10/20/2014

Need a SIGN like Gideon's FLEECE ? .... Judges 6

Placing a fleece before The LORD....


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The Importance of Gideon's Fleeces

When Gideon put forth fleeces asking The LORD for confirmation of His+ will, many men's lives were at stake, as well as their defenseless wives and children.
   
Israel's oppressors, the Midianites, were ruthless towards the Israelites.  The Israelites were hiding out, living in caves ( 6:2-6 ). It seems this fear was based in reality,  substantiated by the treatment the people of Israel had been receiving. [ Chapter 7 points out that great fear also.]

Any Other Examples ?

We know, though, that The LORD did NOT honor OTHER folks who asked , " How can this be?"  ... such as Zachariah who was struck dumb because he did not believe the Word of the LORD to him via Gabriel. 

Part of growing requires TRUST... a foundational, personal security ... that HE+ will do it,  that HE+ will perform exactly what HE+ says HE+ will do... and whatever HE+ requires us to do, HE+ WILL ALSO PERFORM! 

Why Did the Fleeces "Work" for Gideon ?

Gideon seemed to be a man after GOD'S own heart, like David was. And, Gideon was so very, very humble and little in his own eyes, endearing himself unto The LORD.  

Also,  Gideon had asked earlier for a sign that he himself had found grace in The LORD'S eyes in verse 19, and The LORD honored that request .

The Key to Answered Prayer

The key to everything that happened in Judges 6 , included putting forth the fleeces 2 times, is found in verse 6:34. 

[ Courtesy of Biblegateway.com ]

  34 But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.  

Even more striking is the Hebrew of  verse 34 of Judges 6:  

" And the SPIRIT of JEHOVAH clothed GIDEON ( with HIMSELF ) " … 

The "with HIMSELF" is understood in the verse, according to JP Green’s Interlinear.


Needing a SIGN for Confirmation
of The LORD'S Will ? 

We are always desiring The LORD to give us a CERTAIN AND SURE sign of confirmation, if we need to do something. The more major the decision, the more we yearn for certainty about it, right?  

The problem is: signs are easily duplicated by satan to a doubting heart, and mankind is easily duped. 

There IS a way to know The LORD'S Will, however, and The LORD shows us how to do this in Judges 6. 

However, Gideon’s 2 fleeces, as miraculous as they were, ARE NOT THE MAIN message in Judges 6 that The LORD wants us to see ! 

Two Main Points 
--- not fleeces --- 
in Judges 6 

The First:  OBEDIENCE 

One of the MAIN points of this chapter reveals the utter obedience no matter the cost , on Gideon's part.  

Gideon must have determined inwardly to obey WHAT THE LORD TOLD HIM TO DO

And, Gideon obeyed The Word with his whole heart, even unto death,  and The LORD knew it... hence the blessings that followed.   

The Second:  REMOVING SIN

The OTHER main point was that SIN had to be knocked down, shredded asunder, and burnt as an offering unto The LORD (vs 26 ) before... yes, before... any deliverance would be forthcoming. 

In order to do that, Gideon had to go against his own father's household and the men of his own community !  In order to shred the enslavement to sin in his own father's household, Gideon  had to lay his own security and well-being on the altar  too.

Do we realize HOW HARD that was, since he was the youngest, least-in-authority son of his father?  In addition to that... he used his father's bullock for a sacrifice ! Without asking Dad !

Do we take into account that Gideon likely jeopardized his entire family's lives by angry towns-folks when he destroyed the grove and altar / pillar of Asherah ? Israel was involved in idol worship and its accompanying immorality. 


 THIS IS THE TRUE LESSON  of this passage...   

SIN must be forcibly and determinedly removed  .... before The LORD will grant any victory..... and indeed, any request.


Yes, ( yawn, ho-hum, ) we "know"  we must remove sin...  

... but we fail to realize when our troubles pile up and our requests are going awry that HE+ sees something in our midst that is dis-pleasing to HIM+. 

Something that is stifling our growth. 

Something that is hindering our nearness to HIM+. 
   
HE+ wants THAT “something” removed. And furthermore, HE+ will not budge until we remove it.


It is STILL TRUE... 
 "No good thing will HE+ withhold 
from those who walk uprightly,"  
  


GIDEON WON GOD'S APPROVAL !

GOD showed HIS great good approval to Gideon and granted him his requests because Gideon FACED CERTAIN DEATH in order to obey GOD. 

Gideon worked immediately and effectively to remove the sin in their midst,  which could have cost Gideon his life.

This is why it is SO IMPORTANT to read the Scriptures.  Men are fallible but The WORD of The LORD is not, and it usually explains itself , if we will just let it reign over the thoughts of man.

If we could simply still our own thoughts and WAIT upon the blessed HOLY SPIRIT,  HE+ will reveal the real message of  Scriptures to us.

Instead of being enraptured by putting out fleeces, then, our focus should be to REMOVE the sinful things from our midst that we have drifted into, in order to fight against sin within our own lives. 

Then  --- and only then ---  would we be able to hear and know ... and yes, even ABLE to follow ... the Will of The LORD for our lives. 

 We do not need fleeces; we need repentance.

Deep, utter, cleansing repentance of our motives and priorities... our double-mindedness... our sneaking ways of serving Self.

 No, we do not need fleeces.  

We need oneness with GOD. 

We need to walk in ONENESS with The LORD JESUS… so closely that our hearts throb in unity with HIS+ heart , in unity with His+ Will.

His+ thoughts replacing our thoughts. 

His+ desires, our desires.

His+ concerns, ours.

Then, there will be no desire to put out fleeces because there simply will be no need to do so.  

  
THIS is the true lesson of Gideon in Judges 6.

Let us pray: 

O LORD JESUS CHRIST!  I call THEE+ "LORD, LORD," but I set my own priorities.  

Forgive me, LORD, and renew a right spirit within me. I turn over to THEE+ my plans, my desires, and yes, even my daily concerns.  

Turn my heart to do Thy+ Will, O CHRIST.  Make  me ONE WITH THEE+, precious SAVIOR.  

Then, LORD, I will know that I please THEE+... THOU+ joy of my heart. 

In the Name of THE FATHER
WHO created me;

HIS Beloved SON+
WHO+ saves me;

And the blessed HOLY SPIRIT, 
WHO sanctifies me. 

Amen.





  

9/19/2014

Sunday's Oklahoma City's black mass

Can a man take fire in his  bosom, 
and his clothes not be burned?
Proverbs 6:27

Courtesy of AustrianTribune.com
Year of Our LORD
9.10.2014
A tornado of gas and fire, swirling 3,280ft  into the air
above Iceland's  Bardarbunga volcano,
which has been rumbling with seismic activities
and eruptions since last month. 




The satan-followers are at it again.  

This coming Sunday evening, Year of Our LORD+, 9.21.2014,  the enemies of Our LORD and SAVIOR+ , JESUS CHRIST, will try to hold a satanic ritual where they stomp and spit upon a substitute Roman Catholic "host" .... that is, the wafer that --- to the devout Christians in the Roman Catholic camp --- represents the BREAD+, the BODY of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST. 

Because the Constitution of this nation upholds their right to do so, the city officials in Oklahoma City seem powerless to stop this group's blasphemy, token or not.

There is ONE+,  however, Who+ hears and answers prayers.  

There is ONE+, however, Who+ recognizes that there are MANY who have not bent the knee to baal. 

There is ONE+, however, Who+ heard the cry of Elijah at the appointed show-down, and not only sent fire from Heaven to burn up Elijah's sacrifice on the altar, but burnt up the altar stones and the water in the large trench round about the altar as well !   

HE+ has not gone anywhere... and HE+ has not lost any of His+ power.  

     2 Corinthians 10: 3-6
 For though we walk in the flesh, 
we do not war after the flesh: 

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through GOD 
to the pulling down of strong holds;) 

Casting down imaginations, 
and every high thing 
that exalteth itself 
against the knowledge of GOD,
and bringing into captivity 
every thought 
to the obedience of CHRIST;





And having in a readiness 
to revenge all disobedience,
when your obedience is fulfilled.  


Dear Brethren, 

Here is the crux of the matter.  When our obedience is fulfilled, Psalm 89:7 will occur: 

" GOD is greatly to be feared

in the assembly of the saints, 

and to be had in reverence 
of all them that are about HIM+." 

If we see no fear of GOD occurring where we live, then is our obedience fulfilled ,  in the eyes of GOD ?  

Is our obedience exactly where it should be, in the eyes of GOD? 

Is our obedience such that GOD is SO PLEASED WITH IT that HE+ sends forth so strong an out-pouring of conviction that both saints and sinners are in fear and awe about what HE+ might do ? 

Do we who claim to follow Our LORD JESUS CHRIST with all that is within us, actually take every thought captive unto obedience unto CHRIST... or do our ungodly , temporal, worldly thoughts take US captive instead ?  

How, exactly, do we expend our "thought-time?"  

To the glory of GOD... or to the expression of Self ?

No-one will EVER know, except JESUS HIMSELF+.  Will we grieve the HOLY SPIRIT or  be filled with HIS abundant joy?

Yes, let us stand united with these courageous Roman Catholics who are crying out to The LORD JESUS CHRIST to thwart this blasphemy occurring in the area where they live. 

But if we wish The LORD to hear our cry on this issue --- or on any other issue --- then let us seek to have our OWN lives IN ALL AREAS OF OUR LIFE AND CALLING filled with obedience .... the kind that HE+ finds well-pleasing in His+ sight. 

So... after soul-searching, searingly-honest repentance, with clean hands and clean consciences before GOD, we can pray. 

     Praying now, according to the Will of GOD, according to all the authority given to us by the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and by all the authority through The BLOOD+ of The LAMB+, we pray in accord:

That The LORD bind the power of the strongman called spirit of anti-CHRIST, and we agree with HIM+ and bind you, strongman, in The Name of JESUS CHRIST+ our LORD, along with all of your works, roots, fruits, tentacles, links, spirits, lies, deceptions, and torments, along with those spirits of 

  • deniers of the Deity of CHRIST
  • deniers of the Atoning BLOOD+ of JESUS
  • enemies of CHRIST and His+ Word
We, with all the authority that CHRIST JESUS grants to us through HIS+ BLOOD, we bind you and loose you to go wherever The LORD JESUS CHRIST+ sends you. 

Furthermore, In the NAME of The LORD JESUS CHRIST, we command you to loose those you have taken captive in their ignorance or through their wounds or mis-guided teaching.  We command those hindering spirits to let them go towards The LORD JESUS CHRIST. 

We ask this in the Life-Giving Name of the ONLY NAME+ given under Heaven among men, whereby we must be saved, the LORD JESUS CHRIST. 

In the Name of The FATHER,
WHO created us;
His Holy SON+ JESUS CHRIST,
Who+ saves us; 
And the blessed HOLY SPIRIT,
WHO+ sanctifies us. 
Amen.


6/07/2014

READY for PENTECOST ?

"PENTECOST"
watercolor by Estella Canziani, 1936
courtesy of  
www.dwellingintheword.wordpress

Matthew 3 

courtesy of www.biblegateway.com


11 I [ John the Baptist ] indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but HE+ that cometh after me is mightier than I, Whose+ shoes I am not worthy to bear: HE+ shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

12 Whose+ fan is in His+ Hand, and HE+ will throughly purge His+ floor, and gather His+ wheat into the garner; but HE+ will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.


PENTECOST  

WHAT DOES IT COST ?

What did it cost the Apostles?

What did it cost the Early Christians?

More importantly, 
what is it costing us ? 

The Day of Pentecost is GLORIOUS because the followers of JESUS were endued with flaming, Heaven-sent Power from on High. They were seeking The LORD with one accord. HE+ came, sending forth His+ Blessed HOLY SPIRIT, so that they could be witnesses of HIM+ throughout the whole earth.   

The HOLY SPIRIT power did not fall on them to make the followers of JESUS famous nor rich nor popular. The Power from on High was not given to enhance their own lives and make them comfortable, healthy, and able to live their lives without trouble. 

Indeed, the very opposite happened. 

In the face of ugly death and cruel torture and horrific slaughter by the demonized enemies of CHRIST JESUS, the HOLY SPIRIT power made them UN-STOPPABLE in proclaiming The LORD JESUS CHRIST.  

They were enabled to stand for JESUS  even in the face of their children and families and friends being butchered.  

This is WHY The Power of Pentecost  is given. We yearn for that power. Do we yearn for what accompanies the out-pouring of the true HOLY SPIRIT ?  

The HOLY SPIRIT is not given to make us comfortable in this life.

The HOLY SPIRIT is poured out to make us holy.  

The HOLY SPIRIT is given to help us stand, like CHRIST JESUS stood in the face of His+ enemies as HE+ was nailed to the Cross. It is invincible. 

Can we stand like these Nigerian Brothers and Sisters did THIS VERY WEEK,  on Wednesday, June 4, 2014 ? 

Can we bear testimony like that 80-year-old saint did, who is now clothed in a white robe, residing under the Altar of the THRONE in Heaven, with the other martyrs ?  

Revelation 6 
And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of GOD, and for the Testimony which they held:

10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O LORD, Holy and True, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
( Courtesy of www.biblegateway.com )

The Blood of the Martyrs is the Seed of the Church.  

Massacre of Christians in North Nigeria (Gwoza)

Update:Death toll rises to 168 

Posted on June 4, 2014 by VOICE OF THE PERSECUTED  

 By Our Nigerian Foreign Correspondent  (Voice of the Persecuted

The death toll in the bloody attack on the Christian community continues to rise this morning. As of 4th June 2014, a reliable source who went to Attagara reconfirmed the number of casualties stating that an additional 88 bodies were found, bringing the total to 168 casualties. 

“I counted the corpses with my hands”, he said. Most of them were children and youths.

Another source gave some information on the figures.
  • 52 people died at the church compound.
  • 48 in the nearby village, Aganjara.
  • 29 were found death in a cave after the insurgents trapped and opened fire on them.
  • 3 were roasted in a fire.
  • 36 were slain with a knife and thrown on the street.
“The attack was so terrible that the actual figure could yet be determined,” he said.

A woman who witnessed the slaughter of her 9 year old son, wailed as she spoke to our correspondent by phone describing the terror. They drug her son and slew him. 

They then grabbed for her younger child who is still nursing, intending to slaughter the innocent. She gripped the insurgents and was able to escape with her baby. “I ran for over 40 kilometers. Only God knows the people that were killed,” said the woman.

An elderly Christian man faced the Boko Haram and died a martyr when the insurgents slashed his body, part by part, with a sword. He had bravely told them,

“IF YOU DON’T REPENT OF KILLING INNOCENT CHRISTIANS THAT BELIEVE IN JESUS, THEIR BLOOD WILL JUDGE YOU.”

This statement provoked the insurgents and they beheaded the 80 year old man, a witness said.

It was gathered that more people were still missing and many of the dead had not yet been retrieved from the hills and nearby bush. 

“I don’t know how to explain this tragedy,” a Pastor lamented. “We just found 2 children lying dead in the toilet.” 

A Community leader who demanded anonymity, confirmed that so many corpses were seen without heads. Many are still in hills and backyards,” he noted.

Very early this morning, the insurgents were seen headed towards Jubrili village with over 400 goats and sheep, 50 cows and valuable items they had looted from the Christians. 10 of them were seen carrying AK 47’s and  moving the animals, a witness said. 

“Go there, you will see them,” he told our correspondent. “They would never cross to Cameroon because the border is being well guarded. But they were trying to move the animals to Sambisa, because our security would never be there,” he added.


Note: Soldiers are claiming they could not go to the areas because they did not receive orders from their command headquarters. We ask, “Why not? ---- Question asked by blogger: I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. wordpress.com Article may be reprinted with credit to Voice of the Persecuted


And they overcame him by

The BLOOD of The LAMB+

and by the Word of their Testimony,

and they loved not their lives unto the death. 
Revelation 12:11
"PENTECOST"  watercolor by Estella CANZIANI, 1936

Matthew 3 

courtesy of www.biblegateway.com


11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but HE+ that cometh after me is mightier than I, Whose+ shoes I am not worthy to bear: HE+ shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

12 Whose+ fan is in His+ Hand, and HE+ will throughly purge His+ floor, and gather His+ wheat into the garner; but HE+ will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.