"In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." Isaiah 6:1-5
From Genesis to Revelation we see the fear of the Lord always associated with knowing the Lord. Adam hid in the garden when he knew that he had sin. He was terrified of God who called for him. Moses had to cover his face when he descended from Mt. Sinai for the glory of the Lord shown upon him and it terrified the Hebrew people. John the Beloved, the closest person to Christ Jesus while he trod this earth fell at Christs feet as dead when John saw Him in the Revelation. We cannot have truth faith without knowing the terror of the Lord. Solomon said that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. This terror of the Lord is the realization of our imperfection before the Holy God. We cannot truly know the Lord without knowing our disposition in relation to Him.
The modern church goes to great lengths to avoid the wretched state of man and emphasize the mercy of God without the holiness of God. The god of the church today is a permissive grandfatherly type who looks the other way. The God of the bible demands justice wherein the blood of Christ atones for our sin but does not change our helpless state before God. We are utterly helpless before God and must not presume upon His mercy but like Isaiah cry out to Him, "Woe is me for I am undone". If the terror of the Lord does not compel you to prostrate yourself before the Lord then it will eventually consume you.
Down through the ages when God has manifested His presence and poured out His spirit it is always highlighted by people crying out to God for mercy. The true presence of God will always be accompanied with a sense of fear. I have heard many preachers say that this fear of the Lord is nothing more than respect. I say it is much more than just respect. When I was a lad and did something wrong I feared/respected my father who may give me a whippin'. Jesus said, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." I guess if you don't believe in hell then this will mean nothing to you but Jesus said it is so. The fear of the Lord goes well beyond just respecting Him.
I can recall two distinct times when I experienced the terror of the Lord. The night of my conversion God revealed to me the reality of hell and it was truly terrifying. About 2 years later I experienced the fear of the Lord in a less haunting but no less holy manner. I was in a period of protracted prayer. I was prostrate on my face worshiping the Lord when suddenly the room began to glow. The presence of God was so overwhelming I actually had to ask God to stay His hand. I will never forget that breathless moment in which time seemed to stand still. I guess one could say that was something like an epiphany. I have known the terror of the Lord.
Paul said, "knowing the terror of the Lord we persuade men". Perhaps that is why there is much less evangelism occurring today because pastors, bible colleges and seminaries no longer preach or teach the terror of the Lord. Its an uncomfortable topic whereby our souls are completely exposed to the all knowing, all seeing eye of God.
In the second verse of Lo! He Comes With Clouds Descending it captures the terror of the Lord that will be revealed when He returns to earth;
Every eye shall now behold Him. Robed in dreadful majesty!
Those who set at naught and sold Him, Pierced and nailed Him to the tree.
Deeply wailing, deeply wailing, Shall the true Messiah see.
Dear friend, it was our sin that nailed Christ to that tree. Please, if you do not know the terror of the Lord on this side of eternity then you will not know the joy of the Lord on the other side of eternity.
We cannot know the reality of God's mercy in our life until we have seen our souls in the light of Gods holiness where we cry out to God, "have mercy on me for I am not worthy".
A Voice Crying
"Be Ye Separate Saith the Lord" 2 Corinthians 6:17
Sunday, January 28, 2018
Friday, January 26, 2018
O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing (Hymn with words and music) - Charles W...
This timeless hymn has a wonderful story behind it. John and Charles Wesley were Anglican priests. They were both Oxford graduates. During John's time at Oxford he formed a small band of men who were earnest in doing good works and living pious lives. This small band of whom George Whitefield was a member, was known as the Holy Club.
In 1735 John and Charles sailed to America to convert the Native Americans in the Georgia colony. During the voyage a terrible storm threatened to sink the ship they were on. John and Charles were terrified along with the other passengers yet they observed a small group of Moravians who exhibited an unusual calm during the storm. Those Moravians exhibited a faith in Christ that the Wesley's did not have but desperately sought. The Wesleys returned to England after a short time in America where John stated, "we went to America to convert the savages but who will convert us?" Their memory of the Moravians stayed with them and would later influence them greatly in coming to a saving knowledge of Christ.
In 1738 John sat in a meeting at Aldersgate in London where he heard the reading of Luthers commentary on Romans 5:1 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" In that very moment he felt his heart "strangely warmed" whereby he trusted Christ alone for his salvation and not his good works. Three days earlier Charles had also come to saving faith in Christ. The Wesley brothers had been Anglican priests for 7 years with no assurance of salvation. From that moment on these two men changed the course of history in Great Britain and North America. The Methodist movement was born which was a spiritual dynamo for nearly 100 years.
John's preaching attested to this conversion and Charles hymn writing also attested to his conversion as we see in this timeless hymn, "O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing". Such depth and testimony of true conversion few have been able to pen as Charles Wesley. I have sung this hymn for many years but never heard the tune in this Youtube video. Every time I listen to this version it brings a tear and shout of joy. In heaven we will sing music like this, not the trivial and vain stuff that is peddled today as "praise and worship". This hymn became a personal anthem for John and Charles. Every year on the anniversary of their conversions they would sing this hymn. It became a spiritual birthday song for them. May God richly bless you as you listen.
In 1735 John and Charles sailed to America to convert the Native Americans in the Georgia colony. During the voyage a terrible storm threatened to sink the ship they were on. John and Charles were terrified along with the other passengers yet they observed a small group of Moravians who exhibited an unusual calm during the storm. Those Moravians exhibited a faith in Christ that the Wesley's did not have but desperately sought. The Wesleys returned to England after a short time in America where John stated, "we went to America to convert the savages but who will convert us?" Their memory of the Moravians stayed with them and would later influence them greatly in coming to a saving knowledge of Christ.
In 1738 John sat in a meeting at Aldersgate in London where he heard the reading of Luthers commentary on Romans 5:1 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" In that very moment he felt his heart "strangely warmed" whereby he trusted Christ alone for his salvation and not his good works. Three days earlier Charles had also come to saving faith in Christ. The Wesley brothers had been Anglican priests for 7 years with no assurance of salvation. From that moment on these two men changed the course of history in Great Britain and North America. The Methodist movement was born which was a spiritual dynamo for nearly 100 years.
John's preaching attested to this conversion and Charles hymn writing also attested to his conversion as we see in this timeless hymn, "O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing". Such depth and testimony of true conversion few have been able to pen as Charles Wesley. I have sung this hymn for many years but never heard the tune in this Youtube video. Every time I listen to this version it brings a tear and shout of joy. In heaven we will sing music like this, not the trivial and vain stuff that is peddled today as "praise and worship". This hymn became a personal anthem for John and Charles. Every year on the anniversary of their conversions they would sing this hymn. It became a spiritual birthday song for them. May God richly bless you as you listen.
Thursday, January 18, 2018
A Little Talk with Jesus? Don't Waste Your Breath
That old gospel song, Have a little talk with Jesus, always made me cringe. Whenever people tell me, "I will say a little prayer for you", I want to tell them, "Don't waste your breath". When is the last time anyone told you, "I will fervently supplicate for you before the Lord and bombard the heavens in pleas for you"? I once knew a woman who prayed for me like that. I was a young preacher, still in Bible college. Goldie Livengood was a spry 80 years old who could run circles around people half her age. She was a real prayer warrior. She knew how to summons the throne of heaven. I once visited her in her home and she showed me her prayer list. There were about 20 names on that list and I was humbled to see my name at the top of the list. When she died a part of me died. I truly felt an absence in my life. That woman knew how to reach heaven.
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16
I want to focus on the second part of this verse from James. There are 3 things that make prayer dynamic:
1. Effective praying. How does one pray effectively? One cannot pray effectively unless they pray. When I was a young Christian, 2 years old in the Lord, I was very effective in my prayer life. I remember one night sitting around a table with 11 other people in my discipleship group. I was the newest Christian of the group. The leader went around the table asking each person how much they prayed every day. On average everyone prayed about 10 minutes a day. When she got to me I was doubly embarrassed because I prayed 2 hours a day and did not think it was enough. My prayer life was so passionate that when I lay down to sleep at night after praying I could not wait until I awakened in the morning to pray again. I thoroughly enjoyed communing with the Lord. God answer my prayer because I remained in a constant state of prayer in all that I did.
One of the most tell tale indications of this answered prayer was the means in which I evangelized. I rarely ever approached anyone cold turkey with presenting the gospel. God would lay on my heart specific people that I worked with and I would shed tears of sorrow over these people that the Holy Ghost would convict them of sin and make them hungry to know the Lord. Every person that I ever prayed for like that would at some point approach me and ask questions about God. I have had agnostics and even people hostile to the gospel make honest inquiries about God. I have seen the results of effective prayer. Effective prayer is God moving in us.
2.Fervent prayer. I have alluded to this already. There are times that God will lay on my heart a particular individual and my praying for them is stained by tears. This is called intercessory prayer. Intercessory prayer is standing in the place of another before the throne of God praying with a passion that the individual you are praying for may not have themselves. Fervent intercessory prayer is effective prayer that availeth much.
3. Righteous prayer. Before we can truly intercede for others we must have an intimate relationship with God on our own account. Intimate relationships of any kind take time to develop. We cannot have intimacy with God unless we spend real time with God. A little talk with Jesus will leave you way short of this intimate relationship and effective prayer. The effectual fervent prayer of a RIGHTEOUS man avails much. If there is known sin in your life forget it. The only prayer you should pray is forgive me God and help me get right with you. Sin is a killer.
The context of James 5 is patience. Patience in the midst of suffering. I must confess my fault as in v.16 and say that I am still cultivating that intimacy with God that I lost many years ago. My prayer is not as consistently effectual and fervent as it was many years ago. But I do long to return to that kind of relationship with God. This may explain some of the recent health issues I have been having. Nothing better than a health problem to teach us patience. And patience must be a part of any intimate relationship. Oh yes, we must learn to be patient with God but more so we must learn to simply be patient with life. God is the master of exercising patience with such rebellious creatures as we otherwise we would all be in hell right now. I praise His holy name for His patience.
One thing I learned many years ago about prayer is that passionate pleas for others more often seem to get Gods attention than passionate pleas for my own situation. I remind myself that God chastises those whom He loves. If you never experience the chastisement of God then its something that should be of concern to you. I'm not saying that God does not answer prayer as it pertains to my personal life. Our personal prayers are often too selfish and lack faith in God almighty. Passionate prayer for others especially for the souls of others is selfless prayer and a sweet incense to God.
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16
I want to focus on the second part of this verse from James. There are 3 things that make prayer dynamic:
1. Effective praying. How does one pray effectively? One cannot pray effectively unless they pray. When I was a young Christian, 2 years old in the Lord, I was very effective in my prayer life. I remember one night sitting around a table with 11 other people in my discipleship group. I was the newest Christian of the group. The leader went around the table asking each person how much they prayed every day. On average everyone prayed about 10 minutes a day. When she got to me I was doubly embarrassed because I prayed 2 hours a day and did not think it was enough. My prayer life was so passionate that when I lay down to sleep at night after praying I could not wait until I awakened in the morning to pray again. I thoroughly enjoyed communing with the Lord. God answer my prayer because I remained in a constant state of prayer in all that I did.
One of the most tell tale indications of this answered prayer was the means in which I evangelized. I rarely ever approached anyone cold turkey with presenting the gospel. God would lay on my heart specific people that I worked with and I would shed tears of sorrow over these people that the Holy Ghost would convict them of sin and make them hungry to know the Lord. Every person that I ever prayed for like that would at some point approach me and ask questions about God. I have had agnostics and even people hostile to the gospel make honest inquiries about God. I have seen the results of effective prayer. Effective prayer is God moving in us.
2.Fervent prayer. I have alluded to this already. There are times that God will lay on my heart a particular individual and my praying for them is stained by tears. This is called intercessory prayer. Intercessory prayer is standing in the place of another before the throne of God praying with a passion that the individual you are praying for may not have themselves. Fervent intercessory prayer is effective prayer that availeth much.
3. Righteous prayer. Before we can truly intercede for others we must have an intimate relationship with God on our own account. Intimate relationships of any kind take time to develop. We cannot have intimacy with God unless we spend real time with God. A little talk with Jesus will leave you way short of this intimate relationship and effective prayer. The effectual fervent prayer of a RIGHTEOUS man avails much. If there is known sin in your life forget it. The only prayer you should pray is forgive me God and help me get right with you. Sin is a killer.
The context of James 5 is patience. Patience in the midst of suffering. I must confess my fault as in v.16 and say that I am still cultivating that intimacy with God that I lost many years ago. My prayer is not as consistently effectual and fervent as it was many years ago. But I do long to return to that kind of relationship with God. This may explain some of the recent health issues I have been having. Nothing better than a health problem to teach us patience. And patience must be a part of any intimate relationship. Oh yes, we must learn to be patient with God but more so we must learn to simply be patient with life. God is the master of exercising patience with such rebellious creatures as we otherwise we would all be in hell right now. I praise His holy name for His patience.
One thing I learned many years ago about prayer is that passionate pleas for others more often seem to get Gods attention than passionate pleas for my own situation. I remind myself that God chastises those whom He loves. If you never experience the chastisement of God then its something that should be of concern to you. I'm not saying that God does not answer prayer as it pertains to my personal life. Our personal prayers are often too selfish and lack faith in God almighty. Passionate prayer for others especially for the souls of others is selfless prayer and a sweet incense to God.
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Understanding our Times
My previous post, Understanding God, seemed to get many views in a short time. I believe it speaks to the hunger that people have today to know God in the light of His word and not popular, politically correct notions. The God of popular culture churches is NOT the God of scripture. The popular church is a friend of the world and John said that those who love the world do NOT love God. It behooves us to understand the times we live in.
I've referred to this before but it bears repeating. I believe we are living in the Age of Babylon revisited. History is repeating itself. It does not repeat itself in a continuous timeline as we often think of the passage of time. Rather history has been descending in reverse from the time of Christ until time will be no more.
We are currently living in the age of Babylon. This current age parallels the time of Nimrod by two distinct features;
1.Technology. Fired bricks to build the tower of Babel was a huge leap forward in technology. Nimrod was attempting to literally build a tower to reach the heavens. I viewed a video wherein an MIT professor duplicated the fired bricks of Babylon and estimated that with a large enough base Nimrod could have built a tower 10,000 feet high. Technology in the last 100 years has advanced so rapidly that man does not have time to adjust to these new inventions. The technology is outpacing mans ability to adapt. Prior to the 20th century any new invention that changed the way people lived would occur every 200 years or so. That means people had 200 years to adapt to this life changing invention. Not any more. We cannot adapt. Look at what has happened to an entire generation of millennials who are hypnotized by their phones, unable to communicate with people around them and completely oblivious to the world outside of their technology.
2. The other distinct characteristic of the age of Babylon today is ethnic neutrality. Pay attention to advertising in particular and you will notice more and more people who are ethnically unidentifiable. Nimrod was determined to create a unified people all with one language and no distinct ethnicity in an attempt to overthrow the throne of God. This same mentality exists today. Globalism is a rebirth of Nimrods ethnic neutral world. This angered God who had determined the people groups of the earth are to be distinct and separate as defined in the table of nations in Genesis 10;
By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.v. 5,These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.
V.20, These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.v. 32
Three times we see in Genesis 10 God declaring these ethnic groups are to be separate and distinct. When Nimrod rebelled against Gods will in Genesis 11 God scattered the people and confused there language.
So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. 9Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
Language alone is divine evidence that God's will is for ethnic groups of the world to maintain their distinctiveness.
Globalism seeks to destroy this God ordained social order. We are in the age of Babylon and the next age to come is the age of Noah. Jesus said that as it was in the days of Noah so shall it be at the coming of the Son of Man. Its best to read all of Matthew 24 to get the context of the days of Noah. We are fast approaching the tribulation and you better get ready Christian. Turn off that main stream media. Shun the influences of popular culture. You better tune out the Godless influences around you and get tuned into God almighty. Seek His face. Ask God to put a passion in your heart to seek Him and know Him more clearly. Great deception is in the air and permeating churches world wide. Jesus said it would be this way. Seek the Lord while He may be found because the day comes when no man can seek Him.
I've referred to this before but it bears repeating. I believe we are living in the Age of Babylon revisited. History is repeating itself. It does not repeat itself in a continuous timeline as we often think of the passage of time. Rather history has been descending in reverse from the time of Christ until time will be no more.
We are currently living in the age of Babylon. This current age parallels the time of Nimrod by two distinct features;
1.Technology. Fired bricks to build the tower of Babel was a huge leap forward in technology. Nimrod was attempting to literally build a tower to reach the heavens. I viewed a video wherein an MIT professor duplicated the fired bricks of Babylon and estimated that with a large enough base Nimrod could have built a tower 10,000 feet high. Technology in the last 100 years has advanced so rapidly that man does not have time to adjust to these new inventions. The technology is outpacing mans ability to adapt. Prior to the 20th century any new invention that changed the way people lived would occur every 200 years or so. That means people had 200 years to adapt to this life changing invention. Not any more. We cannot adapt. Look at what has happened to an entire generation of millennials who are hypnotized by their phones, unable to communicate with people around them and completely oblivious to the world outside of their technology.
2. The other distinct characteristic of the age of Babylon today is ethnic neutrality. Pay attention to advertising in particular and you will notice more and more people who are ethnically unidentifiable. Nimrod was determined to create a unified people all with one language and no distinct ethnicity in an attempt to overthrow the throne of God. This same mentality exists today. Globalism is a rebirth of Nimrods ethnic neutral world. This angered God who had determined the people groups of the earth are to be distinct and separate as defined in the table of nations in Genesis 10;
By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.v. 5,These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.
V.20, These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.v. 32
Three times we see in Genesis 10 God declaring these ethnic groups are to be separate and distinct. When Nimrod rebelled against Gods will in Genesis 11 God scattered the people and confused there language.
So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. 9Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
Language alone is divine evidence that God's will is for ethnic groups of the world to maintain their distinctiveness.
Globalism seeks to destroy this God ordained social order. We are in the age of Babylon and the next age to come is the age of Noah. Jesus said that as it was in the days of Noah so shall it be at the coming of the Son of Man. Its best to read all of Matthew 24 to get the context of the days of Noah. We are fast approaching the tribulation and you better get ready Christian. Turn off that main stream media. Shun the influences of popular culture. You better tune out the Godless influences around you and get tuned into God almighty. Seek His face. Ask God to put a passion in your heart to seek Him and know Him more clearly. Great deception is in the air and permeating churches world wide. Jesus said it would be this way. Seek the Lord while He may be found because the day comes when no man can seek Him.
Sunday, January 14, 2018
Justification and Forgiveness
In the earthly courts of mortal man when one is found innocent of a crime they are justified. There is no need of forgiveness because there is nothing to forgive. In the celestial courts of heaven every mortal being is guilty before Almighty God. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23. "There is none that doeth good" Romans 3:12.
This is another of many distinctions of God that make Him otherworldly and His ways not our ways. The justification of the believer is inextricably linked to the cross of Jesus Christ. It is there at the cross where justification for our sin was satisfied yet we still stand in need of forgiveness. The work of justification is complete in Christ. There is no priest, bishop or pope who can appropriate the work of justification to our souls. Baptism, communion or any other sacrament can not appropriate the finished work of Christ to our account.
The modern church does not teach a spirit of brokenness or sorrow for sin. It believes that justification and forgiveness were automatically bestowed upon every soul on the planet and one does not need to acknowledge and turn from sin. Even so-called evangelical churches today have accepted an "easy beleivism" that does not count the cost of discipleship nor acknowledge the dreadful state of the sinner before God.
Davids prayer in Psalm 51 is the perfect example of how one must come to God in order to find forgiveness of sin and appropriate justification to our account. Forgiveness of sin does not happen unless we acknowledge our wretched state before God and ask forgiveness.
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
5Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
9Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
11Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
13Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
15O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
16For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
18Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
19Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar. Psalm 51
This is another of many distinctions of God that make Him otherworldly and His ways not our ways. The justification of the believer is inextricably linked to the cross of Jesus Christ. It is there at the cross where justification for our sin was satisfied yet we still stand in need of forgiveness. The work of justification is complete in Christ. There is no priest, bishop or pope who can appropriate the work of justification to our souls. Baptism, communion or any other sacrament can not appropriate the finished work of Christ to our account.
The modern church does not teach a spirit of brokenness or sorrow for sin. It believes that justification and forgiveness were automatically bestowed upon every soul on the planet and one does not need to acknowledge and turn from sin. Even so-called evangelical churches today have accepted an "easy beleivism" that does not count the cost of discipleship nor acknowledge the dreadful state of the sinner before God.
Davids prayer in Psalm 51 is the perfect example of how one must come to God in order to find forgiveness of sin and appropriate justification to our account. Forgiveness of sin does not happen unless we acknowledge our wretched state before God and ask forgiveness.
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
5Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
9Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
11Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
13Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
15O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
16For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
18Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
19Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar. Psalm 51
Understanding God
"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?" Romans 11:33-34
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9
We can never fully know God while on this earth and even in glory we will not comprehend the magnitude of God. But by God's grace and mercy we can know Him well enough for salvation and a meaningful existence in this mortal life that can bring glory to Him.
There were and are people chosen by God to know Him in a more intimate way. God's prophets. Enoch, walked with God. Moses saw the glory of God. Elijah heard God's "still small voice" and among men born of women there was none greater than John the Baptist save those who are least in the Kingdom (Matt. 11:11).
God has always had His chosen few who seemed to have a little more understanding of the nature and character of God and it was these people whom God used to call His wayward children to repent and return to the paths of righteousness. If ever we needed true prophets of God it is NOW.
Quite frankly, if any of the 12 apostles anonymously came into your fellowship and pointed out those things within your fellowship that are inconsistent with the nature of God you would throw them out of your church. Churches today are more concerned with tradition than truth. And I'm not referring to "traditional" churches. Even the nondenominational churches are more stuck on traditions than biblical truth. The apostles would not recognize your church as a New Testament fellowship. They would easily identify the paganism that exists in your church. Paul would probably come right out and chastise most of you for heresy in the form of syncretism. You have allowed the Godless pagan culture around you to influence how you perceive and worship God. Your ecumenicism literally makes God want to vomit (Rev. 3:14-19)
And you who claim to be "bible believing" churches yet embrace Roman pagan Catholic practices God may judge you even all the more harshly for you rebuke your liberal ecumenical neighbor but you have a beam of heresy in your own eye.
The reformation of the 16th, 17th and 18th century was not complete. There were too many trappings of ancient pagan Rome that remained and now pervert even those who claim a biblical theology and faith. If we are ever going to come to a clearer understanding of God we must rid our fellowships of paganism. Humble yourselves, admit you have followed traditions of men and not Gods' word alone.
Listen, Satan does not want to get rid of the church. He desires to pollute and pervert the Body of Christ. He does not want to destroy God's creation, Satan wants to distort and dilute it.
We cannot begin to understand Almighty God until we rid our lives, our families and our fellowships of the trappings of paganism and popular culture in our midst.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9
We can never fully know God while on this earth and even in glory we will not comprehend the magnitude of God. But by God's grace and mercy we can know Him well enough for salvation and a meaningful existence in this mortal life that can bring glory to Him.
There were and are people chosen by God to know Him in a more intimate way. God's prophets. Enoch, walked with God. Moses saw the glory of God. Elijah heard God's "still small voice" and among men born of women there was none greater than John the Baptist save those who are least in the Kingdom (Matt. 11:11).
God has always had His chosen few who seemed to have a little more understanding of the nature and character of God and it was these people whom God used to call His wayward children to repent and return to the paths of righteousness. If ever we needed true prophets of God it is NOW.
Quite frankly, if any of the 12 apostles anonymously came into your fellowship and pointed out those things within your fellowship that are inconsistent with the nature of God you would throw them out of your church. Churches today are more concerned with tradition than truth. And I'm not referring to "traditional" churches. Even the nondenominational churches are more stuck on traditions than biblical truth. The apostles would not recognize your church as a New Testament fellowship. They would easily identify the paganism that exists in your church. Paul would probably come right out and chastise most of you for heresy in the form of syncretism. You have allowed the Godless pagan culture around you to influence how you perceive and worship God. Your ecumenicism literally makes God want to vomit (Rev. 3:14-19)
And you who claim to be "bible believing" churches yet embrace Roman pagan Catholic practices God may judge you even all the more harshly for you rebuke your liberal ecumenical neighbor but you have a beam of heresy in your own eye.
The reformation of the 16th, 17th and 18th century was not complete. There were too many trappings of ancient pagan Rome that remained and now pervert even those who claim a biblical theology and faith. If we are ever going to come to a clearer understanding of God we must rid our fellowships of paganism. Humble yourselves, admit you have followed traditions of men and not Gods' word alone.
Listen, Satan does not want to get rid of the church. He desires to pollute and pervert the Body of Christ. He does not want to destroy God's creation, Satan wants to distort and dilute it.
We cannot begin to understand Almighty God until we rid our lives, our families and our fellowships of the trappings of paganism and popular culture in our midst.
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