Several years ago, a non-profit organization board in the Arkansas Delta met to discuss prospective board members, and I was privileged to be a part of that discussion. Like many non-profits, they struggled with finances, so they were looking for individuals who were either wealthy or had political influence to gain access to money. A person would be suggested, and the next question was: “What do they bring to the table?” Although I dislike the jargon, it means “what could they contribute to our organization?”
What Different Age Groups Bring to the Table
We could ask the same question about people of different ages – what can they contribute to our society:
BABIES inspire awe, wonder, and love; created in the image of God, they are BRAND-NEW PERSONS, more incredible than a solar eclipse, Niagara Falls, or Grand Canyon.
CHILDREN contribute curiosity and excitement at encountering the world and learning how to get along with other people,
YOUNG PEOPLE contribute energy and promise for the future, unencumbered by life’s burdens, unfulfilled dreams, and skepticism of what is possible.
MIDDLE AGE PEOPLE are the backbone of society – men and women each contributing their unique abilities, knowledge and skills in work, dedication, and commitment to family – raising the younger generation and caring for the older generation.
SENIOR ADULTS contribute experience, reflection, wisdom, and a knowledge of history that enables them to recognize patterns and current events with a deep understanding.
Healthy, Godly societies, communities, families, and churches recognize the critical contributions that each group can make, and act to support, protect, and nurture them. In these settings, individuals in each of the above groups are respected and loved for who they are, and “heard”.
What Does Satan Bring to the Table
In contrast, Satan and his minions seek to steal our identities – who we are as image-bearers of God, kill our bodies in a multitude of ways, and destroy our souls:
BABIES are killed in the womb or sacrificed to idols,
CHILDREN are abused, trafficked, or mutilated for gender transitioning,
YOUNG PEOPLE are brainwashed by secular education, hooked on drugs, blasted with satanic music and videos, and robbed of their promising futures,
MIDDLE AGE PEOPLE are lied to by our government and media, forced to work in inhumane conditions (required vaccinations, etc.), and robbed of their finances through inflation, and
SENIOR ADULTS are put on drugs to keep them docile, and robbed of their valuable roles as sources of wisdom by a culture that only values youth.
Satan not only brings destruction and death to the table (our society, communities, families, and churches), but HE WANTS TO DESTROY THEM.
What Does Jesus Bring to the Table
Not only does our Lord prepare a table for us in the presence of our enemies (Psalm 23:5), but He:
· invited His disciples to join Him for a breakfast of fish and bread (John 21:12),
· invites us to dine with Him (Revelation 3:20), and
· offered bread and wine to His disciples at the last supper (Mark 14), an expression of and a precursor to Him giving Himself – His body and blood – on the cross to wipe away our sins and the fear of death forever (Mark 15).
What Do YOU Bring to the Table?
Jesus said we are to “love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind, the first and great commandment.” Then He said we are to “love our neighbor as ourself.”
He is saying – if we don’t spend any time with Him – in repentance, in His Word, in worship, and in prayer, we will have nothing special – NOTHING SUPERNATURAL to share with others. We will be unable to fulfill His calling upon our lives – the grand purpose for which we were created – to impart to others His truth and love.
So let us go forth with boldness and courage to reach others, for time is short, eternity is a very long time, and we are not guaranteed tomorrow.
For many years, I would get up in the morning, have breakfast, and go to work. But I discovered that our Lord calls us to a higher calling and purpose for our lives:
a love for us to experience that can transform us,
a battle for us to engage in that is worth fighting, and
a story for us to live in that is far bigger and better than we have known.
Furthermore, when we receive Christ, we become indwelt with the Holy Spirit. And when we spend time each morning in His Word and prayer, we can experience the three heavens. We receive a clue about the third heaven from the apostle Paul in II Corinthians 12:2:
“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven.”
THIRD HEAVEN
When we repent of our sins, forgive others, and get into the Word of God and prayer, we can commune with our Lord in the third heaven, where the sovereign, living God of the universe resides on His throne, with Jesus Christ on His right side. This is also called the secret place:
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1
Our Lord teaches, convicts, equips, encourages, and loves us. He also illumines and transforms our minds so that we can see the world as He does and walk in the Spirit.
But then He says – it is time for you to go and carry on My work on earth, because there are many souls who don’t know Me and are headed for the Lake of Fire. So put on your spiritual armor and go forth.
SECOND HEAVEN
Then we can enter the second heaven – the realm of angels, demons, and spiritual warfare, where we can:
Ask our Lord to bind the demonic forces harassing us and our loved ones, and command them to go into the Lake of Fire,
Plead the blood of Jesus over our family and friends and ask our Lord to protect us with His mighty angels,
Rebuke all curses upon us and our loved ones, including generational curses upon our family to the 4th generation,
Ask our Lord to touch their lives of particular individuals, our leaders, and the lost.
Interceding for others is like SPIRITUAL ARTILLERY. Just as armies shoot artillery shells into enemy territory, we are asking our Lord to send His Presence into the lives of loved ones – for healing, comfort, direction, and peace.
You don’t think demons are active today? Then you are misled by our culture and Lucifer. Here is what the apostle Paul said:
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:11-12
FIRST HEAVEN
Now we go out into the world to carry out the work that He has set before us:
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10
We are also to look for the divine appointments our Lord has for us each day. And we should always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is within us, imparting some spiritual gift to them, or receiving a spiritual gift from them.
If we don’t spend time with our Lord in the third heaven, we won’t have anything supernatural to share with others. And we will miss the joy of the Lord that comes from fulfilling His purpose for our lives.
If we don’t do spiritual battle in the second heaven, we will be going into enemy territory without armor, unaware of the evil that attacks us and our loved ones.
And if we don’t know God’s calling on our life, we will live in the first heaven, oblivious to the spiritual battles around us that seek to rob us and those around us of the joy and salvation of the Lord.
So let us go forth with the truth and love of Christ and witness to all whom the Lord brings across our path, for time is short, eternity is a very long time, and we are not guaranteed tomorrow.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes [trials and tribulations] shall not be hurt by the second death. Revelation 2:11
Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. Revelation 20:6
But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Revelation 21:8
Christians: respond to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, repent of our sins, surrender to the Lord, and die to self when we receive Christ as our Savior. Then at some point in time our bodies die physically, and our soul goes to heaven to be with the Lord for eternity. Dying to self is a continual process and leads to a life of joy with no fear of death, looking forward to stepping into eternity to be with the Lord and loved ones who went before us.
Non-believers in Christ: when their bodies die physically, their soul goes to heaven to be judged, and then die a second time as they are sent to the Lake of Fire. It is their spirit that dies in the second death – their ability to commune with the Lord. They fear death, go to heaven to be judged, and it goes downhill from there.
So which will it be:
Are you so involved in and enjoying the enticements and pleasures of the world that you cannot imagine – are just unwilling to – die to self for something that appears to be a long way off? You can always receive Christ LATER, right? (This is one of Satan’s most favorite lies.) OR
Do you acknowledge the reality of the sovereign, living God of the universe and respond to His call upon your life, knowing that the choice you make now will have eternal consequences?
“Choose you this day whom you will serve. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15
There was once a great king who wished to send an invaluable and precious gift to a distant kingdom. So he chose a young man who was swift of foot, with a sound mind and loyal heart to carry this precious parcel to its final destination. The king chose his carrier carefully, because he knew the gift was very valuable, and a person of unsound mind or questionable character could not be trusted with such an important task. Such a person could easily be sidetracked or even sell the precious gift for money or other worldly considerations.
Story #2:
When the angel came and spoke to Mary, he told her that God trusted her to carry the Christ child from conception to full maturity and birth, then to raise Him as her son. She was to carry the Christ from the Kingdom of God into the Kingdom of Man, a sacred journey. She knew that the child within her body has not hers, but it was her responsibility to carry it to full term to delivery into life on earth.
Story #3:
When a woman conceives a child, she is not merely carrying a parcel or mass of tissue, but another human being, created in the image of God. The child within her may not only be a male, but have a different blood type from her own. So although it is within her, it is also distinct from her. Psalm 139 describes how precious and special each of us is, and God’s involvement in our creation, growth, and development:
“Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you…’” Jeremiah 1:4
So God forms us through human means. He even knew us and our names long before we were conceived, and designated the days of our lives. Like Mary, women are the noble carriers of the most precious gift – a gift of human life – on a nine-month journey, to deliver it into life on earth. This precious cargo started in the Kingdom of God, where it was conceived in the mind of God, then entrusted to a woman to carry this precious life to full term and deliver it to the Kingdom of Man on earth. Like Mary, her responsibility continues in the nurture and admonition of the baby through childhood and into adulthood.
Story #4:
When we receive Christ as our Savior, our bodies become temples of the Holy Spirit, who comes to dwell within us. So our bodies (and souls) are to be holy, set apart as the very throne room of God.
“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord…” Hebrews 12:14
It also means we should take care of our bodies, and not become obese, use drugs, or embrace any other sin that would pollute our bodies, the very tabernacles of God. For we are carrying within us the Holy Spirit, the third person of the triune God. And although this does not culminate in physical birth as does a woman carrying a child, it can result in spiritual birth in others as the love and truth of Christ flows through us to reach those who don’t know the Lord and are on the broad path that leads to perdition.
For a woman to carry a child and give birth to a new human being is INCREDIBLE. And for a person to host the Holy Spirit – the very presence of God is SUPERNATURAL. So let us go forth and share the love, the truth, and the joy of the Lord, for time is short and we are not guaranteed tomorrow.
These are tumultuous times, with many ominous threats on the horizon for this new year of 2024, relating to our economy, national security, and war, to name just a few. And the pace of change is accelerating. So how can we live in this perilous environment and still have peace of mind and joy in our hearts?
In John 10:10, Jesus describes how He came that we may have AN ABUNDANT LIFE:
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
In Greek the word life is Zoe, and refers to the principle of life in the spirit and soul. Distinguished from Bios, or physical life, Zoe describes how Jesus’ followers shall not merely have a bare existence of life, but they shall have those things which make life eminently blessed and transcendent of circumstances – joy, fellowship with other believers, the peace of God, and eternal life. And this can happen even in the midst of suffering.
The following are seven keys that I have found that enable us to live an abundant, Spirit-filled life. These keys are not merely interesting; they lead us to the narrow path, which Christ spoke about:
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14
These keys can open our hearts, minds, and souls to a vibrant life where we can live lightly and freely. And they may save your life.
Seven Keys to an Abundant, Spirit-filled Life
KEY #1: REPENT of our sins to become spiritually clean
When we repent of our sins, we become SPIRITUALLY CLEAN. God is holy, and He will not tolerate sin in His presence. So if we approach Him with petitions (which He encourage us to do) with unconfessed sin on our hearts (a form of idolatry), He won’t hear us.
This includes sins we willfully commit, sins of omission (good actions we fail to perform), and unknown sins that we commit without knowing they are sin. (And yes, that includes taking the Covid-19 “vaccine”, because it is not a vaccine, but a gene-modifying operating system that alters our very genetic make-up – the essence of who we are, created by God.)
But God is merciful, and He forgives ALL sins from those who approach Him with a contrite heart.
Spirit-led Christians repent quickly and often, because they want to be spiritually free and clean, which is necessary to discern the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit.
Repentance is not a burden or embarrassing; it is the natural (or supernatural) means to live a life of freedom and joy, with no fear of death. We even need to ask the Lord to show us any sin in our hearts, so we can repent and get rid of it, lest it grow into a cancer of the soul.
KEY #2: FORGIVE others of sins they have committed against us.
None of us are perfect, and sooner or later someone will sin against us. We are to forgive them, regardless of what the sin was, and regardless of whether they ask for forgiveness.
If we don’t forgive those who sin against us, God will not forgive us of our sins, and we will be judged guilty under the law, a very serious matter.
The sin of unforgiveness in our heart can even become a doorway for demonic influence into our lives.
Unforgiveness also sprouts a root of bitterness that can grow into a cancer of the soul. Not forgiving another is like the guy who swallows poison and waits for the other guy to die.
KEY #3: SURRENDER to Christ and receive salvation – eternal life in heaven.
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6
While He was here on earth, Jesus performed many miracles and fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies. He even rose from the dead, attested to by many witnesses. No other religion has such a supernatural track record, thoroughly documented by many credible sources.
God doesn’t want to fight with us (He would win); He wants us to surrender and come out our hands up.
We need to die to self to live for Christ. And when we receive Christ, we even become new creations: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” II Corinthians 5:17
KEY #4: SPEND TIME WITH THE LORD and seek Him with all our heart, mind, soul,and strength.
If we spend all day in the world and no time with the Lord in His Word, prayer, worship, and fellowship with other believers, we will be starved spiritually, and will operate in the flesh and by worldly principles.
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2
It is when we spend time in the Word of God that our minds become transformed, we begin to see the world and other people as the Lord does, and we can begin to discern the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus even promises that we will find Him: “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord. Jeremiah 29:12-14
KEY #5: LISTEN for the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit.
The Word of God states that God desires to communicate to us, primarily through the Holy Spirit:
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” John 10:28
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”John 14:26
“Therefore, the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness.’” Hebrews 3:7-8
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth… and He will tell you things to come.” John 16:12-13
You want to hear the voice of God? Start by reading the Word of God and asking the Holy Spirit to speak to you, because that is one of the primary ways He does.
Being able to discern the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit enables us to go from BELIEF in Christ to having a RELATIONSHIP with the Lord, from KNOWING ABOUT GOD to KNOWING GOD.
KEY #6: OBEY the Lord
We need to obey the laws of the land, unless they contradict the Word of God and His commandments.
And if we are prompted by the Holy Spirit to do something, such as reach out to someone and minister to their needs, we should do so as soon as possible, because often there is a window of time that will close and it will be too late.
There are many stories of how people’s lives were saved because they were in life-threatening situations and they heard and responded to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. (I am one of those, as I believe the Holy Spirit nudged me several years ago to slow down on a dark, slick highway, thus narrowly missing hitting a huge deer that passed right before my car.)
KEY #7: REJOICE IN THE LORD and let the truth and love of God flow through you toothers around you.
Rejoice is to feel and show great joy or delight. When we were born, our family expressed JOY that we were born. When we receive Christ, we are born again (spiritually), and the angels in heaven and our brothers and sisters in the Lord REJOICE that we are now in God’s family as a child of God.
And we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind and soul, and our neighbor as ourselves, with the truth and love of Christ flowing through us to all who come across our path.
Summary
These are Biblical times, as we see events prophesied in the Bible taking place before our very eyes. And the safest place to be is in the center of God’s will for our lives, which we discover when we are living Spirit-filled lives.
Furthermore, each of us was created to live at this time. So no matter how hopeless our circumstances may seem, God is calling us to a higher, transcendent calling and purpose in our lives, beyond merely accumulating stuff and worldly acclaim:
a love for us to experience that can transform us,
a battle for us to engage in that is worth fighting, and
a story for us to live in that is far bigger and better than we have known.
Our Lord tells us we are not to fear:
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
But we are to trust Him with all our heart and He will direct our paths:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6
And finally, when facing trials and tribulations, read the 23rd Psalm out loud:
The 23rd Psalm
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Recently our Anatolian Shepherd dog Annie died. She had been a good dog, although sometimes a lot of trouble. Anatolians (originally from Turkey, formerly called Anatolia) are bred to be guard dogs to attack and take out any predators who are after the sheep they are guarding. So Annie saw every other dog of any size as a predator – big trouble! But she was our dog, and we loved her and she loved us.
When we lose someone close to us, even a dog, there is a sense of loss, as a part of us is gone forever. Her death helped me realize that our loved ones are with us only for a season. It might be for a year, or it might be for 80 years, but it is only for a season. Realizing this helps us treasure the times we have with loved ones, as we (and they) are never guaranteed tomorrow.
It is a common story to hear people who experiencing grief at the loss of a loved one say how much they regret saying something to that person when they saw them last, or how much they would like to tell them how special they are and how much they love them. So DON’T WAIT – speak love and truth into the lives of your loved ones while you still have the opportunity.
I believe that people also come into our lives for a reason. Perhaps they are family members who have fulfilled your need to belong to a family, or a child whom the Lord has entrusted you with. Perhaps they help you with some important work, or perhaps you minister to them in some vital way.
When Jesus came from the Kingdom of God to the Kingdom of Man, He came only for a season – 33 years. And He came for a reason – to bring hope, joy, and salvation to all who would respond through His teaching, His ministry, His death, and His resurrection. He and His followers changed the world, overcoming the fear of death, offering a life of joy and peace regardless of circumstances, and life eternal in heaven.
What about you? Obviously your season is not up yet, but SOME DAY will be your last day on earth. And your reason – do you know why you are here? For Christians, our reason is pretty clear – to share the love, compassion, and truth of Christ to all who come across our path, to the glory of God.
Not realizing we are here for just a season leads to taking life and relationships for granted, while not knowing our reason leads to a life wasted on worldly concerns or a life of purposelessness and despair.
This is the day which our Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
There was once a great king who wished to send an invaluable and precious gift to a distant kingdom. So he chose a young man who was swift of foot, with a sound mind and loyal heart to carry this precious parcel to its final destination. The king chose his carrier carefully, because he knew the gift was very valuable, and a person of unsound mind or questionable character could not be trusted with such an important task. Such a person could easily be sidetracked or even sell the precious gift for money or other worldly considerations.
Story #2:
When the angel came and spoke to Mary, he told her that God trusted her to carry the Christ child from conception to full maturity and birth, then to raise Him as her son. She was to carry the Christ from the Kingdom of God into the Kingdom of Man, a sacred journey. She knew that the child within her body has not hers, but it was her responsibility to carry it to full term to delivery into life on earth.
Story #3:
When a woman conceives a child, she is not merely carrying a parcel or mass of tissue, but another human being, created in the image of God. The child within her may not only be a male, but have a different blood type from her own. So although it is within her, it is also distinct from her. Psalm 139 describes how precious and special each of us is, and God’s involvement in our creation, growth, and development:
“You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.” Psalm 139:13-16
“Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you…’” Jeremiah 1:4
So God forms us through human means. He even knew us and our names long before we were conceived, and designated the days of our lives. Like Mary, women are the noble carriers of the most precious gift – a gift of human life – on a nine-month journey, to deliver it into life on earth.
This precious cargo started in the Kingdom of God, where it was conceived in the mind of God, then entrusted to a woman to carry this precious life to full term and deliver it to the Kingdom of Man on earth. Like Mary, her responsibility continues in the nurture and admonition of the baby through childhood and into adulthood.
Story #4:
When we receive Christ as our Savior, our bodies become temples of the Holy Spirit, who comes to dwell within us. So our bodies (and souls) are to be holy, set apart as the very throne room of God.
“Be ye holy; for I am holy.” I Peter 1:16
“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord…” Hebrews 12:14
It also means we should take care of our bodies, and not become obese, use drugs, or embrace any other sin that would pollute our bodies, the very tabernacles of God. For we are carrying within us the Holy Spirit, the third person of the triune God. And although this does not culminate in physical birth as does a woman carrying a child, it can result in spiritual birth in others as the love and truth of Christ flows through us to reach those who don’t know the Lord and are on the broad path that leads to perdition.
For a woman to carry a child and give birth to a new human being is INCREDIBLE. And for a person to host the Holy Spirit – the very presence of God is SUPERNATURAL. So let us go forth and share the love, the truth, and the joy of the Lord, for time is short and we are not guaranteed tomorrow.
A great wealth transfer is coming soon to our nation. Usually, when there is some great financial crisis, everyone does not lose out, but assets move from those who did well in the old system, to those who are prepared (by foresight or luck) for the new system. That is what this blog post attempts to explain – how this happens, and the implications for all of us.You can see it here:
Our Lord has raised up watchmen and women to warn America and other nations about coming events, consistent with these passages:
“Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets”. Amos 3:7
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth…” John 16:12
In I Chronicles 12:32, the sons of Issachar were commended for understanding the times and knowing what they should do. So let us be like them, seeking understanding of the times and what we should do to live at this time and serve our Lord. As in all things, question everything and take it to the Lord for confirmation.
This blog is for the remnant Bride of Christ and all who seek The Truth. You won’t want to miss it.
Be bold. Be strong. Be courageous and walk with the Lord.
The following is an attempt to describe different categories of people from a Christian perspective. As always, don’t just accept this, but take it to the Lord and check it against the Bible for authenticity. The intent of this is more to stimulate discussion than an attempt to present The Truth. We have God’s Word for that purpose.
GOD
An All-Consuming Fire
On Fire Christians – actively communing with the Lord in the fire, strong anointing – WALK WITH THE LORD =ON FIRE
Spirit-led Christians – spiritual radar is on, obedient – KNOW THE LORD AND FOLLOW THE LORD = ROYALTY
Believers – have a simple faith in Christ – KNOW ABOUT THE LORD; GOING TO HEAVEN = BLUE SKY
WALL OF FIRE – LINE OF SALVATION
Lukewarm Believers – KNOW ABOUT THE LORD, BUT HAVE OTHERPRIORITIES = ASLEEP & MISS THE CALL
Nominal Christians (Liberals/Universalists) – CREATE GOD IN THEIR OWN IMAGE = NO SPIRITUAL FRUIT
Non-believers – REJECT THE TRUTH, WORSHIP ANOTHER GOD,GOD, AND OPPOSE CHRIST = REPROBATE MINDS
SATAN
Fires of Hell
* Wall of Fire and Line of Salvation – to receive salvation, we mustrepent of our sins, accept Christ, and become a new creation. God is a consuming fire, so to come to Him, all must be burned up except our soul and spirit.
* Car wash analogy – when you take your car through a car wash,the machine washes away all of the dirt and grime, and your car emerges on the other side all clean and sparkly. When we go through the wall of fire (accept Christ), we become a new creation, and the dirt and grime of sin begins to be washed away (sanctification).
* Everybody is going through the fire. We all start life below the Lineof Salvation, the Wall of Fire. We then either accept Christ and go through the Wall of Fire to become Christians, or we reject Christ and end up in the fires of hell.
Questions to Consider
Which of these categories do you personally relate to?
Are you comfortable with this, or do you want to take action to change?
Consider your family and friends; which of the categories best describe them?
Are you comfortable with this, or do you want to interact with them about this?
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The Holy Spirit Communicating to the Bodyof Christ Today
It is through the work of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that we become transformed into new creations. As we become filled with the Holy Spirit, our fleshly desires burn away and we can become On Fire Christians. The book of Acts describes the launching of the church with the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Here is what the New Testament says about how the Lord communicates with His people:
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Romans 8:14
I say then: “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of theflesh… But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” Galatians 5:16,18
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. John 10:28
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.John 14:26
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. I Corinthians 2:12
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.Acts 1:8
I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes he will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on his own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak and He will declare to you the things that are to come. John 16:12-13
Jesus describes communion with His bride:
“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one.” John 17:20-22
On Fire Christians – Excerpts from “Consumedby His Fire” by C.R. Oliver*
Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the Lord your God has forbidden you. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. Deuteronomy 4:23-24
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:28-29
“There is a depth in God whereby one enters the friendly fire that is Him and wishes to be no place else. It consumes a person in the same way that love consumes the lover. His consuming fire enters the spirit of man and burns with the same fire that burns within Him. It consumes everything in its path, like a roaring fire when it overtakes and consumes everything in its way.
This is a flame that burns so deep within it draws a shivering world to its warmth. This is the consuming flame, that once close enough to warm another, catches that person on fire.
As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning. And the living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning. Ezekiel 1:13-14
God’s heavenly creatures live among the flames and God’s people are meant to as well:
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Matthew 3:11-12
Behold, there it is! There is the very fire that burns in my own spirit. It is a consuming fire that lashes out against all that would affront my Lord. At the same time, its flames warm my spirit until the desire of my being is to be as He is.
Jeremiah knew this firsthand:
Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts: “Because you speak this word, behold, I will make My words in your mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them. Jeremiah 5:14
Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not. Jeremiah 20:9
The Lord talked with you face to face on the mountain from the midst of the fire. I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the Lord; for you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up the mountain. Deuteronomy 5:4-5
Moses spoke to the Lord in the midst of the fire, but the people who followed Moses were afraid of God’s flame. They missed the greatest opportunity this world affords – standing and being in the presence of the Lord. That’s what is wrong today. People are afraid of His fire.”
NOTE: The fire of the Lord, His light, His shekinah glory, and anointingare all similar. We gain other glimpses of the fire of the Lord in the Bible:
Moses’ face shone so bright after being in the presence of God that he had to put a veil over it.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego walked in the fiery furnace with Jesus.
On the day of Pentecost, “there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:3
The apostle Paul was so anointed that when people touched his garment they would be healed.
* The book “Consumed by His Fire” by C.R. Oliver is available fromwww.zadokpublications.com, and the kindle version from Amazon.com.
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On Fire Christians Addendum – a Discussion About These Categories
The following is a discussion about these categories with a dear brother in the Lord, who raised questions about them. Thought you might like to see them.
QUESTION: How do we know these categories are from the Lord?
COMMENT: As long as the essence of a message or doctrine is Biblical, it is acceptable. For example, if you do a search in the Bible for “triune God”, you won’t find it, even though the true church has embraced this theological concept for centuries because its essence, its meaning, is confirmed by scripture.
I suggest a three-fold test for any message:
The message must be consistent with scripture and the historical teachings of the church (not the Roman Catholic Church),
The person giving the message must be spiritually clean and live a Godly life, given over to the Lord, and
The message has been confirmed – from the Lord with Bible verses and/or confirmed by other Spirit-led Christians.
QUESTION: If we are saying that the Spirit is still inspiring new revelation today that is on par with Scripture, how are we to determine if what someone is saying the Lord told them shouldn’t be accepted as new doctrinal authority?
COMMENT:The terms “new revelation” and “new doctrinal authority” are red flags for me, as they bring to mind Joseph Smith and other cult leaders. So, I would be very suspicious of anyone who uses those terms, as they are probably not speaking from the Holy Spirit.
QUESTION: I hear you saying it should be tested with Scripture, but if they are claiming Spirit inspiration, who’s to say they are wrong if we don’t believe the “canon” is closed?
COMMENT:I think it would be helpful to look at some definitions of “canon” from on thesaurus.com:
an ecclesiastical rule or law enacted by a council or other competent authority and, in the Roman Catholic Church, approved by the pope.
the body of ecclesiastical law.
the body of rules, principles, or standards accepted as axiomatic and universally binding in a field of study or art
the books of the Bible recognized by any Christian church as genuine and inspired.
I accept and embrace the notion that “the canon is closed”, referring to the Bible. And I embrace the notion that the canon is closed when it is defined as the body of rules, principles, or standards accepted within historic Christianity – the body of Christ.
QUESTION: Who is to say we can’t add to it now if we take the position of present-day Spirit inspiration?
COMMENT:You raise good questions. I think the real key is to whether what is proposed conflicts with or changes what the Bible and the historic church say is true doctrine. If it does, then it should be rejected. But if it enlarges upon and illumines what the Bible says, then it can be a blessing to the body of Christ. Jesus said that He had many things to share with the apostles, but He would not share them; the Holy Spirit would teach them to them. Are you denying what Christ said?
The flip side of this is many Christians who IMHO state that they believe in the Holy Spirit, but never teach that believers can learn to recognize the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. The result is Christians who know about God but never know Him. They are the ones who succumb to “The Greatest Danger”:
THE GREATEST DANGER
The greatest danger facing all of us is not that we shall make an absolute failure of life, nor that we shall fall into outright viciousness, nor that we shall be terribly unhappy, nor that we shall feel that life has no meaning at all – not these things.
The danger is that we may:
fail to perceive life’s greatest meaning,
fall short of its highest good,
miss its deepest and most abiding happiness,
be unable to tender the most needed service,
be unconscious of life ablaze with the light of the Presence of God,
and be content to have it so.
That is the danger – that someday we may wake up and find that always we have been busy with husks and trappings of life and have really missed life itself.
For life without God, to one who has known the richness and joy of life with Him, is unthinkable, impossible. That is what one prays one’s friends may be spared – satisfaction with a life that falls short of the best, that has in it no tingle or thrill that comes from a friendship with the Father. Phillip Brooks (1835-1893)
Perhaps this is one reason many young (and old) people are leaving the church. They attend for a while, hungry for a relationship with the sovereign, living God of the universe, but just receive sermons and theological reasoning ABOUT GOD; never the personal relationship with the Father for which they hunger. Regardless of how long they have been a believer or in a church, people cannot teach something that they do not know. For fear of embracing voices from the dark side, they shut off the possibility of hearing from the Lord.
On a side note, what does the one unforgiveable sin mean: “blaspheming the Holy Spirit”? I believe it means rejecting the conviction of sin from the Holy Spirit, so a person has unforgiven sin on their hearts. Question for you – does it also mean rejecting the notion that the Holy Spirit can communicate with people today in the church age?
Setting aside the question below, how many Christians do you know that are ON FIRE FOR THE LORD? How do you light their fire if you caution them against even considering that the Holy Spirit might be really communicating with them as an individual?
QUESTION: I also hear what you mean about the various categories, but the consistent witness of Scripture is that there are only TWO categories. You are either all out for Christ or you are against Him. A few examples: 1 Kings 18:20-21, Malachi 3:16-18, Matthew 7:13-14; 24-27, Luke 11:14-23, Philippians 3:17-19, John 2:19, and Revelation 3:15. Thoughts?
COMMENT:Of course there are only two categories ultimately – people go to heaven or they go to hell. So that is a given. Within that context, I find it useful to look more deeply at the nuances within these two categories. The church of Laodicea for example – they would claim to be in one camp at the same time they are in the other camp. And the references to Christians on milk when they should be on meat. And the many references to God as a consuming fire, of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the fiery furnace with Jesus, and the tongues of fire on the people at Pentecost, etc. etc.
So part of this issue is whether a person wants to explore whether the Holy Spirit teaches and leads Christians today (as the Bible says) in a personal relationship, or whether we stick with doctrinal teachings about God, as if we were learning about Buddha or some other historical figure. I choose the former.
He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Matthew 11:15
Life in the Spirit 