Tag: Awaken From Spiritual Slumber

[6] My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. ~ Hosea 4:6

I went to a garage sale the other day where I met a lady who told me how nothing has come on the earth like the Tribulation in the book of Revelation. She then went on to tell me to watch the movie The Omen because that’s exactly how the world will end. All I could think was, nothing you said was right. Not one thing. I wanted to correct her, but the words never came out of my mouth.

I often think about how I never corrected any of her false theology and beliefs. Most of all, I think about how the Church gets its theology nowadays from Hollywood movies, instead of from the Word of God. The 70s and 80s beliefs were formed by The Omen. The 90s and 2000s beliefs were formed by Left Behind. And in both cases, people take the word and imagination of man over the Word and Wisdom of the LORD God Himself.

God said that His people were destroyed for lack of knowledge during the time of Hosea, this is still true today. We are perishing spiritually because we no longer read God’s Word but instead, we read fiction novels and watch fiction movies to learn theology. Why would we allow anyone other than God Himself to direct our path and formulate our beliefs? Jesus said anyone who builds their life on anything other than Him, builds it on sand and that house will be swept away when put to the test.

So, what are we to do? Put away all biases. Let go of all pre-formulated beliefs and read your Bible. Allow the Holy Spirit to direct you, teach you, and show you where to go and what to believe. Don’t count on man. Yes, go to church, but check the Scriptures to ensure that what the preacher is preaching is rooted in Scripture and not his/her own beliefs.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Do Not Perish.

²⁹ Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰ Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹ And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. ~ Matthew 24:29-31

Today is the first day of the Feast of Trumpets. A day that foreshadows the promise referred to by the  first Church as the Blessed Hope, the Second Coming of Christ. Jesus said that everyone on the earth will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Meaning, He will not be doing this thing in secret.

And… did you also notice how Jesus started off the statement…? He said, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days…” indicating that the Church will be going through the Great Tribulation. The block of offense that causes theologians to stumble over is “definitions.” They don’t truly define the churchy terms and words that they tote.

For instance, tribulation is vastly different from judgment: Tribulation is the wrath of man and The Seven Bowls of Wrath is the wrath of God. You’ve heard it said that God loves us too much to let us suffer His judgment. Just look at Noah and the great flood, or Sodom and Gomorrah. God removed His people before His judgment fell.

And yes, that is indeed the truth, but the great tribulation is not God’s wrath, but the wrath of man on God’s Church. So, while it is true that God loves us, He does not necessarily take us out of tribulation, and the biggest reason is that the Church grows best under tribulation or persecution.

Did God take Peter, who was crucified upside down, out before that tragedy befell him? Or Paul, who was beheaded. Or James, who was run through with a sword. Or Isaiah, who was sawn in two. Or the Christians who are being imprisoned and tortured, suffering unimaginable persecution right now, today, in Muslim and communist countries… Does He somehow love them less… those who are being locked in cages and set on fire, or chopped up with machetes, or beheaded with dull knives? Does He for some reason love them less? Or those who are beaten to death? Or those who are beaten and left for dead but survive and are disfigured and maimed for life.

What about those? Does God love them less? Those Christians living in Places like North Korea, where Christianity is viewed as a direct threat to the authority of the ruling Kim family. Christians are arrested there, tortured, and even executed. The entire family can be sent to labor camps if even one member is found with a Bible. Or Somalia which is a strongly Islamic society where extremists consider conversions to Christianity a betrayal of Islam. These converts are hunted down by radical Muslim groups like al-Shabaab and murdered for their faith

Yemen is plagued by civil war and radical Islamic extremism, Christians are regarded as traitors and face severe punishment, including death, especially for converts from Islam. Eritrea is an authoritarian government and religious nationalist state is often considered the North Korea of Africa. Christians are arrested and imprisoned in shipping containers where extreme temperatures reach deadly highs in the day and unbearable lows at night, with no bathrooms to relieve themselves. Or they are imprisoned in underground cells with terrible, inhumane conditions that are almost intolerable. Libya is a country beset with anarchy and Islamic extremism and an unstable government, Christians, especially foreign workers and converts, are abducted, tortured, and killed because of their Christian faith.

So, again, I ask you what about those…? Does God somehow love them less because they believe to the point of shedding their own blood and gladly give their lives for the sake of Jesus and His Gospel? Does God so callously care less for those who are suffering, while we here in the West hide our Christian faith because we are afraid to rock the boat, or that we might offend someone? And not just someone, but those same ones who hate us, and would love to see what is happening to Christians in those countries, to happen to us here in the West.

Today truly put your beliefs to the test. Search the Scriptures and ask yourself, can I find my beliefs in the Word of God or do they favor your own ideas and desires instead. The time of Jesus’ return is truly upon us. It’s getting closer and closer each and every day. Are you ready for His return? Are you ready for all that comes with it?

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Prepare To Be Ready.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10).

Christians experiencing persecution… with the threat of imminent death… have a better and deeper appreciation for the Gospel and for salvation than we who are not. Have you noticed Christians in persecuted lands, when they are given their very first Bible, they hold it as something incredibly precious, holding it to their breast in floods of tears. While we, here in the West, are too busy to read our many Bibles, or we just can’t be bothered, claiming we can’t understand it anyway. We stay safe and sound in our comfortable homes, sitting on our comfortable pews and in air-conditioned buildings, while our brothers and sisters are being murdered and mistreated for the sake of the Gospel.

But how often do we forget that this blessing comes with a cost? While we sit in padded chairs and sip lattes after service, our brothers and sisters in Christ are worshiping in whispers… Standing in locked rooms with the curtains closed, and no light because of fear… They’re hiding in caves or in damp, dark cellars… Or sitting in prison cells, for those who have been caught

Some are burying their children. Others are preparing to die themselves. They are not statistics… They are part of our family—the body of Christ. And when one part suffers, the whole body should feel it (1 Corinthians 12:26). So, I ask you will you remember them? Will you weep for them? Will you pray for them? Will you let their courage ignite your own courage?

Because the persecuted church is not just surviving—they are shining, they are thriving. And their tears and their blood water the soil of revival. Let us not forget the ones who carry the cross in silence… and in chains, scarcely known to the world. Let us lift them up before the throne of grace, where their cries are heard, and their reward is sure.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Please Remember Them.

³ For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, ⁴ and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. ~ 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Jerome is often revered as an important early Church father. I used to feel that way as well, until I began to actually read what it was that he wrote. See, Jerome argued for the perpetual virginity of Mary, abstinence over marriage, shrines to the saints, as well as a few other controversial beliefs. Now, controversy isn’t really the problem. Jesus was more than controversial, and He is the founder, perfector, and forerunner of our faith. So, that’s not the issue. I think my biggest issue with Jerome is that he is known for saying, “ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.”

See, when we begin to push ideologies that are contrary to the Word of God, regardless of how insignificant they seem, we are sprinting down a very slippery slope. As soon as we begin to compromise with one thing, no matter how small, it will grow to larger and larger compromises.

These teachings helped define the Roman Catholic Church doctrine that has led many astray. They have separated mankind and God once again. They’ve forced all leaders in their church to remain 100% celibate and forbid them from marriage, only to have the majority fall into some form of sexual sin. They’ve not only welcomed idolatry or even condoned it, they push and force it upon anyone that would be a part of their church through the rosery (praying to Mary) as well as praying to the saints.

When we allow ourselves to make what seems like insignificant changing of Scripture, we open ourselves up to spiritual blindness that will keep us from seeing the Truth.

So, when you read your Bible, pray first. Seek the LORD and ask Him to open your eyes that He might show you His Truth and that you might see it. Do your best to read His Word unbiasedly. Allow Him to guide you and not yourself or another. Scripture will always defend and explain Scripture. Therefore, let Scripture speak and not what you want it to say. When you read and come to a conclusion, question yourself. How did I come to this conclusion? Is there anything wrong with that belief? Is there any verse that contradicts this belief?

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Create A New Religion.

¹³ And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” ¹⁴ And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped. ~ Revelation 5:13-14

This is a beautiful scenery of all creation, every creature in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and in all the sea acknowledging Jesus as the LORD of Lords, and the Father as God Almighty who is glorified forever and ever. We know that there is a day coming when every tongue will be required to acknowledge that Jesus is LORD, that God is real, and He is Almighty, but the greater blessing is for us who now acknowledge this fact out of love and adoration for our God.

For now, God is being patient with His creation, waiting and beckoning, not willing that any should perish, but that we all would acknowledge the LORD our God as Savior. His Name is the only name given by which we must be saved, for it was only He, the LORD Jesus, who left the splendor of heaven to bear it to dark Calvary to suffer and die on a Roman cross.

He was dead and buried for three days and three nights, no one stood with Him during His betrayal or His suffering, but He was forsaken by all. Even in death, He was numbered with the transgressors, though He Himself had done no wrong, nor was there any deceit found in His mouth or upon His lips. Because of His steadfast obedience, He was raised to life in power and is now seated at the right hand of the Father. He is coming back in all of His glory to administer justice to all evil doers, and to hand out rewards to the righteous.

Have you acknowledged Jesus as LORD? Don’t wait for His return to be forced to acknowledge Him, but submit yourselves now to the One who can and will save you. It was His shed blood that has set us free from the power of sin and the grave and given us the privilege of inheriting eternal life.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love in sending Your only begotten Son to die so that we might live. Grant me the grace to live for You as I pursue Your kingdom and Your righteousness. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

³⁶ Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both LORD and Christ. ~ Acts 2:36

Peter said, “You crucified Jesus!” He didn’t deliberately soften his words or his message in order to spare their feelings. He didn’t ease them into it to give them something to relate to or make them feel good. He didn’t water down the Gospel. No.

He let that “arrow of truth” fly and let it pierce whomever it hit, and that’s why they were cut to the heart, which caused them to yell in panic, “Brothers, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). You know how many were saved at that event? Three thousand souls.

Why do we, as Christians, try to continuously reinvent the wheel? Why do we feel we need to change the Word of God for the sake of not comfort? Any church that sinners (those actively living and indulging in sin) feel comfortable in and never feel any form of conviction isn’t housing the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit should move the hearts of the people through the words of the pastor.

We should be seeing growth in our Christians. Repentance in our sinners. Conviction in our heathens. There should be signs that the Holy Spirit is dwelling and meeting with us.

The church is to do more than just welcome people in. Yes, people should feel welcome to come to any church. Yes, they should be greeted with love. But the message should come from God and pierce their hearts.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Do More Than Welcome.

⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. ~ Matthew 5:6

Have you ever been hungry? I mean, really, really hungry. It starts with a subtle, nagging sensation in your stomach—like an empty, hollow ache or a faint gnawing. It’s your body whispering, “I need fuel.”

Beyond the physical— hunger can tug at your mind. You might find yourself daydreaming about food, with the sight or smell of it becoming almost irresistible.

Cravings set in, hitting hard, as images of a nice, warm slice of pizza dance just outside your mental periphery, or whatever your choice of comfort food is.

We call it having “Food Horrors.”

Then, when you mix hunger with that primal, urgent sensation that screams, “Water…! I need water!”

The experience intensifies exponentially.

Thirst may start with a dry, sticky feeling in your mouth and throat, like your tongue is clinging to the roof of your mouth.

Your lips feel parched and cracked. Swallowing can become uncomfortable, almost scratchy. As the thirst intensifies, a slight headache, tiredness, and trouble concentrating set in as your body signals, “I’m dehydrating here.”

Now, think about all that I just described, and apply it spiritually. That is what Jesus is talking about. … those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Have you ever hungered and thirsted for righteousness like that? Where your soul, your whole being, cries out for more of Jesus?

“LORD, I will die, without You!” You want to be righteous before Him. You want to walk holy before Him. You want to please Him in every way.

If you haven’t felt what I’ve just described, spiritually, then you haven’t hungered and thirsted for righteousness. Everything within you yearns to walk righteously before your God. The mere thought of failing in any one part will make you sick to your stomach.

That is what we are striving for. To hunger and thirst for righteousness. How do we get there? By starting with reading and studying your Bible, spending time with God in prayer and worship, and putting your flesh into subjection through fasting. So, don’t wait to start seeking the LORD.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Start Today.

Ezekiel 9:3-11 NIV
[3] Now the glory of the God of Israel went up from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. Then the Lord called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side [4] and said to him, “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.” [5] As I listened, he said to the others, “Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity or compassion. [6] Slaughter the old men, the young men and women, the mothers and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the old men who were in front of the temple. [7] Then he said to them, “Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain. Go!” So they went out and began killing throughout the city. [8] While they were killing and I was left alone, I fell facedown, crying out, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! Are you going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel in this outpouring of your wrath on Jerusalem?” [9] He answered me, “The sin of the people of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice. They say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land; the Lord does not see.’ [10] So I will not look on them with pity or spare them, but I will bring down on their own heads what they have done.” [11] Then the man in linen with the writing kit at his side brought back word, saying, “I have done as you commanded.”

In Ezekiel 9:4, God marked those who grieved over sin, sparing them from judgment. But those who defiled the temple and indulged in their sin weren’t spared. In fact they were slaughtered without mercy.

God told Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy’ (Exodus 33:19, Romans 9:15). In other words, God doesn’t have mercy on every single mercy because not every single person asks for mercy. Instead, many only seek to indulge in their flesh. They refuse to repent, so mercy and grace is withheld from them.

Just as the LORD had a day of judgment for those in Israel and Judah, so will there be a coming day of judgment for the entire world. A day that can only be escaped by those who seek the mercy of the LORD and deny their flesh. But for a world that has rejected His goodness and His grace and has trampled underfoot the blood of His One and Only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, there will be no mercy. For God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy.

Therefore, spread His Word. Share the Gospel with anyone willing to listen, for who knows if the seed you plant may one day grow into a tree of life—rooted in salvation through Christ. And most importantly, pray for your own salvation and work it out with fear and trembling, lest you miss the mercy of God as well.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Seek Out His Mercy.