LIVING IN THE LAST HOUR

We could all be living our last hour.

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  • To those with a heart of stone… God will not be mocked.

    To those with a heart of stone… God will not be mocked.

    Ever since that day in the garden, man has been doing what is right in his own mind. The decision to wipe out humanity, the first time, could not have been easy for a loving God. To date man does not wish for anyone, especially believers to examine their beliefs. Religious traditions are designed to leave believers in spiritual bondage. The Scriptures teach that we should test the spirits, but the world, Satan himself does not want anyone to examine their faith. The wolves in sheep’s clothing take this mandate seriously. The apostate church thrives in America because all it has to do is twist the truth just a bit, just enough to keep believers coming back for more.

    Today we debate doctrine, defend our interpretations and judge a fallen world by the Mosaic Law, a law no man can keep. And if we say we have not sinned, we make God a liar (1 John 1:10).

    Today, more than ever, our minds are bombarded by messages designed to penetrate our senses to illicit a specific response. If we hold hate in our hearts, a message of hate will bring it out. It does not take a college degree to discern the things of God. If a believer walks by the Spirit of God, Galatians 5:16 says, I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

    When I hear anyone who claims to be a Christian, or gathering with fellow Christians, in public squares, even on social media and I hear hate and profanities spewing from their mouth and anything that opposes the message of the cross, guess what? I know the Scriptures teach, it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man, but what comes out of a man, that defiles him. Out of the heart of man comes all evil things. Does that mean that every man has evil intentions in his heart? Look at those around you.

    Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:34-37 (NKJV)

    “Set the trumpet to your mouth! He shall come like an eagle against the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed My covenant and rebelled against My law. Hosea 8:1

    “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord,” says the Lord God, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. Ezekiel 36:22-28

    Are we there yet? Unless the heart is transformed, no man can keep the statutes and judgments of the Lord. Who is the man with a heart of stone? Look around.

    I keep hearing that pastors need a backbone to stand firm in the faith. Why? Why do pastors need a backbone to stand firm in the faith? Could it be because as humans we need heroes, especially if they defend our faith, our freedoms, our possessions, or our very lives. Trusting God for protection is not easy.

    The people of God have always sought out kings to lead them and fight their battles. Hence, they reject God as their King, as their Ruler. And simply choose to follow the lead of their human kings. It’s not about lacking independent thought, but about lacking a discerning spirit.

    The Holy Spirit equips us to do that which God has called us to do. “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say (Luke 12:11-12, NKJV).” Be still, says the Lord. Be holy as I am holy.

    The worldly church has failed, but not the body of Christ. God is faithful. It is the body of Christ that is being perfected for her Groom. Sadly, the traditions of men, regard church attendance as a measure of faith and commitment to the things of God. Sadly, my first experience taught me different. Because of that first encounter, I have always been cognizant of the fallacies in any church. There is nothing new under the sun.

    The enemy wants to keep believers in darkness. In darkness, believers have no effect. How can the blind lead the blind? We are to examine our faith? It is not our faith or God that we question. We question the biblical soundness of what we have been holding onto that has not produced the righteousness of God.

    As believers we should be armed with spiritual weapons and there is only one way to obtain them. We should be able to recognize the enemy. And we cannot begin to identify the enemy, because we have been trained to look for the obvious, the ugly, the different, the strange (r), etc. Satan comes as an angel of light. Oh, how we forget that.

    2 Corinthians 11:14-15 NKJV
    And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

    The Lord said if someone struck you in the cheek, turn to him the other. If Jesus rebuke Peter for cutting of the ear of the Roman guard, why would He not rebuke His children – today – for taking actions He did not ask them to take?

    If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part, he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. 1Peter 4:14-19

    Becoming a heart of flesh

    When the Lord reconstructed my faith, I finally met Jesus. I finally met my Savior. Praise God! He was with me always, even in my rebellion. I felt there was a disconnect I didn’t understand. Eventually, the time came that the Lord began to show me where that disconnect was and where it came from. I would never have questioned what I had been taught. In church, you did not do that, but the disconnect came from bad teachings. Bad teaching, regardless of intent, is still bad teaching and does not produce what God desires for His children. It has taken two decades to learn that the futility of man is for control, to take God’s glory in all things, to makes believers work for things, fight for things that do not produce the righteousness of God. Things that do not bring God any glory. Nor do they allow others to see the goodness of the Lord. Like Moses in his disobedience, struck the rock, when God had instructed Him to speak to the rock. Moses lost out on seeing the land that God had promised.

    I do not believe the great divide among Christians or evangelicals, conservative versus progressive, vs liberal, versus whatever is man’s doing, or due to political divides. This world is light and darkness. And the light that loves to show itself of in the public square, may not be light of a living God. There is a time coming and the time is now, that God will separate the wheat and the tares. Who is light and who is darkness? The truth is becoming ever so clear. Who has a heart of stone? What does it look like to have a heart of flesh? Who is the man who has eyes to see and ears to hear?

    To God be the glory, forever. Only He knows the heart of every man. Amen

  • Surrender is not easy

  • God knows our heart better than we do

    God hears the cries of his people even if they are not saved. Remember the centurion? He was a Gentile, but he knew about submission and obedience to authority. He recognized Jesus for what He was. And Jesus healed the centurion’s servant. Had he found salvation yet? Who knows? But Jesus used him as an example of great faith. God alone knows the heart of man.

    The rich young ruler wanted what Jesus was offering. Matthew 19:16-22 NKJV – Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler – Bible Gateway

    Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

    One day, Satan was present before God. Then God brought up Job. You know the story. 

    And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come? So Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” God said to Satan "go ahead" not once, but twice.
    And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.”
    Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord. And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” Again, God brought up Job.
    “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”
    And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.”

    Satan was allowed to do pretty much anything to Job but take his life. Job was tested to see if he would curse God. No matter how bad things got, Job would not curse God. Even his wife wanted him to curse God. God had found Job righteous. Job’s response to his tragedies should put every Christian to shame. Why should we take good from God and not the bad?

    God said "And still he (Job) holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.”

    Compared to the rich young ruler who sadly but willingly sacrificed his eternal life for his great wealth, God allowed Satan to take everything from Job, except his life. The Scriptures don’t tell us what became of the rich young ruler. But Job, did not consider his earthly gain above his God. Both were faced with a decision. We are all faced with the same decision. Today, earthly gain keeps us in bondage to the things of the world. It keeps us chasing material gain, status, fame, and power, because we do not feel a need to surrender or give anything up or away. The need to simply be content is not in our DNA.

    Through the centuries, the learned, the theologian, philosophers and all such thinkers have interpreted the Scriptures to fit a specific narrative. How does a man hold on to his riches, his worldly status and still claim to serve God, first? The Scriptures teach that man cannot serve both God and mammon. So — tell the man that so long as his wealth is not first in his heart, he is ok. This way, no man will ever feel the need, much less conviction to give up anything. But God alone knows the heart of man. And He knows our heart better than we do. The wide path always looks more appealing, but it only leads to destruction.

    Only His sheep hear His voice.