We Have a Message to Tell

And I looked and, lo, a Lamb stood on Mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads” (Revelation 14:1).

In the previous verse the Bible speaks of a beast and his number is 666 — man pretending to be God.  Unless the people of that day (and I believe it to be soon) repent, they will take the seal of the beast which will enable them to settle down in the world to buy and to sale.  Therefore they will accept the seal of the beast which will be their doom.

Though the man of sin will stand out in that future day he will not stand too long.  John sees the Lord Jesus Christ standing at the Temple Mount in the city of Jerusalem at a time in the future.  And alongside of the Lord Jesus and His return will stand those who have the mark of the Lord in their foreheads.  The Lord is saying, “These are Mine. Hands off!” These are My 144,000.”  Throughout these years of tribulation, they will be witnessing and testifying boldly about the Lord Jesus in the integrity of the Lord.

You and I are not to take up the lifestyle of today.  These that are sealed are saved, sealed, and spotless men and women, those to whom lived for Christ in their generation.  These are those who will have an impact on their times.  You and I are to live with impact.  During these days of lies, deception, immorality, and violence we are to be truth-filled disciples; during our short days on earth we are to live the same.  If our mouths are filled with lies, if our lives are lacking in morality and integrity, then no one will listen to what we have to say about the gospel or the Lord Jesus.

Father, thank you for the seriousness of this chapter.  You have mapped out a plan that will ultimately bring glory to Your name, and we realize we must fit in Your plan.  May we bear the message and the fruits of repentance and godliness.  We commit our lives to You, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.

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  • He is the God Who is Near

    “Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?” (Jeremiah 23:23).

     

    There’s a trend today that isn’t new. It has been going on for thousands of years. It is the way of people, prophets, and priests and their delivery of the Word of God. In Jeremiah’s day the prophets were lying to the people. They said they heard from God but it wasn’t true. And because of their false information to the people there was a great void that was filled by other gods.
    When God’s Word is not lived out by His people we can be assured that something else will flow in. When we forsake our God for the activities of the world then we can be sure we are sending a message to our children that God is not that important to us. When God’s Word makes an impact upon His people you will see people bowing down and humbling themselves before this great and awesome God. You will see people forsake their lives and attend the house of God. Prayer will increase. The fire of people’s hearts will be sustained by more prayer and preaching of God’s Word. Fellowship will increase and love will be deeper.
    God’s Word is like a fire and it is like a hammer. As a fire it will consume all selfishness and sin. And as a hammer it will break the heart’s hardness into little bits of pebble. When God is near lives are changed. In the days of Jeremiah there was not much true God. In America’s church there is not much changing taking place, except more self-seeking and self-serving.  We are in great need of revival. Great needs will be fulfilled when God’s people need Him. Souls will be saved when God’s people forsake the gods that are afar off and return to the God at hand.

  • Revival God’s Way: JOY!

    “But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ” (Ephesians 2:4-5).

    There are few things quite so boring as being a person of religious activity. But there is nothing quite so exciting as being a Christian! The greatest adventure of all times is not a trip to a certain island, or having a lot of money to spend on others, having a good mate and a good family; but the greatest of all is to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit – abiding in Jesus!

    There are many today who do not understand the power of a life to live. They have come to Christ and thanked Him only for what He did for them upon a cross, but do not live in the power of Who He is. Why the disconnect?

    To live for yourself is to walk after the flesh. To live to and for Christ is to walk after the Spirit. The measure of a man’s worth is the measure in which he no longer lives to and for himself, but to and for Jesus Christ. No more and no less. The life worth living is the life that is surrendered to Christ for Him to live through you! Here’s the question, “Do you have overflowing joy! If not, then it’s not God’s fault, but ours. Are you abiding continually in Jesus? Joy is in a Person! His name is Jesus

  • Counter Cultural: Living Well in a Broken World

    “If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1).

    The cross offends. It cuts across the grain of the heart that is against the very intentions of God Almighty. The cross stands before every person and says, “We offend a holy and righteous God.” We are to say, “I agree.” And we fall down in brokenness and humility and rise to say, “I’m reconciled to God and His ways.”

    The cross reconciles. It is through the cross of Christ where sinners find refuge and reconciliation with God and with other men, no matter color, class, or credit. All people who come into this world by their first birth are bent on their own ways and their own thoughts. But the cross of Christ brings us to God’s way. When we are born again we are twice-born and we show forth the praises of Him who died and rose again for us.

    The cross prioritizes. It is through the work of the cross of Christ where men and women bring their lives into the direction of God. We become slaves of God. We no longer are directed by the flesh but by God. So Sundays are God’s, our time belongs to God, and our families are God’s to build and to use. No item or matter in our lives are off-limits to God. He owns us and all we are.
     
    The cross speaks and it speaks of wisdom and power.
    Without the cross of Christ there is no reconciliation, no holiness, and no priorities. Without the cross of Christ there is nothing but chaos and selfishness.  But with the cross of Christ all things are brought into order and into subjection of God’s most holy Son. One day the world will be brought to the cross of Christ and see the results of God’s greatest work. For God will bring all things to Himself.

    “Father, thank you for giving us peace through the blood of your Son’s cross. By your Son you have reconciled all things unto Himself. All things…things in heaven, all things in earth, and whereas we were enemies of God in our mind by wicked works, yet now has your Son reconciled us with Him to You.”

  • His Rule

    “The Lord has prepared his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all” (Psalms 107:19).

     

    We live in a world of evil. It doesn’t matter where one goes there is evil and wickedness. Sin abounds in every city, town, village, country, continent, and island.
    One day the nations of the world will come to worship God. His kingdom is coming and all who love Him will see His appearing. While sin abounds grace doth more abound.
    We should desire His kingdom more than our kingdom. Our lives are pretty selfish and come to a halt quickly. It is God who forgives us of our iniquities. “For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.”
    Today, realize that God rules and His kingdom will not be overthrown. That means that all things and people will be brought under His sway and brought into His purpose.
    The governments of the world try to eliminate health problems by giving good health coverage, and try to promise better education for our children, but it is an illusion to believe that it will happen. Yet there is One who is able to do more than we can ask or think. God and His just rule and compassion will not falter or fail.

  • Is God on America’s Side?

    Are you for us, or for our adversaries? No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord” (Joshua 5:13-14).

    Is God an American?  Is He a Republican?  Is He a Democrat?  Is God King and Defender of our nation?  In Christian thought God has been often invoked for political ends, but history shows He will not be so used.

    We are not just another country, but neither are we God’s chosen people.  We should not believe that America is God’s chosen nation.  God established one chosen nation and people:  the Jews.  We are not Israel.  We are not God’s gift to the world.

    There is no doubt we drink from wells we did not dig and we eat fruit from trees we did not plant.  We will no doubt be judged nationally and individually with stricter judgment for “unto whom much is given, much is required.”  We expect blessing, but we have done plenty to expect judgment.

    Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States, was asked whether God was on his side and he replied, “I do not care whether God is on my side; the important question is whether I am on God’s side, for God is always right.

    Our greatest gift to this country is to return to biblical priorities of the church, and, more importantly, in so doing we will be pleasing to our Heavenly Father.

  • A Father Who Owns A Bakery

     
    “But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you”  (Matthew 6:33). 

     

    How many truly believe that if we seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness that He will give us all that we need? This is His promise to a people who know how to maneuver and who naturally lean upon their own strength, who do not call upon their God.
    Our God has promised to meet our financial needs, health issues, that which is needed to wear for the body, and our future concerns. But do we believe Him? Why should we when we can ask others (banks, parents, churches, organizations individuals), and we can travel to a place where groceries are available, medical coverage that is given, and other helps from so many places and people? Why do we need God?
    In many ways we have not depended upon the Lord and His kingdom. We keep living the  same way as we always have, deciding not to pour our lives out to Him, but to live for what is in sight and available. Yes! There’s pain, and problems, and great needs that abound. But we either think we can help ourselves or someone else can provide the need for us. Let’s choose the Father.
    As the Lord Jesus depended upon His Father in Heaven, we are to depend upon our Lord Jesus for all. Someone has well said, “God has something up His sleeves besides His everlasting arms.” When we realize we do not belong on earth and we are headed to glory, then we can and will turn to our Father who provides every good and perfect gift.
    It is better to have a Father who owns a bakery than to have a warehouse full of bread!
    “The cords that bound my heart to earth were loosed by Jesus’ hand; Before His cross I found myself a stranger in the land.”