God Always Hears

My God will hear me. (Micah 7:7)

Friends may be unfaithful, but the Lord will not turn away from the gracious soul; on the contrary, He will hear all its desires. The prophet says, "Keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. A man's enemies are the men of his own house." This is a wretched state of affairs; but even in such a case the Best Friend remains true, and we may tell Him all our grief.

Our wisdom is to look unto the Lord and not to quarrel with men or women. If our loving appeals are disregarded by our relatives, let us wait upon the God of our salvation, for He will hear us. He will hear us all the more because of the unkindness and oppression of others, and we shall soon have reason to cry, "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy!"

Because God is the living God, He can hear; because He is a loving God, He will hear; because He is our covenant God, He has bound Himself to hear us. If we can each one speak of Him as "My God," we may with absolute certainty say, "My God will hear me." Come, then, O bleeding heart, and let thy sorrows tell themselves out to the Lord thy God! I will bow the knee in secret and inwardly whisper, "My God will hear me."

Scripture References Bible Study Jan. 30

Lumster: Welcome to www.apostasywatch.com Friday night live Bible study and fellowship.

Patience_Sue: Psalms 64:1 Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

Patience_Sue: Psalms 64:2 Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:

Patience_Sue: Psalms 64:3 Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:

Patience_Sue: Psalms 64:4 That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.

Patience_Sue: Psalms 64:5 They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?

Patience_Sue: Psalms 64:6 They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.

Patience_Sue: Psalms 64:7 But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.

Patience_Sue: Psalms 64:8 So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.

Patience_Sue: Psalms 64:9 And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.

Patience_Sue: Psalms 64:10 The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

Patience_Sue: 2 Thessalonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

Patience_Sue: 2 Thessalonians 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

Patience_Sue: 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Patience_Sue: 2 Thessalonians 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Patience_Sue: 1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

Patience_Sue: 2 Thessalonians 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

Patience_Sue: 2 Thessalonians 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

Patience_Sue: 2 Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

Patience_Sue: 2 Thessalonians 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Lumster: to hold back, detain, retain, to hinder

Lumster: The mystery of iniquity (hidden or secret working of lawlessness) is already at work but at this point in time the open appearance of lawlessness is restrained until the condition of the great falling away (apostasy) has been met. Once the apostasy makes its appearance then the wicked one (son of perdition) will be seen for who he is.

Patience_Sue: 2 Thessalonians 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

Patience_Sue: 2 Thessalonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

SeattlePaulK777: amen

Patience_Sue: John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Patience_Sue: 2 Thessalonians 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

Patience_Sue: 2 Thessalonians 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

SeattlePaulK777: Isa 66:4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

SeattlePaulK777: Rom 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

Patience_Sue: 2 Thessalonians 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

Patience_Sue: 2 Thessalonians 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Patience_Sue: 2 Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

Danny-n-Lisa: good stuff

Lumster: www.apostasywatch.com

A Heavenly Escort

And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest. (Genesis 28:15)

Do we need journeying mercies? Here are choice ones--God's presence and preservation. In all places we need both of these, and in all places we shall have them if we go at the call of duty, and not merely according to our own fancy. Why should we look upon removal to another country as a sorrowful necessity when it is laid upon us by the divine will? In all lands the believer is equally a pilgrim and a stranger; and yet in every region the Lord is His dwelling place, even as He has been to His saints in all generations. We may miss the protection of an earthly monarch, but when God says, "I will keep thee," we are in no real danger. This is a blessed passport for a traveler and a heavenly escort for an emigrant.

Obedience Brings Blessings

Observe and hear all these words, which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God. (Deuteronomy 12:28)

Though salvation is not by the works of the law, yet the blessings which are promised to obedience are not denied to the faithful servants of God. The curses our Lord took away when He was made a curse for us, but no clause of blessing has been abrogated.

We are to note and listen to the revealed will of the Lord, giving our attention not to portions of it but to "all these words." There must be no picking and choosing but an impartial respect to all that God has commanded. This is the road of blessedness for the Father and for His children. The Lord's blessing is upon His chosen to the third and fourth generation. If they walk uprightly before Him, He will make all men know that they are a seed which the Lord has blessed. No blessing can come to us or ours through dishonesty or double dealing. The ways of worldly conformity and unholiness cannot bring good to us or ours. It will go well with us when we go well before God. If integrity does not make us prosper, knavery will not. That which gives pleasure to God will bring pleasure to us.

Tears Shall Cease

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. (Revelation 21:4)

Yes, we shall come to this if we are believers. Sorrow shalt cease, and tears shall be wiped away. This is the world of weeping, but it passes away. There shall be a new heaven and a new earth, so says the first verse of this chapter; and therefore there will be nothing to weep over concerning the fall and its consequent miseries. Read the second verse and note how it speaks of the bride and her marriage. The Lamb's wedding is a time for boundless pleasure, and tears would be out of place. The third verse says that God Himself will dwell among men; and surely at His right hand there are pleasures forevermore, and tears can no longer flow.

What will our state be when there will be no more sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain? This will be more glorious than we can as yet imagine. O eyes that are red with weeping, cease your scalding flow, for in a little while ye shall know no more tears! None can wipe tears away like the God of love, but He is coming to do it. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." Come, Lord, and tarry not; for now both men and women must weep!

Prescious Repentance

And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed. (Ezekiel 20:43)

When we are accepted of the Lord and are standing in the place of favor, and peace, and safety, then we are led to repent of all our failures and miscarriages toward our gracious God. So precious is repentance that we may call it a diamond of the first water, and this is sweetly promised to the people of God as one most sanctifying result of salvation. He who accepts repentance also gives repentance; and He gives it not out of "the bitter box" but from among those "wafers made with honey" on which He feeds His people. A sense of blood-bought pardon and of undeserved mercy is the best means of dissolving a heart of stone. Are we feeling hard? Let us think of covenant love, and then we shall leave sin, lament sin, and loathe sin; yea, we shall loathe ourselves for sinning against such infinite love. Let us come to God with this promise of penitence and ask Him to help us to remember, and repent, and regret, and return. Oh, that we could enjoy the meltings of holy sorrow!

What a relief would a flood of tears be! Lord, smite the rock, or speak to the rock, and cause the waters to flow!

God Routs Fear

Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel. (Numbers 23:23)

How this should cut up root and branch all silly, superstitious fears! Even if there were any truth in witchcraft and omens, they could not affect the people of the Lord. Those whom God blessed, devils cannot curse.

Ungodly men, like Balaam, may cunningly plot the overthrow of the Lord's Israel; but with all their secrecy and policy they are doomed to fail. Their powder is damp; the edge of their sword is blunted. They gather together; but as the Lord is not with them, they gather together in vain. We may sit still and let them weave their nets, for we shall not be taken in them. Though they call in the aid of Beelzebub and employ all his serpentine craft, it will avail them nothing: the spells will not work, the divination will deceive them. What a blessing this is! How it quiets the heart! God's Jacobs wrestle with God, but none shall wrestle with them and prevail. God's Israels have to prevail against them. We need not fear the fiend himself, nor any of those secret enemies whose words are full of deceit and whose plans are deep and unfathomable. They cannot hurt those who trust in the living God. We defy the devil and all his legions.

Care of Our Feet

He will keep the feet of his saints. (1 Samuel 2:9)

The way is slippery and our feet are feeble, but the Lord will keep our feet. If we give ourselves up by obedient faith to be His holy ones, He will Himself be our guardian. Not only will He charge His angels to keep us, but He Himself will preserve our goings.

He will keep our feet from falling so that we do not defile our garments, wound our souls, and cause the enemy to blaspheme.

He will keep our feet from wandering so that we do not go into paths of error, or ways of folly, or courses of the world's custom.

He will keep our feet from swelling through weariness, or blistering because of the roughness and length of the way.

He will keep our feet from wounding: our shoes shall be iron and brass so that even though we tread on the edge of the sword, or on deadly serpents, we shall not bleed or be poisoned.

He will also pluck our feet out of the net. We shall not be entangled by the deceit of our malicious and crafty foes.

With such a promise as this, let us run without weariness and walk without fear. He who keeps our feet will do it effectually.

A Completed Sacrifice

And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering: and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. (Leviticus 1:4)

If by that laying on of his hand the bullock became the offerer's sacrifice, how much more shall Jesus become ours by the laying on of the hand of faith?

My faith doth lay her hand on that dear head of Thine, while like a penitent I stand, and there confess my sin.

If a bullock could be accepted for him to make atonement for him, how much more shall the Lord Jesus be our full and all-sufficient propitiation? Some quarrel with the great truth of substitution; but as for us, it is our hope, our joy, our boast, our all. Jesus is accepted for us to make atonement for us, and we are "accepted in the beloved." Let the reader take care at once to lay his hand on the Lord's completed sacrifice, that by accepting it he may obtain the benefit of it. If he has done so once, let him do it again. If he has never done so, let him put out his hand without a moment's delay. Jesus is yours now if you will have Him. Lean on Him--lean hard on Him--and He is yours beyond all question; you are reconciled to God, your sins are blotted out, and you are the Lord's

God's Enemies Shall Bow

(In light of the idolatrous events that took place in Washington, D.C. all day yesterday, today's devotional is relevant.)

The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord. (Exodus 7:5)

The ungodly world is hard to teach. Egypt does not know Jehovah and therefore dares to set up its idols and even ventures to ask, "Who is the Lord?" Yet the Lord means to break proud hearts, whether they will or not. When His judgments thunder over their heads, darken their skies, destroy their harvests, and slay their sons, they begin to discern somewhat of Jehovah's power. There will yet be such things done in the earth as shall bring skeptics to their knees. Let us not be dismayed because of their blasphemies, for the Lord can take care of His own name, and He will do so in a very effectual manner.

The salvation of His own people was another potent means of making Egypt know that the God of Israel was Jehovah, the living and true God. No Israelite died by any one of the ten plagues. None of the chosen seed were drowned in the Red Sea. Even so, the salvation of the elect and the sure glorification of all true believers will make the most obstinate of God's enemies acknowledge that Jehovah, He is the God.

Oh, that His convincing power would go forth by His Holy Spirit in the preaching of the gospel, till all nations shall bow at the name of Jesus and call Him Lord!

The Overcomer

To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (Revelation 2:7)

No man may turn his back in the day of battle or refuse to go to the holy war. We must fight if we would reign, and we must carry on the warfare till we overcome every enemy, or else this promise is not for us, since it is only for "him that overcometh." We are to overcome the false prophets who have come into the world and all the evils which accompany their teaching. We are to overcome our own faintness of heart and tendency to decline from our first love. Read the whole of the Spirit's word to the church at Ephesus.

If by grace we win the day, as we shall if we truly follow our conquering Leader, then we shall be admitted to the very center of the paradise of God and shall be permitted to pass by the cherub and his flaming sword and come to that guarded tree, whereof if a man eat, he shall live forever. We shall thus escape that endless death which is the doom of sin and gain that everlasting life which is the seal of innocence, the outgrowth of immortal principles of Godlike holiness. Come, my heart, pluck up courage! To flee the conflict will be to lose the joys of the new and better Eden; to fight unto victory is to walk with God in paradise.

Mouth Confession; Heart Belief

If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9)

There must be confession with the mouth. Have I made it? Have I openly avowed my faith in Jesus as the Savior whom God has raised from the dead, and have I done it in God's way! Let me honestly answer this question.

There must also be belief with the heart. Do I sincerely believe in the risen Lord Jesus? Do I trust in Him as my sole hope of salvation? Is this trust from my heart? Let me answer as before God.

If I can truly claim that I have both confessed Christ and believed in Him, then I am saved. The text does not say it may be so, but it is plain as a pikestaff (a spiked staff for use on slippery ground) and clear as the sun in the heavens: "Thou shalt be saved." As a believer and a confessor, I may lay my hand on this promise and plead it before the Lord God at this moment, and throughout life, and in the hour of death, and at the Day of Judgment.

I must be saved from the guilt of sin, the power of sin, the punishment of sin, and ultimately from the very being of sin. God hath said it--"Thou shalt be saved." I believe it. I shall be saved. I am saved. Glory be to God forever and ever!

Christ and His Children

When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed. (Isaiah 53:10)

Our Lord Jesus has not died in vain. His death was sacrificial: He died as our substitute, because death was the penalty of our sins. Because His substitution was accepted of God, He has saved those for whom He made His soul a sacrifice. By death He became like the corn of wheat which bringeth forth much fruit. There must be a succession of children unto Jesus; He is "the Father of the everlasting age." He shall say, "Behold, I and the children whom Thou hast given me."

A man is honored in his sons, and Jesus hath His quiver full of these arrows of the mighty. A man is represented in his children, and so is the Christ in Christians. In his seed a man's life seems to be prolonged and extended; and so is the life of Jesus continued in believers.

Jesus lives, for He sees His seed. He fixes His eye on us, He delights in us, He recognizes us as the fruit of His soul travail. Let us be glad that our Lord does not fail to enjoy the result of His dread sacrifice, and that He will never cease to feast His eyes upon the harvest of His death. Those eyes which once wept for us are now viewing us with pleasure. Yes, He looks upon those who are looking unto Him. Our eyes meet! What a joy is this!

A Man Without Fear

And he said, Certainly I will be with thee. (Exodus 3:12)
Of course, if the Lord sent Moses on an errand, He would not let him go alone. The tremendous risk which it would involve and the great power it would require would render it ridiculous for God to send a poor lone Hebrew to confront the mightiest king in all the world and then leave him to himself. It could not be imagined that a wise God would match poor Moses with Pharaoh and the enormous forces of Egypt. Hence He says, "Certainly I will be with thee," as if it were out of the question that He would send him alone.

In my case, also, the same rule will hold good. If I go upon the Lord's errand with a simple reliance upon His power and a single eye to His glory, it is certain that He will be with me. His sending me binds Him to back me up. Is not this enough? What more can I want? If all the angels and arch-angels were with me. I might fail; but if He is with me, I must succeed. Only let me take care that I act worthily toward this promise. Let me not go timidly, halfheartedly, carelessly, presumptuously. What manner of person ought he to be who has God with him! In such company it behoveth me to play the man and, like Moses, go in unto Pharaoh without fear.

Indian Cricket Player Worshiped!

Fans of Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni are building a temple to worship him. The temple in Ranchi, in eastern India, will feature a white marble statue of the sports star and relief carvings of the player in action looking down on his disciples (“Temple Built to Cricketer,” Anaanovacom, Jan. 1, 2009).

Jitendra Singh, president of Dhoni’s fan club, says, “Dhoni is God to cricket and we have decided to construct a temple; he will be worshipped like other gods are worshipped.” Indian cricket historian and Oxford scholar Boria Mazumdar said, “I think the act exemplifies what cricket means to India.” It is not only Indians who worship sports stars.
This idolatry is committed by Americans and Canadians and British and Germans and French and South Africans, you name it. Professional sports is one of the gods of modern times. Can a born-again child of God commit idolatry?

Indeed, otherwise why did John write, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21)? And why did James write, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4)?

Even the Faintest Call

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shalt be delivered. (Joel 12:32)

Why do I not call on His name? Why do I run to this neighbor and that when God is so near and will hear my faintest call? Why do I sit down and devise schemes and invent plans! Why not at once roll my self and my burden upon the Lord? Straightforward is the best runner--why do I not run at once to the living God? In vain shall I look for deliverance anywhere else; but with God I shall find it; for here I have His royal "shall" to make it sure.

I need not ask whether I may call on Him or not, for that word whosoever is a very wide and comprehensive one. Whosoever means me, for it means anybody and everybody who calls upon God. I will therefore follow the leading of the text and at once call upon the glorious Lord who had made so large a promise.

My case is urgent, and I do not see how I am to be delivered; but this is no business of mine. He who makes the promise will find out ways and means of keeping it. It is mine to obey His commands; it is not mine to direct His counsels. I am His servant, not His solicitor. I call upon Him, and He will deliver me.

Charles Surgeon

Made Rich by Faith

For the needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever. (Psalm 9:18)

Poverty is a hard heritage; but those who trust in the Lord are made rich by faith. They know that they are not forgotten of God, and though it may seem that they are overlooked in His providential distribution of good things, they look for a time when all this shall be righted. Lazarus will not always lie among the dogs at the rich man's gate, but he will have his recompense in Abraham's bosom. Even now the Lord remembers His poor but precious sons, "I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me," said one of old, and it is even so.

The godly poor have great expectations. They expect the Lord to provide them all things necessary for this life and godliness; they expect to see things working for their good; they expect to have all the closer fellowship with their Lord, who had not where to lay His head; they expect His second advent and to share its glory. This expectation cannot perish, for it is laid up in Christ Jesus, who liveth forever, and because He lives, it shall live also. The poor saint singeth many a song which the rich sinner cannot understand. Wherefore, let us, when we have short commons below, think of the royal table above.

C. H. Spurgeon

Rest is a Gift

Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew I 1:28)

We who are saved find rest in Jesus. Those who are not saved will receive rest if they come to Him, for here He promises to "give" it. Nothing can be freer than a gift; let us gladly accept what He gladly gives. You are not to buy it, nor to borrow it, but to receive it as a gift. You labor under the lash of ambition, covetousness, lust, or anxiety: He will set you free from this iron bondage and give you rest. You are "laden," yes, "heavy laden" with sin, fear, care, remorse, fear of death; but if you come to Him He will unload you. He carried the crushing mass of our sin that we might no longer carry it. He made Himself the great Burden-bearer, that every laden one might cease from bowing down under the enormous pressure.

Jesus gives rest. It is so. Will you believe it? Will you put it to the test? Will you do so at once? Come to Jesus by quitting every other hope, by thinking of Him, believing God's testimony about Him, and trusting everything with Him. If you thus come to Him the rest which He wilt give you will be deep, safe, holy, and everlasting. He gives a rest which develops into heaven, and He gives it this day to all who come to Him.

C. H. Spurgeon

Campus Crusade Touts Gay-Straight Alliance

by Ingrid Schlueter

The tragi-comedy of American evangelicalism continues in the tradition of the French farce*. Christianity Today reports that Campus Crusade has now begun a gay-straight alliance to fight AIDS because they want to change the image of Christians from bigoted, narrow-minded and judgmental. Never mind that those accusations are coming from those at war with God and who don’t know Christ. We can’t have people calling us bigots now, right?

It’s the perceived job of today’s evangelical to find out what the unregenerate think of them. After learning the worst, they then go about attempting to change the perception by embracing the very things God condemns. In short, it is a never ending quest for credibility and kudos from the lost and the blind. Principled stands for the Gospel are viewed as bigotry and narrow-mindedness—not just by the homosexuals, but by the Campus Crusade crowd. They want to make sure that nobody in the gay community sees those principled stands for truth, i.e. the message that homosexuality destroys people in body and soul and that only Jesus Christ can forgive and transform them. Instead, the new evangelical strategy is to hand out condoms to keep homosexuals from collecting the wages for their sin. The new Campus Crusade-style evangelism involves forming task forces and yoking themselves with the unsaved to try to solve the social ills that are the direct result of rebellion against God.

Several years ago, the former Midwest head of Campus Crusade for Christ bailed out of evangelicalism altogether and joined the Eastern Orthodox church. Curious, I went to hear him, arrayed in his new black, Eastern clerical garb and watched him bow low before an icon of the Virgin Mary next to the podium.

He said he left evangelicalism because it didn’t stand for anything. He found the Orthodox more pro-life, more consistently pro-family, rich in doctrinal teaching, reverent worship and serious treatment of God. While ending up in the East is not the answer, I salute him for recognizing the great evangelical disaster and heading for the door. Campus Crusade is the archetypal example of all that was and is wrong with evangelicalism. Its absence of any solid biblical foundation set the organization and movement up for the present apostasy and the linking of arms with Sodom. Those who are wise will, like the former Campus Crusade leader, head for the door.

*”A farce is a comedy written for the stage or film which aims to entertain the audience by means of unlikely, extravagant, and improbable situations, disguise and mistaken identity, verbal humor of varying degrees of sophistication, which may include sexual innuendo and word play, and a fast-paced plot whose speed usually increases, culminating in an ending which often involves an elaborate chase scene. Farce is also characterized by physical humor, the use of deliberate absurdity or nonsense, and broadly stylized performances.”(Wiki)

My Note: Sounds like the average evangelical church on a Sunday morning.

Never Cast Out

Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)

Is there any instance of our Lord's casting out a coming one? If there be so, we would like to know of it; but there has been none, and there never will be. Among the lost souls in hell there is not one that can say, "I went to Jesus, and He refused me." It is not possible that you or I should be the first to whom Jesus shall break His word. Let us not entertain so dark a suspicion.

Suppose we go to Jesus now about the evils of today. Oh, this we may be sure--He will not refuse us audience or cast us out. Those of us who have often been and those who have never gone before--let us go together, and we shall see that He will not shut the door of His grace in the face of any one of us.

"This man receiveth sinners," but He repulses (rejects) none. We come to Him in weakness and sin, with trembling faith, and small knowledge, and slender hope; but He does not cast us out. We come by prayer, and that prayer broken; with confession, and that confession faulty; with praise, and that praise far short of His merits; but yet He receives us. We come diseased, polluted, worn out, and worthless; but He doth in no wise cast us out. Let us come again today to Him who never casts us out.

C. H. Spurgeon

Loved Unto the End

For the Lord will not cast off for ever. (Lamentations 3:31)

He may cast away for a season but not forever. A woman may leave off her ornaments for a few days, but she will not forget them or throw them upon the dunghill. It is not like the Lord to cast off those whom He loves, for "having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end." Some talk of our being in grace and out of it, as if we were like rabbits that run in and out of their burrows; but, indeed, it is not so. The Lord's love is a far more serious and abiding matter than this.

He chose us from eternity, and He will love us throughout eternity. He loved us so as to die for us, and we may therefore be sure that His love will never die. His honor is so wrapped up in the salvation of the believer that He can no more cast him off than He can cast off His own robes of office as King of glory. No, no! The Lord Jesus, as a Head, never casts off His members; as a Husband, He never casts off His bride. Did you think you were cast off? Why did you think so evil of the Lord who has betrothed you to Himself? Cast off such thoughts, and never let them lodge in your soul again. "The Lord hath not cast away his people which he foreknew" (Romans 11:2). "He hateth putting away" (Malachi 2:16).

C. H. Spurgeon

Looking For Fellowship? Be Careful!

Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Looking for fellowship and like-minded believers I found a bible study in the retirement community where I am living. In attendance there were about six elderly ladies, two gentlemen, another fellow about my age, and two who were in their fifties, the leader and his wife. Everybody was very cordial and they welcomed me to the group. They were studying the book of John and at the time I joined the group they were nearing the end of their study.

I attended about six sessions and things went well. I didn't hear anything that sent my Holy Ghost alarm off. They were very sweet and loving and showed a desire to learn God's word.

We didn't meet during the two weeks of Christmas and New Year's. When we started back up I noticed the group had almost tripled in size. The leader announced that the new people were "Snow Birds" who had come down for the winter.

We were reading Acts. In a nutshell, we were reading about how the Holy Spirit was falling on believers, the church was being persecuted and the believers were being scattered, and the Gospel was being spread throughout the land.

Our sessions usually ran about an hour. We were in the Word for about half an hour when one of the new people, a woman, started speaking about how things were changing in society. And about how mean people had become. She said that the church doors needed to be opened to bring these people in because no matter how bad that person is, there is some good in them. (Red Alert! Red Alert! Alarm Bells Ringing!)

Then it seemed like everybody was clamoring to talk at the same time. (Alarm, Alarm) Not about Acts, but about how they felt about things going on in our culture and society. (Alarm Bells) One gentleman started accusing the Zionist Jews of owning all the news media, and that they controlled everything. (More Alarms Going Off) The bible study leader started talking about politics and the "founding fathers" and how this is a Christian nation and there is no separation between church and state. (Major Alarm Bells!)

I managed to interject one sentence in the melee, something to the effect of, "Well, we just read about how the early believers were persecuted and fled to other areas and the Gospel of Christ was spread." His reply to me was, "Well, I fought for this country, and I'm not about to go anywhere." (This is when the Lord spoke to my spirit and told me to not say anything more.)

There were more things said. I just can't remember everything. But I do know that the spirit in that room was not the Holy Spirit.

It was a total distraction from the study of God's word. They spent at least 20 minutes talking about politics and the things going on in the culture and the world that had nothing to do with the studying of God's word and applying it to our lives. And it was just so sad because the elderly ladies of the original group just sat there with dazed looks on their faces.

After listening to Steve's study Friday night, 1/9/09, Unholy Alliances, I felt that message was meant for me. If you would like to hear it, you can by going to http://www.apostasywatch.com and click on What's New. The title of the message is Unholy Alliances

Bible Study Scripture References for Jan. 9 - Unholy Alliances

BobbiLyn: Wash me in the water of your Word
Cleanse me in the blood of the Lamb
Let no wicked way have dominion over me
And lead me in the way everlasting
BobbiLyn: Take all this darkness from my eyes
And fill my body with your light
Shining brighter till the full light of day
And fill me with your Spirit
BobbiLyn: Fill me with your Spirit
Fill me with your Spirit this day
BobbiLyn: http://www.thelordssong.com/
BobbiLyn: Welcome to http://www.apostasywatch.com/ Friday night live Bible study and fellowship.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 20:35 And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly:
2Ch 20:36 And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Eziongeber.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 20:37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 17:1 ¶ And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 17:2 And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 17:3 And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim;
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 17:4 But sought to the LORD God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 17:5 Therefore the LORD stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honour in abundance.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:1 ¶ Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:2 And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramothgilead.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:3 And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramothgilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:4 ¶ And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:5 Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's hand.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:6 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him?
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:7 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:8 And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:9 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:10 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the LORD, With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:11 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
BobbiLyn: Ch 18:12 And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:13 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:14 And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:15 And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the LORD?
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:16 Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:18 Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:19 And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:20 Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith?
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:21 And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the LORD said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:22 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:24 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:25 Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:26 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:27 And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the LORD spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people.
2Ch 18:28 ¶ So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:29 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:31 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:32 For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:33 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 18:34 And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 19:1 ¶ And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 19:2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 19:3 Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 19:4 And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem: and he went out again through the people from Beersheba to mount Ephraim, and brought them back unto the LORD God of their fathers.
2Ch 19:5 ¶ And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city,
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 19:6 And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment.
2Ch 19:7 Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 19:8 Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites, and of the priests, and of the chief of the fathers of Israel, for the judgment of the LORD, and for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 19:9 And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 19:10 And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the LORD, and so wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and ye shall not trespass.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 20:3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah
BobbiLyn: Ch 20:4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.
2Ch 20:5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 20:6 And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 20:7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?
2Ch 20:8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 20:29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel.
2Ch 20:30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 20:31 ¶ And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 20:32 And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and departed not from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the LORD.
2Ch 20:33 Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.
BobbiLyn: Ch 20:34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, who is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel.
2Ch 20:35 And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly:
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 20:36 And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Eziongeber.
BobbiLyn: 2Ch 20:37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

Christians Under the Influence of Another Spirit

By Warren Smith

The apostle Paul went to great lengths to warn the Corinthians not to be deceived by a "Jesus" that wasn't Jesus Christ the Son of God, a spirit that wasn't the Holy Spirit and a gospel that was not the true biblical Gospel (2 Corinthians 11:4). Throughout the New Testament, believers are continually warned not to be deceived by spiritual teachings and experiences that are not from God. Jesus Christ specifically warned his disciples that spiritual deception would be a sign of the end (Matthew 24:3-4).

Today it is very sad to see so many believers falling under the influence of the same spirit that influenced me when I was in the "new age." This spirit says that it is a time for "breakthroughs" and for the fulfillment of our "destiny"; that there is something "new" and exciting in the wind. This teaching claims that we are in the midst of a great "transition" that will result in a "paradigm shift," and that through "new revelation" and "personal experience" God is in the process of taking the church to a "new dimension" and to a whole "new level." Many Christian leaders these days are so sure that what they are hearing and experiencing is from God, they are rarely testing the spirits, or even considering the possibility that they are being deceived.

The first century Bereans tested their leaders and tested their teachings as they "searched the scriptures daily" to see "whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11). Apostles, prophets, pastors, and teachers were always subject to God's holy Word. "New revelation" never nullified nor superseded scripture. The Bereans were not impressed by supernatural power and spiritual experiences that had not been tested by the Word of God. They did not depend on signs and wonders and miracles. They depended on the authority and reliability and trustworthiness of Scripture:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16)
Paul taught that if he or anyone else preached any other gospel--"new revelation" or otherwise--that person should be completely disregarded (Galatians 1:8). The Bible warns over and over again that we should not allow ourselves to be influenced or intimidated by teachings that originate not from God but from the spirit world and from the hearts of men. "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" (1 Timothy 4:1). "Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Mark 7:7).

What had been called "new age" is now being presented as "new gospel." These "new gospel" teachings are not new and have actually been around for centuries in one form or another. Whether it was ancient gnosticism, the occultic teachings of Helena Blavatsky (1831-1891) and Alice A. Bailey (1880-1949), or the present day "new gospel" channelings, the bottom line has always been the same--everyone is a part of God.

According to the "new gospel," Christ is not a person. It is an office. The "new gospel" teaches that while Jesus of Nazareth occupied the office during His active ministry, He no longer holds that same position. Today the office of "Christ" is occupied by someone else. And this "someone else" is presently in the process of establishing contact with humanity.

This "Christ" intimates that he is already in the world awaiting mankind's call. "Concerned" that humanity is in peril and facing possible extinction, this "Christ" explains that his "new gospel" will unify the world's major religions and bring peace to the world. He has communicated these "new gospel" teachings to his designated teachers, who in turn are now conveying these same teachings to the rest of the world.

This "reinvented" Christ of the "new gospel" teaches that all of humanity is the body of Christ. He, as the "Christ," is the head. This "Christ" states humanity's dilemma is that we have forgotten who we are. We are not "sinners" separate from God. We are all part of the one body of Christ and the one body of God. Salvation does not come by grace from accepting Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Rather it is achieved--when we accept ourselves as Christ and when we accept ourselves as God.

The "new gospel" teaches that when humanity collectively accepts and experiences itself as being a part of Christ and a part of God, we not only save ourselves, we save our world. The "Christ" of the "new gospel" warns that the hour is late. Peace must come. He will help. He has a plan. But everyone must play their part.

With "new revelation," often accompanied by direct personal spiritual experience, people are being taught that because they are a part of God they are actually "at-one" with God and all creation. This "new gospel" teaches when people have what is described as their "God potential" or "Christ within" supernaturally "activated," they actually experience themselves as a part of the "one body" of God which is all mankind. As these same people unite and join together in remembering and experiencing their "oneness" with God and with each other, they feel they are doing the "work" that is necessary to prepare the way for Christ's return.

(from Reinventing Jesus Christ, by Warren Smith)

Always Growing

Thou shalt see greater than these. (John 1:50)

This is spoken to a childlike believer, who was ready to accept Jesus as the Son of God, the King of Israel, upon one convincing piece of argument. Those who are willing to see shall see; it is because we shut our eyes that we become so sadly blind.

We have seen much already. Great things and unsearchable has the Lord showed unto us, for which we praise His name; but there are greater truths in His Word, greater depths of experience, greater heights of fellowship, greater works of usefulness, greater discoveries of power, and love, and wisdom. These we are yet to see if we are willing to believe our Lord.

The faculty of inventing false doctrine is ruinous, but power to see the truth is a blessing. Heaven shall be opened to us, the way thither (on the far side) shall be made clear to us in the Son of Man, and the angelic commerce which goes on between the upper and the lower kingdoms shall be made more manifest to us.

Let us keep our eyes open toward spiritual objects and expect to see more and more. Let us believe that our lives will not drivel (to waste or fritter in a childlike fashion) down into nothing but that we shall be always on the growing hand, seeing greater and still greater things, till we behold the great God Himself and never again lose the sight of Him.

Charles Spurgeon

Sovereign Grace

Think of the battles that grace has had with men, and what glory it has gained! In your case and mine, how stern has been the fight! Surely you recall the days when Jesus met you on the road and called to you in His love, but you spat in His face and passed Him by, making jest of the Crucified.

Do you remember another time when He sent His dark messengers of sickness and sorrow, and you lay upon your bed. Jesus came to you again, and you uttered words to Him that looked like truth, but they were lying, deceptive words. You turned your face to the wall and vowed repentance, but you did not repent, sending Him on His way.

You have never treated a friend as badly as you have treated Him. But grace has overcome you and made you a captive. The man may kick and struggle, but that man in God's time shall be arrested by the strong hand of sovereign grace and be transformed into a new man in Christ Jesus.

Charles Spurgeon
(1834-1892)

Only the Spirit of God Can Save You!

Only the Spirit of God can save you. The spirit of the world will ruin all who yield to it. Keep as clear of the spirit of the world as possible, for its deadly influence will injure you. Be aware that the religious world is more dangerous by far than the sensual world. Men profess religion and yet cunningly undermine it. Religion wears the sheepskin but has all the fierceness of the wolf. Do not meddle with that which is doubtful. If you would find eternal life, go where the Spirit of God works. Search the Scriptures and hear the truth through which the Holy Spirit usually operates. And associate with those in whom the Sprit of God dwells. Hear the preaching and teaching that come from God, for they alone lead you to Him. Take heed of those who profess godliness but are tainted with the spirit of the world. Follow the right Spirit, for in so doing you will find the things of God.

Charles Spurgeon

Bible Study Scripture References for Jan. 4

BobbiLyn: Ro 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
BobbiLyn: ze 36:23 And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.
BobbiLyn: Eze 36:24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
BobbiLyn: Eze 36:25 ¶ Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
BobbiLyn: Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
BobbiLyn: Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
BobbiLyn: Eze 36:28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
BobbiLyn: Eze 37:12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
BobbiLyn: Eze 37:13 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,
BobbiLyn: Eze 37:14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.
BobbiLyn: Ro 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
BobbiLyn: Ro 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
BobbiLyn: Ro 3:1 ¶ What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?
Ro 3:2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
BobbiLyn: Ro 3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
BobbiLyn: Ro 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
BobbiLyn: 9:1 ¶ I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
Ro 9:2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
BobbiLyn: Ro 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
BobbiLyn: Ro 9:4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises
BobbiLyn: Ro 9:5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
Ro 9:6 ¶ Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
BobbiLyn: Ro 9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
BobbiLyn: Ro 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
BobbiLyn: Joh 8:33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
BobbiLyn: Joh 8:39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
BobbiLyn: Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
BobbiLyn: o 9:30 ¶ What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
BobbiLyn: Ro 9:31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
BobbiLyn: Ro 9:32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
Ro 9:33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
BobbiLyn: Ro 10:1 ¶ Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
BobbiLyn: Ro 10:2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
Ro 10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
BobbiLyn: Ro 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
BobbiLyn: Ro 10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
Ro 10:6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above
BobbiLyn: Ro 10:7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
BobbiLyn: Ro 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Ro 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
BobbiLyn: Ro 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Ro 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
BobbiLyn: Ro 10:12 ¶ For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Ro 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
BobbiLyn: Ro 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
BobbiLyn: Ro 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Ro 10:18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
BobbiLyn: Ro 10:19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.
Ro 10:20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
BobbiLyn: Ro 10:21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.
BobbiLyn: Ro 11:1 ¶ I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
BobbiLyn: Ro 11:2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
Ro 11:3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
BobbiLyn: Ro 11:4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
Ro 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
BobbiLyn: Ro 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
Ro 11:7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
BobbiLyn: Ro 11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear unto this day.
Ro 11:9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:
BobbiLyn: Ro 11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
BobbiLyn: 11:12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
BobbiLyn: Ro 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
Ro 11:14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
BobbiLyn: Ro 11:15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
Ro 11:16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
BobbiLyn: Ro 11:17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
BobbiLyn: Ro 11:18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
Ro 11:19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
BobbiLyn: Ro 11:20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
Ro 11:21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
BobbiLyn: Ro 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
BobbiLyn: Ro 11:23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
BobbiLyn: Ro 11:24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?
BobbiLyn: Ro 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
BobbiLyn: Ro 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Ro 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
BobbiLyn: Ro 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
Ro 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
BobbiLyn: Eph 2:11 ¶ Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
BobbiLyn: Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
BobbiLyn: Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14 ¶ For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
BobbiLyn: Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
BobbiLyn: Eph 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
BobbiLyn: Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
BobbiLyn: Eph 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Lumster: www.apostasywatch.com

Love is the Bond

"Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."

Love is the glue (bond) that holds us together. The love of Christ living in our hearts is far superior to any worldly love or ephemoral (temporary) love.

God's Sovereignty

There is no attribute more comforting to His children, than that of God’s sovereignty. Under the most adverse circumstances, in the most severe trials–they believe that sovereignty has ordained their afflictions, that sovereignty overrules them, and that sovereignty will sanctify them all. There is nothing for which the children of God ought more earnestly to contend, than the doctrine of their Master over all creation–the kingship of God over all the works of His own hands–the throne of God and His right to sit upon that throne.

On the other hand, there is no doctrine more hated by worldlings, no truth of which they have made such a football–as the great, stupendous, but yet most certain doctrine, of the sovereignty of the infinite Jehovah. Men will allow God to be everywhere, except on His throne. They will allow Him to be in His workshop to fashion worlds and make stars. They will allow Him to be in His almonry to dispense His alms and bestow His bounties. They will allow Him to sustain the earth and bear up the pillars thereof, or light the lamps of heaven, or rule the waves of the ever-moving ocean; but when God ascends His throne–then His creatures gnash their teeth!

We proclaim an enthroned God, and His right to do as He wills with His own, to dispose of His creatures as He thinks well, without consulting them in the matter. Then it is, that we are hissed and execrated; and then it is, that men turn a deaf ear to us–for God on His throne–is not the God they love. But it is God upon the throne that we love to preach. It is God upon His throne, whom we trust!

Charles Spurgeon

"Behold I Make All Things New"

There are children of God who need this text, ‘Behold, I make all things new,’ whose sigh is that they so soon grow dull and weary in the ways of God, and therefore they need daily renewing. After a few months a vigorous young Christian will begin to cool down; and those who have been long in the ways of God find that final perseverance must be a miracle if ever it is to be accomplished, for naturally they tire and faint.

Well, now, dear friends, why do you and I ever get stale and flat? Why, it is because we get away from him who says, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ The straight way to a perpetual newness and freshness of holy youth is to go to Christ again, just as we did at the first. A better thing still is never to leave him, but to stand for ever at the cross-foot delighting yourself in his all-sufficient sacrifice.

They that are full of the joy of the Lord never find life grow weary. Getting near to Christ, you will partake in his joy, and that joy shall be your strength, your freshness, the newness of your life. God grant us to drink of the eternal founts, that we may for ever overflow.”
- Charles Spurgeon, “Sermon for New Year’s Day”

Who Is Israel?

By Steve Lumbley

Who is Israel?

……..For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Rom 9:6
The tiny nation of Israel once again finds itself atop the headlines of the world press and in the midst of a war against an enemy that has vowed to destroy her. Many Christians in this country have the idea that the United States as well as all true Christian churches have a God ordained obligation to back the secular state of Israel in all circumstances. Through my study of scripture I have come to a slightly different conclusion.

I realize that by writing this piece, some will accuse me of anti-Semitism. Others will claim that I am preaching the dreaded doctrine of replacement theology. Neither of these assertions are valid. I invite the reader to set aside the traditions of men and allow the scriptures to speak for themselves.

For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. Rom 2:28-29
Paul makes a rather astonishing statement here that has two components. Most Christians understand at least vaguely that when they came to Christ they became Jews in the spiritual sense. What most fail to grasp is the first part of Paul’s statement.

For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly…….
What Paul is saying here is very simple and yet most pass right over it. Those who claim to be heirs of Abraham by virtue of their physical traits (bloodline) alone are not really Jews at all. Paul explains in Chapter nine why ethnicity now plays no part in who God considers to be a Jew.

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. Rom 9:6-8
Paul is saying that only those who accept the promises by faith are the true children of Abraham. Not only does that make Christians into Jews spiritually but it specifically excludes those who claim a relationship with God based solely on fleshly attributes

In Chapter 11, Paul uses the branches of an olive tree to describe the relationship between natural Israel and spiritual Israel.

And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Rom 11:17
The branches that were broken off represent some (but not all) natural Jews. It is obvious that not all natural Jews were broken off because the man writing these verses was himself a Jew. Why were they broken off?

Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: Rom 11:20
Can the broken branches be restored?

And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again Rom 11:23

So we see that those who are Jews by nature but who reject the atonement of Christ are broken off from the Olive tree and stand outside the promises of God. They can be restored to their previous position. Indeed God desires to restore them, but that restoration can only come through their repentance and acceptance of Jesus as Messiah.
The implications of this truth are astounding. How often do we hear God’s promise of blessing to Abraham used to support any and all Jewish causes?

And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Gen 12:3

Taking into account Paul’s teaching in Romans, to which of Abraham’s descendents do these promises apply? Do they apply to Abraham’s ethnic descendents or to his spiritual descendents?

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. Gal 3:16
The promises that God gave Abraham were not given to you, or me, or any of his physical descendents. The promises were given to Abraham and Christ alone. We can appropriate those promises only when we allow Christ to abide in us and we in him. In other words we must reckon the old man dead and put on Christ. We must enter into the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord. No person living or dead can rightly claim the promises of Abraham outside of that condition.

So, when God said he would bless those that bless Abraham and curse those who curse him, to whom was God referring. Was this promise to apply only to his physical descendents? Does it apply at all to his physical descendents? Does Genesis 12:3 obligate us to bless unsaved Jews in any way? Naturally we believe the greatest blessing we could give anyone be they Jew, Muslim, Hindu, or agnostic is the blessing of the gospel. It is the gospel in which God promises that all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

Unfortunately, the idea that the Jewish people have some sort of special relationship with God outside of Christ has put down deep roots in the institutional church. While most church leaders deny that they believe in this idea of a dual covenant, in practice, that is exactly what they promote.

If you are still with me this far I trust that you will stay a little further. I do not wish to suggest in any way that God is finished with the Jewish people. Far from it. God specifically promises to restore a remnant of physical Jews in the last days.

Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. Rom 9:27-28
Paul here quotes Isaiah as saying that a remnant of the Jewish people will be saved.

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: Rom 11:25-26
Here we see the timing of that work. It will come when the fullness of the gentiles has come in or when God’s work among those who are not Jews by birth is complete.

Many Christians misinterpret the passage here that states: all Israel shall be saved. Taken in context (coming immediately after Paul’s Olive tree parable), all Israel must be understood to mean both Jewish and gentile believers. To place any other meaning upon this verse would make it incompatible with the surrounding verses or any of the others we have quoted above.

The question that naturally follows all this is what part then does the secular state of Israel play in end time events. Here is what I believe God has shown me.

It is undeniable that God has gathered from all nations the physical descendents of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and set them once again in the land of promise. This is no accident of history. It is indisputable that many of the ancient prophecies are being fulfilled by the ethnic Jews returning to the land. However, since God’s word is true and cannot be a lie, and since God no longer considers ethnicity as a factor in determining who is a Jew, the return of these Jews by birth to their physical promised land cannot be the only true fulfillment of these end time prophecies.

Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 1Cor 10:11

The old testament writings all point toward Christ as the coming Messiah. Paul says in 1 Corinthians that the things that happened to the physical Jews were to be examples unto us. We are that generation upon whom the ends of the world (age) has come. When we read what happened to the Jews physically we must understand that these same things happen to us spiritually. God always works in types or patterns down through history.

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Ecc 1:9

Let me give you an example.

God brought the children of Israel out of bondage or slavery in Egypt which is a type of the world. Before you were born again, you were in bondage to the world system. You were a slave to sin and to the god of this world system, Satan. When you were saved God brought you out of that system spiritually.

The children of Israel passed through the Red Sea. This is a type of baptism. After you were saved you were baptized into Christ (or at least you should have been). This baptism is a type of your death with Christ.

When the children of Israel came up out of the sea, the Egyptians followed and were drowned. This signify’s the death of the old man. When you were raised from the baptismal waters, your old man remained in the grave. You were raised in newness of life or in the likeness of Christ.

After the Egyptians were buried in the Red Sea, the children of Israel were led into the wilderness for 40 years to be tested by God. After Jesus was baptized in the Jordan, he was led by the spirit into the wilderness for 40 days to be tested. Every Christian after baptism must go through a time of wilderness testing. I realize that you don’t hear much about this wilderness period in the churches today but it is true and everyone who will follow Christ will be tested in a wilderness. Your only choice is whether or not you will go willingly like Christ did or go kicking and screaming like the children of Israel did.

So you see my point. Everything that happened to Israel in the natural happens to us spiritually. I believe that remains true today.

God has gathered (and is still in the process of gathering) natural Israel from all the nations where they had been exiled. At the same time God is gathering spiritual Israel (his true Israel - the true church) from all the nations (apostate religion) where they have been exiled.

When you see a passage of Old testament scripture like this:

My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them. Ezek 34:6

Or this:

For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. Ezek 34:11-12
You must understand that these passages have a dual fulfillment. Certainly they apply and have applied to physical Israel. But the real fulfillment is found in spiritual Israel.

Go back and read all of Ezekiel 34. God here tells Ezekiel to prophesy against the Shepherds of Israel. Now everyone understands that he is not speaking to actual shepherds but to the spiritual leaders of natural Israel who had led his people astray under the old covenant.

But what many fail to see is the application of these same scriptures to the spiritual leaders of God’s people (his sheep) under the new covenant! Again, I reiterate, this is exactly what Paul meant when he said that these things happened to them as an example to us and they are written to us, the people of the new covenant.

Natural Israel is still a sign to spiritual Israel

Lets look at the parallels today between natural and spiritual Israel.

The nation of Israel currently occupies only a tiny portion of the land that God promised to Abraham.

In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: Gen 15:18

Under the Abrahamic covenant, Israel was to occupy the land from the Nile River in Egypt all the way the Euphrates River in what is now Iraq. This is a much greater tract of land than natural Israel has ever occupied.
Spiritual Israel (the church) occupies only a tiny portion of the land God promised to us. When I speak of the church here I mean both the church as a body of believers and the individual believers which make up that body.

What land am I talking about? I’m talking about our spiritual land. Our spiritual land is the kingdom of God upon the earth. This is our promised land and we must conquer it just like Israel conquered her promised land one city at a time.

Jesus established the kingdom of God upon the earth. The kingdom of God is defined as that place where God’s will rules and reigns. Jesus walked in Gods will perfectly. He told us that we should do the same.

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Mat 5:48
Since Jesus walked perfectly in the kingdom of God, he manifested the power of God everywhere and in every situation. The apostles walked in this power also after the day of Pentecost. But for the last 2,000 years we have seen very little of that power in operation upon the earth. Even today the church as a whole manifests only a small portion of God’s kingdom in the earth.

Many churches and groups claim to have God’s power but most of that is not real power at all. Most Christians today don’t see the power of God in their everyday lives. They don’t see their needs met supernaturally. They don’t multiply loaves and fishes or heal the sick or raise the dead. They may see a little healing once in a while but for the most part they use the same methods that the world uses to get healing or finances or whatever else they need. So, just like physical Israel we occupy only a small portion of what God has promised.

Natural Israel is surrounded by enemies. Israel’s enemies hate her and have vowed to drive her off of the little piece of land that she currently possesses.

Likewise, Christians are surrounded by spiritual enemies who hate them and are determined to drive them from their spiritual land.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Eph 6:12
Every time a Christian determines to walk in the power and promises of God a battle ensues. Principalities and powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world go to battle to make sure that the Christian does not succeed in actually manifesting that promise.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Eph 6:13

When we persevere and see God’s will manifested in our lives we have conquered a spiritual foe. We have taken a little more land and the next time we have a need in that area it is a little bit easier to receive it. God also refers to this as bearing fruit. In other words we are manifesting the character, nature, and authority of Christ in us. We are occupying the land.

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. John 15:7-8
Israel’s leaders refuse to obey God. They continually try to make peace with her enemies. They have come to believe that if they will only give up a little more land her enemies will stop making war on her. They do this because they want to be friends with the world. If Israel’s leaders would actually obey God, the world would hate her.

Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan; Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places: And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it. Num 33:51-53

God told the children of Israel that when they went into the land they were to drive out the inhabitants. They were to force them out and remove all their religious shrines and symbols. God even warned them what would happen if they failed to follow these instructions.

But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. Num 33:55

These were the instructions God gave to natural Israel the first time they went into the promised land. But these instructions are just as valid for natural Israel today. What we see happening in natural Israel today is simply what God said would happen.

Instead of driving out all the inhabitants of the land (the Muslim Arabs) Israel allowed them to stay. They allowed the molten images and high places to remain and even have allowed many more to be built. The famous Muslim Dome of the Rock mosque sitting on the temple mount (high place) with its glittering golden dome (molten image) is a very visible testament to Israel’s disobedience. And just as God promised, those enemies that have remained in the land have become pricks in the eyes and thorns in the sides of natural Israel.
Likewise, the leaders of the church continually compromise and try to make peace with her enemies. They too seem to think that they can have peace by giving up land a little at a time. Instead of preaching the true gospel, most churches are using man made programs to increase church growth. The idea of growing the church by whatever means possible has replaced true evangelism. These programs eliminate or water down the truth of the gospel in order to make it more palatable to sinners. This is a great way to attract more people and keep them coming.

Church leaders today for the most part refuse to warn people of the wrath that is soon to come upon the earth. They refuse to tell people that in order to follow Christ they must be separate from the world and from worldly ways. If they did preach these things they would become enemies of the world and the world would hate them.

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. James 4:4
By making friends with the world, church leaders ensure themselves full pews and even more important full bank accounts. Anyone who is invited to be interviewed on Larry King Live can be assured he’ll sell plenty of books. Of course a man who wasn’t friends with the world would never be invited to be interviewed on one of these shows unless he was being set up to look like a fool. That’s no way to sell books. Better to compromise and make friends with the world rather than to bite the hand that feeds you.
Do you see what God is doing? He is still using natural Israel as an example to us. They are a vivid example of what not to do! Both Israel and the church refuse to obey God because they want to be like (and be liked by) the world. The sad thing is that they are both setting themselves up for death.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Mat 16:25-26

If Israel would obey God and drive out their enemies they would be hated by the world but they would find protection from their enemies at the hand of God himself. As it is, they continue to seek to save their lives by compromise. In doing this they are losing their lives little by little. The same is true of the church. The parallels couldn’t be clearer.

…………..For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children:

They are not all Israel who are of Israel and they are not all Christians who are of the church. Only those who receive the promise by faith are counted as seed. God is using natural things to illustrate spiritual things.

Knowing this, it should come as no surprise that the apostate leaders of the church are bringing the sheep into unholy alliances with unsaved Jewish groups to promote the policies of secular Israel while at the same time refusing to allow evangelism of ethnic Jews.
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 2Cor 6:14

Groups like Christians United For Israel founded by John Hagee funnel money from unsuspecting Christians into Jewish organizations such as the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. The I.F.C.J was founded and is run by Rabbi Yechiel Z. Eckstein. You may have seen Eckstein on TBN or Daystar or some other Christian television network. The I.F.C.J. spends lots of money in America getting Christians to donate money to be used to resettle Jews from foreign lands back into Israel.

What you probably don’t know about Eckstein and his organization is this. He is not a Messianic Jew. He is rabidly anti Christ. His organization will not work with any Christian group that targets ethnic Jews for evangelism. Here is a quote from the Jewish Times explaining Eckstein’s break with the Southern Baptist convention.

In December, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, the Orthodox founder of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews and a longtime defender of evangelical Christians, broke with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) leadership.

For Eckstein, the final straw was the SBC’s reaffirmation of its decision to send 100,000 missionaries to his hometown of Chicago to seek converts.

Despite a longtime friendship with SBC President Rev. Paige Patterson and a history of dialogue with the SBC and evangelical Christians, Eckstein had had enough.

In a statement he said, “[The SBC’s decision] sent the message that its own narrow interpretation of its religious duty outweighed the good relations with other denominations and other faiths that so many have worked so hard to build up over the past several decades.” The Jewish Times Feb 4, 2000

Eckstein has convinced many Christian leaders that it is more important to yoke themselves and their people together with unbelieving Jewish groups than it is to bring the gospel to the very people who need it most. This list of endorsements from the I.F. C.J website looks like a who’s who of evangelical Christians

Natural Israel will have no peace until she accepts her Messiah, the prince of peace. It is the height of apostasy for the blind shepherds of spiritual Israel (the church) to lead us into alliances with the unsaved shepherds of natural Israel. These alliances take money that should be used for evangelism and for building God’s kingdom and gives it to heathens who hate God and his son.

In summary, the Israel of God is no longer limited to people of a specific bloodline. It is open to all who call upon the name of the Lord.

For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. Rom 10:12

People who claim to be Jews only by blood are not actually Jews at all but are liars.

Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Rev 3:9

Physical Israel is not holy but is in bondage along with her children. These things are an allegory or a sign for the two covenants, one of the flesh which leads to death and the other of the spirit which leads to life.

Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. Gal 4:24-25
All the physical promises given to natural Israel are played out spiritually in spiritual Israel. These promises are fulfilled in Christ. Since every prophecy concerning physical Israel actually points to Christ, the Messiah, these prophecies are fulfilled spiritually in God’s new covenant people, those through which Christ lives today.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Gal 2:10

The idea that ethnic Jews have some kind of special relationship with God outside of Christ prevents the church from fulfilling its mission to take the gospel into all the world which includes unsaved ethnic Jews

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Rom 1:16

The blind shepherds of the apostate church are teaming up with the blind leaders of natural Israel to lead God’s people into unholy alliances with organizations that are hostile to the gospel. Claiming to love the Jewish people, their actions prove otherwise. If they really loved the Jewish people they would tell them that their Messiah was born 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem. If they really loved them they would tell them that their adherence to the Torah is worthless without a sacrifice. True love would disregard the persecution and hostility to tell them that the only sacrifice God will ever accept is the sacrifice of his son on that cross 2,000 years ago.

And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? Luke 6:39
So, the next time you hear some well meaning Christian tell you that unsaved ethnic Jews are the “apple of God’s eye” or that if we don’t bless natural Israel we’ll face the wrath of God, stop and think. Who is Israel and who is really a Jew according to the word of God?

Steve Lumbley 2006 http://www.apostasywatch.com/
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