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There is nothing more delusional than for anyone to read exactly what God’s Word in straight forward declaration says and not accept it on its face. Instead, they read into or spin it to say what they want to support their own ideas confident God approves. Why would any professed Christian that truly knows and loves God purposely delude themselves and if a pastor, elder, teacher, preacher, prophet, evangelist or apostle (missionary) other people too, in this way? Fortunately for those of us that care, God in His Word objectively read, interpreted and applied with the leading of the Holy Spirit provides some answers and warnings about persons that deliberately disobey and corrupt it.
Before going further, I must disclose the divine burden on my heart that has led to this post. It is directly tied to the uniquely American professed Christian conservative delusional narrative that has caused many to pray and act at cross-purposes with God in the times we are in that I wrote about last week.1 I have read through the Bible many times since my surrender to Christ in 1979,2 but have not come across any promise of perpetuity for any nation but Israel! Also, it is certain not the American flag or any other nation’s flies in Heaven since Christ is and “will set up a banner for the nations” as He “assembles the outcasts of Israel...” in His Kingdom coming to earth (Isaiah 11:10-12; NKJV).
Having written the foregoing, you would be very mistaken to accuse me of not caring about my nation and its welfare! Because I deeply care about America, I have been faithfully obedient to the Lord at great cost to keep crying out against the wickedness bringing it down and proclaiming His way of salvation in the Gospel to fellow citizens of every hue--that He died on the cross for our sins, was buried and rose again to save sinners who will repent and believe! And realizing my natural allies on earth in helping our nation besides the Holy Spirit are ostensibly fellow believers He fills, empowers and leads in their churches that in the many are not, I have cried out with His grief for repentance.3
Alas though, in their largely compromised, corrupt, self-absorbed and divided state, the many guilty professed Christians and their churches in America also resist God's call to repentance and count me an enemy as the spiritually deluded and dead religionists have done from time immemorial (Genesis 4:1-8; Jeremiah 26:1-9; Matthew 23:27-39; John 8:37-47; Galatians 4:16).4 And so, once again the hard truth: how can any serious Christian really believe our nation will long endure without repentance by all the guilty from sin plainly defined and described in God’s Word? To think this is possible is to be completely deluded which apparently is acceptable among professed Christians.
Indeed, the American right and freedom to think, believe or say whatever one wants has led to the prevalence of false teaching from among many professed Christian liberals (progressives) and conservatives!5 Amazingly, many of these false teachers use Scripture as they deceptively assert it is written to undergird their particular philosophical narratives, related doctrines and opinions voluminously disseminated from pulpits and in Christian media. And because it is a permitted Americanism, the deluded, loyal followers of these false teachers will defend their right to teach falsehood to the death! But what men approve is not necessarily so with God (Luke 16:13-18)!
Everyone wants to believe and act on the Word of God as they see it rather than as it is. Scripture is clear, this was never God’s will nor is it now (2 Peter 1:16-21)! The average American in the pew does it deceiving him or herself to believe God is fully supportive of the American way of individualism, freedom and tolerance. The willfully deceitful false teachers do it puffing themselves up in pride to believe they are great teachers and their spin is right; competing with others to gain the largest possible following and income that in America’s free marketplace of ideas is acceptable. Such wicked motives, however, are not acceptable to God (Acts 20:25-31; 2 Corinthians 2:12-17, 4:1-6)!
We are supposed to come humbly to God and His written Word as eager learners ready to be taught His knowledge in Christ by the Holy Spirit (John 16:12-15; 1 Corinthians 2:6-16). If this were more widely the case now, there would not be as it is thousands of interpretations, false narratives, doctrines and opinions lest someone would even arrogantly believe God is the One confused about His own Word and the cause of confusion in His house (1 Corinthians 14:33)! But now, for those still mystified about what possible reasons the Lord might be put out enough with the current state of American Christianity and its churches to bring judgment, know that disobedience and corrupting of His Word causing “one of these little ones...to stumble” remains among them (Mark 9:42-48, NKJV).
1 See the January 10, 2021 post, Praying At Cross-Purposes With God, under the category, Bible Prophecy. Purely prophetically speaking, some generation had to roll up
on being close to the last before Christ’s coming. What does that say about the depth (not to mention authenticity) of relationship one has with Christ to selfishly want
Him to delay His coming because it interferes with your world narrative and plans? Seriously? The Lord instructs that we take the signs of His coming to heart and while
we keep living for Him and serving His causes, watch expectantly until He comes (Mark 13:28-36)! This is the heart of every aspiring strong man and great woman of
God in the image of Christ I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics published by Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. and available in
print or digital formats at major internet booksellers. You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store
2 Read my February 17, 2019 testimony in part, Surrendering All To Jesus, under the category, Glory To God!
3 Survey my posts in the categories Call To Repent and The Cause to see the consistency of the Lord’s message and heart through me to His Church in America.
4 “Well, maybe it would be different if you were not so harshly direct,” some have told me over the years. Without getting into the religious subterfuge behind such state-
ments, I cry out what God puts in my mouth with the same spiritual urgency all of the prophets of the Bible before me did and one that cares in the moment a person
about to be run over in the street needs to be warned to get out of the way! More poignantly, what is going on with the folk that have to be harshly spoken to (Ezekiel 33:
1-11; Matthew 3:1-12, 23:33; Galatians 5:7-12; James 4:1-10)?
5 As examples, consider the following. On this Sanctity Of Life Sunday created righteously by conservative President, Ronald Reagan’s 1984 proclamation to uphold un-
born life in the womb as sacred from God and to protect this life from murder by the parents (Genesis 9:5-7; Job 10:8-12), professed Christian liberals reject the occa-
sion falsely teaching a woman’s right to murder nowhere to be found in Scripture supersedes the unborn right to live. Tomorrow, many professed Christian liberals and
their atheist allies from many hues will celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the holiday in his honor (quite apart from the God he honored) as one who fulfilled Scrip-
ture’s mandate of concern for the less fortunate, while many political and religious conservatives will falsely teach in denial the numerous historically documented acts of
oppression visited upon blacks and other American minorities by them and their forefathers has any application to them as “the oppressor” named in Scripture (Isaiah 1:
17, NKJV).
Joe Biden was sworn in this past Wednesday, January 20th as the forty-sixth President of the United States. This reality happened despite weeks of disputing the election results and widely declared pre- and post-election prophetic assurances supposedly from the Lord through professed Christian prophets, prophetesses and well known evangelical personalities that Donald Trump would remain in office. The voices making these prophetic declarations obviously all got it wrong. Clearly too, they all uttered their prophecies at cross-purposes with God. So, how did they get it wrong and what should the biblical response of the Body of Christ be to these false prophets?
As it turns out, this is a final post in a series the Lord has led me to write concerning especially professed Christian conservatives praying and teaching at cross-purposes with Him.1 This situation hits home and hard for me. This is because of the struggle I have had since surrendering to Christ in February 1979 first with ignorance as a babe about serving Him in the prophetic ministry He began to quicken in me with the foundational burden for His Church (Ezekiel 8; Revelation 1:9-3:22).2 After that, it was trying to understand the burden, gifting and ministry in the context of Baptist churches that did not recognize the biblical calling and a seminary education that falsely rendered it obsolete.
I have written several posts over the years chronicling my mostly negative experiences among the churches and giving biblical instruction on the gift of prophecy along with the prophetic ministry Heaven will not retire until the Lord Jesus returns!3 I know well the temptation to speak what God has not spoken to me. My saving grace to date has been a healthy fear of God and being wrong with a number of close calls (fulfillment is not always immediate) since according to the standard He gave for those He uses in the prophetic ministry, proof the words they speak have come from Him is their consistent accuracy (Deuteronomy 18:9-22; Matthew 26:31-35, 47-56, 69-75; Acts 11:27-30).
The temptation to prophesy what is not from the Lord arises from two related desires: to please people in telling them what they want to hear and self to the same end. The Lord led me to write about our desires as the core means Satan uses to tempt and deceive any gullible or unguarded Christian into sin no matter how far along in the faith.4 False prophets telling the people what they wanted to hear and out of their own hearts as a living in ancient Israel was condemned by God through His faithful prophets (Jeremiah 14:10-16, 23:9-15). While the false prophets cried “peace,” God’s faithful warned of judgment and charged the people to repent (Jeremiah 23:16-22, NKJV)!
Being on the king’s payroll gave financial incentive to tell him only what the false prophets knew he wanted to hear. It took faith in God, a genuine calling complete with divine encounter, courage and fortitude in suffering to stand often alone 450 to 1 to speak God’s prophetic Word as did Elijah (1 Kings 17:1-7, 18:1-46) and Micaiah who was outnumbered 400 to 1(1 Kings 22:1-18).5 The false prophets prophesied lies out of their own hearts to please the king. Indeed, as Micaiah revealed in his situation, God had even permitted “a lying spirit” to come to and help the false prophets along in their utterance; bringing about the downfall of the king as God willed (1 King 22:19-40, NKJV).
This latter thing has happened before our very eyes within professing Christianity here in America during the just passed Presidential election and interim transition to the next President. Men and women among the ranks of professed Christians that are politically conservative and purportedly operate in the prophetic and word of knowledge gifting were so intent on a Trump second term, they were captured on video in various settings prophesying to and over him supposedly from God with that aim. Aware of the biblical lying spirit incident, one of the prophets is quoted acknowledging this as the only way they could be wrong.6 Pleasing like-minded donors and absorbed with them in the idolatrous delusion of American perpetuity and rabid patriotism seems to have been the major drivers.
Searching out their own motives and publicly confessing the sin with contrition and repentance is what I pray each saved one who uttered false prophesy on now, former President Trump’s behalf will do, since you have given the Lord’s enemies cause to mock, misled His flock and brought shame on the prophetic ministry. The faithful should restore such ones with mercy though having come short of the Lord’s standard, never again receive a prophecy from them!7 For the rest who have made a career out of trafficking in false prophecy and refuse to repent, the Lord calls you ‘“foolish’” and declares, ‘“I am indeed against you.’” You will suffer His judgment on earth and eternally for prophesying falsehood at cross-purposes with God (Ezekiel 13; 2 Peter 2:1-17; Jude 10-13, NKJV).
Seeing then, that false prophets are and will remain among us until the end as forewarned by our Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles, the faithful must be vigilant in discernment to recognize and deal with them (Matthew 7:15-23, 24:11, 23-28; 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22; 1 John 4:1-6; Revelation 13:11-18, 16:13, 19:19-21). Finally also, as a wrap up to this series receive the Word the Lord gave me back on September 6, 2020 for our times. In reply to and firm rebuke of my prayer offered in frustration from a long wait on His guidance for my life circumstances, the Lord sent me to hear Him from Jeremiah 45. I was humbled, repentant and good! The next day the globally heard about fierce winds and firestorms descended upon our Northwest region that brought choking smoke for weeks.8
1 Read the January 10, 2021 post, Praying At Cross-Purposes With God, under the category, Bible Prophecy and the one following on January 17th entitled, Teaching At
Cross-Purposes With God, under the category, Instruction.
2 See the October 2, 2016 post, Gifted With A Prophet’s Heart, under the category, Call To Repent.
3 Read the October 30, 2016 post, No One Speaks For God?, under the category, Instruction. Also, the three-part repost beginning November 13, 2016, Without Honor
In The Churches, under the category, Glory To God!
4 Read the November 8, 2020 post, Why So Easily Deceived?, under the category, Instruction.
5 This is beyond incredible in this land of majority rule! For this cause all of the Lord’s faithful prophets and prophetesses in the Bible fulfill the definition of the aspiring
strong man and great woman of God I write about respectively in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics published by Open Door Communication Minis-
tries, Inc. It is available in print or digital formats at major internet booksellers. You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store.
6 View the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) produced Christian World News story, Prophets Say They Did Not Get It Wrong: ‘It’s Not Over’ that aired the day after
the election, November 5, 2020 and includes the supposed word from the Lord to CBN founder, Pat Robertson, Trump would win re-election. They were all deceived!
To the credit and integrity of CBN News, though it puts their founder in a bad light, they have left the story intact and available to view.
7 1 Corinthians 14:29-32. It is situations like this that the Lord shows His amazing grace and another of His tough standards: love (2 Corinthians 2:1-11). For here He
has me calling for the faithful to show mercy to largely guilty whites that repent from sin (imperfection does not give Christians a pass from sin guilt that must be con-
fessed and repented of to be forgiven by God) knowing that if it were me as a black man, it would not be as readily forthcoming. As a matter of fact, though the Lord
has caused me to accurately declare His written prophetic Word as well as that which has been extemporaneous, I have been treated as if I have been a guilty false
prophet especially by many whites that consider me inferior because of my black skin, but not to exclude the many who share my skin color out of pride and the psy-
chological legacy of self-hate (removable in Christ) from our American experience to date that will not allow us to easily regard one another.
8 It turns out the multi-year wait for the Lord’s guidance from Jeremiah 45 had been before me all along. I was just not willing to receive it. What about you?
Why is there still apparently so much angst and now, tumult among many that are politically conservative and profess to be Christians including those self-identified as evangelicals after this year’s Presidential election? Is it not because a year after the Coronavirus pandemic that persists, social unrest and political losses many are squaring up with the reality conservatism as it has been practiced in America may not endure? This is truly a frightening prospect to those that have rested their hope in this life almost exclusively on the control of human institutions of society to perpetually ensure their religious, moral, social and political values, dominance as well as prosperity. I get it.
Indeed, this line of thinking is by no means unique to American conservatism. It has been displayed by the peoples, nobles and royals of every nation and kingdom of men since the beginning. However, from the beginning also, the Almighty God, man’s Creator has been involved and at work in the affairs of men as His Word affirms (Genesis 3:9-11, 17-24, 6:5-22; Job 12:13-25). It is certain that neither Adam nor the people of Noah’s day that perished in the flood wished for an end; nor did king Nebuchadnezzar to whom God through the prophet Daniel revealed the future of His work to raise up and bring down kingdoms starting with Babylon until the coming of His own (Daniel 2:14-45).
The sovereign God has been in charge of the rise and fall of kingdoms up until now, and still is! Grasping this truth, the faithful in Christ understand our times are in His hand and accept His will to move them along even with judgments in accord with His plans and timing no matter how inconvenient, troublesome or adverse to our own plans, hopes and dreams (Psalm 31:14-15).1 While in general it is not wrong to pray for God to continue His gracious and merciful acts to preserve our nation and way of life as they are, it is to pray at cross-purposes with Him if it is abundantly clear as it is today, that the early warning judgments of His foretold end have begun to come upon the earth!
The generation that perished in Noah’s day had 120 years of his preaching as warning to prepare (Genesis 6:3; 2 Peter 2:4-5). Israel had all of the prophets from Moses and finally, Jesus of Nazareth, God’s Son--some 1,400 years--to warn them before their nation was destroyed and the people scattered a generation after His death, burial, resurrection and ascension (Ezekiel 7; Luke 19:41-44, 21:5-6, 21-24). Now, God has patiently given the world nearly 2,000 years since those days; time lengthy enough that some foolishly dare to scoff at us who continue to steadfastly wait for Christ’s promised glorious return and wrath as foretold (2 Peter 3:1-9; Revelation 6:12-17).
That a holy God has given sinners even one day is gracious and merciful (Ezekiel 18:4), but almost 2,000 years with the preaching of the Gospel (Acts 17:30-31)? As the Lord led me to write last year, the prayers of those professed Christians that He move His Coronavirus judgment and save our republic for among the emotionally manipulative and selfishly hypocritical reasons “the sake of our children and future generations” will not be answered by Him the way they want.2 If you truly cared about the children’s future, then, you would have fully repented from all of your biblically defined sins, rebellion and wickedness by now as God calls for (Numbers 14:1-3; Jeremiah 8:4-7).
Instead, by your refusal to repent, cavalier attitudes about and disbelieving denial of the consequences until now, it is too late to delay His on the way judgments more severe than losing elections, a nation and way of life (2 Kings 20:12-19; Ezekiel 12:21-28).3 And though they will suffer short-term, the eternal fortunes of our saved children will be infinitely greater than the inheritance of a crumbling nation and world facing divine wrath (Numbers 14:26-33; Hebrews 3:7-19). This is why the best inheritance to give our willing children is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that they might be saved and instruction about how to faithfully endure suffering persecution to the end (1 Corinthians 15:19)!4
It is time to stop denying the present and warnings about what is coming we Christians have as a legacy of hope from God through His prophetic Word; His plans and purposes now, in play! Therefore, let those that repent of all selfishness and rebellion pray in accord with His will for God to restore you through the Holy Spirit. Pray for strength and wisdom to be a bold witness for Christ. Pray to stand firm in faith throughout all that is unfolding against believers in the darkness as trouble and be encouraged in it (Psalm 46; John 16:33; Philippians 4:4-6; 1 John 5:4-5).5 Pray for all your sustenance. Pray for and support fellow persecuted brethren everywhere. Pray for the expeditious coming of our God’s Kingdom to the earth (Matthew 6:5-15; 1 Peter 5:5-11; Revelation 6:9-11, 7-8:6)!
1 This is a reality the Lord had me address early on during the spread of His Coronavirus judgment in a May 3, 2020 post, Why Now, Lord?, under the category, Encour-
agement.
2 See the April 5, 2020 post, God Is Speaking and that of April 19, 2020, Does Anybody Repent Anymore?, both under the category, Call To Repent.
3 In a chapter aptly titled, God And Politics in his 1989 book, Against The Night, (Vine Books, Ann Arbor, Michigan), political and biblical conservative, Chuck Colson, is
unambiguous in asserting the 80’s Reagan Presidential era and height of evangelicalism’s Moral Majority had “failed” in the attempt to effect a swing in our nation to a
decidedly Christian morality. Religious conservatives, he contends, ignored “two key truths” as reasons writing: “first, the solutions to all human ills do not lie in political
structures; and second, it is impossible to effect genuine political reform solely through legislation,” (p. 117). Colson ought to have known since he came to know Christ
while incarcerated for crimes committed carrying out political dirty tricks in the cause of a conservative President. Too, the historic sinful duplicities of religious conser-
vatives such as upholding systemic racism also contributed to their failure. The failure of the 80’s continues into the present hour where a divided nation is crumbling
into ruin as the Lord led me to warn in a two-part post beginning September 11, 2016, American Culture’s Religion, under the category, Call To Repent. Consequently,
Colson also affirms my conviction from the Lord that any real national reformation would have begun with individuals which only He can effect through Holy Spirit em-
powered salvation (Titus 2:11-3:8).
4 My book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics can help in this instructional effort. A print copy or digital download of the book published by the Publishing Division
of Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. with fresh editing in 2019 for greater clarity and updated web addresses in the footnotes is available at major internet
booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only). You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store. Too, parents
and church leaders can teach, disciple and equip the next generation through The Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and The Great Woman Of God Women’s
Group Study also in the Strong Man Store.
5 Colson in his book earlier referenced and others that followed is not calling for disengagement from culture, but for the Church to be the Church as salt and light serving
God’s Kingdom purposes which include holding up “the blood stained banner” of Christ and His transcendent morality, (pp. 118-121, 135-137). This is not possible to
any effective extent of course, if the many that profess to be Christians are corrupt and complicit with this dark world in its rebellion against God. For this reason, Colson
also calls for repentance among guilty professed Christians and their churches, (Chapter 15 and beyond).
Seeing the images from Bible prophecy of faithful born again Christians, the saints of God Almighty in Heaven at the end of last week’s post was deeply encouraging to me and I hope you also if you are a fellow believer.1 They are victorious over the treachery and violence of the most evil man to ever walk the earth and all other haters! How God loves us and cares for our encouragement to present these images to us in advance over nineteen hundred years ago. Indeed, the images convey the tender love God has for all who believe in and follow Christ very powerfully displayed to His eleven disciples as He prepared to make His departure back to Heaven in the Gospel of John.
Under the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, this episode I am permitted to title, “The Lord’s Long Goodbye,” begins at John 13:1, the apostle writing: “Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end,” (NKJV). From that launch point, the final Passover meal and evening together with what began as His twelve apostles proceeded with Him washing their feet and identifying Judas Iscariot as His betrayer he left to fulfill. Alone fully grasping the moment’s significance, the Lord began to declare His and the Father’s glory in it (John 13:2-32)!
Then, the Lord makes a shocking announcement saying, “‘“Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, “‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’” so now I say to you,”’” (John 13:33, NKJV.) From here there is His “new commandment” (John 13:34-35, NKJV), instruction, dialogue with the disciples and prayer to the Father that ends His long goodbye at John 17:26. All of what is said during this time hangs on and is tied to the announcement of His impending departure which is my focus in this post. As such, speaking from the heart “Simon Peter said to Him,” ‘“Lord, where are You going,’” (John 13:36a, NKJV)?
Peter’s question had all of the astonishment, emotion, disappointment, fear of loss, change and the future we all have when confronted with the sudden news someone we care deeply about is leaving for whatever reason. The Lord already knows every one of the other ten men feel the same way as Peter and answers him: ‘“Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward,’” (John 13:36b, NKJV).2 Not satisfied, Peter in all sincerity is insistent. He wants to know “why” he cannot “follow” Him “now” and asserts his willingness to die for the Lord which He rebukes; revealing Peter will in fact “deny” Him “three times” before sunrise (John 13:37-38, NKJV).
With great empathy the Lord Jesus begins to comfort the hearts of His eleven that have become deeply saddened by the announcement of His departure. First, He encourages their faith in Him to be on par with their faith in God the Father (John 14:1). Second, He assures, “In my Father’s house are many mansions” or rooms and He goes “to prepare a place for” them (John 14:2, NKJV). Preparing a place has to do with paving the way and readying the rooms where they will live with Him in the “heavenly Jerusalem” though, final fulfillment awaits the New Jerusalem constructed in Heaven and brought down on “a new earth” by God (Hebrews 12:18-24, 13:14; Revelation 21, NKJV).
Final future fulfillment in the New Jerusalem is made all the more sure by what the Lord says in John 14:3a. If He is going to go to the trouble to prepare a place for His disciples, He will “come again and receive” them to Himself (NKJV). What they did not grasp at the time was that the Lord’s departure and return had two parts. His departure from them initially would be by way of death near to being carried out by crucifixion, but He would return on the third day after through resurrection in God’s plan for their eternal redemption (John 14:15-18, 16:16-22)!3 After this initial brief, but all important departure and following instructions He gives making plain why they could not go with Him, the Lord would ascend to Heaven and the Father before their eyes then, come again (Acts 1:4-11).
Third and last, telling about the Lord’s love for His disciples in His long goodbye are the words, “that where I am, there you may be also,” (John 14:3b, NKJV). This is clearly very important to Him for He petitions His Father for the disciples’ union as and with Their Own plus reunion with Him (John 17:20-24). As He taught, His disciples knew where He was going and the way and were enabled to follow Him to the Father (John 14:4-6).4 Once more, this was so they could be with Him there and wherever He was to be thereafter; never to be separated again! This is why in His coming again to earth He brings with Him the spirits of His disciples to resurrect and gather them with the living to Himself as His first priority act (Matthew 24:29-31; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 19:9-16).5
1 Read the October 23, 2022 post, Revenge Of Those Without God’s Mark, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
2 With this statement, the Lord assures He was only leading out first. His eleven would follow after Him to where He was going at a later time as millions have done until now, through death!
3 The Lord’s resurrection after securing the eternal redemption of His followers made possible the reality of Him, the Father and Holy Spirit taking up residence in them so that even though physically He would return to Heaven, He could still be with them as He explained (John 14:19-24). Later, the apostle Paul celebrates being used of God to re- veal “the riches of the glory of this mystery…which is Christ in” us who believe, “the hope of glory,” (Colossians 1:24-27, NKJV).
4 This truth taught by the Lord is why no aspiring strong man or great woman of God in His image is found among the religious seeking to connect to the Father through any manmade religious means! As the Lord leads I write about essential relationship with Him in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. Get it along with the com- panion Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study for the equipping of the saints in the home and churches in the Strong Man Store, at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore.
5 The Second Coming of Christ for the saints then, is not about rescue from tribulation as much as it is the union of Christ with His bride and their final reunion as eternally living, glorified immortals (1 Corinthians 15:20-23, 50-57)!
The Word of God is as plainly stated as it can be from Genesis to Revelation about what a man and woman are; their order, roles and responsibilities. It is equally clear there is only one divinely appointed organism on earth from the first century A.D. that God has directly charged to disseminate, live out, model and teach His Word especially to disciples of Jesus Christ: His Church (Matthew 16:13-18, 28:18-20)! However, the many professed Christians and the local churches they assemble in that are guilty have failed to remain true and obedient to God’s Word on man and womanhood as they have a multitude of other doctrines of the biblical faith such as covetousness.
Because of God’s clarity in His Word, there is absolutely no excuse for the rebellion that has taken place among guilty professed Christians and their local assemblies over the last half century in particular that now, oppose the very biblical doctrines in word and deed they are supposed to be upholding and teaching. As a result, without the heartfelt repentance He has been calling for they have brought the Lord’s judgment upon themselves; potently and undeniably displayed during this Coronavirus pestilence. Or don’t you realize that if “the gates of Hades shall not prevail against” His Church, surely, no earthly government can either unless the Lord permitted (Matthew 16:18, NKJV)!1
What kind of Christianity do you have that allows you to compromise with and stand on the same side as the world system led by Satan in rebellion against the Lord; declaring Him to be unrighteous, unjust or unfair in any possible way? It may not be said directly with words, but this is exactly what many professed Christians in their churches are saying when out of emotion in the flesh their attitudes, philosophies, conduct or works of advocacy run contrary to God’s Word and in lockstep with the world. You cannot be with the Lord and against Him at the same time (Matthew 12:30; 1 Corinthians 10:21-22)! As a result, their churches differ little spiritually from the world.
This reality is made all the more apparent when professed Christians assail those such as me for standing on God’s Word as it is written concerning man and womanhood! Having been in this warfare to cast down the demonic stronghold of feminism in the churches that with the world assaults God’s enduring order, role and responsibility assignments of mankind as long as I have, I am no longer shocked that these professed Christians exist. However, I fear for them now, more than ever since the Lord has made His opposition to the world’s and professed Christian rebellion against His will, way and Word in His Coronavirus judgment abundantly evident for those willing to see.
Indeed, the Lord’s call to self-examination and repentance within professing Christianity at this hour is very obvious (2 Corinthians 13:1-6)! As I repeatedly assert, it is of His grace, mercy and nearly exhausted forbearance (Romans 2:4-11). Therefore, know the Lord is able to and will outlast to victory this world of fallen men and angels in the unfolding, intensifying contest of wills He has prophetically foretold (Psalm 2; Isaiah 2:10-22, 14:12-15; Revelation 6:12-17, 19:11-20:3, 7-10)! But we have been called out from under Satan’s rule to the Kingdom and rule of Christ. As He charged the apostle Paul, we are supposed to be living out this reality (John 17:14-16; Acts 26:12-18).
To that end, this Ministry stands with all Christians that will be faithful and obedient to our King! We are ready to come along side of you to serve with instruction, encouragement and the Strong Man Of God Brand Resources the Lord has led us to create. My book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics stands as our foundational print resource followed by the in depth companion work group studies it has generated--The Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and The Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study.2 These print resources are easily integrated into a family, church or other Christian entity’s plan for teaching and equipping new and maturing disciples of Christ. For this reason, we make no apology for the group studies being in depth; requiring a time commitment.
As the Lord Jesus demonstrated with His twelve, making disciples is a process that takes time (John 14:9). Truly, another of the sins of following after the world He would have guilty churches repent from is taking His sheep through a microwave fast discipleship process. If more time was taken teaching and mentoring in the fundamentals of the faith, man and womanhood early in the process, churches would not have to spend so much of it doing this later while counseling Christian disciples struggling with personal and marital issues! Too, if folk do not want to take the time to obey Christ and be taught His Word, then, they do not really want to follow Him (Luke 9:23-26).3 The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 This being true, though God has permitted the governing authorities to shut down churches during the emergency situation created by the Coronavirus, those authorities
that have done so with anti-Christian bias and enmity in their hearts (God knows) as well as in oppression and unfairness should be warned from the experience of an-
cient Babylon when God used that nation to punish Israel (Isaiah 13:17-22, 47:1-11). For this reason again, churches should not take it into their own hands to resist
their governing authorities on reopening for meetings or aren't the other calamities of 2020 to include the fires in Western States still burning evidence enough the sover- eign God is at work and in control? Opportunity to make a real Kingdom stand for Jesus is coming soon enough.
2 The book, published by the Publishing Division of Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. with fresh editing in 2019 for greater clarity and updated web addresses in
the footnotes, is available as is The Women’s Group Study at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble and ChristianBooks.com. These book sellers
with Apple also have the digital download of the book. Type the titles into their search engines if necessary. You can also purchase the book and all Strong Man Of God
Brand Group Study Print Resources in the Strong Man Store!
3 Membership in a local church is not the end of becoming or the same as signing on with repentance and faith in the Gospel of Christ to be His follower! This deceit has
hurt many a souls that are church members, but not disciples and churches should stop employing it. The guilty will give an account. God’s Kingdom priority is not
warm bodies to fill local church membership rolls and seats, but true disciples that go to Heaven where “the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are regis-
tered” there reside for now (Hebrews 12:18-24, NKJV)!
Consistent with His Word, the Lord would know who authorized corrupt and abominable worship in His house including the leadership of sexually perverted men and out of order women? It certainly was not Him! But it has been men seduced by the coaxing and teaching of lying spirits as well as the self seeking and exaltation, arrogance, wickedness and selfish ambition for worldly success borne of the sinful flesh that have lied on God concerning His will while usurping His authority in defiant disobedience; unrepentant men God rejects who have fed off of and copied each other’s errors (Jeremiah 23:30-32; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; James 3:13-18; 2 Peter 2:1-3, 12-22; Jude 3-19).
No one can claim ignorance of what God wants in worship since what He has required for His worship is plainly and thoroughly presented in the Bible. Rebel hearts, of course, disdain the word, “required” because they wrongly believe they have freedom under grace to do as they please; the corrupt shepherds among them even acting as lords over God’s house in place of Jesus who is Lord! Also, the experience of ancient Israel is again our example in all things not to do in displeasing God when Christians assemble to worship. Both the Lord’s instruction from His Word on worship and the outcome of Israel’s failure to heed it are summarized in this second part of my 2013 blog post.
Originally Posted September 15, 2013
True Christian worship does not spring from external stimulus such as singing and music, but internally from connection to and relationship with God through the Spirit! Out of love for Him arises in the inmost being the desire to glorify God the Father in admiring praise and worship for who He uniquely is as do the hosts of Heaven (Psalm 100; Revelation 4); to thank Him for all of His benefits not the least of which is His seemly inexhaustible riches of grace and mercy as did the saints of old (Psalm 103).
Spontaneous worship of God wells up in the spirits of the faithful as do geysers from the earth leading to vocal expression as demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 10:21-24). And when the saints assemble together as drunk men, yet, not drunk on wine but filled by the presence of the Holy Spirit, we express the joy of our hearts “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody” in our hearts together to the Lord not as a performance, but loving devotion (Ephesians 5:18-20, NKJV). From such hearts flows the sold out dedication of our lives to God in obedience with immediate confession and repentance when we sin.
If our bodies and lives thereby are to be offered as of first importance as a continual “living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God” as our rational service of worship (Romans 12:1, NKJV), then it stands to common sense reason that willful disobedience of any kind in sin including ignoring how God has expressed He is to be worshipped pollutes such worship and in accord with the written Word, rather than pleasing, offends Him leading to His rejection of it!
Notice that for similar reasons the Lord Jesus--who should be considered by all as the highest authority on worship that pleases God--tells the woman at the well Samaritan worship was not accepted by God: ‘“You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews,”’ (John 4:22, NKJV). The net result historically and for us today is that untold numbers of individual professing Christians privately and their churches assembled for it at whatever time, offer worship to God without His attending presence or acceptance because of willful disobedience manifested in many ways.
It does not matter what style or how excellent, energetic, emotional or sincere the singing and music or animated the worship leader in fleshy performance, worship polluted by sin is rejected by God. Quick, outward and falsely humble prayers of confession and repentance preceding what is to be served up as worship does not change the result either since God sees into the heart (Psalm 139:1-4; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Luke 16:14-15). The Lord already knows what sins we are clinging to including unforgiveness and bitterness toward along with even ongoing persecution and mistreatment of our brethren as if He is not serious about His command that we love and forgive each other (Matthew 5:21-24, 6:12, 14-15; John 15:12; 1 John 4:20-21).
Then there are the seminary trained pastors who were rightly taught that worship songs should support the preached word, but who take it upon themselves in the flesh to see to it; tightly controlling the song style and selection without any real consultation with the God to be worshipped for His guidance or reliance upon Him. Not only does God reject the outcome, but those that are His genuine worshippers in spirit and truth--aspiring strong men and great women of God in the image of Christ--recognize the divine offense and lack of attendance as well as consequential spiritual deadness in these so-called “worship services.”
While the Lord was unflinching in declaring to the Samaritan woman that the worship of the Jews as prescribed in the Law at Jerusalem’s temple was more to God’s approval than what the Samaritans were doing, nevertheless, His declaration of something “coming” that transcended what had been historically done by the Jews suggested it was superior and ultimately what God wanted--what is supposedly now to be seen in Christians!
Israel had co-opted what God had given them as His worship program and made it a thing of cold, dead, empty ritual and manmade religion in spite of the constant rebuke of her prophets. The Lord quoted Isaiah from seven hundred years earlier in a rebuke of Israel’s religious establishment that should painfully resonate within professing Christianity at this hour: ‘“These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. In vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men,’” (Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 15:8-9, NKJV). Connection to Him in obedience was more important to God than the sacrifices and rituals of worship as the Lord Jesus Christ--our example in all things--showed (1 Samuel 15:22; Psalm 40:6-8, 51:16-17; Proverbs 21:3, 27; Micah 6:6-8; Hebrews 10:5-7).
God’s primary concern was always with Israel’s collective heart and conduct. But the people in willful disobedience turned away from authentic worship of God to practice their own corrupt, outward form of religion. Through the prophet Isaiah God had protested their duplicity by declaring His displeasure with their phony worship and demanded to know who had required them to “trample My courts,” (Isaiah 1:10-12, NKJV)? Rather than reverence, the sacred ground of the temple was treated by the people with a disregard similar to untrained animals in a clean space that do not distinguish between the holy and the profane for they practiced all manner of perversions then assembled for worship.
Thoroughly disgusted with this endless desecration of His house and disrespect of His Person, God had had enough and told Israel ‘“Bring no more futile sacrifices…I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; they are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them,’” (Isaiah 1:13-14, NKJV). Then God says He will not hear their prayers nor accept their worship because of their disobedience (Isaiah 1:15; Jeremiah 6:20). Without repentance (which God invited), He would and did judge Israel for their sins including corrupt worship in 586BC and again in 70AD (Isaiah 1:16-20; Jeremiah 7:1-27; Matthew 23:37-24:2).
As I have stated before, many professing American Christians live and their churches carry on as though Jesus--their ostensible Lord--is dead (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)! Dead men cannot lead or govern from Hades and are completely cut off from this life (Psalm 88:10-12). “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep,” (Psalm 16:8-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20, NKJV). So, upon announcing His authority and giving charge to His disciples in all generations (the ones standing before Him would die) He declares, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age,” (Matthew 28:18-20, NKJV). As He worked with the first disciples to build His Church, so, those that are His last (Matthew 16:15-18; Mark 16:20; Acts 2:1-41, 47, 4:1-4, 5:12-14).
Christ reigns with all authority over all to include His Church from the throne of God to which He ascended (Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:15-18; Hebrews 1:1-4)! About sixty years or so later He spoke to seven churches of Asia and broadly to all in every generation to follow through His last living apostle, John, with mostly rebuke and warning in what is the last book of Scripture (Revelation 1:9-3:22). Living in believers, He continues His Lordship in real time; giving among other things vision, commands, knowledge, rebuke and warning to those who will hear Him from Scripture (Romans 4:3a) and the Holy Spirit (Acts 11:27-30). As this edited 2012 repost asserts, not without consequences are any professing Christians and churches treating Jesus as dead; doing as they please.
Originally Posted August 5, 2012
A powerful truth in John 15:5 being ignored in many churches today is the Lord instructing, “…for without Me you can do nothing,” (NKJV). I say this after being in and around American churches from coast to coast since childhood where I have seen the unmistakable pattern of religious authority, human strength and works in action that are an artificial imitation of biblical Christianity. The Bible teaches Jesus is the Head over His Church and the Holy Spirit the empowering source of the activity He wills to the glory of God the Father (Ephesians 1:22-23, 3:14-21)!
Perhaps we have misunderstood; the “much fruit” that the Lord refers to in John 15:5 is in accord with His leadership (which presumes abiding in Him and Him in us) in the power of the Holy Spirit who is our Helper (NKJV). It is impossible for this fruit to be produced in the flesh. Therefore, if we kick the Lord Jesus to the curb as our “first love” (Revelation 2:4, NKJV) or in willful disobedience do our own thing in His name, we are doing nothing. This is evident in the very sad, fruitless state of so many churches today with either passive dispassionate or selfishly ambitious, tyrant pastors attempting to make a name for themselves to climb the religious corporate ladder or leave brick and mortar legacies.
There are elders and deacon boards that wickedly conspire to control pastors and churches. Church fights and splits are common along with thefts and sexual immorality. Churches with money in the bank display what they think is spiritual power when they do whatever flesh works seem right to them; offering token prayer petitions for what they intend to do anyway. Other churches steeped in tradition and manmade religion endlessly entertain themselves with annual events to raise money to do little or nothing of what the Lord wills. Is it any wonder that exercising spiritual or grace gifts--another aspect of doing things in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit--is not taken seriously in such churches?
Spiritual gifts are supernatural abilities the triune God gives as a matter of grace to each person that believes on Christ and is indwelt by the Holy Spirit at the new birth (John 1:12-13). So basic to the Christian’s ability to function in God’s program and the Church is the Holy Spirit, one cannot even say from the heart “Jesus is Lord” except with His enablement (1 Corinthians 12:1-3, NKJV). Nothing Christians have been commissioned by Christ to do can be done without the agency of the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts--nothing! Now, there are many gifts, callings and ministries members of the Body of Christ have and all flow from the triune God by way of the working of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).
No pastor or local church can say to any member, “you or your gifts are not needed here” since it is God who places each member in the Body as He wills by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). No pastor or church can declare as some have that certain of the New Testament gifts are no longer in play since it is the Lord who has established the purpose, function and order of spiritual gifts in the Church (1 Corinthians 12:28-30; Ephesians 4:7-11). Indeed, it is because of the faithless, flesh driven dissertations of especially the guilty religious educated elite devoid of the Spirit that the spiritual bedlam I have seen and experienced in so many churches of various ethnicities and sizes exists today.
Again, the only remedy God provides for this is revival if proud and withering men will see their wicked ways and seek Him for it in all confession, repentance and heartfelt petition before it is too late. Otherwise, the aspiring strong man of God in the image of Christ accepts his gift(s), calling and ministry as part of accepting his assigned roles from God. Specifically, he will yearn with love and zeal to serve the divine purposes as a son of God, disciple of Christ and servant through the spiritual gifts, calling and ministry he has been given by the Holy Spirit (Jeremiah 20:7-9; 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13)! There are no exceptions; every believer has at least one spiritual gift to serve God with.1 The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 In 1992 a Fort Worth, Texas church first allowed me to present instruction on the Lord’s spiritual gifts out of the teaching gift I have been given. I have continued to in-
struct on this very important subject as a pastor and welcome any opportunities to do so now through our Strong Man Institute. I am also now in the process of devel-
oping Strong Man Of God resources on the topic to help Kingdom minded pastors and seeking Christians. Let me know of your interest by answering a single survey
question on the Feedback Page of our Web Site. In the meantime, as the Lord has led, I have laid a foundational introduction to the service of aspiring strong men of
God in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. I urge every Christian reading this that seeks even a basic, biblical introduction to what serving God in the
Church is supposed to look like to get a copy of the book.
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