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We Must Maintain Our Identity As People Of God.

Chopper

Chopper

Member
There is hardly an alert Christian who would say "we're not in the last days before Jesus, the Christ of God comes for His Bride."

I was up early this morning, having finished my study in 2 Chronicles, and then my study in Revelation Chapter 22. In my mind/heart there came an overwhelming desire to create a thread about the importance of maintaining a strict and holy walk in the Holy Spirit because our time here is extremely short. Jesus is coming, when we don't expect it. We must be in a place of expecting, not involved in worldly behavior.

Personally, I'd like all Believers to study the Chronicles in the Old Testament (Covenant). There, you will see for yourselves the effect of the Nation of Israel, the apple of God's Eye, continually rejecting God's purpose for them and that was to be God's distinctive people. Lets look at just two Kings in Judah/Jerusalem. Hezekiah and his son Manasseh.

Oh, let me tell you, when Hezekiah became King, he reversed what the last king did which was evil in God's Face. Hezekiah cleansed the House of God as well as the people, and brought back Passover. The joy in those people was great! Spiritually, I could sense the joy of the Lord.

After Hezekiah died, his son took to the throne and did evil in the sight of the Lord....If you read about all the Kings in 1 & 2 Chronicles, you will be amazed how a son of a King who did what was right according to God's Commands and was hugely blessed because of it, and the son witnessed those blessings as compared with stories of evil kings and how the blessings were gone and war against God's people took the part of blessings and the people suffered terribly, and the son played the fool and went against his fathers example and did evil and led the people to do the same

I look at my own children. I wasn't the perfect parent and pastor of churches during their childhood as PK's but they followed the lifestyle of their pastor father. Today? You couldn't find better examples of a believer in Christ Jesus. No brag, just fact. The God that I served in those years caused my children to be faithful in Him, it was His work of favor and grace.

Now lets come to today. We Christians are supposed to be God's peculiar people, different from all the rest. We are God's distinctive people, walking in His Commands as our daily sacrifice to Him, surrendered to the daily will of our Savior Christ Jesus. Our distinctive holy lifestyle is supposed to make an impression on all unsaved folk. It's what the Holy Spirit uses as He presents the Gospel to those unsaved folk.

You have probably heard this very truthful statement, If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence in your lifestyle to convict you?

This is what I believe the Spirit of God is after in this thread. We could experience the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ for us at anytime. We must not believe, as some did in earlier times, "they've been expecting Jesus' return for a long time and He hasn't come back yet!"

Our biggest fault is worldliness! Depending on the worlds provisions is idolatry plain and simple. In the Old Covenant, idolatry was choosing to depend and worship the idols of the nations that surrounded God's People. Here we are, surrounded with all kinds of worldly answers to difficulties in our lives. If we choose to lean on those worldly answers, we are involved in idolatry!

Jeremiah 17:5 says, "Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD." (ESV)

It's because of verses like this that I turn to Yhovah raphe, the "Lord that heals you." I go to a doctor to diagnose my sickness so that I know what's wrong so I can intelligently go to my Lord and ask for healing. If any who are reading this, has a problem getting healed of some illness, seek out "Brother Mike" he is very knowledgeable in the area of Divine healing.

Lastly, lets look at

2Ch 32:31 Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.... Because Hezekiah had a pride problem, like me, in the last years of his life, God tested his heart.

It is my feeling that all Believers are being tested about what's in our hearts just before the return of Jesus. It's being tested and proved by our Lord, and being challenged by the evil one....It is my plea to all who read this thread, Lets rid our lives of worldly idols, identify them and repent. Make a conscious choice to walk in the Spirit, and be alert to the coming of Jesus. Thank you.
 
Amen, Chopper. Even I catch myself falling into that trapp and without the Word of God, I surly would reside, right, there. Excellent study, brother.
 
When Hezekiah got his last ten years given to him I'm about positive he never imagined that the son he had during that period would be the worst and bloodiest king Israel ever had..

Ezekiel 22: something to edit in a minute
Tells us all we need is at least one person to stand in the gap...

Our numbers are dwindling...when we can't speak with one voice any longer about how good God is then I would say God is finished with us.
 
JohnDB said:
When Hezekiah got his last ten years given to him I'm about positive he never imagined that the son he had during that period would be the worst and bloodiest king Israel ever had..

Ezekiel 22: something to edit in a minute
Tells us all we need is at least one person to stand in the gap...

Our numbers are dwindling...when we can't speak with one voice any longer about how good God is then I would say God is finished with us.
Click to expand...
Finished with the world, the entire world, yes, but as an individual, as a member of the Family of God? Pray it never be so.
 
JohnDB said:
When Hezekiah got his last ten years given to him I'm about positive he never imagined that the son he had during that period would be the worst and bloodiest king Israel ever had..

Ezekiel 22: something to edit in a minute
Tells us all we need is at least one person to stand in the gap...

Our numbers are dwindling...when we can't speak with one voice any longer about how good God is then I would say God is finished with us.
Click to expand...

Thanks Brother John for your reply. I'm 75 years old, grew up in the 50s. I cannot believe how much has changed in the last 50+ years. 50 years!! Wow, talk about a greased slide to evil. I have wondered about a passage of Scripture in Ephesians 4:11-14.

Eph 4:11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,

Eph 4:12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

Eph 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

Eph 4:14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

I'm not aware of a time in the history of the church that there was ever a time when the Church attained to the unity of the faith or to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. I have secretly thought that since the Church of Jesus Christ, in this Country has never attained to these Scriptures, could that mean that a Spiritual awakening is imminent?
 
Chopper said:
Thanks Brother John for your reply. I'm 75 years old, grew up in the 50s. I cannot believe how much has changed in the last 50+ years. 50 years!! Wow, talk about a greased slide to evil. I have wondered about a passage of Scripture in Ephesians 4:11-14.

Eph 4:11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,

Eph 4:12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

Eph 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

Eph 4:14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

I'm not aware of a time in the history of the church that there was ever a time when the Church attained to the unity of the faith or to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. I have secretly thought that since the Church of Jesus Christ, in this Country has never attained to these Scriptures, could that mean that a Spiritual awakening is imminent?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't describe it as an awakening...

In times past the denominations were at war with one another so much so that to avoid bloodshed and hate people claimed to be deists...aka non-denominational but knowing that all the denominations were wrong to some extent.

Today there isn't so much fighting... Not to the point of actually physically harming one another... Sure they may disagree theologically and even get heated over it but we haven't had to worry over violence in a long time.

But now the non-believers seem to have us outnumbered. Holiness and righteous lifestyles seem to be fertile ground to be successfully acused of hipocrysy and judgmentalism.

So I see us continue to dwindle in numbers and the ones that remain are more devoted and gaining a greater share of attention from God.
It's always been a remnant that means the most to God. There are stars in the sky AND sand from the shore.
As we continue to lose our ability to effectively communicate with the lost and desperate world the world will listen to the world and wacko sciences for solutions that only God can provide.

When the last of the stars in the sky are gone...its over.
 
Chopper said:
Thanks Brother John for your reply. I'm 75 years old, grew up in the 50s. I cannot believe how much has changed in the last 50+ years. 50 years!! Wow, talk about a greased slide to evil. I have wondered about a passage of Scripture in Ephesians 4:11-14.

Eph 4:11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,

Eph 4:12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

Eph 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

Eph 4:14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

I'm not aware of a time in the history of the church that there was ever a time when the Church attained to the unity of the faith or to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. I have secretly thought that since the Church of Jesus Christ, in this Country has never attained to these Scriptures, could that mean that a Spiritual awakening is imminent?
Click to expand...
I certainly believe so.
 
Good word and on time for me. Brothers and sisters, I've been on the oil press for months now. I keep expecting some fresh oil to come out, but instead there has been an outpouring of bad attitude and worldly behavior. I am frustrated in myself. Sometimes I can only go to God with silent tears and ask Him to purge me, prune me, make me -- the unprofitable servant -- fruitful.

It's difficult when you built the majority of your adult life around godlessness. Trying to live a set apart life only meets you with slander and accusation of bigotry and hatred. Friends and family have left me, and I say it is well, but the real tricky part of the situation is that I haven't even gotten started yet. I am just "set apart" enough to be peculiar, but in my heart I know that I am only scratching the surface of where God would have me be. Elders have told me to trust in the process, that God will finish the work He started in me, but I feel like I've barely moved an inch. I feel like a wretch. That distinctive holy lifestyle is what I long for, but I fall short so often and I haven't come yet to understand how exactly I go from spiritual infant to spiritual man.

Sorry to pour out like this. I realize that a lot of my time spent on these forums lately is spent being a downer. I also realize that I have the spiritual fortitude of an infant, so bear with me.
 
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I don't see you as a 'downer,' Blake. Instead, I see a brother in Christ who is undergoing a lot of cleansing/removal of thoughts & habits that have weighted you in the secular world. This, too, shall come to pass. Just stay focused on reading/studying Scripture, and listen when He speaks to you.

Your elders are quite correct in their advice: when the time has arrived, our Lord God will direct you, and you'll be amazed at your progress when you look back to where you had been!
 
This is a beautiful post Chopper, thank you.

Blake - you're not on your own. I battle day in day out with my struggles, sometimes I feel spiritually high, other times like a wretch. Back and forth, a constant battle, day in day out. I pray and ask God that through His grace I may live a life that pleases Him, a life of obedience, to walk as a righteous man, to be called His friend. Sometimes I feel I'm getting there, only to be slammed down by my own disobedience and sinfulness. The apostle Paul was so right when he said about doing the things you don't want to do, and not doing the things that you should do!

But brother, what a blessing, what a calling, what a privilege! The fact that you and I and others recognise sin is a step in the right direction. For the Spirit of God does indeed live in you! God will finish his purpose in us, of that there is no doubt. But we must stop sinning brother, and whatever is causes your sin needs to be brought to Christ. Pray, read, be mindful of God, all day, every day. I'm with you, and more importantly the King of Kings is.
 
Blake said:
Good word and on time for me. Brothers and sisters, I've been on the oil press for months now. I keep expecting some fresh oil to come out, but instead there has been an outpouring of bad attitude and worldly behavior. I am frustrated in myself. Sometimes I can only go to God with silent tears and ask Him to purge me, prune me, make me -- the unprofitable servant -- fruitful.

It's difficult when you built the majority of your adult life around godlessness. Trying to live a set apart life only meets you with slander and accusation of bigotry and hatred. Friends and family have left me, and I say it is well, but the real tricky part of the situation is that I haven't even gotten started yet. I am just "set apart" enough to be peculiar, but in my heart I know that I am only scratching the surface of where God would have me be. Elders have told me to trust in the process, that God will finish the work He started in me, but I feel like I've barely moved an inch. I feel like a wretch. That distinctive holy lifestyle is what I long for, but I fall short so often and I haven't come yet to understand how exactly I go from spiritual infant to spiritual man.

Sorry to pour out like this. I realize that a lot of my time spent on these forums lately is spent being a downer. I also realize that I have the spiritual fortitude of an infant, so bear with me.
Click to expand...

I certainly appreciate your honesty of how you feel Blake....I was faced with a similar situation when I retired from the full time pastorate. My wife and ministry partner as a pastors wife was dying of cancer, and after she went home to be with our Lord, I was unsure as to Jesus' will for my future. I decided to, in prayer, do two things. Romans 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

I decided, in order to find out how to serve God, I would present my body, (all of me) to my Father each and every morning. Study the Scriptures for the renewal of my mind and tell Jesus that I surrender my life to Him, not my will but His....I did this for years, even today I start my day doing the same thing and Jesus has led me thru a variety of situations that allowed Him to minister thru me. I have never been without a ministering situation.

I thought this might help.
 
IF there is any "sign of the time" it is a world of flesh people, going insane, and THAT is what we are witnessing on a world wide scale.

The Spirit is against the flesh, and it's starting to show, big time. Any believer who isn't seeing this ought to be sitting up and paying very close attentions.

Jeremiah 51:7
Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord's hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.

Mad in this application is not angry, but insane. (Hithpoel) to act madly, act like a madman

Keep your wits about you. John gave us warning about this last time, and it's good advice:

2 John 1:
7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

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

(anybody looking for some guy is deceived, there are MANY!)

Where we hear the call out of Babylon in Revelation, to HIS PEOPLE, it may be good to recognize we are IN Babylon, in order to 'come out of her my people.'

Revelation 18:
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

The Promise of God against all flesh people, is that their swords will be turned against each others. It is NOT to be so, with us.

Ezekiel 38:21
And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord God: every man's sword shall be against his brother.

The above is the picture of the madness that is going to swallow the world of wickedness.

Haggai 2:22
And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.

It is not a good time to be entertaining the madness of the nations, and what is coming upon them all.

John only gave us ONE AVENUE to walk out, be beseeching no less:

2 John 1:
5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

It is only His Love, that will spare us from the madness.

Every sect of christianity(?) that hates other believers has already fallen into the MADNESS. They have picked up the Sword of destruction that the Lord has promised to MADMEN. There are many such, even here.

We will only recognize each other, by fruit, as this darkness descends.

Christ's Garments to you all.
 
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smaller said:
IF there is any "sign of the time" it is a world of flesh people, going insane, and THAT is what we are witnessing on a world wide scale.

The Spirit is against the flesh, and it's starting to show, big time. Any believer who isn't seeing this ought to be sitting up and paying very close attentions.

Jeremiah 51:7
Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord's hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.

Mad in this application is not angry, but insane. (Hithpoel) to act madly, act like a madman

Keep your wits about you. John gave us warning about this last time, and it's good advice:

2 John 1:
7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

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

(anybody looking for some guy is deceived, there are MANY!)

Where we hear the call out of Babylon in Revelation, to HIS PEOPLE, it may be good to recognize we are IN Babylon, in order to 'come out of her my people.'

Revelation 18:
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

The Promise of God against all flesh people, is that their swords will be turned against each others. It is NOT to be so, with us.

Ezekiel 38:21
And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord God: every man's sword shall be against his brother.

The above is the picture of the madness that is going to swallow the world of wickedness.

Haggai 2:22
And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.

It is not a good time to be entertaining the madness of the nations, and what is coming upon them all.

John only gave us ONE AVENUE to walk out, be beseeching no less:

2 John 1:
5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

It is only His Love, that will spare us from the madness.

Every sect of christianity(?) that hates other believers has already fallen into the MADNESS. They have picked up the Sword of destruction that the Lord has promised to MADMEN. There are many such, even here.

We will only recognize each other, by fruit, as this darkness descends.

Christ's Garments to you all.
Click to expand...

You seem to be stating that we should exit the USA.... OK. To where should we go? What place would be safe to earn a living? Free from retribution?
 
smaller said:
IF there is any "sign of the time" it is a world of flesh people, going insane, and THAT is what we are witnessing on a world wide scale.

The Spirit is against the flesh, and it's starting to show, big time. Any believer who isn't seeing this ought to be sitting up and paying very close attentions.

Jeremiah 51:7
Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord's hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.

Mad in this application is not angry, but insane. (Hithpoel) to act madly, act like a madman

Keep your wits about you. John gave us warning about this last time, and it's good advice:

2 John 1:
7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

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

(anybody looking for some guy is deceived, there are MANY!)

Where we hear the call out of Babylon in Revelation, to HIS PEOPLE, it may be good to recognize we are IN Babylon, in order to 'come out of her my people.'

Revelation 18:
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

The Promise of God against all flesh people, is that their swords will be turned against each others. It is NOT to be so, with us.

Ezekiel 38:21
And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord God: every man's sword shall be against his brother.

The above is the picture of the madness that is going to swallow the world of wickedness.

Haggai 2:22
And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.

It is not a good time to be entertaining the madness of the nations, and what is coming upon them all.

John only gave us ONE AVENUE to walk out, be beseeching no less:

2 John 1:
5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

It is only His Love, that will spare us from the madness.

Every sect of christianity(?) that hates other believers has already fallen into the MADNESS. They have picked up the Sword of destruction that the Lord has promised to MADMEN. There are many such, even here.

We will only recognize each other, by fruit, as this darkness descends.

Christ's Garments to you all.
Click to expand...

Wow! Thank you so very much for this valuable addition to this thread Smaller.
 
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