A further application of the principle of applying the lamb’s blood at Passover is found in the Book of Deuteronomy.

Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth. For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him. (Deuteronomy 11:18-22 KJV)

Notice that God commanded his people to write his words upon the door posts of their house, door posts which would have been smeared with the Passover lamb’s blood. John tells us that Jesus himself is the Word of God who was made flesh and dwelt among us. Paul calls Jesus our Passover, so of course, the lamb’s blood represents Jesus’ blood. Now recall Jesus’ testimony when he revealed that he was the bread of life. He said in part,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” (John 6:53-58, ESV)

Returning to the Feast of Passover now, first the people of Israel applied the lamb’s blood, representing Jesus, to the door posts of their houses. Later they wrote Jesus’ words upon their homes. These actions symbolically and prophetically represent spiritual salvation through the blood of Jesus, which reconciles us to God, and then soul salvation by eating Christ’s blood (applying Jesus’ words to our lives) which brings us into the full status of being a son of God.

Now recall what Peter says concerning us, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5 KJV) And consider what Hebrews says concerning this:

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) (Hebrews 3:1-11 KJV)

The passages directly above thus show us that even the houses in ancient Israel prophetically pointed to each of us individual believers in God (Jesus Christ). We become believers when we believe that Jesus died for our sins and shed his blood for our reconciliation with God. We eat his blood (spiritually) when we eat his words, when we assimilate his words into our lives and make them part of us. This is a progressive salvation. It begins in our “most holy place,” our spirits, and moves outward to what is supposed to become our “holy place,” our souls. The final, or third salvation, is the salvation of our bodies which occurs at our glorification, our resurrection from the dead. This can only occur after we each achieve the second salvation (the one of which Paul says, “work out your salvation in fear and trembling”). Jesus Christ has already effected the first salvation, but most people remain in the prison of their unbelief and cannot begin to walk the path of “becoming” a son of God yet.

God guarantees all men the salvation of their spirits, although few have understood this presently. Consider the following verse which I believe irrefutably proves this. “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Cor. 15:22) Clearly it is the same “all” who die in Adam who shall be made alive in Christ. It makes no sense to say that this refers to two different groups of people or to say that Paul really meant to add the words “who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior” after the second use of the word. (What exactly was it that God said would happen to people who added to Scripture? Look it up if you can’t remember!)

Now look at a couple obscure verses from the Gospel of John. Just before Jesus’ betrayal he said, “While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” (John 12:36) In the beginning of his book John said, “to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.“ (John 1:12) Both Jesus and John make the point that believing in Jesus as Savior is only the beginning. That is the step that everyone must take before he can even begin to walk on the path to “becoming” a son of God.

So, if believing in Jesus as Savior (putting the lamb’s blood on our door posts) only gives us the initial right to become a son of God, what must we do make it a reality? We must also “drink” that blood… we must write his word on our door posts as well.

It was one of the Hebraic Roots ministries, 119 Ministries I think, which really got my blood boiling concerning this new push to teach Christians to obey every jot and tittle of the Torah (Old Testament law, Mosaic law). They taught that the only legitimate day to honor the Sabbath on is Saturday, that Christians ought to obey all the laws concerning it, including not picking up sticks (properly understood of course), and that if Christians lawfully honored the true Saturday Sabbath, then that would dramatically help lead the Jews to finally accepting Christ. I listened as one amazed. These were men who seemed honorable and appeared to understand the basic truths of God’s Word… and they were teaching gross, rank heresy!

Many years ago, 26 to be exact, during my first year of law school God taught my wife and I to honor the Sabbath. Law school is difficult, very difficult if you want to do well, and I am a person that wants to do all things well. Law school consists of study and classes and that’s about it. All of my colleagues studied seven days a week and I did too, at first. Then one day while reading the Bible and talking things over with my wife we really realized that God would be blessed and would bless us if we observed a 24 hour period of rest. We did not analyze the Old Testament in order to determine its specific laws for Sabbath observance. We relied upon the Holy Spirit to lead us in this, and He did. Because our society is based upon a Monday through Saturday work week, including the fact that the Law library was open on Saturday and not Sunday, we decided to take our rest beginning at 6:00 P.M. Saturday and ending at 6:00 P.M. Sunday. Usually we did not go to church on Sunday morning.  Instead we took our two young children to parks, beaches, canoe rides in wilderness areas, and picnics. Although I worked six hard days every week during those three years my entire family enjoys sweet, sweet memories of our family time and of law school. My grades were always good, sometimes the best in the class, and I did not study seven days a week like our valedictorian did! We honored the Sabbath and God honored us.

As I grew older the concept of God’s Sabbath became even bigger. The LORD impressed me that the Book of Hebrews’ teaching on entering his rest involved something much bigger than taking a 24 hour day of rest once a week. He showed me that entering his rest is a way of life, 24 hours a day seven days a week, not just one day out of the week. He taught me that coming into his rest means to come to the end of my own carnal striving and my own selfish ambitions. Am I there yet? Have I learned to put away all of my fleshly thoughts and desires? Do I perfectly walk in God’s ways and in his rest? No, but that is my goal and that will one day be my reality.

Learning to rest in God does not consist of a set of do’s and don’t's. I live on a cattle ranch. If a cows gives birth on my Sabbath day, then I may have to work to help it. A cow might get through a fence and out on the road, and I might have to go get it back into my field. I’m a lawyer and I do jury trials. I might get wind of critical evidence on the Sabbath, just before my trial. I will follow up that lead. And, the day after the trial ends may be Wednesday and I may just take a day or two of rest then. In fact, during the trial itself I pray and try to maintain my rest in God. The point is that God desires the Sabbath to be our way of life, not just a day of special religious duty to God. The Sabbath, entering God’s rest, is a state of being, not a special mode of doing.

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. ² For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.^[a] 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said,

although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. ⁴ For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” ⁵ And again in this passage he said,

⁶ Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news [the Gospel] failed to enter because of disobedience, ⁷ again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,

⁸ For if Joshua had given them rest, God^[b] would not have spoken of another day later on.⁹ So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, ¹⁰ for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

¹¹ Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. ¹² For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³ And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:1-13, ESV)

The passage above makes it very clear that the “Sabbath” rest which God intends his people to come into involves far more than observing a Saturday Sabbath according to the Torah laws. Coming into God’s rest is part of the Gospel and something we do by faith and obedience to that Gospel. The obedience required is Spirit-led and founded upon the Word of God as verse 12 above makes clear. This verse teaches that God’s Word will divide our soul and spirit, will separate our fleshly attempts to please God from the truly Spirit-led life. But, we do not teach a Spirit-led mysticism which ignores the teaching of God’s Word. Neither do we teach a dead legalism which ignores the Holy Spirit and all of the Word of God and then drives us back to Old Jerusalem and Hagar, its Mother.

⁵ One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike.Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶ The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. ⁷ For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. ⁸ For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. ⁹ For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord bothof the dead and of the living.

¹⁰ Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; ¹¹ for it is written,

¹² So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Romans 14:5-12)

So, let us discern the teaching of the Word of God by relying upon God’s Spirit, and not the heretical teachings of men. Let us continue walking together in God’s ways toward New Jerusalem, our eternal home.

As we continue to wait upon Jesus establishing his kingdom, let us rest in peace in his loving arms.

A Song of Ascents.

1 Remember, O Lord, in David’s favor,
all the hardships he endured,
2 how he swore to the Lord
and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
3 “I will not enter my house
or get into my bed,
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I find a place for the Lord,
a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.” (Psalm 132:1-5, ESV)

The promise of God’s eternal kingdom, God’s house, came to David, but God did not allow David to see its fulfillment. Why not?

6 Then he called for Solomon his son and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel. 7 David said to Solomon, “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the Lord my God. 8 But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth. 9 Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. 10 He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever.’ ( 1 Chronicles 22:6-10)

David was a man of action and a man of blood. He conquered kingdoms in the name of the LORD. He was a man after God’s own heart and his ministry was great indeed! Yet, he remained a man of flesh, a carnal man subject to sin, and the Scripture declares, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.” (1 Cor. 15:50) David could not inherit the Kingdom, but today we can. Why? Because yesterday we made the twelfth ascent, the step into God’s rest. Yesterday we laid down our own plans, our own designs for great ministries for God. Yesterday we quieted our souls before him, determined to hope only in him, and ceased to occupy ourselves with matters too great for us. Yesterday we gave up our guns and our bows and arrows and determined that we would not be men of blood. I will not die with a man’s blood on my hands… will you? I am not a man of blood… are you?

Today we become sons, the prophetic fulfillment of Solomon, son of David.

Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood. We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool. (Psalms 132:6-7 KJV)

Ephratah is Bethlehem, the place of our LORD’s birth. We know of Jesus and we know he was born in Bethlehem Ephratah. We always heard that the word Immanuel, which means God with us, referred only to him. But, no, the prophecy concerns us. God is with us, within us, and soon we will become the very habitation of God as the rest of this wonderful psalm makes clear.

8 Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.

When we fully and completely enter God’s rest, then we will literally become his resting place. At that moment of complete rest he will transform these lowly bodies into immortal bodies. At that moment the “ark of his might” permeates our entire being. His Law will become part of our very being and we will be enabled to obey it perfectly. Rather than consuming it any longer, his Word, his manna, will consume us and we will become living expressions of the Word of God. We, now the dead in our sins, a dead tree, will have budded like Aaron’s almond branch into new eternal life!

9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let your saints shout for joy.

It is at this time that God clothes us with righteousness. Finally we will become the priests of the Most High which he has ordained us to be. Our ordination comes not from man, for only God can ordain his priests who arise in the Order of Melchizedek, just as Jesus was of that Order.

10 For the sake of your servant David,
do not turn away the face of your anointed one. 

This promise is sure because God made particular promises to David concerning the eternal nature of his throne. We who believe in Jesus and have determined to obey the Gospel he has given us are the anointed ones spoken of here. God will not turn his face from us. In fact, the songs of ascent are all about ascending into the very presence of God where we will actually see God’s face. Verses 11 and 12 tell us God’s specific promise regarding this.

11 The Lord swore to David a sure oath
from which he will not turn back:
“One of the sons of your body[a]
I will set on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant
and my testimonies that I shall teach them,
their sons also forever
shall sit on your throne.”

What follows is, in my opinion, one of the most interesting spiritual concepts in all Scripture, which is that God’s people literally become New Jerusalem, the eternal dwelling place of God and the Lamb of God.

13 For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his dwelling place:
14 “This is my resting place forever;
here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly bless her provisions;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16 Her priests I will clothe with salvation,
and her saints will shout for joy.
17 There I will make a horn to sprout for David;
I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.

This passage also makes it clear that no one is fully “saved” until the time of their glorification, until the time when God has completed his work upon their souls and clothes them with righteousness and salvation. At this time his chiseling upon us, his affliction of us, ceases and takes us and places us into the eternal city, the city we have sojourned toward all our lives. Then we will shout for joy and then our horn, our strength will become evident to all. At that time these overcomers will begin to rule with a rod of iron and will begin to bring the entire earth into the subjection of their King. So, this song ends,

18 His enemies I will clothe with shame,
but on him his crown will shine.

The prophecies given to Anna show that this event is about to take place. Months ago God was showing Anna that she was going to go through tribulation in her flesh. As she began to obey what he showed her that revelation changed from that given to carnal Christians to that given to overcoming spiritual Christians. God took her a long way in a short time. I believe that her words affected other sleeping Christians and that they too have now awakened. The time is upon us. If you do not understand these words, then it is probably too late to avoid tribulation. Nevertheless, the LORD will provide you protection through the overcomers who will soon be glorified. If you just woke up, then pray that God will hide you in the shadow of his wing.

Click here to watch a video of this teaching.

The third song of ascent begins,

I rejoiced in those who said to me,
“Let us go to the house[b] of Yahweh.”

Now we have reached the third step of ascent. Now we begin to gain a glimpse of what God calls us to. All of us rejoice when we first repent of our sins and believe in Jesus as our Savior. Most of us believe at that time that heaven is surely ours because most of the Church erroneously believes that once a person believes he immediately becomes the “Bride of Christ” and will automatically be raptured into the presence of God at some point in the future.  The question presented here, though, is will we take the step toward the “House of God” or not? Will we continue to ascend into the actual presence of God, or will we return like a dog to our vomit (to the ways of the world)?

I have a sense that I may not be able to finish writing about these songs of ascent before something occurs which prevents me. I want to encourage all you readers to purchase the English Standard Version “Classic Reference Bible” this week so that you can continue studying and taking these steps of ascent in faith. This particular Bible has the best references I have ever seen. They do not always take me to the place I think I should go, but often they take me to verses which add light to the one at hand. Such is the case with the references given to Psalm 122:1. First it takes us to Isaiah 2:3. This passage reads,

It shall come to pass in the latter days
that the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be lifted up above the hills;
and all the nations shall flow to it,
3 and many peoples shall come, and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go the law,[a]
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He shall judge between the nations,
and shall decide disputes for many peoples;
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore.
5 O house of Jacob,
come, let us walk
in the light of the Lord. (Isaiah 2:2-5, ESV)

Isaiah’s prophesy deals with the “latter days,” these days. It concerns the “mountain of the house of the LORD,” the mountain you and I now climb as we ascend into God’s presence. The ESV’s second reference is to Micah 4:2 which is an exact quote of this passage from Isaiah. These passages tell us that the house of the LORD is a “mountain.” Yesterday I suggested that that mountain is Mount Zion which is also called Jerusalem. The Book of Revelation reveals that its name is actually “New Jerusalem” and is a spiritual city rather than a natural one.

The Book of Hebrews also sheds light on this “house” saying,

Therefore, holy brothers,[a] you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s[b] house. 3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6 but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.[c] (Hebrews 3:1-6 ESV)

To take this third step we must identify with Christ and his Father in that we ourselves belong to the same house, the same family. We must see ourselves as having been created in his image and as now being conformed to his perfect stature. To take this third step we must move beyond the elementary doctrines of Jesus Christ and embrace the teaching about righteousness. Remember the words of John,

28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

3 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears[f] we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. (1 John 2:28-3:3, ESV)

This third step is the critical step for this is the necessary step of moving on into the maturity of a son of God. Thirty five years of walking with God has taught me that most Christians never take this step. When you take this step you will begin to be called “legalistic” or “judgmental.” This step is the step of separation, the step out of Mystery Babylon and truly toward God’s House, New Jerusalem. Thus the Psalmist declares, ² Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem—

It is at this point that God begins to reveal Jerusalem (spiritual Jerusalem, New Jerusalem) to us, saying,

³ Jerusalem that is built
as a city that is joined together,
⁴ where the tribes go up,
the tribes of Yah^[c] as a testimony for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of Yahweh.
⁵ For there the thrones sit^[d] for judgment,
thrones of David’s house.
⁶ Pray^[e] for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May those who love you be at ease.
⁷ May peace be within your walls,
security within your palaces.”
⁸ For the sake of my brothers and my friends,
I will say, “Peace be within you.”
⁹ For the sake of the house^[f] of Yahweh our God,
I will seek your good. (Psalm 122, Lexham English Bible)

The first two steps in our ascent to finally behold our God demand that we revisit the very foundations of our Christianity. We must examine ourselves without guile and hypocrisy and repent of our sins. And we must continue walking by and in faith in God. The third step takes us beyond the elementary doctrines of Christ to consider the very goal of our salvation, the city we sojourn toward, New Jerusalem.

When most people consider this psalm they think of the old city of Jerusalem in the Middle East. When they read verse six they mechanically pray that God will bring perpetual peace to that besieged carnal city. There was a time, the time when God still dwelt in ancient Israel, when this prayer did apply to natural, old Jerusalem. That time is long past. Today this prayer, like the entire 122nd psalm, concerns New Jerusalem. Today we choose: do we remain in man’s city of Babylon or do we take the third step, separating ourselves from Babylon and climbing up toward our new house, our new city, New Jerusalem?

There are fifteen psalms of ascent in Scripture, Psalms 120 through 134. There are now fifteen days until the Feast of Trumpets, Rosh Hashanah. Many of us expect the LORD to do a mighty work on or about this date, September 16-17, 2012. I just happened to read a psalm today, Psalm 130, and suddenly got a feeling that these songs were important for us to read and assimilate in the coming days. It just seemed like a “now” word from God to me. Then I thought, “I wonder if this is one of the psalms of ascent?” I looked and it was.  Then I thought, “we who diligently wait for Him are waiting to ascend to him, to see his face, to be like him. I bet these psalms are important for us right now.”

I felt the importance for us as I read verses 3 and 4 from Psalm 130 today. They say,

Hebrews 12 makes it clear that God disciplines and afflicts all of his children. The comments people sent to my last post testify to this testing and affliction and it differs for each one. When I consider the testings given to Emily and Ken, for example, they seem to be more than I could bear, yet God used those afflictions to bless them abundantly. The next verse in Hebrews takes us a step further, the step of embracing and fearing not God’s dealings.

¹² Therefore ^(T)lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, ¹³ and ^(U)make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint ^(V)but rather be healed.   (Hebrews 12:12-13 ESV)

I usually read from the English Standard Version of the Bible. I find it to be an excellent translation in most cases with wonderful cross references. The references here absolutely astounded me because I did not remember that this passage actually quoted the prophet Isaiah. Nor did I remember the dialogue from Job it mentions. Let’s consider that first.

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

^4 (J)You have not yet resisted ^[d](K)to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; ⁵ and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,

   “^(L)MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, 
NOR ^(M)FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; 
^6 (N)FOR THOSE ^(O)WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, 
AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.”

 ⁷ It is for discipline that you endure; ^(P)God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸ But if you are without discipline, ^(Q)of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ⁹ Furthermore, we had ^[e]earthly fathers to discipline us, and we ^(R)respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to ^(S)the Father of ^[f]spirits, and ^(T)live? ¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines usfor our good, ^(U)so that we may share His holiness. ¹¹ All discipline ^(V)for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the ^(W)peaceful fruit of righteousness. (Hebrews 12:4-11 ASV)

This passage begins by quoting Proverbs 3:11-12. How often we despise and ignore the LORD’s discipline, often not even realizing that our set backs and infirmities come directly from him or by his permission. I will give you just a quick recent example from my own life.

I have known for fifteen years now that the LORD’s second coming is at hand. A month or two before the time of Passover in 1997 I began to hear that the nearing comet named Hale-Bopp was a harbinger of Christ’s coming.  I was not thinking too much about that in those days.  I had been a Christian for 20 years and pretty much fallen in the “post millennial” camp of Christendom.  I was a third term Missouri State Legislator and believed that Christians would ultimately turn the world upside down for Christ and usher in his kingdom.  So, I did not pay too much attention to these new “prophecies” I was hearing.  But, around April 16, 1997, just five days after what is said to be the closest approach of Hale-Bopp to earth, I decided to go out into the country to look at it. It was a clear night and I easily saw it with my naked eye. It was the most magnificent thing I ever remember seeing in the heavens, but as I looked at it I thought, “It seems to be leaving the earth, not coming toward it.” Just then the voice of the LORD spoke to me, “If that had been me, you would have missed my coming!” “Oh  no,” I thought, “I had better start watching!”

And I did start watching. A little over a year later I really, really believed I would see Jesus come at the Feast of Pentecost in 1998.  I waited up almost all night with my wife and five children by a camp fire waiting for the LORD. At that time my oldest child was only sixteen and my youngest four. We watched, and hoped, and watched some more, but nothing happened. But, since those early years of watching my wife and I have seen increasing signs of Christ’s second coming, and we believe this to be imminent.

Even so, how does one carry on life day to day just watching for Jesus’ return? We all have things we like to do and various interests we participate in. Well, two months ago I decided it was time to get into better physical shape and to also learn a new style of music that I could play with local musicians (bluegrass). So, I spent $2,000 on a new treadmill and weights and began to learn the new guitar style. Within a day of making the treadmill order I was hit with a bout of gout that has not left me since. It has now been seven weeks and I have not been able to use the new health devices and did not pursue the new guitar style at all. (I had been going to one or two acoustic jams a week for the few weeks before this hit me, and have only gone to one since then)

But, in the first two weeks of this gout attack the excruciating pain caused me to lie awake at night. So, I got up for several days and read commentaries by Leland Earls from 11:00 PM until 2:00 AM until I could finally fall asleep. The LORD revealed new truths to me concerning these extraordinary days in which we live. I expected the pain to leave at least by the end of two weeks, especially considering the medications and natural remedies I took, but my left foot is still not healed. I feel in a way as Jacob must have felt when God crippled his thigh during their wrestling match. The fight left Jacob crippled for life, but he was a better man for it.

And so do I count this present attack on my health. God could heal me in an instant, but he has chosen not to. Instead, he chose to discipline me in my flesh so that, I think, I might better hear him. We get so distracted by the things of this world, even as we see the end approach. We have not resisted to the point of shedding our blood in our strife against sin, and so God must continue to discipline and humble us before him so that we do not go astray. Therefore do not regard his discipline lightly. Know that he disciplines those that he loves as the mother and father discipline the child they love.

Yes, discipline remains hard for us to endure, but remember, the goal and end of our discipline is the peaceful fruit of righteousness. And do not forget, without holiness (righteousness) no one will see God!

After these many years as a Christian and actively following God, the one God of the Bible, I have come up with my own definition of faith. Faith is the confidence and trust that God will do what he says he will do. Hebrews 11  and the Book of James both make this definition clear, but first consider a concrete example. Suppose you are driving down the road. Suddenly you see a huge slab of stone or concrete blocking the road. What do you do? You stop before you hit it. Why? Because you had faith (trust and confidence) that the concrete slab did in fact block your way and that it would destroy both you and your vehicle if you kept going forward and slammed into it. Technically this example does not really involve faith; it simply assumes that one can discern reality and react accordingly. Faith, however, involves an unseen (as yet) reality.

Now notice how similar my definition is to that in Hebrews, “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 KJ2000) Then Hebrews proceeds to give us Old Testament examples of faith beginning with a faith that even today’s Christians must still hold, “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”(Hebrews 11:3) So, by faith we believe that God created the world by his word. Similarly, by faith atheists believe that the universe exists because of a “big bang,” time, chance, and evolution.

The writer of Hebrews, however, attempts to make us see one thing in particular and that one thing is that we Christians ought to have faith because we believe in God’s “word.” Thus he quickly says, “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved by fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” (Hebrews 11:7)

God warned Noah of a coming disaster, a disaster the likes of which Noah had never seen. How did God warn him? He spoke his word to him. Genesis says,

And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make you an ark of gopher wood; rooms shall you make in the ark, and shall pitch it inside and outside with pitch. And this is the fashion which you shall make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shall you make for the ark, and within a cubit shall you finish it above; and the door of the ark shall you set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shall you make it. And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; and everything that is in the earth shall die. But with you will I establish my covenant; and you shall come into the ark, you, and your sons, and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shall you bring into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every sort shall come unto you, to keep them alive. And take with you of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to you; and it shall be for food for you, and for them. Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. (Genesis 6:13-22)

God spoke his word to Noah giving him specific instructions and commands. Hebrews tells us that Noah built his ark “by faith.” God spoke to Noah. Noah believed God and acted upon that belief. Because he acted upon his belief, because he acted according to his faith, God commended him and Noah thus “became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”

Faith remains the same for us today. The question for us is, have we heard God’s word? Do we really know that Jesus is the Word of God who became flesh 2000 years ago, lived, and then died for our sins and resulting salvation? Do we really know that God through his Spirit inspired the holy men of old to faithfully write down his words and that those words are preserved in our Bibles today? If we do not know these things then we cannot have faith, for “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

I doubt that you would be reading these words if you did not possess the faith I mentioned in the above paragraph. But, if you do lack this basic faith, then all you need to do is this, pray to God and tell him that you desire to know the truth about his Word and about his Faith. Tell him you do not have the faith you need to believe the things he says in the Bible. Ask him to show you that the events written there are true and that the precepts are true. Once you believe this you will have faith, for faith comes by hearing the truth of the Word.

But, if you do already have faith that Jesus is the Christ and that he inspired holy men of old to write down his words in the Bible, then realize that you do in fact believe those words. Then realize that if you believe what the Bible says, then you had better do what it says. Understand that God means it when he says that he is coming for a pure and spotless Bride and for a holy people. Understand that you can never enter into New Jerusalem (heaven) until you shine like the purest of diamonds. And then, understanding these things, ask God what such a faith demands that you then begin doing and cease doing.

And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone that does righteousness is born of him. Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the children of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 2:28-3:3)

The point I want to make here is that God’s Word should be as real to us as seeing a concrete block in the road! If we see his word as reality, then we will act upon it. This is faith! It is the substance (the works, the acting out) of things unseen! If we will continue to walk by faith, then we will ultimately be conformed to the very image of God!

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

PREPARATION FOR THE LORD’S COMING

 by Leland Earls

                    Easier reading of this at: http://www.firstloveministry.com/Earls/articles/preparation.htm

“Prepare to meet your God, O Israel” (Amos 4:14). “And he (John the Baptist) shall go before him (the Lord) in the spirit and power of Elijah. . . to make ready a people preparedfor the Lord” (Lk. 1:17). “That servant which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes” (Lk. 12:47). These “stripes” are tribulation conditions on this earth. HOW should we prepare ourselves andothers? The following ways are suggested.

I. Prepare by lifting up the Trumpet (voice) of warning.

We need to warn concerning:

(1) The sins which are destroying our nation.

God’s word to Isaiah was, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Israel their sins” (Isa. 58:1). The Psalmist asks the question, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can (and should) the righteous do?” (Ps. 11:3). We are living in a day when the foundations of our society are being eroded away. When the foundations begin to crumble, then the walls (of God’s protection) also begin to fall, and people become “open game” to the hordes of marauding spirits unleashed in our day. In the days before the flood when similar conditions prevailed (Gen. 6:11-13), Noah was a “preacher of righteous­ness” (1 Pet 2:5); and this is what the righteous must do, preach and hold uncompromisingly to God’s Standards. Jesus warned that because unrighteousness and iniquity would abound, the love of many (Christians) would grow cold (Mt. 24:12). Also with major church groups deviating further from God’s standards, many Christians are going to have to hear God’s call as given in Rev. 18:4, “Come out of her, my people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues.” The clergy of modern-day “Babylonish” churchianity are much like the compromising prophets of ancient Israel, of whom God said, “You have not gone up into the gaps (breaches in the walls), neither made up the hedge (wall) for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord” (Ezek. 13:5). WHY? Because they were preaching-”smooth things” (Isa. 30:10), and holding out false hopes of peace (Ezek. 13:10), instead of warning, declaring God’s righteousness, and calling the people to repentance. We need men like John the Baptist who came on the scene proclaiming “Prepare [ ] the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” (Mt. 3:3). His “paths” are His ways of righteousness for His people. They had been made so “crooked” by an apostate priesthood that it took a preacher of righteousness to “straighten them up.” Jesus warned that only the house built on the sure foundation of His teachings (His right­eousness) will be able to stand in the coming “storm” of tribulation (Mt. 7:24-27).

(2) The sword which is coming on our land.

The “sword” speaks of God’s judgment coming through WAR. God tells Ezekiel in Ezek. 33:1-9 that he is a “watchman” to warn of the “sword” coming, and tells him the consequence of the failure to warn. In Rev. 6:4 John sees a RED horse and rider, “and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth. . . and there was given to him a great sword.” This red horse is RUSSIA, in World War II, after the successful defense of Leningrad, Great Britain decreed that a sword should be presented to Russia for her heroic stand. Thus “A GREAT SWORD” ranking among the costliest and most magnificent ever made, was furbished and ceremoniously presented to Stalin by Winston Churchill at the Teheran Conference in Nov. of 1943; all that we might KNOW positively who the red horse and rider is. Russia is becoming more truculent and bold in her subversion of nations, for she knows our society is termited with moral decay and lack of will, and that our peoples (especially the younger generation) have been by pro-leftist propaganda. She now believes she has the military power to enforce her will on the nations. This will be greatly enhanced when she has completed the space station now orbiting the earth. Read the following booklet which will help you understand: “Christ vs. Anti-christ” by Leland Earls. [Ed. note: not available through this ministry.]

(3) The economic crisis that is coming.

The scriptures are clear that our “Babylonish” financial system is going to fall (collapse). See. Rev. 14:8; 13:2,10,21. We cannot take the time and space here to ex­plain the “whys” that make this certain. The piling up of astronomical debt through our unscriptural debt and interest money system cannot continue indefinitely. Inflationary pressures and rising prices, plus other economic uncertainties, will create increased climate for unrest, strikes, business failures, uprisings, riots, etc. Anarchy on a limited scale is certain, but how bad it becomes will be determined by what the federal government does. Anarchy is merely the prelude to some kind of dictatorship. Sooner or later strong leadership will take over to put an end to the anarchy. No doubt the debt will be repudiated and new currency put into use; or the old redenominated. Remember that money is simply what the government says it is. Those in power will also likely use this time of calamity to try to im­pose an international money system on the so-called “free world” as a prelude to world government. Many economists, who are not on the government payroll, and are thus free to tell the truth, predict an economic crises in the not too distant future. One such writes:

 ”According to our calculations–the United States dollar is ready to collapse not with a whimper but with a bang, probably before the end of 1980, and that there is nothing that can be done about it because we are locked into fundamental pol­icies which will not be changed. Our society is analogous to a huge locomotive rushing downhill with the brakes gone and with a six-year old [  ] at the controls. The end is certain. Your bank deposits will be worthless so you should convert them into things of real value before then. The price of all commodities will be astronomical even though dollars will be scarce. Buy dehydrated survival food, not only to eat but for future barter material.”–E. L. Anderson, Ph.D.

I am quoting this only by way of illustration, and am NOT saying that his timing is right or that his advice should be followed exactly. However, buying some dehydrated foodstuff at today’s prices, which have a shelf life of several years, and having it available when food prices go sky-high, seems to make sense, and should result in great savings. Also, the Lord spoke prophetically to our assembly in 1974 to begin searching out ways to store up a certain amount of food for times of crises and famine that are coming.

(4) The “stripes” that are coming through tribulation conditions.

At the beginning of the article we quoted Lk. 12:27 where Jesus warns of stripes coming for those who know the Lord’s will yet fail to prepare. I am personally convinced that these “stripes” are the buffeting conditions of coming tribulation. The idea that all Christians are going to be taken out through rapture before any tribulation comes is pure myth. The truth is that multitudes of Christians throughout the world are already IN great tribula­tion. All we have to do is to go back to the great ante-type of the church, the nation of Israel, to see that God does not save His people from all tribulation. Israel suffered the first three plagues in Egypt before God protected them from the balance of the plagues. Again, in the wilderness, Israel suffered many plagues before entrance was effected into the Promised Land. Besides this, there is a purpose for His church on the earth during the coming tribulation: to raise up a witness to the truth in power of the Spirit such as the world has never seen, that multitudes worldwide might find their way into the king­dom in a final great harvest of this age. Yes, a firstfruits (Rev. 14:1-4) will be translated before the last three and one half years of great tribulation, but that is only a small portion of the whole church. We need to warn that there shall not only be “stripes” for unprepared Christians through tribulation buffetings, but also for some more careless and disobedient servants of the Lord there shall be conditions which will lead to “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mt. 24:51). However, we need to realize that these dealings of the Lord are redemptive in nature; designed to do a quick work of preparation, that those prepared might be ready to be presented to the Lord at His coming.

II. Prepare by giving ourselves to those spiritual revelations and disciplines necessary to get us personally ready to meet the Master. We need to:

1. Arise and respond to the light God is giving to the church in this day.

In Isa. 60:1-2 we read: “Arise, shine, for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen on you. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise on you, and his glory shall be seen on you.” “Arise” in this passage means to “stir up”, “rouse up”, as if one was asleep or indifferent, or in a measure of bondage. Read Isa. 52:1-2 where God’s people are told to “awake”, “put on strength”, and “shake themselves loose” from captivity.  Even so today. God’s people are captive to so many things, especially traditions, which stupefy and blind them to what God plans for His church in this end time. God has been pouring out of His Spirit, and will do so in even greater measure, not just that we might get a blessing, but that the church might be disciplined into truth, holiness, and victory; for the Lord is going to present to Himself “a glorious church (sanctified by the glory of His presence), not having spot (defilements of the world), or wrinkle (no signs of aging�youthfulness and spiritual vigor restored), or any such thing; but that it should be holy (totally separated and dedicated) and without blemish (defects which would hinder its effective functioning to the glory of the Lord).” (Ephes. 5:27). The scripture is clear that those who know their God “shall be strong, and do exploits” (Dan. 11:32), even greater works that Jesus did (John 14:12). A double portion and more will come on the church through the early and latter rain together (Joel 2:23, Hos. 6:3, James 5:7). The fulfillment of this vision will not be dependent on great numbers, but on a wholly dedicated group of Christians willing to “arise” and give themselves to the Lord in this time of preparation, letting the Lord “build” them together in unity and love. Read the article “The Three ‘I Wills’ of Jesus ” by Leland Earls. Let us take heed to Paul’s admonition in Ephes. 5:14, “Awake you that sleeps, and arise. . . and Christ shall give youlight.” “It is high time to awake out of sleep” (Rom. 13:11).

2. Get extra oil.

In Mt. 25:1-13 we read the story of the wise and foolish virgins. The wise were made ready through the extra oil they had in their vessels (25:4). Oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. The “oil” which we received when we were saved, symbolized by the oil sprinkled on ail the garments, etc. of the priests when they were consecrated (Lev. 8:30) is not sufficient. We also need the oil poured on the head, as in the case of the High priest (Lev. 8:12; see also Lev. 14:15-18 for the use of the oil in the cleansing of the leper). This is symbolic of the Baptism or outpouring of the Holy Spirit which is to come on us after we are saved to “anoint and sanctify” for the priestly service “beyond the veil” in the Holy of Holies of His Presence. We must not think of the extra oil as confined to one experience, however, for Paul admonishes us in Ephes. 5:18 to “keep on being filled with the Spirit.” That is, keep ourselves continually available for the Spirit’s continuing sanctifying work in us, as well as the Spirit’s enablement in us to meet every circumstance and need. God is “purifying to Himself a people for His own posses­sion, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14). In the O.T. pattern, God said “the tabernacle shall be sanc­tified by my glory” (Ex. 29:43). Likewise, our own individual tabernacle must be sanctified by the glory of His presence. That glory cloud, which filled the O.T. tabernacle, was actually a pillar of fire. So are we to be baptized with the Holy Spirit and FIRE (Mt. 3:11). We have been “called to His kingdom and GLORY” (I Thess. 2:12), but we must “give diligence to make our calling and election sure” (II Pet. 1:10), if we want to be associated with Christ in His GLORY and heavenly kingdom; otherwise our lot will be on this earth in deathless physical bodies, at least for the millennium.

3. Seek holiness.

This is a continuation of the preceding. The writer of the Hebrew letter admonished: “Follow peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” (Heb. 12:14). This scripture alone should make us realize that it takes more than just being saved to be made ready for the Lord’s immediate presence. Jesus said essentially the same in Mt. 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” John reminds us that the hope of being with the Lord is a purifying hope. “Every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as He is pure.” (I John 3:3). Paul prays in I Thess. 5:23, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray that your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Listen carefully to the words of Jesus given to the church of Sardis in Rev. 3:4: “You have a few names even in Sardis who have not de­filed their garments; and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy.” Notice, to be worthy of walking with Him in His glorified realm, we must keep our garments undefiled. These are the inner soul garments which have been “purified through obeying the truth in the power of the Spirit” (I Pet. 1:22). Such will walk with the Lord “in white” (inner purity). James reminds us that “pure religion and undefiled before God is to . . . keep oneself unspotted from the world.” Jesus admonishes in Rev. 16:15: “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” “Naked” would simply symbolize lack of preparation and readiness. Lord, help us to seek holiness and pursue it.

4. Put on righteousness.

Paul admonishes us in Eph. 4:23-24, “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and thatyou put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” No­tice that both righteousness and holiness are necessary for the “new creation” within us. As we have seen, holiness (or sanctification) is the negative (purging, purifying) work of God’s Spirit within us, whereas righteousness is the positive (imparting, vivifying, fruit-producing) work of God’s Spirit in us. But we must cooperate with the work of the Spirit by “putting off” (the old ways) and “putting on” (the new ways). Read Eph. 4:22-32, Col. 3:8-l7 & Rom. 13:12-14, for “putting off” and “putting on.” Righteousness is called a fruit of the Spirit in Eph. 5:9. It is likened to a robe of fine linen in Rev. 19:8. Linen is made from flax, and thus a “fruit” or product of the growth process of the earth. Even so, righteousness as a “fruit” must grow and develop within us, or like the strands of “fine linen” be “woven” gradually within the fabric of our soul until we become more Christ-like in nature, conformed to His image (Rom. 8:29). We begin our Christian life with a divine deposit of imputed righteousness; that is, Christ’s righteousness “put down to our account” so that we may be accepted (Eph. 1:6). This is a legal transaction, and is what might be termed “positional righteousness.” This takes place the moment we truly believe in Christ, and might be likened to the coats of skin with which Adam and Eve were clothed when God killed the sacrificial animals in the garden of Eden (Gen. 3:21), which typified the sacrifice Christ made for us that our nakedness might be clothed with His imputed righteousness. However, such “sheep-skins” of imputed and positional righteousness which make it possible for us to be accepted and saved, are not sufficient for us to be made ready to dwell in the immediate presence of Christ as part of His “ruling” Body. His righteousness must also become personal within us, imparted and woven within us as the garment of fine linen. For it is not just the “sheep-skin” which makes the Bride ready, but the fine linen of His rightousness WITHIN. [Ed. Note: Brother Earls clarifies in "The First and the Last " that the first stage salvation of imputed righteousness does not include actual new birth which belongs rather to the second stage of imparted righteousness.]

5. Follow the Lamb.

In Rev. 14:4 we read of those who “follow the Lamb wherever He goes.” In Mt. 16:24, Jesus said to His disciples, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Here the question is not salvation, which is a free gift (Rom. 6:23), but of the desire to follow Jesus into the heavenly kingdom, receiving a glorified body like to His (Phil. 3:21), whereby those who so rule with Him will be able to help subdue all things to Him in the ages to come. Those who inherit the heavenly kingdom, instead of the earthly, must be prepared through discipleship, and Jesus gave three requirements:

(1) self-denial (loving Him more than self and others),

(2) taking up our cross (willing submission to the path He has set before us), and

(3) following Him (in close fellowship and obedience).

Those who are not willing to do this, Jesus said, are NOT WORTHY of Him. He is not referring to salvation, for salvation is not a matter of worthiness; but rather of fitness to live in close proximity to Him in His glorious kingdom (see Mt. 10:34-38, Lk. 14:25-33). Discipleship (being taught and disciplined by Him) is necessary, and Jesus reminds us in Mt. 14:33 that “whosoever He be of you that forsakes not all that he has, he cannot be my disciple,” and again in John 8:31, “If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed.”

6. Put on the whole armor of God.

In Eph. 6:10-18, Paul gives instructions concerning the armor which God has made available to Christians for their battle against the forces of darkness and demonic hosts of Satan. We cannot take time here to discuss and evaluate this armor, but especially in these days, when the pit has been opened (Rev. 9:2), and demons in ever increasing numbers are being allowed to prey on human beings, it is extremely important for Christians to make sure they are heeding Paul’s admonition to “take to you (put on) the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil”, and “thatyou may be able to withstand in THE EVIL DAY, and having done all (the crisis de­mands) to stand (resist and stand your ground, firmly in your place).” (Eph. 6:11,13). I believe the time in which we live is especially “the evil day” of which Paul spoke. We don’t want to yield to the enemy in these critical days, but rather to vigorously seek to conquer and overcome the enemy in every area of our lives. Paul says in Rom. 8:37 that we are “more than conquerors through him that loved us.” The Greek word translated “conqueror” here is nikao. This word, in its verb or noun form, is used over 30 times in the New Testament, and means to gain the victory, conquer, prevail, or overcome. It is the word used repeatedly in Rev. chapters 2 & 3 where special promises are made to the “Overcomers.” The Word is clear that only the overcomers will rule and reign with Christ (Rev. 3:21). Therefore let us heed the admonition of the apostle Paul in Rom. 13:12: “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.”

7. Walk circumspectly.

“Walking” is symbolic of the way we live; our daily life and conduct in the sight of God and before the world. In Eph. 5:15-17, Paul admonishes his readers to “walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be [  ] not un­wise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” The Greek word translated “circumspectly” means accurately, precisely, exactly, and assiduously (diligently, with unremitting attention and de­votion). Paul further underscores this in 5:17 by indicating that this would be according to the “will of God.” He also points out that by this kind of careful and accurate and purposeful living, we can REDEEM the time; that is, buying up each opportunity and making the very most of the time we have in preparation for the momentous days ahead. For, says Paul, “the days are evil” (5:16). Evil has ever been in the world since the fall of man, but I believe Paul’s statement here is a prophetic implication of the last days when evil’s “cup of iniquity” is coming to the full. Read I Tim. 3:1-7 where Paul gives a graphic description of the conditions in the world in these last days. Therefore let us “watch our step” and “walk honestly” (Rom. 13:13), “walk worthy of our calling” (Eph. 4:1), “walk in love” (Eph. 5:2), “walk as children of the light” (Eph. 5:8), living purposely and carefully in this evil world.

8. Rejoice in the tests and provings of life.

A prepared people must be a tested and proven people. James tells us to “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect (mature) and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4). “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love Him” (1:12). There are numerous scriptures which declare that God tries, tests, and proves His people. Prov. 17:3 says, “The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but the Lord tries the hearts.” Psalms 66:10-l2 gives a graphic description of such provings of the Lord and their pur­pose: “For you, O God,have proved us; you have tried us, as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; you laidaffliction on our loins. You have caused men to ride over our heads; we went through the fire and through the water: but you brought us out into a wealthy place (place of free­dom).” Testing is necessary to prove the genuineness of anything, to reveal strengths and weaknesses, to show what needs to be corrected, and to “refine” or purge out impurities, that those proved might be prepared for something greater in inheritance and responsibility. Job said, “when he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold (23:10).” See also I Pet. 1:7. Deut. 8:1-3 gives a vivid account and enum­eration of the reasons why God tested Israel in the wilderness: “to humble you, and to prove you, to know what was in yourheart, whether you would obey his commandments or not. . . that he might make you know that man does not live by bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.” Israel had to go through the wilderness before they could possess the Promised Land. Even so are “wilderness” testings necessary for us to prepare us to possess the fulness of the inheritance that God has prepared for us. “For the righteous God tries the hearts and the reins (Ps. 7:9).”

9. Be faithful.

In Rev. 17:14 we read of certain ones who are “with the Lamb “–sharing His power and victory, and they are said to be “called, and chosen, and faithful.” In the parable of the talents (Mt. 25:14-30), those who are commended and invited to enter the greater inheritance are greeted with the words, “Well done, you good and faithful servant; youhave been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.” Notice the emphasis on faithfulness. God does not ask us to do great and mighty things for Him, but He does require that we be faithful in the small things committed to us, for “it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful (I Cor. 4:2).” Also, the Lord requires faithfulness in the sense of “fidelity” in our covenant-commitment and love relationship to Him. James tells us that the “friendship (intimacy) of the world is enmity with God (4:4).” In II Cor. 11:1-3, Paul says to the Corinthian Christians, “I have engaged you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (11:2). But then he expresses concern lest the serpent (Satan) who beguiled Eve would succeed in corrupting them from the “simplicity” (single-hearted and pure devotion) toward the Christ (11:3). In other words, concern lest they be unfaithful, and not totally committed to their “first love” (see Rev. 2:4). Lord, help us to be among the called, chosen and faithful .

10. Watch and pray.

Jesus connected the words “watch” and “pray” on more than one occasion. To “watch” means to be awake and alert, and “on guard” against the tactics and encroachments of the ene­my. Jesus said, “Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak” (Mt. 26:41). Thus prayer is coupled with “watching” for we need to “reach out” for the Lord’s strength and enablement. Prayer is the soul’s awareness of its complete dependence on God. We dare not trust the “arm of flesh” (see Jer. 17:5-8). Prayer is a part of our weaponry against the “wiles” of the devil (Eph. 6:18). Jesus also admonished to “watch and pray” with reference to the approaching end of the age and His coming again. “Take [ ] heed, watch and pray; for you know not when the time is. . . Watch [ ] therefore: for you know not when the master of the house comes. . . lest he comessuddenly and find you sleeping. And what I say to you I say to all, Watch” (Mk. 13:33, 35-37). See Lk.17:36.

11. Love His appearing.

Paul speaks of the “crown” laid up for him, which he will receive at the day of the Lord’s coming, and also for all who “love His appearing” (II Tim. 4:8). This “crown” is NOT salva­tion, but rather the privilege of “ruling” with Christ in His own glorious realm. Are you ready for the “crown”? Then ask yourself this question: “Am I longing for His return?” “Does it thrill my soul to think of the lover of my soul coming soon?” “Do I love His appearing?” The Hebrew writer reminds us that “to them that LOOK FOR HIM shall he appear the second time without sin to salvation” (Heb. 9-28). Jesus, referring to the worldwide distress of nations and other signs, said, “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up (expectantly), and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws near” (Lk. 21:28). What a glorious thought: He is coming soon!

12. Press on towards the goal.

In Phil. 3:13, Paul says of himself: “forgetting those things which are be­hind, and reaching forth to those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” First, Paul admonishes, forget the past! We can get so hung up on past failures, disappointments, sins, etc. that it hinders our “going on” with the Lord. We need to put the past in the same place God has: in the “sea” of His forgetfulness. Benefiting from past experiences in terms of learning important lessons is good; but other than that, all time and attention given to “brood­ing” over the past is folly. Forget it! Then Paul says, “press on toward the prize of the high calling.” Notice, he uses the word “calling”. Salvation is a gift; not a calling (Rom.6:23). The “calling” is to win the PRIZE, for which one is crowned (I Cor. 9:24-27). Salvation is not a prize. Without taking time here to go into detail, let me say that the “prize” which Paul wanted to win, and which he knew the possibility of falling short of (I Cor. 9-27), was that of being in the “out-resurrection”, “out from” the earth (Phil. 3:11) into the glorified estate to be a co-ruler and co-heir with Christ in His heavenly kingdom realm. This can be ours only if we “press on” and not give up. One of the most important prin­ciples the Lord wants to teach us is that of persistence or steadfastness. Heb. 6:12,15; 10:32, 35-36. [Ed. Note: Brother Earls deals extensively with the gift vs. prize distinction in "The Gift and the Prize."]

13. Cultivate a growing, personal relationship with the Lord.

Paul wanted so much to be related to the Lord in an intimate way that he declared, “I count all things but loss for the excellency of the know­ledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. . . that I may KNOW Him. . . and be found (in experience) IN HIM” (read Phil. 3:7-10). To the foolish virgins Jesus said, “I know you not” (Mt. 25:12). “Knowing” in this sense means a personal intimate relationship with the Lord. The foolish virgins were saved people who were not walking close to the Lord. Enoch is a type of those to be translated, and “Enoch walked WITH God” (Gen. 5:22), and God translated Him without the experience of death (Heb. 11:5). Jesus said to Philip, “Have I been so long time with you, and yet have you not known me, Philip?” (John 14:9). What pathos! How the Lord must feel grieved when He has been with most Christians so long, and yet they do not know Him in a living, personal, intimate way. Peter admonishes us to “grow in grace (favor), and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (II Pet. 3:18). Not just a head knowledge, but a growing inner experience of “knowing” Him through His grace working in our lives by the Holy Spirit.

14. Build on the Rock.

Read Mt. 7:24-27. These words (and parable) conclude Jesus’ teaching in what we call the Sermon on the Mount. If we hear His sayings and DO them, we are like the wise man who built his house (life) on THE rock. The King James version says “a rock,” but the original Greek text has THE rock, for Jesus Christ Himself (and all He taught) is that specific ROCK on which we must build (see I Cor. 3:11). Such a “house,” Jesus said, would STAND in the storms, whereas the house built on sand would FALL in the time of testing. There are many “storms” of life that TEST how well we are building, but there is also one great worldwide storm that is coming which is to be a time of test­ing such as the world has never seen (see Lk. 21:25-26, Rev. 3:10). And we need to BUILD well now, that when the “floods” of Satanic oppression and persecution come in fulness, we will be able to with­stand all that shall come on us and to remain unshakable on that solid rock.

15. Abide in His presence.

Psalm 91 has ever been a source of great comfort to Christians, but the Di­vine protection and provision promised there is conditioned; it is for those who “dwell” or “abide” in a certain “place.” “He that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my REFUGE, and my fortress; my God; in him will I trust” (Ps. 91:1-2). I believe vs. 11 is particularly significant, for the ministry of ANGELS is going to increase dramatically in the closing years of this dispensation. “For he shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.” Help us, Lord, to abide in You; finding that perfect “resting” place of se­curity, for “I will trust in the covert of your wings” (Ps. 61:4, see also Isa. 32:2), Amen!

&&&&&&&&&&

Dear Friends in Christ;

This article is sent with the hope that it will “stir you up” to the realization that NOW is our time of preparation for the momentous days ahead, and for the personal return of Jesus Christ to this earth. I hope that it will make you realize that just “run-of-the-mill,” lukewarm Christianity will not meet the test of what is coming. Neither will you be prepared for the Lord’s coming by just resting in your “salva­tion,” even though that is an important first step.

I also hope that you will find in this article a “tool ” you can use to help alert others; to help fulfill your responsibility of warning, as well as to help prepare others for tribulation and persecution coming on the church. Did you know that over half of the world’s Christians are already in great tribulation? Others need to know what the Lord requires to be ready to enter by translation the Lord’s glorious king­dom; and this article will give them information not preached in many churches.

 by

Leland Earls