God gives wisdom, revelation and dreams to accomplish His will on the earth. He will also dispatch angels to a task as well.
We all must be tried and tested to get to where God is taking us to. According to the standards of the Bible there are enemies to overcome, battles to be fought, sacrifices to be made, a wilderness to pass through, a race to be run and a cross to be carried. We all have those days when the struggle, the trials and the pain is real, yet in that moment of darkness we also have a promise of hope. “Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto Thee for ever.” (Psalm 30: 11-12) We have a Savior who understands the pain, the grief and the rejection at its deepest level and we must remember that every trial is being used to train us to be a warrior; battle-tested and fit for the Kingdom. Sooner or later you will realize that you are not just a survivor but the soldier that God has taught you to be and you can overcome any and everything that comes your way.
Sometimes God speaks in such a small voice that you are not aware of what is being said but somehow He will bring things back to you.
I was talking to a Pastor and he happened to mention Sodom and Gomorrah and how God incinerated the city because of the wickedness and the sin being committed there. It hit my spirit hard and little did I know that God would bring it back to me days later. He showed me that we are living in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah and that He is going to incinerate not only the cities but the whole earth as well. There is going to be a fire like no other. Everybody not found in the Lamb’s Book of Life will have a date with destiny. “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.” (Jude 4-8) This is a warning of an example not to follow. The Bible is full of people who were bad examples and how God wiped out, killed or inflicted hardship on those who went against Him, His laws and His leaders.
I recently had to undergo a battery of trials that I didn’t like going through. Yet again it was for my good and His glory. It was very encouraging as well. Being down in the dumps, with a heavy heart, my mind running wild, spirit grieved, with no joy, it was not a place for a saint of God to be. But the One who created the heart knows the heart. He sent my encouragement quickly. Hours later He revealed to me that I was living in perilous times that the Bible speaks of. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.” (2 Timothy 3: 1-7 & 12-14) God showed me the truth, the reality of this cold, calculating world. It was scary seeing how things will happen and with whom it shall come from. “And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.” (Luke 21: 16) “For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.” (Matthew 10: 21-22) God is still in the business of supporting and backing up His Word. Revelations are for the appointed time. Wait for it.
God has set up watchmen in His church according to His will. The warnings of the watchmen are to save a soul from his or her wicked ways. “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at My mouth, and give them warning from Me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.” (Ezekiel 3: 17-19)
Pastors and Elders hold a position of authority and responsibility. They are designated leaders who God entrusts to lead, feed and care for the flock. “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.” (1 Timothy 5: 17) They watch out for the spiritual part of a person’s life and their main concern is the soul. They lead by godly example, are teachers of good things and they are peacemakers. “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.” (Hebrews 13: 7 & 17-18)
The task of the eldership also encompasses teaching, guiding, protecting and governing the Church. They are able to give instruction according to the Word of God and can rebuke those who contradict it. And though from time to time they are exposed to opposition and criticism, we should always be respectful when addressing them. “And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.” (1 Thessalonians 5: 12-14) The Church family has the obligation to respond joyfully and willingly to the leaders that God has placed in His Church. Being shepherds of God’s little flock the elders are held to a high standard of accountability meaning they must answer to God. So we have a charge to warn those who have been overtaken in a fault. It is very grievous when the warnings are not heeded. What people fail to see is that they don’t reject the messenger but they do reject God. “…for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me…” (1 Samuel 8: 7) King Saul had to learn the hard way. “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, He hath also rejected thee from being king. And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and Thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.” (1 Samuel 15: 23-24)
One thing I’ve learned early in my Christian walk is that God is not to be played with at any time. I was determined to obey Him so that my children would not have to suffer for my sin. “The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.” (Numbers 14: 18) “Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:7)
Read the story in 1 Kings 21 of Naboth, Jezebel and her husband Ahab and you will see another example not to follow. Jezebel had Naboth stoned to death and her husband took possession of his land. God sent His prophet Elijah to warn Ahab of his impending death but Ahab humbled himself. “And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before Me? because he humbleth himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.” (1 Kings 21: 27-29) God forgave him, but as with all consequences of sin, someone will pay. In this case God handed down the penalty to Ahab’s sons and Jezebel received her punishment as promised.
Corruption, evil and wicked behaviors are at an all-time high and getting worse from month to month. Not too much is considered sacred anymore. The new normal is always in conflict with the Word of God. Everyone wants to do what is right in their own eyes with no regard for what God says.
Men have totally forgotten God. They are more engrossed with their own affairs, being puffed up with pride. Unbelief is rampant, compromise is rising, division is evident, evil is celebrated, the doctrine is rejected, the truth forsaken while our civilization is rushing rapidly to its fall. Terminating a child in the womb is the talk of the town. Poor little innocent children are being forced with having to figure out what gender they are, even though it is evident, and then put in the position to decide what gender they want to be. All of this and every other way of the world is corrupt and morally degenerate. Abomination is rampant and we will all have to answer to God one day. “…for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” (Romans 14: 10-11) “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2: 9-11)
Take heed and get ready to be targeted and persecuted for your faith. Take heed as sin does not want to be told that it is sin. Take heed that sin will always be sin to God and we must never condone it. Take heed because spiritual decay is on the rise which is a perfect recipe for being misled. Take heed, “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” (Ephesians 4: 14)
Heed the warnings of God. He will do the saving, healing, delivering, protecting, restoring, providing and the encouraging. And though we live in perilous times, God still requires us to rejoice and maintain sweet communion and fellowship with Him. His power handles the rest. God’s direction for our lives is always for a great purpose: the saving of the soul.
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