King Of The Jews - Part 16Heightened self-esteem is considered an indispensable trait and promoted relentlessly. Yet studies show a person's tendency towards aggressive behavior is proportionate to their level of self-esteem. If you're "dissed", just kill the disser. You are the center of the universe, "there are none beside you". That's also the spirit of Babylon; endtime Mystery Babylon is incarnating before our eyes. "...daughter of Babylon sit on the ground, there is no throne...therefore now hear this...that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me". Isaiah 47:1&8 Oprah Winfrey recently started a new program for young girls to boost their self-esteem. It's called the O Girl Club. Each new member must sign a pledge which states roughly, "I am great, I am unique, I am beautiful...blah, blah, blah". The sad fact is that certain sects of the false "Church" are promoting roughly the same nonsense. My skin crawled when I heard Oprah preaching her great "I am" affirmation. God Almighty is the only "I am". Of the daughters of Babylon, God has this to say, "Come down and sit in the dust...daughter of Babylon...thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance..." Isaiah 47:1&3 I pray that Oprah will see her own nakedness and repent. Having grown up in the Bible Belt, I have to believe that Oprah has heard the Gospel. But in one televised interview, when asked if she believed in God, Oprah replied, "Yes, and I think she's great". Oprah is raising up an army of daughters of Babylon, and may God have mercy on her and them. "Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me. Therefore shall evil come upon thee..." Isaiah 47:10&11 "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live:" Ezekiel 33:11 "If the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person...his blood will I require at the watchman's hand". Ezekiel 33:6 The words God spoke through Ezekiel were to the nation of Israel but "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" II Timothy 3:16 "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering..." II Timothy 4:2 Though we are commanded not to judge others we are commanded to discern the spirits; test them using the Bible as our guide. "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is the spirit of anti-christ ,whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is in the world". I John 4:1-3 I am not judging Oprah or Dr. Dyer or Islam or the "False Church" or anyone or any lifestyle; that is God's business. But we are commanded to discern the spirits behind the facades and warn others of the dangers, as the watchman is commanded to warn of approaching enemies. How do we become able to do so? How does one become able to "...by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil". Hebrews 5:14. We are commanded to "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman needing not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth". II Timothy 2:15 Dr. Arno Froese of Midnight Call Ministries wrote many years ago some words which I shall relate as closely as I can remember, "God desires to reveal the deep things of His nature to us, but we have to roll up our sleeves and get serious with Him through studying His word before He will". 30 years ago, I got serious with God and began to search the "Word". I pray God will bless your efforts as you seek Him. "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution". II Timothy 3:12 I awoke this morning to the news that two of the South Korean Missionaries had been executed by the Taliban. As much as we are expected to pray for the unsaved, we are expected to intercede for the Saints more. Genocide in Africa by Muslims against Christians is widely ignored by the popular media, yet now that Muslims are killing other Muslims in Darfur it is getting extensive coverage. It is entirely possible that all 21 Korean Christians will be martyred by their Muslim captors. Jesus said, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you...because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you". John 15:18&19 Jesus continued, saying, "Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you". John 15:20. This brings up a major theme that God has been impressing on me in the last few years. The thrust of this book has been to show the duality of Jesus as "Suffering Servant" and "King of Kings". That was a stumbling-block to Israel and I fear to many Christians today in the following sense: We are suffering servants while we are here serving our Lord now, but one day when we return with Him we will rule and reign as Kings and Priests. Jesus has "made us kings and priests". The Apostle John received this revelation, "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen". Revelation 1:5&6 But I believe it is significant that this is an end-time prophetic statement speaking of the world to come after the return of Jesus when He comes in power and glory. Just as He was a "suffering servant" and will return as a King, so likewise shall we follow the same pattern. This may not sit well with the "Name it and Claim it" folks. I have dear Christians friends who truly believe that if they have the "faith" and speak the right words that nothing bad can happen to them, that they will never be ill and they will always be financially prosperous. Yet all of them have some or all of the above problems and seem hypnotized by the dogged belief that they don't have those problems. That doesn't even address the issue of persecution which in the United States is minimal; however, if Jesus says we will suffer persecution, there is no doubt we will. It may be subtle, it may be sporadic, you may not even be aware of it, but again "...all that will live godly in Christ Jesus SHALL suffer persecution". II Timothy 3:12 (emphasis added) Does that mean we should wear hair shirts or inflict punishments on ourselves? Of course not. We are God's temple and we are commanded not to abuse ourselves. However, Paul said that we should be like athletes bringing our bodies under subjugation and training for the course that we must run in this life. "...Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us". Hebrews 12:1 Jesus said that God, "...maketh the rain to fall on the just and on the unjust". Matthew 5:45. There's an old worldly maxim that goes, "into each life a little rain must fall", which essentially cribs the above scripture's meaning. However, believers are promised that "All things work together for good to those that love God, who are called, according to his purpose". Romans 8:28 Right now in your own life, if you are a child of God by the new birth in Jesus Christ, whether it's raining so hard you can barely keep your head above water or so little that your crops are dying on the vine, know this: "...in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord". Romans 8:37-39 I pray right now for everyone reading these words that you will know the assurance of God's love for you and His provision for you, that regardless of the circumstances in which you may find yourself, that He loves you and cares for you and that He will in His own time and own way, make "..all things work together for good". "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world". John 16:33. Jesus said it, I believe it, that settles it for me. Can I have an "AMEN"? |
