Prophetic Forum

Coming to Grips with the Wrath of God

2010-11-17T20:40:00.000-08:00

I think it can be said that modern Christianity suffers from many blind spots. One of the most troubling is our failure to understand the wrath of God.

A. W. Pink noted; “A study in the concordance shows that there are more references in Scripture to the anger, fury, and wrath of God that there are to His love and tenderness. Because God is holy, He hates all sin; because He hates all sin, His anger burns against the sinner.” (See Psalms 7:11). *

If there is so much biblical voice given to the wrath of God, should we not spend more time giving it our study? How important it is that we would understand why God manifests wrath amid His other characteristics.

The wrath of God sounds archaic to our modern, politically correct ears and herein lies the problem, we are not biblically correct. John the Baptist was sure to preach; “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? The ax is already laid at the root of the trees and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Matthew 3:7-10).

The average Christian seems to think that the wrath of God no longer applies to modern man because the modern God has somehow moderated from the biblical version of God. How could this happen? Simply because preachers have stopped preaching the Word of God like John, Jesus and the Prophets did. Today a great percentage of preachers are preaching as they would like God to be… not as He really is.

To quote Arthur Pink again; “The wrath of God is the holiness of God stirred into activity against sin.”* This is an incredibly powerful observation that requires our deepest consideration.

Oh, the massive subject of the holiness of God! The Scriptures proclaim that the angels around the Throne cry; Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts! They are not saying; love, love, love, or any other attribute we ascribe to God. Isaiah’s vision of Christ on the Throne brought down massive conviction upon his uncleanness as He saw himself in the unapproachable Light of the Throne. Oh the agony and the ecstasy of standing before the Glory of the Lord of Hosts! How different our present day theology would be if we started with the incomprehensible holiness of God!

When God created man and the earth, it was good in His eyes. It pleased Him. What we see in the earth today cannot please God because the world is completely at odds with Him morally and spiritually. The world is at enmity with God. He will not tolerate this forever. His holiness will soon be stirred into action against sin and His wrath will come forth.

So, if we think that God has moderated and His wrath is something of the past, we are saying that God has ceased to be holy. God cannot change and therefore His dominion must reflect His moral excellence. “Be Holy as I am holy; says the Lord.” This is why John and Jesus preached; “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” The precursor of the Kingdom is the wrath of God that puts all His enemies under His footstool.

The greatest problem facing man is not global warming or the economic crisis. From God’s point of view, it is sin and what God and man must do to be reconciled. In other words, the wrath of God hovers above us and the Gospel offers the only means by which we can be saved from the wrath of God.

One last quote from A. W. Pink: “God has often forgiven sinners but He never forgives sin; the sinner is only forgiven on the grounds of Another having borne His punishment as Hebrews 9:22 states; “There is no remission of sin without the shedding of blood.”*

Judgment for sin was never arbitrarily canceled as some would like to think. God demonstrated His wrath at the Cross and His Son bore the weight of His wrath and judgment against sin. Isaiah 53:6 states; “We all, like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to His own way; and the Lord has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.” There is no such thing as forgiveness or salvation apart from the only Provision that God approves of; that being the Blood of Jesus.

The world will always make light of sin and say it is no big deal. They even celebrate it in the media and the arts. But in the courts of heaven, sin, righteousness and divine justice are of central importance and attention. Everything in heaven points to the Cross.

By the permissive attitudes of many American Christians, sin has lost its utter sinfulness and no longer provokes conviction or shame. This must never happen because our forgiveness did not come without a terrible price being paid. Oh if we could only consider this when temptation presents itself. Our forgiveness is only possible because Jesus pays our debt and dies our death. “For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
As John preached; “Who warned you to flee the wrath of God?”

Amen.
*All quotes are from The Nature of God by A. W. Pink, Moody Press, 1975-1999.

The Sabbath; God's Claim on Man's Time

2010-09-20T21:55:00.000-07:00

I don’t think there is any question that America has found itself in a spiritual and moral crisis never seen before in her long history. For years, the faithful in the land have been praying for a revival that would shake this nation but revival tarries. The other day, a thought came to me that might help us understand why revival seems out of our grasp. I am not ready to say; “Thus saith the Lord” on this but if you take some time to carefully read this article, I believe God will speak to you from it.

I have heard people say that the beginning of America’s decline occurred when prayer was taken out of school. Certainly that was a dark and shameful day in America’s history. But there is nothing in the Bible that says we must have prayer in our schools. However, there is plenty in the Bible about how we are to keep the Sabbath. I am old enough to remember a time when the Sabbath was holy and sacred to most of the people in America. Either Saturday or Sunday, there was one day for God, family and rest. Stores and businesses were closed and people seemed to manage to go 24 hours without having to go to the mall or Wal-Mart. The Sabbath was special but today it is just like all the other days. All the stores and restaurants are open and life for the American people is like a hamster’s wheel with no way to get off. If we calculate what ignoring the Sabbath is costing us, we will be interested in knowing what God said in the beginning about His plan for us. He was looking out for us by giving us the Sabbath.

I know that in Christ, we are saved by grace through faith and salvation is the gift of God and comes to us by promise. But if we give heed to the Word of God, we will discover that the Sabbath is associated with what we are to do with time. It is a Day that God ascribes massive importance and to write it off as an ancient rite that is irrelevant for modern times is to fail God and insult His wisdom. I will have more to say about what we should do with this at the conclusion.
In the beginning God made man spirit and flesh. The world we live in is material and spirit. With that in mind, when God finished His work of creation, the biblical account says this:

Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. (Genesis 2:1-30).

Abraham Heschel, a very important Jewish theologian, in his wonderful book aptly named; The Sabbath, noted that the very first time the word qadosh (Hebrew word for holy) was used in Scripture, was used not in relationship to a place, thing, mountain or person. It was used to describe a time, the seventh day. He says; “There is no reference in the record of creation to any object in space that would be endowed with the quality of holiness.”

He continues by saying; “This is a radical departure from accustomed religious thinking. The mythical mind would expect that after heaven and earth have been established, God would create a holy place- a holy mountain or a holy spring- whereupon a sanctuary is to be established. Yet it seems as if to the Bible it is holiness in time, the Sabbath, which comes first.”

In another place he notes “Judaism is a religion of time aiming at the sanctification of time.”What would lead Abraham Heschel make such a statement? It is obvious to him that God’s calendar of Feasts and Sabbaths were given to the people of God to address the spiritual side of their lives and spirit can only be experienced when time has been sanctified, set apart and destined to be holy. The opposite of holy is common or for common use.

Exodus 31:12-17 states; "Say to the Israelites, 'You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between Me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy. For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death. The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. It will be a sign between Me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested.' "

Pay close attention; The Sabbath is a lasting covenant, a sign between God and His people forever! That leads me to wonder if we are making a terrible mistake by failing to grasp in some measure God’s intention for the Sabbath. What are we missing by dismissing the Sabbath as something from the Old Testament that has supposedly passed away and not in the New Covenant? How could something that is called forever pass away?

There is another very important point that Abraham Heschel makes that I want to bring to your attention concerning the Sabbath. As we have made reference to, the Lord commanded that no work be done and the Day was a day of rest. But to him, it was more than that. He says;

“Labor is a craft but perfect rest is an art. The seventh day is a palace in time which we build. It is made of soul, of joy and reticence and in its atmosphere, a discipline that is a reminder of our adjacency to eternity.”

In other words, he saw the Sabbath as God’s gift to us as the opportunity to build tabernacles made of Spirit, experienced in sacred time that places us in view of eternity!

Another important Sabbath verse that helps us comes from Isaiah 58:13-14.
"If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob." The mouth of the Lord has spoken.

I have long treasured Isaiah 58 because it speaks of the fast that pleases God. It calls for more than mere ritual but for works of mercy, compassion and justice. But somehow, I always stopped short of what the Lord had to say about the Sabbath. I observed Isaiah 58 up to verse 12 and stopped. What glorious promises are in store for the people who honor the Sabbath and call it a delight!

As I think about the Sabbath, I see it as a one day fast from all the things that compete for my time and attention. Oh the things we like to do on the Sabbath that compete with God! The world conspires against the Sabbath with all its sports, entertainments, food, theme parks, festivals, and so on. The Sabbath is also God’s invitation to experience intimacy with Him, to worship, to love God and be loved by Him and most importantly, be holy. I think you will see that if you were to set your heart to keep the Sabbath, you would find yourself struggling to deliver yourself from all your worldly attachments. How tangled up we are. Seeing this is just another one of God’s benefits.

Another thing that comes to mind concerning the Sabbath is the fact that it is a covenant with God. At our house we believe in tithing. We started thirty years ago and have seen first- hand what God means when He promises to rebuke the devourer on our behalf. We have enjoyed His blessing on our home and lives. God told Israel to work the land for six years and then rest it the seventh. They were not to sow or reap the land the seventh year. But somehow, they would have enough harvest in the six years to feed everyone. I wonder what the other nations thought of Israel’s agricultural methods.

I have been preaching this message to a lot of older folks and to my surprise it has awakened their memories to better times when Americans honored the Sabbath Day. I am sure that many did not understand the full implications of the Sabbath but you cannot deny that we were better off when we shut is all down for one day out of seven and rested from our labors. Those folks thought six days were enough to labor and the Lord would take care of the rest. Families worshipped, prayed and stayed together. Maybe we were blessed because we looked to the Lord of the Sabbath and God had time to build a tabernacle in His people and His people built a tabernacle in time.

As I said earlier, the Sabbath is a lasting covenant, a sign between God and His people forever. And don’t forget, keeping the Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments. If we are God’s people what should our relationship to the Sabbath be? Should we seek to institutionalize it as it was when Jesus came to Israel? They were so wrapped up in legalism they failed to receive the God-Man who was Lord of the Sabbath. They rebuked Him for healing on the Sabbath. On the other hand should we seek to keep the Sabbath by faith and set it apart in our hearts as the Day the Lord has chosen it to be? The Sabbath is not going away and will be honored forever for all time and eternity. Who are we to dismiss the Sabbath as something of ancient times that can be forgotten by modern man?

One final thought. Culturally, Christianity has lost ground in the minds and hearts of people everywhere. We say we want to be a witness of the things of God to our nation and world. But is our failure to keep the Sabbath holy a denial of the God we claim to love and serve? What would America look like if the millions of people who claim to be Christians wholeheartedly kept the Sabbath? Would not the Sabbath be a witness in itself?

To this day, observing and practicing Jews keep the Sabbath holy. In a similar way, Moslems observe months and days with fasting. But Christians do what they want when they want. We are seeing organized youth baseball and soccer leagues scheduling their games beginning early Sunday mornings all over America. Their disrespect for the Sabbath and the faith of people is bewildering. I wonder if anyone objects to this.

The Sabbath makes a statement about God’s claim on man’s time. People do not like anyone including God telling them what they should do or must do with their time. If we could see the Sabbath for the beautiful thing that it is and God created it to be we might find our way back from the edge of spiritual collapse and see revival in America again.

Naturalized Christians

2010-07-18T18:25:00.000-07:00

Immigration is one of the most hotly debated issues of our times. However, this article is not necessarily about immigration but there is something of the immigration debate that relates to the Christian’s relationship to God.

A naturalized citizen is someone who has emigrated from another country to, let’s say America. But there is more to it than just a change of one’s geography. One who is naturalized is someone who has sworn an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States, learns and speaks the nation’s official language, embraces its values and lives up to the responsibilities of a citizen. Another name for this is assimilation.

What does it mean to be a naturalized Christian? To be honest, I have never heard of the term but I am certain that the Bible calls us to be naturalized. We have been called to be naturalized to the Kingdom of God. Paul says; Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Philippians 3:20).

The Word of God boldly announces things about our salvation and our new identity in Christ that totally reset our position in this world and the cosmos. Many have the idea that we are slowly inching our way to the pearly gates. But the Bible says we are already citizens of Heaven. The New Jerusalem is the mother of us all. We are born from above, born of the Spirit, born of God. The adoption papers have been drawn up and signed. Everything that needs to happen so that we might have full rights as sons has been accomplished through the finished work of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

But there is another step in the process that I am afraid is sorely lacking in our generation; naturalization to our new homeland. Some might say; how can we be naturalized to a country we have never been to?

From L.E. Maxwell’s classic Born Crucified, Dr. A. J. Gordon said;
The men who conquered the Roman Empire for Christ bore the aspect of invaders from another world, who absolutely refused to be naturalized to this world. Their conduct filled their heathen neighbors with the strangest perplexity; they were so careless of life, so careful of conscience, so prodigal of their own blood, so confident of the overcoming power of the blood of the Lamb, so unsubdued to the custom of the country in which they sojourned, so mindful of the manners of that country from whence they came not. (their heavenly country). The help of the world, the patronage of its rulers, the loan of its resources, the use of its methods they utterly refused, lest by employing these they might compromise their King. An invading army maintained from an invisible base and placing more confidence in the leadership of an unseen Commander than all the imperial help that might be proffered- that was what so bewildered and angered the heathen, who often desire to make friends with the Christians without abandoning their own gods. But there can be no reasonable doubt that that age in which the church was so completely separated from the world was the age in which Christianity was most victorious in the world.

Dr. Gordon’s assessment paints a picture of a totally different kind of church, a church naturalized to the world to come. As Paul said; We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are temporal but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Does this not take us to the root of the problem? Are we so much like the world that the people of this generation see no discernible difference in our lives? And if we were so caught up and obsessed with that Kingdom above us, naturalized if you will, would we not burn with a message that seeks to wrestle men and women out of the grip of a sin sick world that is coming to nothing? But I am afraid we are far too at home in the world that is under the command of God’s sworn enemy.

The writer of Hebrews said of the people of God; All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country-a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:12-16).

Does your Christian experience so expose you to the glory of God and His Kingdom and thus create within you a longing for the world to come and at the same time cause the bloom to fall off the rose of this proud world in your eyes? Has your exposure to the Kingdom of God caused a certain “naturalization process” to take place within you, one that has awakened your heart to Eternity, and therefore leads you to disinvest from this fallen world and seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness? Are you a heavenly minded, naturalized Christian like the Christians of the Roman era mentioned before?

I am afraid that our modern religious culture basically promotes itself, not the interests of God. It has lowered the high standards of God and now offers a self-centered spirituality that embraces and enjoys the comforts and luxuries of this world and Heaven when we die. (See Matthew 16:24-25 from the Amplified Bible).
Paul told the Corinthians; If someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:4, 13).

I am quite sure that in large part, the Jesus, the Gospel, and the Spirit, that is being disseminated throughout the nation today, falls short of the Jesus and the Gospel delivered by Paul and the Apostles. I am sure of this because the lamentable fruit we are producing does not lie. It is what it is. I am not saying that we aren’t nice, well intentioned people. All I am saying is that we desperately need men who are so naturalized to Heaven’s manners and Spirit, who will bring forth the Word of God that will cause the church to repudiate the world’s claims upon them and embrace Heaven’s claims.

May God raise up a new generation of men and women who will once again be fully naturalized Christians!

May I Recommend.................

2010-07-11T18:27:00.000-07:00

About twenty years ago, a friend of mine lent me a stack of cassette tapes by a Messianic Jew named Art Katz. I knew from the beginning that Art Katz was not playing church. He was as authentic as any man I had ever heard preach the Gospel. Over the years, I would hear of Art but I never had the privilege of hearing him speak in person. I ordered some of his books a couple of years ago and they were excellent as well. Art Katz passed away last year in his home in northern Minnesota.

This past week, I was driving out to east Texas to do some ministry and took along an old set of CDs of Art's ministry. Upon returning home, I was filled with the Holy Spirit and hungry to hear more and more of this man. So I went to Youtube and found some excellent postings of videos and interviews. If you are hungry to hear the unvarnished truth of the Word of God come through one of God's special and rare men, take time to investigate Art Katz. You will not be sorry you did.

Stay Focused on What's Important

2010-06-26T20:36:00.000-07:00

As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. (Matthew 24:37-39).

I have always been fascinated by this passage of scripture. When you read Matthew 24 and think about the things that Jesus says will be happening on the earth before His coming, you would think that people would be lining up at the churches to find out what the Word of God has to say about the times in which they are living. But the exact opposite is true. Jesus is saying that people will be so spiritually dull that they will go about doing their own thing believing that the world will continue as it has always been.

We can see this phenomena taking place in our world right now. The warning signs of Christ’s coming are everywhere. But instead of getting right with God, they are all caught up in their jobs, their family activities, music lessons, soccer practice, their favorite sports team, and so on. Who takes it to heart that the end of the age is upon us and that means that the party is over?

"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, (intemperate living and self indulgence) drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:34-36).

It has always been a challenge for Christians to know how to live in this corrupt world and not be of it. The apostle John says; “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15). The key to keeping a safe distance from the world is to be fully engaged with the Lord, keeping Him as your first love. When God is your first love, you will not allow any other loves to take His place on the throne of your heart.

This brings us to the most important issue of our times, the issue of the Glory of God. The anti-christ spirit that fuels this present world system, offers mankind a counterfeit view of life, one that conveniently leaves the Creator of all things out of its consideration. When we pull back from it all, we see that this corrupt world system is really a “parasite” that has been living on God’s creation. It is redirecting God’s intended purpose for all things towards an alternate corrupt purpose designed by the father of lies. Paul says; They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator–who is forever praised. Amen. (Romans 1:25).

This is a little hard to understand because unless it has been revealed to you what God’s original purpose was for the earth and his creation and how we were to live within it, you would never be vexed by how utterly evil this world is.

Quoting Romans again; For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:21). Has it occurred to us that we have never known in our short life spans a time when men were not as Paul said; foolish and under spiritual delusion? We would like to think that total depravity and spiritual delusion should be something rare and temporary but this is not the case. It has been that way in this world from the moment we arrived and will be that way until Christ returns and abolishes it from the face of the earth. We are like tadpoles that were hatched in a polluted pond gasping for air and struggling to survive and yet it has never occurred to us that there is fresh, clean water somewhere else. We go about our lives and business thinking that this is just the way it is and so we accept everything as it is without question. Well I have news for you; there is such a thing as fresh water!

It is just accepted that the “lie” is true and you just better go along with it. This is reinforced in what you watch on television, read in magazines and hear in the voices of the people you encounter on the street. The “lie” is the spiritual toxic pollution I am speaking about. It has reached every man because it is transferred to us through the osmosis of this world’s group think. It is inescapable. But it can be overcome.

Jesus warned us that it is essential for us to go and find this fresh and life-giving water. When we do, we discover the treasures of wisdom and knowledge necessary to living above the trappings and dangers that await the foolish and deceived.

This reminds me of one my favorite movies; The Matrix. This story is about a regular guy who is a computer nerd who mostly accepts the world as he sees it but he is troubled by some of the things he would like answers for. One day he receives an email from an unknown source who seeks to contact him about his questions. His curiosity gets the best of him and so he follows up. He meets a man named Morphius who has information that is almost too much to accept. He tells him that the world he sees and has lived in all his life is the result of a massive computer program that has been plugged into the minds and consciences of the human race. Their real bodies are lying in pods and are plugged into this system like computer chips. People think they are free human beings enjoying life but they are really slaves attached to this evil system. He gets unhooked from the Matrix and joins up with this group who seeks to deliver the humans from the Matrix forever. The story is complicated but so is the Truth of God.

Those who have come to know the truth are outside the world system. They can no longer give themselves to the delusions the world holds mankind under. They see the strategies and lies the world uses to destroy God’s purposes and because of their allegiance to Him, they have “unhooked” themselves spiritually and emotionally. They understand what Jesus meant when He said; “You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free.”

Knowing the Truth and walking in the Light as He is in the Light takes discipline and wisdom. God has given us His Word to provide the Light we need to navigate this wicked world and be able to see wonders of our God. Once we have found the original purpose for all things, we won’t get fooled again.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE MATRIX CLIP

The Kingdom of God is at Hand

2010-05-23T18:41:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be alive at the end of the age? You might be one of the people who are going to find out. There is so much happening that points to this possibility that one can hardly keep up with it all.

Economically, we are in the era of massive government bailouts and spending which amounts to nothing more than the printing of trillions of dollars of fiat currency to delay the inevitable collapse of the world economies. We are seeing the beginning of social unrest and anarchy in Greece that could spread across Europe.

Environmentally, we are witnessing natural disasters such as the Icelandic volcano that continues to cause problems for travel and commerce in Europe. There are the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile and the flood in Nashville. Then there is the oil well leak that cannot be stopped that is causing untold damage to the Gulf Coast and everything associated with it.

Then there is the appearing of massive Big Brother government that is getting stronger and more intrusive here and the developed countries. And of course, the situation with Israel is becoming more in line with Bible prophesy than ever. Where is all this leading?

We have been saying for a couple of years that the Word of God states that governments of the world will one day betray the people of the earth and the veil of who is pulling the strings would be lifted. This present world system is under the control of the prince of the power of the air, as the Word calls him. We must never forget this.

The day is coming when another empire, the Final Empire will come and dethrone the world’s principalities, powers and rulers. Jesus Christ will come to possess His inheritance for He is the heir of all things. (Hebrews 1:2, Psalms 2:8). He will rule the nations as King. (Zechariah 14:9).

At this very hour, Jesus Christ is a sitting King waiting till His enemies be made His footstool. (Psalms 110:1). He is seated at the right hand of the Throne of God. (Hebrews 1:3). He should be proclaimed and worshipped as King and Sovereign by His people. But in many places, He is just a religious figure, marginalized with the other religions of the world. Do we really understand what it means that Jesus Christ is the Son of David?

During a recent prayer meeting, the Lord spoke to my heart and said; “The Gospel is not a religious issue; it is a governmental, dominion issue.” It appeared to me that when we fail to see the King and the Kingdom of God, we fail to take Jesus and His Word as seriously as we should. There is this opinion that all one must do is believe and Jesus will gladly take you to heaven. This is a distortion of a truth and not the whole truth.

Jesus preached; “Repent, the Kingdom of God is at hand.” When we see that His Kingdom is a literal kingdom and not a metaphor, we see that what the King has to say is binding. Hebrews 2 says; We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. The writer of Hebrews seems to be saying that we have a great obligation to follow the Lord in obedience is we are in His Kingdom. Where is our loyalty and obedience? "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21).

The desire to rule and reign burns within the heart of Jesus Christ. He is a King intuitively and looks with great anticipation to the day when He will subdue the enemies of God and bring justice and righteousness to the whole earth.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6-7).

The writer of Hebrews says about Jesus; "Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.”

The Gospel is not a compact of moral values, ethics and religious beliefs. They are the words of the King of Glory. Should you not fear me?" declares the Lord. "Should you not tremble in my presence? (Jeremiah 5:22). But to the wicked, God says: "What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you. (Psalms 50:16-17). "Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king," says the Lord Almighty, "and my name is to be feared among the nations. (Malachi 1:14).Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. They do nothing wrong; they walk in his ways. You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. (Psalms 119:2).

Jesus Christ is the One who was, who is, and who is to come. From the time we have come to know Him and find mercy and grace in His sight, we should recognize that He rules and reigns and deserves our utmost respect, fear, and obedience. Do not let it be said about us; “Why call Me Lord, Lord and do not the things that I say?”

It cannot be overstated that Jesus came into this world as a man with one thing on His mind; the establishment of the Kingdom of God. Paul said; He must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. (1 Corinthians 15:25). This is all about His dominion and rule.

When we see the Kingdom of God, we see the future. When we see Jesus Christ, we see the King for who all men must give account and answer to. There is no life apart from Him. The people of God are supposed to be a prophetic people who see what is coming because we have been given the Word of God. If the Kingdom of God is a real Kingdom and a “government” notwithstanding, why would we not take this to heart now? We should look forward with great anticipation to the Day when Christ will reign on this earth. But we should not delay to submit ourselves to His authority as King and Lord. Will not every knee bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord?

As for this world, the handwriting is on the wall. The Kingdom of God is at hand.

Where God Abides- Missions Happen!

2010-04-25T19:13:00.000-07:00

If we are rightly related to God, the issue of Mission necessarily becomes the all important issue of our lives. When a man comes Face to face with the Lord and surrenders to His authority in every area of his life, he becomes aware of a need, the greatest need planet earth suffers; its need to be reconciled to God.

The late Henri Nouwen said; “When we live our lives as missions, we become aware that there is a home from where we are sent and to where we have to return. We start thinking about ourselves as people who are in a faraway country to bring a message or work on a project, but only for a certain amount of time. When the message has been delivered and the project is finished, we want to return home to give an account of our mission and to rest from our labors. One of the most important spiritual disciplines is to develop the knowledge that the years of our lives are years on a mission."

I agree with Henri Nouwen but there is something more to say along these lines. I am referring to how we should see the earth. I remember a time as a young Christian when I believed that going to heaven was the goal of the Christian. There is a certain amount of truth to that statement but it falls far short of telling the whole story. We can think that heaven is where we belong and miss the part of the Gospel that states that the nations are Christ’s inheritance. I think we can hold a kind of disdain for the earth because it has been the place of our troubles and sufferings.

Psalms 2:8-12 says; Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery." Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

In the first chapter of Hebrews the Word states; In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

What I am getting at is that we have for far too long overlooked the fact that the earth was created by the Lord and the Father has given all things, the earth and the fullness thereof, to His Son to be His inheritance. To take this a step farther, Jesus said; “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” The Lord’s people, those who are faithful and loyal to the King, are joint heirs with Christ and share in His inheritance. The earth will be theirs to enjoy under the King’s wonderful dominion and leadership.

In recent weeks, I have been preaching and teaching on the fact that Jesus is a sitting king waiting till His enemies be made His footstool. (Psalms 110:1). This is a present day reality. He is now the heir of all things and everything belongs to Him. The earth, the sky, lakes, rivers, oceans, lands, natural resources, the people! Everything is His! (Revelation 4:11). The Gospel is telling us that God has installed His King on Zion! (Psalms 2:6). This is Jesus’ exaltation and glorification.

The Gospel message is simply, “Repent, reconsider your ways, think this over, the Kingdom of God is at hand, coming, and is already here! You must be reconciled to the King! When we were born from above, we became sons of the Kingdom and from everything I can tell from the Bible, the Kingdom will fill the whole earth. The coming ages will take place on the earth and Christ will rule for a thousand years.

In 2002, I went to Cambodia on a missions trip to assist in building a church there. In the Seventies, Pol Pot overthrew the government and installed a reign of terror called the Khmer Rouge. They turned Cambodia into a prison camp and three million people were starved and murdered under the most horrendous conditions imaginable. What happened there was nothing more than horrible. Mass graves are everywhere and the scars of what happened there still remain in the hearts and minds of the people who witnessed and survived it. Everywhere I went, I could not shake the thought that when I was a kid in high school, kids my age were being sent to slavery and to their deaths in the rice fields. I wondered how a terrible thing like this could happen. The same could be said about Russia, China, Japan and Germany. It was hard to feel at ease knowing what had taken place there only thirty years before.

We should not think that the earth is a small thing to the Lord. I like to say that the earth is a really cool place. It’s the knuckleheads that drive me crazy!

What does the earth have to do with missions and our mission in particular? You see, Jesus is more than a savior, He is a great King, the One who will reign and exercise government and dominion over all the earth, and that includes the place in which we live. It isn’t hard to imagine the changes that are coming to your town. The wild ride of Bible prophesy is just ahead. Great trouble first, then a time of unprecedented blessing under the government and leadership of Jesus Christ. The earth is actually groaning in its desire to see the unveiling of the sons of God.

Have you considered that God is expecting us to be something to the place where we live, a people uniquely qualified to open the doors to the Kingdom of God and give access to the people who live in this place? We can go places where terrible things have happened and see them as cursed and forsaken of God. Fear and death reign in such places. On the other hand we can find places of blessing and life, where people feel love, see the Truth, feel secure and can grow and thrive spiritually. For that to happen, it will take people with a vision for the Glory of God to be shown through the Gospel to the people we live with.

Just after I came to know the Lord and was gloriously saved, I made a request that I wanted to do something that would make it possible for other people to find what I had discovered. This was too good to keep to myself. It would be an injustice and a horrific thing not to do everything possible to give people access to the Lord. I didn’t know it then but God was planting the seeds of missions in my heart. For the past twenty years, we have been at Bread Basket, preaching the Word of God, seeking to bring God and people together while we help meet their material needs.

One of my favorite quotes concerning missions comes from John Piper who says; “The goal of missions is to bring the nations into the white-hot enjoyment of the glory of God.” In other words, our goal is to bring people and God together so that worship might happen! If worship happens, God is glorified, a man or woman finds what is infinitely valuable and the Kingdom of God has come to another household.

The Lord is not returning to this earth to take us to heaven. No, the King is coming to possess His inheritance! The question we must ask is this; what will we have to present to Him when He comes? The best gift we could present to the Lord would be the people we were called to reach with the Gospel, having been made ready to see the King of Glory.

A final quote from John Piper on missions. “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church, worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t.” Does it grieve your spirit to see the people around us spend their lives on the superfluous, the temporal, and worst of all, fail to see God and be properly reconciled to Him? It is a tragedy that touches God and man. For a man to miss God, he loses the infinite experience of becoming eternally related to God and the Lord suffers loss over the son or daughter that will not be in His house. Worship will not happen. Love will be lost.

The Place Jesus Must Hold in the Hearts of His People

2010-04-12T09:20:00.000-07:00

In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes. (Judges 21:25).

We are living in interesting times. We are presently witnessing a revival of interest in the Constitution because we have never seen our elected politicians show such disregard for the law of the land. Each day we see the expansion of Big Government, the freedom of the common man shrinks. We are seeing the slogan; “Don’t tread on me” showing up at tea parties and rallies all over America.

However, during the Revolutionary War, there was another slogan that was widely held in the hearts of the patriots and freedom fighters; “No king but Jesus”. I encourage you to do a Google search of that term to learn more about the spiritual mindset of those times.

During a recent prayer meeting, the Lord spoke to my heart this phrase; “The Gospel is not a religious issue, the Gospel is a governmental dominion issue.” I was stunned by the clarity and force in which those words struck me. Its true. Jesus did not come to establish the “religion of God”, He came to establish the “Kingdom of God”.

Isaiah prophesied; For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of [his] government and peace [there shall be] no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7).

A casual reading of the Gospels will quickly reveal that John the Baptist, Jesus and His disciples, focused their teaching on the Kingdom/Government of God. The apocalyptic prophetic books all focus on the Kingdom of God coming to bring to an end to the empires of man for all time and eternity. The coming of the Kingdom of God has always been the blessed hope of the people of God.

However, this generation of Christians seems to be more interested in what A.W. Tozer called “The Utilitarian Christ”. He is the one who can help you win the Super Bowl, throw a no-hitter, and find success in anything your heart desires. After all, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, right? Wrong. The man who wrote those words was a sold out servant of Jesus Christ who had only one thing on his mind; following and obeying the desires of the King of Glory. To imply that Christ is mostly interested in our success in life is to remove Him from the Throne of History and reduce Him to little more than a good luck charm.

The Gospel of the Kingdom view of Jesus offers a totally different perspective. The Word tells us that Christ is fully God, infinitely holy and has a burning zeal to judge the nations and bring His government to all the nations of the earth. God has enthroned His Son to be King and Lord, (the same thing) over all, meaning that due to His glory and power, all men would be wise to fear a King so great. Holiness consumes His inner being and He has little tolerance for the folly of this world therefore He is fully committed to its demise. His ultimate plan is to create a new heaven and a new earth.

His call to the nations to repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand, is a warning siren to all men that this present world is under the sentence of death and men should abandon it and seek the mercy of God while there is time. But that is not all. The world is starving for a just and righteous Ruler, one who can and will lead history to its glorious destiny, a destiny that is above and beyond all that we could ask or think.

The time has come that we should proclaim like John the Apostle on the Isle of Patmos; Jesus Christ, [who is] the faithful witness, [and] the first begotten of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

Daniel saw Christ and said; And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: His dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:14).

If people fail to grasp of Gospel of the Kingdom of God, (the government/dominion view of the Gospel), they will by default embrace the religious view. When people see Christ as the leader of a religion, they place Him in the same category of as the other religions of the world. He becomes just another way of being religious. When we do this we inadvertently remove Christ from His exalted place above all things and He loses His authority and majesty in the minds and hearts of the people of the earth.

Anyone who carefully reads and thinks through the Scriptures, will discover something altogether different than nice moral teachings of peace and love for us all to follow. The Bible is about a real King, a Man, who has been enthroned over all government, dominion, principalities, powers, men and earth itself. There is nothing that we can think of that is not under His dominion and therefore, must answer with fear and obedience.

This view of the Gospel might sound strange to some but it is the view offered in the Word of God. We are so accustomed to hearing about the utilitarian Jesus that we have incorrectly interpreted the Gospel to mean that God likes everyone and everything just fine with Him. Such a view of Jesus Christ comes from the pit of hell because it strips Him of the attributes that distinguishes Him from all others in heaven or earth.

Maybe the problem we have with coming to grips with seeing and embracing the Jesus Christ of the Bible is that we could never fathom or even fantasize someone like Him. The only way we can get our hearts and minds around Him in some measure is through that intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. It is His good pleasure to reveal God to our hearts that being our blessed reward.

Christ will never hold the place of King and Lord of all until the people of God are brought face to face with the truth of who Jesus Christ is in reality and fact. If we fail to present Christ as King, the righteous standard by whom all men will be judged, and stop appealing to men based on what Christ will do for their careers, bank accounts, marriages and home life, Christ will never be enthroned where He must be enthroned, in the hearts of His people.

A Christianity that fails to own Christ as King and Lord will downgrade into religious humanism. It will deny Him His right to rule in the midst of His people and therefore offer a distorted view of Christ in its witness, if it has one at all. Our worship of Him will be weak because our view of Him will be of a cosmic social worker or religious icon. Paul closed his letter to Timothy by saying; Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. Jesus Christ is at this very moment a sitting King waiting till His enemies become His footstool. (Psalms 110:1).

It is mentioned four times in the Book of Judges, “in those days, Israel had no king” and twice it is added that “and every man did what was right in his own eyes.” It seems that Word of God is implying that without a King, the King of Glory, men will do what they think is right in their own eyes. This is not a good thing. For the most part, the Book of Judges is not the best of times in Israel’s history. If we are left to ourselves without the presence and influence of the King of Glory, we are lost and blind, living apart from the majesty, glory and victory of the risen Christ. Are we deceived into thinking Christ is King in the midst of His people in this modern age?

It has been my experience in recent weeks to ponder and meditate upon Jesus as King. A new passion to see Jesus’ full expression as King and Ruler is filling my soul. I want Him to have and hold the highest place in my heart and mind so that He might truly be Lord and King of my life and so I can preach Him to others.

Final Note: I recently scripted a ten page study on this subject and forwarded a copy to a pastor friend and asked him to review it. He responded by saying that it reminded him of the last article A. W. Tozer wrote and published just before his death called “The Waning Authority of Christ in the Church”. I have posted this article on the Bread Basket Ministries website and it can be linked HERE.

The Book of Daniel- A Key Ingredient of Overcoming Faith in the Last Days

2010-04-03T20:48:00.000-07:00

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit has to say to the churches. This word was repeated many times by Jesus during His ministry before and after His resurrection. He wants to draw our attention to the Holy Spirit who always seems to be saying something to the people of God so that they might know and understand what is happening in the courts of heaven. Psalms 25:14 says; Friendship with the LORD is reserved for those who fear him. With them he shares the secrets of his covenant. NLT.

If we say we are experiencing intimacy with God, the Lord would be pleased to share the things of His heart with us for the glory of His name so we might live holy lives and be the witness He wants on the earth. True, authentic Holy Spirit led ministry will always be bringing the word of the Lord for the hour in which we live. Prophetic timeliness is everything.

This has always been true but never more important than for the generation of believers who are alive on the earth during the last days. A pilot may know how to operate the controls of an airliner but great skill is required when bringing in a bird like that at night, in stormy and foggy weather. He needs up to date information such as altitude, speed, weather on the ground and air traffic command to bring him safely home. In a spiritual sense, information like this can only come from the Holy Spirit. General Bible information is good and necessary but if it isn’t timely, it will never meet the need of the hour.

I am sorry to say that there are millions of Christians today who are flying blind and are out of touch with Air Traffic Control, i.e. the Holy Spirit. This could not come at a worse time. Jesus warned that there would be deceivers, false shepherds and prophets and a general lukewarm spiritual climate prior to His coming. The church is largely living under the spell of this evil world system. The church has failed to make authentic disciples who will be able to endure the pressures of the end times because they were told that they would automatically escape the trouble because they “accepted Jesus into their hearts,” something that is never mentioned in Scripture. Every prophetic book in the Bible including Jesus’ teachings foretell of widespread persecution and martyrdom before the Lord returns.

At the time of this writing, those of us living in America are beginning to feel the pressure of a greater intrusion of government into our lives. We have already been experiencing the demonic pressures of political correctness that is redefining the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ into something He will reject. I have been saying recently that in the Age to Come, it will be said that the church of our generation will be remembered as notably apostate. The great falling away has already begun. But you say; “Mark, look how many attend church today?” Yes. And I say there is no safety in numbers. Jesus said; “wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:14).

The Gospel is not a Religious Issue- It is a Kingdom/Dominion Issue.
If we were to see the Gospel through the lenses in which Daniel saw it, we would never call Christianity a religion. The context in which Daniel received dreams, and the dream interpretations of the kings, was mostly related to world empire government, not religion. If Daniel could return from the afterlife, he would be appalled by what has happened to our message. The same could be said of John the Baptist, Jesus and the apostles. They saw the Gospel through the eyes of world dominion and kingdom, not just the creation of another religion. We do violence to the Gospel of Jesus Christ by allowing it o be considered in the category of world religion.

When Jesus asked His disciples; Who do the people say that I am? They responded that the people thought He was one of the prophets back from the dead. He asked them; Who do you say that I am? Peter said; You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. To the Jewish mind of that time, that statement held infinite and transcendent meaning. Peter was saying that Jesus was the King of the Kingdom that would end all kingdoms and empires.

Daniel saw this in the vision in Daniel 7:13. I saw in the night visions, and, behold, [one] like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed.

The Kingdom of God is a literal kingdom, not a metaphor for a religious belief system. It is as literal and real as any other government past, present and future. But the Kingdom of God transcends all other kingdoms and governments and all are accountable to the Lord as the kings in Daniel’s day learned. King Nebuchadnezzar said; At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?" Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble. (Daniel 4:34-37).

The Book of Daniel seems to focus primarily on the theme of the four major world empires and the final empire of all, the Kingdom of God. It also warns God’s people that times will be difficult and that the antichrist will severely test them. However, we must persevere and remain faithful for the King of Heaven will certainly come and usher in the eternal Kingdom.

Most people today fail to grasp the importance of this divine information. Modern man is so focused on the moment due to the belief that what happens to him today is all that counts. But for a man who thinks eternally as we should, life in this age is temporal and fleeting compared to the ages to come. Daniel was such a man. Those of us who are in Christ should most definitely think this way especially since we have the luxury of the complete text of the Holy Scriptures for our learning and edification.

The Gospel is not a Religious Issue- It is a Governmental/Dominion Issue

2010-03-24T20:58:00.000-07:00

The title of this posting is sure to raise some brows but it is true. The Gospel is a dominion governmental issue. What do we mean by this?

We are witnessing the moral and spiritual collapse of America as we know it. We are witnessing corruption on steroids in our government offices. There is a lot of outrage out there but no one does anything about it. The influence of the Church is at an all time low and polling data suggests that only 9% of American adults hold a biblical worldview. However, we hear that 80% of Americans believe in God and something like 40% attend services on a regular basis. Where is the fear of God in the American population?

All this is happening at a time when the Church has never been better funded and have more access to media, TV, radio, internet and recorded media. How can this be? What is wrong with us?

We are experiencing a crisis in the Church that does not come from the outside, but from within. I think I have some understanding on the root of the problem.

There is a serious flaw in our message. Doesn’t it seem strange that the Church, the so called “body of Christ” fail to speak with one voice about anything? We offer no unified message to the world. We are supposed to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We are neither. I recently decided to explore what the prevailing message of the Early Church and discovered a major theme that distinguished them from all other people.

They preached that a Man, someone they personally knew, was crucified, died and was buried. On the third day, He rose again from the dead, an event that proved to them and should be proof to all, that this Man was God. But that was not all. They also were well acquainted with the Jewish prophetic scriptures that spoke of the Messiah’s future governmental rule and kingdom administration that would fill the whole earth. This Messiah would be the Judge and Jury of the living and the dead. They saw His miracles and His death and saw Him alive. He appeared to them on several occasions. The fact that He is alive from the dead and never to die again qualifies Him to be King over all the earth forever!

These men did not see Jesus as a religious figure at all. They saw Him as a King, a Priest, and a Judge. They saw Him as Someone for whom there was no classification because there is no one like Him in heaven and on earth. He is altogether unique!
Isaiah prophesied about the Christ; For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6-7).

This is exactly what Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost! They saw Jesus as the long awaited for Messiah King who has been given all authority and power in heaven and earth. (See Matthew 28:18).

Their message started by proclaiming Jesus as King and Lord of all the earth, holding the highest office, seated at the Father’s right hand. Zechariah prophesied; The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name. (Zech 14:9).

When we accept the premise that the Gospel is a religion, like the other religions, people easily dismiss it. The reason the Church is dismissing the Gospel is because they are approaching it like a religion. When we do this we are denying Christ His rightful place in the earth as King and Lord over all. He has claims over all the earth, all people, property and lands. He is Lord of all. It is a question of who is going to and who has the power to set the agenda for the earth and for eternity.

The Gospel is not a religious issue... It is a Governmental/Dominion issue!

I have recorded and message and uploaded it for further study here.

God’s Marvelous Radical Plan to Set Things Right- The Resurrection

2010-03-15T21:27:00.000-07:00

There is a common story line that runs through most action films and novels that goes something like this. A villain/beast comes to threaten life on earth. His scheme seems unstoppable and utterly detestable. However, there is a man somewhere who can somehow rise to the occasion and stop this monster and send him to his just deserts. Bruce Willis and Harrison Ford are millionaires thanks to stories like this.

There are some things that happen to us that can cast a shadow over us all the days of our lives. The Resurrection is the kind of thing that can cast a bright optimistic blast of hope over us all the days of our life, if we understand what the Bible is saying to us.

The writer of Hebrews says that it is possible to “taste the powers of the Age to Come”. (Hebrews 6:5). This verse has always fascinated me. What an invitation! My soul longs for the Age to Come and the Lord says we can, in this life, taste or sample the powers of the Age to Come. I believe this is what happens in our inner being when we have come to understand all that the Bible has to say about the New Creation, the New Man, our new identity and standing in Christ. Truly, old things are passing away; behold, all things are become new!

The Resurrection of Christ is the bridge that makes it possible for fallen man to cross over from death unto life and into the New Creation. It is sad that most of the time, sermons on Easter will center on the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. That in itself is a wonderful thing that Christ is alive. The joy of knowing He is alive is wonderful. But we must go to the next step to fully extract the full benefit God intends for us. God has a marvelous plan that goes beyond just the resurrection of His Son.

The Bible is saying that we are now new creatures, men of a different kind than those of Adam’s fallen race. We are now men of the New Creation. The Word calls us the New Man as opposed to the old man, sons of Adam. We are now “in Christ” and that means that the law of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and death. We must also note that when the Bible says these things, it refers to us as already being new with more to come. The old no longer has dominion over us. God has done all that needs to be done. Now we must grow and mature into the fullness of God’s plan.

At Lazarus’ grave, Jesus said; “I am the resurrection and the life”. He didn’t say; “I do resurrections”. What does the Lord mean by this? If we see things the way the Lord does, we will understand what He means.

God sees His Son and the Church as One Man. In the same way that all men are born in Adam in his likeness and image, those who are born of the Spirit are recreated in the likeness and image of His Son. This is the New Man God is raising up to remake the created order of the earth. He makes all thing new! Christ is the Head of the Body and the Church is the Body of Christ. In God’s eyes, He sees one New Man!

Most certainly Christ has been given the Name above all names. He is seated at the Father’s right hand. All power and authority has been given to Him in heaven and on earth and all things are under His feet. At the same time, we have been seated together with Christ in heavenly places. We are called the Bride of Christ. We are not separate from Christ, we are in Christ. We are one with Him!

I am afraid that we have missed the important truth that God has placed us in Christ. God’s people struggle to understand that God loves them. They see themselves as a people apart from God who is in heaven. God sees us in His Son. In reality, God has tied His fortunes and our fortunes together. Let me say it this way; The best thing you have or ever will have is all that belongs to Jesus Christ, now and forever. If you are in Christ, you are a joint heir of Jesus Christ! To see myself as part of Christ did not come easy because I struggled to believe that I was good enough or worthy to be of Christ. But God calls the shots. This was His idea and He demands faith and obedience and is not looking for an argument from someone like me.

If you can get your mind around that, then you are ready to tackle the Resurrection. The Lord said; I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.

If we live in Christ, are we not in Christ? In other words, we are part of a Body that has already risen from the dead. This is why Paul says; Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:20).

In another place it is written; And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18).

What does this mean that He is first if there is not a second or a third and beyond?
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. (Romans 8:11).

You are part of Christ’s body and He has risen from the dead, never to die again, and to live forevermore! The future belongs to the New Man!

Beloved, if you are safe and secure in Christ, rejoice in the fact that you are risen with Christ and are seated with Him in heavenly places. You have overcome death, hell and the grave because you are in Christ. This is God’s way for you to inherit the promise of eternal life and establish you in the Kingdom of His dear Son.

As I close, read closely the words of Peter.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5).

The Resurrection is God’s marvelous radical plan to set things right!

An Idea Whose Time Has Come

2010-02-28T18:52:00.000-08:00

This post may seem off subject but I have an idea. We are in one of the most contested legislative battles in American history over the future of health care/insurance. An idea came to me that I believe, would solve many of America's problems. Please allow me to explain.

Right now, we are experiencing a major crisis with the future of Social Security and Medicare. We are also seeing massive growth in government, period. When government grows, we build monstrous bureaucracies that consist of millions of government workers who unionize and are paid much more than the average private sector worker with similar skills and education. We can save America from going bankrupt if we act now, by making a couple simple changes.

1. Beginning immediately, every new piece of legislation passed by Congress must have a sunset clause, ten years from passage, that forces it to be brought back to Congress for reconsideration of its effectiveness and need. We waste billions of dollars on projects and departments that are no longer needed. We don't even review them. This is "term limitation" for the legislation they write.

2. All new legislation must put out bids to the private sector for the handling of the bureaucracy. The private sector is far more efficient and will always remember that they could be replaced by another company. Allow the rules of competition to work for us. This would only apply to activity that would not compromise national security.

3. Begin to dissolve the Departments of Energy, Education, Commerce and Labor. Allow this process to play out over the next five years, giving the government employees time to retire or move to the private sector.

4. Cut back on salaries and cancel retirement pensions with health insurance for members of Congress. Maybe they will serve sacrificially and not see incumbency as a lifetime appointment.

These simple steps would cure the greatest problem facing the world and state governments, runaway massive government. If we are going to save America, these steps would keep government in check. This is the kind of reform I can support. What do you think?

Modern Man is a Has-been

2010-02-27T07:16:00.000-08:00

There is no quick way to say this but Modern Man is history. He’s toast, finished, and doomed. Stick a fork in him… he’s done. This is not a Chicken Little “the sky is falling” message. I am only saying what the Word of God is saying about him. “Behold, I make all things new!”(Revelation 21:5). This proclamation infers the end of the old and the introduction of the New. Paul says; Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: (species or kind) old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The people of God are often marginalized and impugned as out of date, old fashioned, irrelevant, and out of touch. The exact opposite is true. According to the Bible, the people of God are uniquely modern, as modern as man can be. It is those souls of the Old Creation who are out-dated and fading into irrelevance.

The reason for this is simple; the future belongs to Christ and the people of God. This is what the Bible is trumpeting. The meek shall inherit the earth. According to the Bible, God is starting over. The creation that has produced this evil and corrupt present age will give way to the New Creation. God has contrived an ingenious strategy to recover all that was lost and institute all He intended in the beginning.

God is moving ahead with a totally New Man. John states in his Gospel that the Word became flesh. (John 1:14). This is not a minor incident. He is saying that Divinity was fused together with humanity, resulting in the appearance of a totally new kind of man. The world has never seen anything like him. The Old Man is corrupt and received the properties of death from his ancestor, Adam. Everything reproduces after its own kind. While there are differences in each person, there are fundamental consistencies in every human being, things we inherit from our common ancestor. Romans 5:12 says; Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men.

Here we see the necessity of the virgin birth of Christ. Jesus took His humanity from Mary. He takes His divine nature from His Father, bypassing Adam, being conceived by the Holy Spirit. He is the first man to walk the earth that did not possess the inherited corruption that is found in Adam. Jesus Christ is the New Man! But there is more!

John continues by saying; “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” ( John 1:12-13). The Bible is saying that we have been born of God. What we see here is the same thing that happens in Christ, happens in those born of the Spirit. God has devised a way to circumvent the negative consequences we inherited in Adam by putting Adam to death in us. At the same time He has given us a new birth that literally and figuratively remakes us into the likeness of the New Man, Christ Jesus. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29).

The writer of Hebrews says concerning this; For it became him, for whom [are] all things, and by whom [are] all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified [are] all of one (of the same family as it says in the NIV) for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers. If the Word of God calls us brothers, that means we are of the same family with a common Father and inheritance. It also means we have a common future! Jesus is the firstborn among many brothers! For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. (Ephesians 3:14).

The New Man is not limited to One, but to all who are in Christ. By saying there is a New Man, the old is destined to the dustbin of history and is being abolished. Modern man is a has-been.

Upon careful reading of the Bible, the Word is saying that God has a totally New Man who will be the Man He engages with now and in the ages to come. It is through the resurrection of the dead that the future belongs to Christ and all those who are in Christ. Peter says; Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for you. (1 Peter 1:3-4). Paul says; For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the first fruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. (1 Corinthians 15:21-22).

By the Word of God, we have been to the future and it is a glorious sight to behold! As we feed our minds and spirits on the truth, we are escaping the gravity of this present age and are lifted up on eagle’s wings into the freedom of eternal life. We are men and women of Another Age. We are the New Man and Christ is the Cornerstone that all other stones must be cut from.

This truth is essential to our understanding when we think ahead to the Age to Come. The Kingdom of God on this earth will be glorious and wonderful because of the absence of all that belongs to the Old Man (Adam) and the presence and dominion of all that belongs to the New Man, Christ Jesus.

So, you see, modern man is a has-been. The future belongs to the New Man, who is the new modern Man.

Listen to Modern Man is a Has-been here.

The Heavens Declare the Glory of God

2010-02-10T19:36:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we need to put all that is going on in our world in context. This short video helps us do that. I encourage you to maximize the video to full screen. What a wonderful Creator we have. Glory to His Name!

Another Look at the Prodigal Son

2010-02-06T21:47:00.000-08:00

The story of the Prodigal Son has long been one of Jesus’ most beloved parables. Maybe its because it is easy to put ourselves in the shoes of the wayward son who came to his senses and returned to his Father’s house. We love to hear of the father in the story run to welcome him back with a kiss and a celebration. His love for his son eclipsed any hard feelings or grudges. He didn’t put him on probation or anything. He just had compassion and restored his son to the place he held before he left.

This did not set well with the older brother. It seems that this son harbored a deep resentment against his wayward brother. He also seems to carry a deep complaint against his father as well. It all comes to the surface when he says; 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'

When Jesus teaches a parable, He doesn’t always interpret the meaning for us. He leaves it up to us to process and work on it. This is how our hearts are changed by the Word of God.

In recent weeks, I have been seeing something in this story that I had never seen before.Have you ever thought about the father in the story? He has two sons who are miles apart from one another. One is irresponsible and immoral. He has the gall to go to his father and request his inheritance so he can run off and party. What a hurtful thing to say.

The other son seems responsible and serves his father. But there is a problem. In his heart he feels like a slave. He isn’t happy in the father’s house. He feels that he is missing out on something. When he sees his father kill the fatted calf and throw a party for his brother, he thinks his father has lost his mind. He thinks his brother deserves justice, not mercy.

When you think about the plight of the father, you also see that he has two sons who are really far away in their hearts from him. He loves his sons but they fail to connect with him in a way that is noble and praiseworthy. They don’t reflect well upon this good man.

Could Jesus be telling us a story about His Father in heaven? Of course He is. But the moral of the story runs deeper than the truth that the Father receives back the rebellious son.

If this story is about His Father, why are his sons at one another’s throats? Where does their discontent with their Father come from? Why does one want to leave home and the other feels like a slave in the house? What are they missing in their understanding of their Father’s love and plans?

I see people everywhere just like these boys. They claim that they are in the Father’s house but by their behavior, it is obvious that they are not “at home” there. They are looking for fulfillment in the world. Some “go to church” because they are expected to or feel that it is the right thing to do. But is it really where their heart is? Some have decided to just go their own way to look for their happiness somewhere else.

Maybe there is another Son in the story that is not mentioned in Luke’s Gospel. I know Jesus said specifically that “there was a man who had two sons.” However, there is another story that runs parallel to the Prodigal Son.

The Gospel is a story that could be read this way. God creates the heavens and the earth. He creates man with the intention that he would be given dominion to rule it. (Genesis 1:26). But Adam fumbles his dominion and Satan recovers it. Adam loses his exalted place and falls deep into darkness and sin. Instead of ruling, he becomes the one who is ruled over.

We must realize that Adam was the federal head of the human race. He represents the sum total of mankind so that when he fell, so did the rest of us. All of us are bearing the consequences of Adam’s sin. Death itself is the consequence of his sin.
But God had a secret plan. He would send His Son who would be born of a woman and become a man. He would be qualified to rule and have dominion as Adam was commissioned by God to do.

Lets go back to the story of the prodigal son. Is it not the role of the father to raise his sons so that they might be his heirs and continue to carry on the family legacy for generations to come? The father must train and discipline his sons so that they might fully comprehend the higher purpose for life. Without that, they are doomed to fail the purpose of God for their family. In the story, the sons were heirs but neither of them seemed to be captured by the glory and wonder of their father’s desire for them.

It is easy to see the consequences of the fall. Adam and his seed are corrupt to the bone. But God has another Son, His only begotten Son, in whom He is well pleased. Where Adam failed to follow through on God’s plan for humanity, Jesus is qualified and fully prepared to assume full sonship responsibilities and duties that are essential to ruling and reigning God’s creation. Christ has the necessary heart, love and righteousness that Adam never had. Jesus Christ has become the Last Adam and the Second Man, the federal head of the New Creation. (See 1 Corinthians 15). He is worthy to receive glory and dominion, forever and ever! (Revelation1:6).

The world is crumbling under the corrupt rule of fallen man. History is rife with disasters caused by evil kings, dictators, tyrants and rulers. Our founding fathers possessed a strong distrust of consolidated political power so they devised the Constitution to keep power in check and close to the people. The Bible predicts a one world government confederation will emerge and a wicked and cruel leader will have global dominion before the Lord returns. Christ’s return will be in large part and answer to prayer by those who cry out “Come quickly Lord Jesus, come and establish Your Kingdom on the earth.”

At this present time, God is laying the foundation for the Age to Come. The primary difference from the present age will be who sets the agenda for the earth. Finally, God’s original plan for His creation will see its fulfillment. Man, under the leadership of Jesus Christ, will have dominion, and will do so in righteousness and justice. He will lead the human race to its glorious destiny.

What does the story of the prodigal son have to say to us? We are supposed to rule and reign with Him. We are also heirs with Christ, sons of God, even His bride. God cannot be satisfied with a family who is constantly fighting with one another and does not find their highest joy and happiness in being in the Father’s house. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in the church today. We are being trained and disciplined for our next assignments in the Age to Come. The Spirit is working on our character and at the same time, helping us connect to our Father’s love, so that the story of the prodigal son doesn’t repeat itself.

I would like to leave you with three questions to ponder.

First of all, how “at home” do you feel in the Father’s house? I did not say “in your church.” When we are truly “at home”, we are joyfully loyal and dedicated to the Father’s purposes and plans. We have settled it once and for all that we are going to do life His way. We are not secretly looking other places for fulfillment and happiness. We know that lasting joy and contentment can only be found the Father’s house.

Secondly, has it been settled in your heart that the purpose for this life is to prepare us for the Age to Come? If so, we should see our lives as a kind of internship, where we are learning the disciplines and ways of the Coming Age. Has this become a part of your prayer life?

And thirdly, what about your love and trust in and for the Father? Do you misread Him like the two sons in the story or have you come to the place where you can rejoice in His wisdom and purposes?

Jesus is the Son in whom the Father is well pleased. He is giving us the opportunity to follow in His steps.

The picture above is "The Return of the Prodigal Son" by Rembrant

Finding Good News Right Under Our Noses

2010-01-29T08:41:00.000-08:00

Can we talk? Doesn’t it seem like we, the American people are on a losing streak? It has occurred to me that the people of God, from here on out, are going to be paying close attention to two worlds; the kingdom of this present world and the Kingdom of God.

I have never felt that the things politicians promise were going to change my life one way or the other because I never look to depend upon them for success. Maybe its because I am small potatoes in the economy. However, I believe the things that are happening now are going to require a radical change in the way we approach the world in which we live and work. We need to return to fundamentals.

I want to make a comparison between what is happening in the Church and the United States at large. It appears to me that in the same way that the present American government is becoming more and more unconstitutional, so is the much of the Church, unbiblical. Many might find that to be an outrageous statement. Only a couple of years ago, I would have thought so too. That was until I went back to the Founding Principles in the Bible and to the Constitution. We shouldn’t be surprised that as time passes and generations come and go, we lose connection to the Great Ideas that gave birth to the opportunities that help support us to be strong in the Lord and a free people. In other words, we need to recover what has been lost.

I am not laying blame in totality for our fall on the stewards of government and the Church of our generation alone. This abandonment of orthodoxy has been going on for a long time. We have been creeping farther and farther away so much that I wonder if those were alive at the birth of the Church or America would even recognize them today. Nonetheless, we need to stir ourselves from our slumber before it is too late.

We Need a “Josiah Moment”
In the long history of Israel, there came a day when a young king named Josiah commissioned the carpenters to go make some repairs on the House of the Lord. While they were looking for some things, the high priest at that time found the book of the Law in the house of the Lord and delivered it to Josiah. The king had the Book read to him.

“And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, that he rent his clothes.” (2 Kings 22:11).

Josiah immediately sought the Lord over what he was discovering and asked the high priest to inquire of the Lord saying;

Go ye, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great [is] the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.

Josiah did not stop there. He ordered a national cleansing of the idols and altars that had been erected to Baal. It was a revival with repentance and a return to the Word of the Lord. Josiah had it in his heart to recover what had been lost.

America is in the same place. She had a glorious birth and grew up to be the greatest hope for freedom loving people the world had ever seen. The Church, once the centerpiece of life in America, is now almost irrelevant in the minds of the majority of the American people. Sure, we gather in churches on Sunday. But where do we see revival on the order and likeness of Pentecost today? Are there any Josiahs out there? Will there arise out of the ash heap of Big Religion prophets that will cry into the ears of the American people to return to the Lord? Will there arise out of the nation men and women who will call the American people to discover the country they were born in and learn from the mouths of the architects who engineered our Constitution?

In an earlier blog, I wrote that it will probably fall upon the Church to do the hard work of educating the American people of their roots. We do this for minority groups all the time. Isn’t it time for us, all of us, the American people and the Church in America to recover what has been lost?

We are in a terrible economy mostly because of a melt-down of the “Spiritual Capital Index.” We have broken faith with the Constitution by allowing the creation of a massive and burdensome Federal Government that does things the Founders never would have allowed it to do. They would have left all the social things to the States who have to pay as they go. Believe me, if we had to pay for all the stuff they do in Washington, we would have incited a revolt years ago! But because they can print an infinite amount of money and engage in deficit spending, (over $12 Trillion) we just go along hoping our Congressmen can bring home the bacon. This is nothing more than grand larceny and is an abomination.

Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, [if] we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter [and] former rain unto the earth. (Hosea 6:1-2).

Our Need for Kingdom Identity

2010-01-15T07:49:00.000-08:00

One of the leading topics in the Bible is the Kingdom of God. I don't think I am exaggerating when I say that the Kingdom was the central theme of most of Jesus' teachings. Because that is true, if God's people fail to grasp the importance of this truth, we are going to have a serious blind spot in our view of things relating to God and the future.

According to Bible prophesy and the events we are watching unfold on the news everyday, we are witnessing the unraveling of the governments of the world. All we need to see is the deteriorating economies and the restlessness in the people of the world. We are living in the "information age" and people are starting to figure out that their governments are little more than feeding troughs for the special interests and corrupt politicians. Justice is rare and eventually the people will hold their leaders to a righteous standard. That is why revolutions occur.

I have been saying for a couple years now that the day is coming when the governments of the world are going to betray the people they were created to serve and they will use their powers to enslave them. This will be done under the influence of the antichrist spirit that is already at work in the world today. The foundation for his tyranny are already in place. It is only a matter a time until his day comes.

But before that happens, the people of God are going to identify with the other Kingdom, the long awaited for Kingdom of God and the King of Glory. I am be ginning to see that God is going to place a hunger and a longing for the eventual appearance of the Kingdom of God to intersect human history. When we see the Kingdom of God in the Word, we have to see our role in the Kingdom as well. If we don't, we will end up doing nothing more than griping and complaining with the rest of the world over how bad things are. We are called to better things than that. We are called to preach "Repent, the Kingdom of God is at hand!"

The leading message coming from the Holy Spirit at the first coming of Christ was just that, the Kingdom of God is at hand. I believe the message before the Second Coming of Christ will be the same as before, the Kingdom of God is at hand.

The Bible says that we are ambassadors for Christ and His Kingdom, we are citizens of Heaven with God's people. It is essential that we see ourselves that way or we will never preach with any conviction or truth about the Kingdom of God.

I believe 2010 will be a year when the Holy Spirit proclaims this message to His Church in all the earth. We are all looking forward to the appearance of our great and glorious King, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is coming to bring justice and righteousness and to rule and reign with a rod of iron and judge the nations.

The Kingdom under the leadership of our awesome King, the King of Glory, is our blessed hope. Get ready, He is coming soon!

How to Have a "Big Tent" American Revolution

2010-01-11T19:24:00.000-08:00

Before I begin this article, I want to post a disclaimer. In all the years that I have been in the ministry, I have stayed away from mixing the ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with politics. I intentionally leave the discussion of political parties, candidates and issues with the exception of abortion, up for the private consideration of my hearers or readers. I don't think it is good when a preacher comes out with a lot of political speech because you alienate at least half of the people you are trying to reach and at least half of the listeners write you off as a political hack. It just isn't prudent to be outwardly political.

Having said that, there comes a time when we have to draw some lines and this is one of those times. Regardless of the political party someone might feel comfortable in, there is an idea that we all must stand for and that is the Constitution of the United States. Every politician that takes office swears to uphold and defend our Constitution, as does a soldier who wears the uniform of the armed services. So, what I am about to say is not political, it is constitutional, and that is something we should all agree upon.

There is something happening in America today that is transcending the two party system called the Tea Party movement. At this time there is no recognizable leader or spokesman. It is purely organic. From what I can see, it is being birthed out of a concern and anger that our government and both political parties, have abandoned the ideals of the Constitution and are destroying the American way of life that we love and cherish. People know something is desperately wrong and they are coming together by the thousands, meeting in parks, the streets and in front of court houses. They are making their own protest signs, waving flags, and showing their frustration that they are being ignored. They feel they are being robbed of the most precious thing they have, freedom.

I predict that the leading subject of discussion in the next twelve months is going to be the Constitution itself. We need a national revival of interest in the Constitution. We should name July as Constitutional Awareness Month and encourage every American to educate themselves and their families as to its content and meaning. We should celebrate it with banners and signs in our yards, have block parties in its honor, and city wide campaigns and speeches promoting it. We can no longer assume people know what it is because they do not know. We cannot be Americans without the Constitution of the United States.

The "Big Tent" we are looking for is a "Big Idea" we must all get behind and I cannot think of a more important idea right now than the Constitution. And when the politicians begin to see that the American people are going to go to the wall for the Constitution, maybe they will begin to govern by its ideals and limitations.

Could we hope for a revival that could actually make the Constitution the thing we all celebrate rather than self-serving politicians who are trashing it?

The America of our Founding Fathers; R.I.P.

2010-01-08T21:17:00.000-08:00

Day after day, I mourn for our country. It is obvious that we are lost, lost in a web of confusion, apathy, nihilism, and corruption. This evening I picked up a wonderful book called The 5000 Year Leap, A Miracle that changed the World. Chapter 3 begins with a quote from the Bible that says; …thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth hating covetousness, and place them over the people to be rulers. (Exodus 18:21.) When I think of the kind of men and women who rule in America today, I cringe and say; “America, you have dug your own grave and you have only misery ahead of you.”

I listen and watch the conservative radio and television media and look for reason to hope but I see nothing but darkness. Why? Because of the verse I just quoted. You see, this was a verse that our founding fathers saw as a guiding principle that would be essential to the survival of our American ideals. In other words, the genius of our Constitution would only work when the government was administrated by virtuous men and women who feared the Lord and hated covetousness. Who can you name who fills that bill today?

There was a time when I thought we could change things at the ballot box but I have come to believe that this is futile. The thing that is missing in America is not conservative politicians. The problem is much deeper than that. It goes to the rottenness and corruption of the soul of the American people.

Last week, I was listening to Dr. Walter Williams, an economist from George Mason University on the radio. He said that he no longer spent his energy getting mad at the politicians. No, it was futile to get mad at them. The problem is us, the voters, the people of the United States of America. We are stupid, void of understanding and wisdom. We are the ones who are responsible for sending these blots to Washington to rule over us. The national soul of the people of America is hopelessly ruined and has no interest in seeking a cure. We are the grassroots. The politicians are simply a reflection and the fruits of what we desire.
The Lord says; My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. (Hosea 4:6).

The American experiment in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is over. How sad it is to think of all the men and women who shed their blood and lost their lives in defense of the American ideals and way of life. The house that our founding fathers built was not destroyed by a foreign enemy. It died from the gangrene that spoils from within. I’m sorry, I don’t see the shining city on a hill any more. I only see disgrace and corruption and a nation who hardly seems to care.

Maybe there is a hidden reason for all of this. I have noticed that the thought of the Kingdom of God has become more interesting of late. Maybe we are supposed to become like Abraham who… looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God. (Hebrews 11:10). Do we not have a Gospel of the Kingdom of God and a King we are looking for from heaven? Will He not reign with justice, righteousness, and in the fear of the Lord forever? Will He not make a new heaven and a new earth and put an end to the old order of things? My soul longs for this King and for His eternal dynasty.

I do not want to leave you with the idea that I am completely without hope. I am not. To the contrary, I believe we are moving into a new time and season when the people of our nation are going to get some new ears to hear the Gospel of the Kingdom. Before the Lord returns, the Bible is clear that the world government under the reign of the anti-christ is going to betray the people of the earth. But God is going to have a Church in the earth that is filled with a powerful message that Christ is coming to set things straight and we will say; “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand!” If we are listening to the Lord and are preparing for the time that is coming, it will be our finest hour.

The Kingdom of God is in Sight

2010-01-02T05:06:00.000-08:00

It has been my custom to wait on the Lord over the holidays to see what He has in mind for us for the coming year. I would like to take a moment to share some thoughts on what I think He has been saying.

To begin with, as the year came to a close, I felt that we were in a time of blessing. This came as a surprise because America is going through a time of tumultuous change. This is not to say that God is limited by anything that is happening in the world. To the contrary, that is just the point He is trying to make. He was saying and confirming it from His Word that if it be in Egypt, or in Judea under a wicked king like Herod, the Lord has His assets in place to accomplish His purposes. It matters not to Him what the economy is like, or if there be no economy at all, He is Lord over all.

The passage of Scripture that seems to be on my mind of late comes from Isaiah 58. This has always been a favorite of mine because it helps us see the things that God calls important versus vain religious expressions that are not necessarily on His heart. For the sake of space, please take a moment to read over Isaiah 58 now.

I am feeling a strong inclination that we must be about our Father’s business. Some might be looking for the next economic bubble to exploit or what business one should invest in. Beloved, we are called to take sides with God against sin and injustice, while we are joining Him in His intercession and the manifestation of His Kingdom on earth. When we say that we are God’s chosen people, we are saying we are His priesthood. This is a glorious thing. It is a high calling. Unfortunately, we can fall into the same trap as Israel of old. They lost their heart connection to the purpose of God and saw things only as they related to their personal prosperity while the things of the Kingdom were pushed to the back burner.

The next couple of years are going to be crucial to the future of America and the Kingdom of God. I believe the Lord has been connecting His people to the ministries and churches He wants us to be connected to. It is up to us to be spiritually aware of His leadings. You need to be on the wagon that is going His way! Beware! Not all are going the right way.

In January of 2009, I felt the Lord was pointing us to the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus’ teaching on the Kingdom and finance. This ties closely together with Isaiah 58. He is pointing us there again!

There is one more thought that comes to mind. I have been more aware than ever before that Heaven is brooding over the earth and the Lord’s people. I have not always felt this way. I will be preaching a message this week called “Heaven is Hovering!” The Holy Spirit is drawing near to us and awakening us the realities of the Kingdom of God. The Spirit is moving and we must act in agreement with Him and not miss the time of our visitation.

I leave you with this thought. Don’t allow the pressures of the world to push you off of your heavenly occupation. Press in for the Kingdom of God suffers violence but it is the violent that take it be force.

"2010" Will be a Year of Reformation

2009-12-31T06:31:00.000-08:00

Make no mistake, 2010 will be a year of reformation. But it will not be without tumult, hardship and a lot of spiritual warfare. As someone recently said; "America has been on a long holiday away from history." I would add that we are now coming home to the cold, hard realities of having to live with the consequences of our actions.

I have been observing over the past year that the Church has moved away from the Bible just as the government has moved away from the Constitution. The Tea Party movement is a response and reaction to the audacity of a government who's actions and spending is out of control. The big story of 2010 will be the emergence of an American renaissance led by this organic Tea Party movement. It remains to be seen how this will affect the 2010 elections but it will definitely be a factor.

But what about the Church? Are we not in the same place? Maybe a better question is; "Is the failure of the Church to offer the Biblical worldview to the American people, the reason for our constitutional failure?" We must remember that the reason we had the Constitution our founders engineered was because we were a people of a Biblical mind and worldview.

Just as we are all wondering what leader(s) will emerge out of the Tea Party movement, the question is what man, woman, or movement will emerge with a message and method to touch a nation in crisis with the Word of God?

I believe we are at a critical tipping point and we are about to see a new generation of young people who are seeing the handwriting on the wall of their world. God has always had a remnant who will stand up in the face of the popular culture and corrupt religious machine like Martin Luther who said;

"Unless I am convinced by proofs from Scriptures or by plain and clear reasons and arguments, I can and will not retract, for it is neither safe nor wise to do anything against conscience. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen."

Luther was only 37 when he nailed his 95 Theses on Whittenberg's Church door. But it was God's secret work in his heart as a young man that prepared him to stand the trials and testings that awaited him.

The Holy Spirit has been working and shaping hundreds of thousands of young people to bring forth a new expression, a return to biblical, whole-hearted devotion and righteousness. They are coming with a message of fasting and prayer and have a theology that the Prophets would approve of.

John the Baptist and Jesus appeared in Israel in a time when it was about as bad as it could be politically, economically, and spiritually. But there was a remnant on the ground and we read about in the Bible about how a handful of young people who had been with Jesus changed the world. Yes, the disciples were young and so was Jesus for that matter.

Keep your eyes on the youth who are walking with God. Out of their generation will come forth hope for America.

2010 will be the year when you will see the seeds of a spiritual reformation begin to sprout.

God Still Sends Miracles- Christmas Eve

2009-12-24T07:56:00.000-08:00

The week leading up to Christmas this week was mixed for us. Linda and I have been as busy as ever doing our work and keeping an eye on what was happening in Washington, D.C. I really don't want this blog to be political but government is a very important part of our lives. In fact, the story of the birth of Jesus has a lot to say about government and how God shows His power in spite of it.

For over a week, I have been feeling a sense of pending disaster. I came to the place where I could hardly bear to listen to the news. At the same time we were enjoying a really good week of ministry and blessing at Bread Basket. There was a lot of love being spread around around. But when I would leave the ministry, I would feel like I was dying. Linda was feeling the same way.

Last night, we were invited to some friends for Christmas carols and visiting. But before we went, we stopped for a bite of dinner at our favorite diner. I told Linda that I thought we were under spiritual warfare. This is not uncommon especially when the Lord is about to do or say something to you that is very strategic or important.

Last night, about 2:00 am, the Lord woke me up. It was as if my alarm went off. I came right awake. My radio was on and tuned to a guy that talks about future trends on the economy and society. The picture he is painting for the 2010 is not pretty. So far, he has been pretty accurate in his predictions. He does does not claim to be a prophet. He just pays attention to what the politicians and governments are doing.

Right after that, a lady came on and was talking about miracles that she had experienced. At that time, the Lord began to remind me of all the miracles He has sent us over the years. I am convinced that we would not be where we were if it were not for all the Divine Help He has sent. We would have been ship wrecked. I laid there for over an hour thinking about all the amazing miracles He had sent over the past thirty years and then fell asleep.

"If it had not been the Lord who was on our side. Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth." (Psalms 124).

God is saying; "Prepare for troubled times. It is going to be a wild ride. But know and depend on Me for Help from above. I will be with you all the way."

The Lord continues to say to me, "I will show My power in those who are looking to Me. I will do it in the midst of troubled times, just as I did when Christ was born. I am not limited by anyone or anything."

We have just completed our twenty-sixth year of ministry at Bread Basket. When 2009 started, I would not have thought that we would be doing well at all as a ministry right now. But we are. Miracles came right when we needed them.

The thing that comes to mind is the movie; "Its a Wonderful Life." Our lives are a story that is being written by the hand of God. You will never guess how the story ends!

Merry Christmas. Emmanuel, God is with us, is here! By the way, it is snowing in Fort Worth this Christmas Eve morning. Amazing!

P.S: I have attached a link to our audio Christmas Message called:
Christmas; God's Idea of D-Day".

About the Picture above. This vintage engraving depicts Jesus Christ healing a blind man. This moving scene from the Bible was engraved after the artwork of Alexander Bida (1813 - 1895). It was published in an 1875 collection of artwork featuring Christ, and is now in the public domain. Digital restoration by Steven Wynn Photography.

Is America Dying or is it Being Reborn?

2009-12-21T20:01:00.000-08:00

That is a good question. I cannot remember a time when I have had such a heavy heart over my country. I move from grief to anger, from outright hostility to vestiges of hope. The political activity we have been witnessing this year has galvanized the American people and has helped us all come to a new appreciation for our Constitution. We are also seeing a new interest in our founding fathers and other patriots who stood against tyranny and for freedom. There has been a rash of new book titles that are flying off the book store shelves that highlight a conservative point of view. It seems our nation is waking up from a long sleep.

At the same time, millions of people are seriously concerned over the new direction government is taking. It seems as America has moved away from God and adherence to the Word of God as a standard for morals, ethics, and a general sense of what is right or wrong. We are seeing our elected officials take us away from adherence to the Constitution. The political and social battles in the coming year will be over the Constitution of the United States.

Newton's law of motion says; "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction." There has been a significant rush to the left. There will be push back, I assure you.

I also see a spiritual revival on the horizon. It is becoming evident that it is time for all good men to come to the aid of their country. And that includes the body of Christ. Something is happening and God is up to something. While it may look like the devil is in control, God is laying the groundwork for a Reformation of sorts. We are learning that we can no longer adopt the ways of the world and expect God to bless it. No, we are learning the hard lesson that we must return to the Word of God and do things His way. When we do, we get Biblical results.

I came across this wonderful video last week that explains this awesome painting. Be blessed as you take it in.

A Sad Day for America

2009-12-20T14:02:00.000-08:00

I feel like I have been kicked in the gut and I am sure that I am not alone. With the distressing news that the so-called "health care reform bill" is moving on to the next step, it looks like the unthinkable is about to happen. We are about to get a nightmare of government control that will invade our privacy and tax us into oblivion.

Someone asked me once if I was in support of public health care. I said no. He was surprised by my answer because he concluded that since I was a minister to the poor, I would be supportive of such a measure. Let me count the reasons I do not support it.

1). First of all, many times, what politicians say they are trying to do has names that veneer over the truth of a totally different thing. From what I have been learning about what this bill will cost in dollars and freedom, this is a perfect example. This bill is a Trojan horse. Until now, the bill has yet to be published publicly. It is still under lock and key and they are getting ready to vote on it. So much for transparency.

2). I have a little business sense and know what it is to make a payroll. My wife also oversees the payroll at a large company. The expenses associated with payroll taxes, income taxes, energy taxes, and health care insurance is so heavy these days, it really causes one to rethink hiring new people. This is a job killing program and will keep unemployment high.

3). This is a terrible infringement of our constitutional rights.

4). The private sector always delivers goods and services better and cheaper than government can. More importantly, when evil and partisan politicians get their hands on a thing, they will use their position to leverage themselves politically. We are already seeing that most of the stimulus money is going to Democrat congressional districts. Consider that the Post Office, Amtrack, Medicare, Social Security, and the government in general, is being trashed and is broken financially.

5). America is bankrupt! Check the National Debt Clock!

6). This will open the door to taxpayer funded abortion.

7). It is a disgrace to bribe and accept bribes to pass these kinds of laws.

8). Everyone has access to health care in America. They may not have insurance, but we have county hospitals that will provide services to anyone who cannot pay for it. By the way, look at your property taxes receipt. You are paying for public health care already!

9). As mentioned in the video above, we are going to be forced to buy health insurance or be fined or even worse. Unbelievable.

10). This is a massive government take over of the health care industry, the best in the world. Should we trust career politicians with such a precious thing as our health care?

America, this is a sad day for you. May God have mercy on us and the country we love!

Prophetic Dream Fulfilled!

2009-12-19T08:05:00.000-08:00

A couple of years ago, sometime in late 2007 or early 2008, I had a troubling dream. I was walking down a dry and dusty road with some friends of mine. We became thirsty and started to look for a place where we could get something to drink. We came across a little store/tavern along the road so I went inside to buy some drinks

I asked the man for some cokes and he said they didn't have any. All he had was beer. I wasn't happy about that because I didn't drink beer but we were so thirsty I said we don't have any choice.

I took my money out and put it on the counter and right before my eyes, the dollar bills turned into what looked like "confetti". I said; "Wow! Look what happened to my money! What's happening here?"

The man behind the counter said; "Yea, how strange." So he swept the green confetti into little box and gave me some change. But the change he gave me was strange too. They were like little dimes that were about the size of hearing aid batteries. They were really small.

About that time, the dream ended. I awoke wandering what this might be. Now remember, this happened before the election of 2008 and no one was really concerned about the value of the dollar like people are today.

About a month ago, I came across this graph that tells the real story on the devaluation of the dollar.

This graph shows the devaluation of the dollar against gold. Notice the quote by Voltaire. "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value- ZERO". (Click on the graph for a larger view).

About the same time I had the dream, the Lord spoke to my heart saying that something was going to happen that would change everything. So I began to wonder what was going to happen. Would it be a terrorist attack? A natural disaster? Another world war? No. I believe we are seeing what the Lord was warning.

We are seeing the end of America as we knew it. Our money is being devalued. With the news today that the "health care" legislation is going to pass, the dollar is toast. We are committing national and economic suicide. Add to it all the billions we are going to spend and tax the people for when it comes to"fixing" global warming, well, you get the picture.

The Bible foretold that there would be a global government, economy, and religion, before the Lord returns. Pay attention people, it is happening right in front of your eyes.

Jesus said; "I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire that you may be rich." Revelation 3:18. I find this passage interesting that in the time before the Lord's return, more and more people are buying gold to protect themselves from the devaluation of the dollar. But natural gold will never do. It is going to take a righteous and obedient relationship with Jesus Christ to make it through the trouble that is coming. I encourage you to buy gold from Jesus.

Avoid the "Bless Me Lord" Club

2009-12-15T20:33:00.000-08:00

There is no question we all need the blessing of God on our lives. This is an incredibly deep issue because I don't believe it is possible for someone to live a successful life in God if we do not see ourselves as a person God would bless or wants to bless. The good news is that we are already blessed in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 1:3). It seems that God has already settled the issue when He included us in His Son, Jesus Christ.

But we can fall into a trap when we think we can use the blessing of God to advance our own agenda. I believe this is the fly in the ointment of the "Word of Faith" movement. I actually know people who approach God in a way that puts Him in the position as One who is obligated to bless us because "His promise to do so". I have heard teachers say God has given us a blank check and all we have to do is fill in the amount we need. Hogwash!

Proverbs 19:21 says; "Many are the plans of a man's heart but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." The problem here is obvious. If we have our own plans to do what we please, would God be righteous and good to bless us in our folly? No, He would not. Therefore, it would be necessary for the Lord to wrestle with us until we came to our senses and joined Him in His purposes. This is why we are in the pitiful shape we are in today. We are not on same page the Lord is on.

If I am not on the same page the Lord is on, I would prefer the Lord not bless or prosper me. That would only contribute to my deception and harden my resolve to remain in error. If I sense the Lord has withdrawn His presence and blessing, I would seek His counsel as to where I might be missing Him.

I believe the Lord wants to bless and prosper but He will only release His power in strength in those who have come to seeing things His way. This is for our own good. After all, serving Jesus is really all about Him and His Kingdom. It is not about us.

Beware of falling into the "bless me club" mentality. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and ll these things will be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33).

Groupthink or Channel One?

2009-12-14T06:43:00.000-08:00

In light of all the news concerning global warming and climate change, I think the larger story is the surprisingly high number of people who are totally sold out to this so called crisis. You probably have heard about the leaked e-mails that clearly show that the scientists have been cooking the books and hiding the evidence that the earth is not heating as they want us to think it is. But don't let the facts slow down the true-believers. No, they are digging in deeper even if it makes them look like fools.

Jesus said; "They eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! Matthew 6:22.

In a larger sense, the masses are caught under the spell of what I call "group think". We can adopt attitudes, beliefs and sensitivities just because we pick it up from the culture we are immersed in. We are bombarded with media 24/7 and people who drink from the sewer of group think all the time. Even if we call ourselves Christians, our minds and spirits can become just as polluted as the non-believers can.

Jesus is calling us to tune in to another channel, Channel One. This is where we get eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church. We develop an ability to see everything through the lenses of what the Word of God has already judged all things to be. Channel One gives us the wisdom to know what we should be taking in and not.

We must also be careful that we don't fall into the trap of "Christian group think." Just as Jesus said for the people of His day to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, we must be careful that we follow the voice of the Good Shepherd and the Word of God, not just the popular teaching or minister of the hour.

Are you tuned to "group think" or "Channel One"?

Welcome Everyone!

2009-12-12T13:04:00.000-08:00

I am venturing out into something I have never done before, host a blog site. If you are like me, I spend quite a bit of time visiting blogs that cover all kinds of subjects from Faith, sports, politics and the news in general. For the purpose of this blog, I hope to stay in contact with friends and those who are concerned about the things that are happening in the Church and the nation at large. We need a revival and we need to communicate with one another about the things we need to be concerned with.

We also want to use this site to talk about how we can serve the Lord together. As you know, our ministry is Bread Basket Ministries, a place that is devoted to feeding the poor and preaching the Gospel and bringing the things of God to light as He shows them to us.

We are living in strategic times. It is a couple of minutes before midnight on the cosmic clock and most of the people I know are asleep at the wheel. Well, it is time to wake up.

I hope that those of you who take a moment to check in with me will leave your comments and suggestions. I hope we can have a conversation that will benefit us all.

All for Jesus,
Mark Berry
mark@breadbasketministries.org