forgotten Whom their ministry and church had come from, and what state He had redeemed them from. When we forget our love of Jesus and appreciation for the redemption of our lives, our works will come from a spirit of religion and we ourselves will become inwardly dark.
Jesus’ admonition to the Ephesians is to return to those things they did at first, which sprung from love. Interestingly, He states that eating from the tree of Life is a privilege, and only after returning to their love of Him will they have this privilege. We see, then, that love has the power to keep the heart pure and the works that proceed will be holy. Let us remember Who holds us in His hands, and where our ministries come from. If we return to God with all our hearts we will have the privilege to eat from the tree of Life in His paradise. Amen.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
True and False Brethren
Yesterday I wrote concerning prophets. God’s lesson underscored the truth that compromise with the world means unfaithfulness to God. This message is found in the Lord’s letter to the church at Philadelphia, which John wrote in Revelation 3:7-13. Today we will look closer at this section of Revelation.
One of the truths the Lord is sharing in Revelation is that He is the only One who has the ability to allow entrance into the Kingdom of God; Jesus holds the keys. No man can seize the Kingdom for himself. Also, in Luke 20:9-16, Jesus told a parable wherein tenants of the Master’s vineyard wanted the son’s inheritance, and so they killed the Master’s son. In explaining the purpose of this parable, Jesus said that the One whom the “builders rejected” was the very One God had chosen to be the “capstone” (vs 17). A capstone is the key stone in an arch or doorway, and is the “chief stone” upon which others rely for structure and stability.
Men cannot seize salvation because “Salvation belongs to our God, Who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Rev 7:10). And so we see that salvation and entrance to the Kingdom of God are both given by the Lord, and cannot be taken by men. Therefore Jesus tells John that He controls the doors to the Kingdom, having the “Key of David”; what He opens will remain opened and what He shuts will remain shut. It is necessary for Jesus to establish this truth because there were two bodies of believers in the conglomerate church at Philadelphia; One group truly served God, and the other claimed to be His people, “though they are not.”
From the beginning of the Church there have been false believers who have made faithful followers of God feel rejected, just as Jesus was rejected. The Lord’s solution to this was to “make those who are of the synagogue of satan (the false church) . . . come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.” Jesus not only established His own rightful place with the Father, but the faithful believer’s rightful place in the church. However, there was one thing that could undo what Jesus was establishing: compromise.
Though I wrote yesterday, warning about the corrupting power of compromise, I am including it again because of the importance of keeping our service to God pure. Jesus told the true Philadelphian believers that He knew their “deeds”, or works. He was setting an open door before them because they had not denied His name (vs 8). Both their words and actions portrayed faithfulness, therefore the Lord was opening up the Kingdom to them so that they could walk in its authority. Their reward was to become a permanent part of the temple; a pillar. Never again would they go out of the temple of God, or His presence. Yet, if they did not hold on to what they had, their faithfulness, men would take it all away.
There is a difference between men who abide in God’s presence and serve Him with authority on this earth and false brethren. The first set of men are given what they have by the Lord, and value it above the ways of men. The second set of men “take” for themselves what is not given to them by God. And herein lies the sign of false brethren; asserting themselves as having an authority and place in God’s Kingdom that they were not given by God, for they were not chosen for faithfulness, as they were seeking their own and not the Lord’s will.
Why would men who abide in God’s presence and serve in Kingdom authority let false brethren take it all away? For one thing, it is difficult to set oneself apart from our brethren. We have been seeking unity in the body of Christ for a long time, trying to put our differences behind us and find a common ground in which to worship the One true God we all believe in. If we join all brethren without discerning who is serving God and who is serving themselves, we will eventually compromise our relationship with God. Our works will be subject to the approval of men who have not stood in God’s presence, and we will be asked to become part of works that are based in deceit.
Jesus spoke of “false Christs and false prophets” who would “perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect – if that were possible.” (Mt 24:24). Paul also writes about “counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders” (2 Thess 2:9). Jude writes that false brethren “boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.” (Jd :16). False brethren appear to be powerful and to have authority, therefore humble servants may be tempted to submit all they have to these men.
One thing false brethren will not have is authority from God. Another thing they won’t have is the “new” thing that God is doing. They will speak of newness, yet keep the same people around them that can be bought with their flattery. However, Jesus spoke about a “new Jerusalem”; a new city of God which comes down from heaven. While the false brethren are feathering their nest in the old Church, God is building a new one out of the faithful body of believers.
Many believers will not want to leave their church, even if staying means they cannot serve God. They sit in hopes that things will improve, following in a system of those who have compromised all God gave them for smooth relationships with men. Will the Lord fix the church? In Revelation 17 we read that He will not, for she cannot be brought to repentance. The unfaithful part of God’s church, the harlot who is called the Mother of all Prostitutes, will be destroyed (Rev 17:16). God is allowing the dysfunctional conditions to worsen so that men will finally see they need to follow Him and not the unfaithful ways of some men.
For this reason the Lord separates the sheep from the goats (Mt 25:31-46); compromise brings dysfunction, and in an appointed hour the Lord will bring an end to the harlot part of his church through judgment. Therefore He calls the faithful believers out of her (Rev 18:4). God will have one group of true followers. They are the new Jerusalem, His bride (Rev 21:2).
Do we want the new? If it costs us our ministry and our relationship with God, will we leave a church system that is unfaithful to God’s purposes? As I said before, this puts the prophets between a rock and a hard place. Today, let us look at the rock, the capstone Who’s name is Jesus. And let us look at the hard place, the foundation that is immovable, the Word of God. If we return to the purity of our affection for God, He will give us a place with Him that cannot be removed. And we will be amongst true brethren. Amen.
One of the truths the Lord is sharing in Revelation is that He is the only One who has the ability to allow entrance into the Kingdom of God; Jesus holds the keys. No man can seize the Kingdom for himself. Also, in Luke 20:9-16, Jesus told a parable wherein tenants of the Master’s vineyard wanted the son’s inheritance, and so they killed the Master’s son. In explaining the purpose of this parable, Jesus said that the One whom the “builders rejected” was the very One God had chosen to be the “capstone” (vs 17). A capstone is the key stone in an arch or doorway, and is the “chief stone” upon which others rely for structure and stability.
Men cannot seize salvation because “Salvation belongs to our God, Who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Rev 7:10). And so we see that salvation and entrance to the Kingdom of God are both given by the Lord, and cannot be taken by men. Therefore Jesus tells John that He controls the doors to the Kingdom, having the “Key of David”; what He opens will remain opened and what He shuts will remain shut. It is necessary for Jesus to establish this truth because there were two bodies of believers in the conglomerate church at Philadelphia; One group truly served God, and the other claimed to be His people, “though they are not.”
From the beginning of the Church there have been false believers who have made faithful followers of God feel rejected, just as Jesus was rejected. The Lord’s solution to this was to “make those who are of the synagogue of satan (the false church) . . . come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.” Jesus not only established His own rightful place with the Father, but the faithful believer’s rightful place in the church. However, there was one thing that could undo what Jesus was establishing: compromise.
Though I wrote yesterday, warning about the corrupting power of compromise, I am including it again because of the importance of keeping our service to God pure. Jesus told the true Philadelphian believers that He knew their “deeds”, or works. He was setting an open door before them because they had not denied His name (vs 8). Both their words and actions portrayed faithfulness, therefore the Lord was opening up the Kingdom to them so that they could walk in its authority. Their reward was to become a permanent part of the temple; a pillar. Never again would they go out of the temple of God, or His presence. Yet, if they did not hold on to what they had, their faithfulness, men would take it all away.
There is a difference between men who abide in God’s presence and serve Him with authority on this earth and false brethren. The first set of men are given what they have by the Lord, and value it above the ways of men. The second set of men “take” for themselves what is not given to them by God. And herein lies the sign of false brethren; asserting themselves as having an authority and place in God’s Kingdom that they were not given by God, for they were not chosen for faithfulness, as they were seeking their own and not the Lord’s will.
Why would men who abide in God’s presence and serve in Kingdom authority let false brethren take it all away? For one thing, it is difficult to set oneself apart from our brethren. We have been seeking unity in the body of Christ for a long time, trying to put our differences behind us and find a common ground in which to worship the One true God we all believe in. If we join all brethren without discerning who is serving God and who is serving themselves, we will eventually compromise our relationship with God. Our works will be subject to the approval of men who have not stood in God’s presence, and we will be asked to become part of works that are based in deceit.
Jesus spoke of “false Christs and false prophets” who would “perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect – if that were possible.” (Mt 24:24). Paul also writes about “counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders” (2 Thess 2:9). Jude writes that false brethren “boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.” (Jd :16). False brethren appear to be powerful and to have authority, therefore humble servants may be tempted to submit all they have to these men.
One thing false brethren will not have is authority from God. Another thing they won’t have is the “new” thing that God is doing. They will speak of newness, yet keep the same people around them that can be bought with their flattery. However, Jesus spoke about a “new Jerusalem”; a new city of God which comes down from heaven. While the false brethren are feathering their nest in the old Church, God is building a new one out of the faithful body of believers.
Many believers will not want to leave their church, even if staying means they cannot serve God. They sit in hopes that things will improve, following in a system of those who have compromised all God gave them for smooth relationships with men. Will the Lord fix the church? In Revelation 17 we read that He will not, for she cannot be brought to repentance. The unfaithful part of God’s church, the harlot who is called the Mother of all Prostitutes, will be destroyed (Rev 17:16). God is allowing the dysfunctional conditions to worsen so that men will finally see they need to follow Him and not the unfaithful ways of some men.
For this reason the Lord separates the sheep from the goats (Mt 25:31-46); compromise brings dysfunction, and in an appointed hour the Lord will bring an end to the harlot part of his church through judgment. Therefore He calls the faithful believers out of her (Rev 18:4). God will have one group of true followers. They are the new Jerusalem, His bride (Rev 21:2).
Do we want the new? If it costs us our ministry and our relationship with God, will we leave a church system that is unfaithful to God’s purposes? As I said before, this puts the prophets between a rock and a hard place. Today, let us look at the rock, the capstone Who’s name is Jesus. And let us look at the hard place, the foundation that is immovable, the Word of God. If we return to the purity of our affection for God, He will give us a place with Him that cannot be removed. And we will be amongst true brethren. Amen.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Reinstating the office of the prophets
Yesterday I wrote about an unfaithful group of God’s chosen people within the church who have corrupted the earth by compromising with the world. This is represented in the book of Revelation as the Mother of all Prostitutes. Today I will finish this lesson with an admonition to prophets speaking on God’s behalf, that their hearts would be faithful to Him. God’s desire is that He will have a people who desire Him, loving His image more than life, this world, or earthly glory. He is coming back for a bride who has prepared herself for Him. The prophets who are faithful have a role in preparing God’s bride.
God will use prophets, if their hearts will cling to Him. Prophets have lost their office in the present system of the church because they have compromised their affection for God, and their hearts have clung to the approval of men. In this way many of God’s prophets have not been faithful to Him. John heard this warning, recorded for us in the book of Revelation; “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of My God. Never again will he leave it.” (Rev 3:11 – 12a). The permanency of the office of the prophet, as in any of the ministry Christ gives to men, was compromised by the relinquishing of the crowns of the prophets to men. Prophets have done this themselves.
Prophets of this day cannot reinstate their office while they remain in the present religious system, which is unfaithful to God. They are between a rock and a hard place because the harlot part of the church will only sanction their ministry if the prophets please the elders/pastors who have corrupted the gospel in order to please men. Therefore, to be allowed to serve the church in this system, prophets must exchange serving God for serving men.
Will those that call themselves prophets repent of pleasing men, and turn to pleasing God? If so, they will have no ministry in the harlot churches. How will they survive financially, and who will call them for ministry if they are not on the speaking circuits of the men pleasers? A prophet’s position has a price attached to it. Therefore, they will only be free to serve the One whom they say they speak for if they leave those they seek to please. They must refuse the gifts of the worldly in order to maintain the gifts of God. True prophets will suffer financial loss and separation from the harlot church.
Those prophets with integrity before God will cling to Him, and Him alone, but they are not many. The many have sought after glory in this world. And some have sought after the young, who will admire them. Youth are easy to lead astray, and slow to question. They eat up empty promises and grow tired of the deep foundations God requires for each of His prophets. The impatience of youth sets them up for emotional experiences and the lies of false prophets.
God is looking for His image and not for the image of men. When we are satisfied with His image (Ps 17:15), He will restore prophets to their office. When prophets love His image more than the world and more than the acceptance of church leaders, more than the praises and admiration of youth, then they will encourage the faithful, His bride. Amen.
God will use prophets, if their hearts will cling to Him. Prophets have lost their office in the present system of the church because they have compromised their affection for God, and their hearts have clung to the approval of men. In this way many of God’s prophets have not been faithful to Him. John heard this warning, recorded for us in the book of Revelation; “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of My God. Never again will he leave it.” (Rev 3:11 – 12a). The permanency of the office of the prophet, as in any of the ministry Christ gives to men, was compromised by the relinquishing of the crowns of the prophets to men. Prophets have done this themselves.
Prophets of this day cannot reinstate their office while they remain in the present religious system, which is unfaithful to God. They are between a rock and a hard place because the harlot part of the church will only sanction their ministry if the prophets please the elders/pastors who have corrupted the gospel in order to please men. Therefore, to be allowed to serve the church in this system, prophets must exchange serving God for serving men.
Will those that call themselves prophets repent of pleasing men, and turn to pleasing God? If so, they will have no ministry in the harlot churches. How will they survive financially, and who will call them for ministry if they are not on the speaking circuits of the men pleasers? A prophet’s position has a price attached to it. Therefore, they will only be free to serve the One whom they say they speak for if they leave those they seek to please. They must refuse the gifts of the worldly in order to maintain the gifts of God. True prophets will suffer financial loss and separation from the harlot church.
Those prophets with integrity before God will cling to Him, and Him alone, but they are not many. The many have sought after glory in this world. And some have sought after the young, who will admire them. Youth are easy to lead astray, and slow to question. They eat up empty promises and grow tired of the deep foundations God requires for each of His prophets. The impatience of youth sets them up for emotional experiences and the lies of false prophets.
God is looking for His image and not for the image of men. When we are satisfied with His image (Ps 17:15), He will restore prophets to their office. When prophets love His image more than the world and more than the acceptance of church leaders, more than the praises and admiration of youth, then they will encourage the faithful, His bride. Amen.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
The Mother of Prostitutes
One who is called to handle the Word of God must do so faithfully, whether it is written, or spoken. Some parts of the Word are easy to receive, for they taste like honey. Yet, they do not sit well in our stomach, turning sour as we experience conflict within us. The Lord was sharing this concept with John in Revelation 10:9-11. Though John would prophesy again, the words would not always be pleasant, nor personally sit well with him.
We only know prophecy in part (1 Cor 13:9), and yet it is through prophecy that the Lord speaks to His people. Therefore we must be careful to not see the “part” as a finished whole, or “perfection” (verse 10). Though some would use these verses to discredit prophecy, they are meant to teach us a different concept; the Lord is the perfecter of His own Words and will continue to bring us light until we understand them. We prophesy in part because we know in part. When we know more, we prophesy more. And all this is in God’s hands. He is Lord over all.
Revelation is a book that is known in part because of its mysterious symbolisms. I am going to speak from it today. The Lord shows an urgency for us to understand the role of His people so that He can build on that understanding. He will use His prophets to speak, and even the smallest of saints to bring forth the righteous fruit of all that He has written. Let us look at the book of Revelation.
In Revelation we read about a woman who is called “Mystery, Babylon the Great, The Mother of Prostitutes and of the Abominations of the Earth” (Rev 17:5). She represents spiritual whoredom. The Lord finds fault with her for “corrupting the earth with her adulteries” (Rev 19:2) and for shedding the blood of “those who bore testimony to Jesus” (Rev 17:6). Though it would be easier to say that this is a worldly representation of evil, the Lord tells us that her title is a “mystery” (Rev 17:5). She is not literally the city of Babylon, but is a spiritual embodiment of a group of people who once were blessed by God, and who once had His people dispersed in her.
The Old Testament has many prophecies wherein the Lord calls His own nation a prostitute, or harlot, for she strayed from God and set her affections on idols, wanting to be more like other nations than like God.
“Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; you said, ‘I will not serve you!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute. I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock, How then did you turn against Me, into a corrupt wild vine?” (Jer 2:20-21)
The Lord sorrows when His people turn away from Him and want to be like the world. A wife is to become one with her husband. Spiritually, the church (as Christ's brinde) is to become one with Him, becoming the image of her God. The symoblism of a faithful bride of Jesus is a stark contrast to the symbolism of the prostitute, for the bride has “made herself ready” (Rev 19:7) as her desire is for only Him.
The Mother of Prostitutes, who causes corruption on the earth, is a body of people within the church who do not want to be His alone. Instead of bringing the gospel to men, their religious practices corrupt the earth.
“With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.” (Rev 17:2). Though the church should be the light of the world, these people within the church chose to become like the world. But they went farther. They mixed the gift of God, eternal life, with the gain of the world. In common terms, the Mother of prostitutes offered the nations friendship with God by partaking of their ways. Nothing she gave them was pure. Instead of representing God to men, she joined their image and was an adulterous wife to God.
Spiritual prostitution can be found in our own churches and in our own personal walk with Jesus. God does not charge those who were never His with adultery. I have written of the interpretation of the spiritual harlot in order to speak about the condition of the body of Christ. When God finds the world in His people, He cannot set them as a light upon a hill, shining to those in darkness, for they themselves are becoming darkened. Tomorrow I will write of God’s Word to His prophets in this hour, and the need for a heart that is single in purpose towards God. May He bless us with His overcoming power as we separate our hearts unto Him, and to the role for which we were born on this earth. Amen.
We only know prophecy in part (1 Cor 13:9), and yet it is through prophecy that the Lord speaks to His people. Therefore we must be careful to not see the “part” as a finished whole, or “perfection” (verse 10). Though some would use these verses to discredit prophecy, they are meant to teach us a different concept; the Lord is the perfecter of His own Words and will continue to bring us light until we understand them. We prophesy in part because we know in part. When we know more, we prophesy more. And all this is in God’s hands. He is Lord over all.
Revelation is a book that is known in part because of its mysterious symbolisms. I am going to speak from it today. The Lord shows an urgency for us to understand the role of His people so that He can build on that understanding. He will use His prophets to speak, and even the smallest of saints to bring forth the righteous fruit of all that He has written. Let us look at the book of Revelation.
In Revelation we read about a woman who is called “Mystery, Babylon the Great, The Mother of Prostitutes and of the Abominations of the Earth” (Rev 17:5). She represents spiritual whoredom. The Lord finds fault with her for “corrupting the earth with her adulteries” (Rev 19:2) and for shedding the blood of “those who bore testimony to Jesus” (Rev 17:6). Though it would be easier to say that this is a worldly representation of evil, the Lord tells us that her title is a “mystery” (Rev 17:5). She is not literally the city of Babylon, but is a spiritual embodiment of a group of people who once were blessed by God, and who once had His people dispersed in her.
The Old Testament has many prophecies wherein the Lord calls His own nation a prostitute, or harlot, for she strayed from God and set her affections on idols, wanting to be more like other nations than like God.
“Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; you said, ‘I will not serve you!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute. I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock, How then did you turn against Me, into a corrupt wild vine?” (Jer 2:20-21)
The Lord sorrows when His people turn away from Him and want to be like the world. A wife is to become one with her husband. Spiritually, the church (as Christ's brinde) is to become one with Him, becoming the image of her God. The symoblism of a faithful bride of Jesus is a stark contrast to the symbolism of the prostitute, for the bride has “made herself ready” (Rev 19:7) as her desire is for only Him.
The Mother of Prostitutes, who causes corruption on the earth, is a body of people within the church who do not want to be His alone. Instead of bringing the gospel to men, their religious practices corrupt the earth.
“With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.” (Rev 17:2). Though the church should be the light of the world, these people within the church chose to become like the world. But they went farther. They mixed the gift of God, eternal life, with the gain of the world. In common terms, the Mother of prostitutes offered the nations friendship with God by partaking of their ways. Nothing she gave them was pure. Instead of representing God to men, she joined their image and was an adulterous wife to God.
Spiritual prostitution can be found in our own churches and in our own personal walk with Jesus. God does not charge those who were never His with adultery. I have written of the interpretation of the spiritual harlot in order to speak about the condition of the body of Christ. When God finds the world in His people, He cannot set them as a light upon a hill, shining to those in darkness, for they themselves are becoming darkened. Tomorrow I will write of God’s Word to His prophets in this hour, and the need for a heart that is single in purpose towards God. May He bless us with His overcoming power as we separate our hearts unto Him, and to the role for which we were born on this earth. Amen.
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