Conformed to His+ Image ... PATIENCE in Babylon the Great

 Are we developing 

CHRIST-centered patience

or

“Our-Political-Rights”-centered

activism ?

 ?  ?  ?

But let patience have her perfect work,

that ye may be

perfect and entire (Complete),

wanting/lacking nothing.

James 1:4

 

PATIENCE , the virtue , is  frightening. It literally means “to stay under.”  We think of it as endurance.  The endurance , however, is measured ONLY WHEN WE ARE UNDER A SEVERE TESTING. 

 

Notice that the Apostle James exhorts us “to LET” (allow) patience to have her perfect work.  We are NOT to hinder The LORD’S work of perfecting our lives because we do not “like” these hard, unpleasant, hurtful experiences and events HE+ calls us to endure. 

And ye shall be hated of all men

for My+ Name’s sake.

But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

In your patience possess ye your souls.

And when ye shall see Jerusalem

compassed with armies,

then know that the desolation

thereof is nigh..

Luke 21: 17 – 20

 

Here, The LORD JESUS commends   PATIENCE   to us in the midst of HATRED when His+ Followers are being hounded and hated by all sectors of society … the public, the government,  and the religious alike. We will not have a friend except JESUS. There will be NO PLACE of SAFETY except by His+ side.

 

How close is this event ?

 

Ask the Persecuted Christians in North Korea, in the Sudan, in Vietnam, in Thailand, in Iran, in Iraq, Syria etc. It is worldwide and coming to all lands. That is a Scriptural promise no-one likes to “claim.” 

 

There will not be PEACE under Mr. Trump … at least, not for serious-minded Christians.  There will ONLY be a “new world order” agenda. Note that Mr. Kissinger is one of his “consultants,”  along with others in the CFR club.  

 

We do NOT JOIN ourselves to the “popular-rights” crowd. We do not become unequally-yoked with political movements and social rights activities. That would put us with strange bed-fellows.

Instead … 

Serious-Minded Christians join ourselves to CHRIST, Who+ is the Eternal Word of the FATHER. We receive from His+ hand what HE+ has ordained. HE+ places some in dire straights.

HE+ places some in terrible persecution. HE+ does this so that we might bear WITNESS TO HIM+  — in the WORST OF PLACES, to the WORST ELEMENTS OF SOCIETY — in this grossly blemished, unrighteous Civilization.

 

And not only so,

but we glory in tribulations also:

 

knowing that

tribulation worketh patience;

Romans 5:3

 

It appears the ONLY way to develop CHRIST-centered PATIENCE  is in tribulation… TRUE tribulation ( i.e., not a flat tire or a burned supper.)

 

So that we ourselves glory in you

in the churches of GOD

for your patience and faith

 

in all your persecutions

and tribulations

that ye endure:

2 Thessalonians 1:4

 

PATIENCE,  it seems, is tied unfailingly to persecution. Injury gained BECAUSE of following CHRIST JESUS. Loss sustained because of holding fast to His+ Truth. Sorrow endured because of faithfulness to His+ Word.

 

For ye have need of patience,

that,

after ye have done the will of GOD,

ye might receive the promise.

Hebrews 10:36

 

PROMISES — to be received — are connected to doing the Will of GOD.  In order to do the Will of GOD, though, we must OF NECESSITY develop PATIENCE  during  persecution and tribulation.

 

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about

with so great a cloud of witnesses,

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

 

There is a race tailor-made for each one of us. It will touch the “sore” spots in our hearts.  Our particular race will reveal our weaknesses and weights and faults that have warped our character, warped our faith. 

 

What are we to do

to rid ourselves of these warpings ?

 

We are to RUN anyway. We are not to flinch and fling ourselves away from the race-track that Our LORD has assigned for our particular life-run. We are not to join a “people’s-rights” movement and campaign for a lessening of the distresses.  We are to STAY FOCUSED ON THE RACE-TRACK which HE+ has ordained. 

 

Here is how we WIN that race:

 

Looking unto JESUS

the AUTHOR+ and FINISHER+ of our faith;

WHO+ for the joy

that was set before HIM+

 

endured the cross,

despising the shame,

and is set down

at the right hand

of the throne of GOD.

 

For consider HIM+ that endured

such contradiction of sinners against Himself+,

lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

 

Ye have not yet resisted unto blood,

striving against sin.

 Hebrews 12: 2-4

 

Our Race is to be won on our knees.  We win as we DRAW CLOSER to CHRIST.  HE+ will direct our prayers against the evil forces and our prayers WILL PREVAIL …. if HE+ is truly directing them and not our own voice. 

Yes, we need to gird our loins to suffer. However, the kingdom of darkness is going to feel the heat of the Suffering Saints’ prayers !

The Prophet Daniel tells us this:  in the midst of a TERRIBLE on-slaught against GOD’S people, they will be strong and DO EXPLOITS!

[ The exact word “exploits” is not in the Hebrew, but the meaning involves ACCOMPLISHING MUCH. See DANIEL 11:32.]

 

May we humble ourselves, forsaking the ways and means of the world. Let us diligently cast aside values and ideologies that are CONTRARY TO CHRIST. Every Follower of JESUS in every society in every country MUST DO THE SAME. 

 

All of our various societies and governments — tribal, democratic, and all those in-between — are all run by fallen men. The fallen nature of man ALWAYS co-operates closely with the ideologies of satan.

 

The business of our fallen societies and governments does NOT CONCERN the Followers of JESUS.  We have a totally different nature and our Kingdom has NOT YET been established, in Power and Glory upon the earth.  ( But,  that IS COMING! )

 

We are passing through our respective lands and tribes for one purpose only: to turn the hearts of fallen man to Our Heavenly FATHER and to HIS Glorious SON+ JESUS CHRIST. We are to rescue fallen men … all who are willing to be rescued … for the sake of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST. 

 

Let us  therefore  be about

OUR  FATHER’S BUSINESS+ …

and leave the fallen world’s activities

to fallen men.

+  +  +

 And at that time shall Michael stand up,

the great prince which

stands for the children of your people:

 

and there shall be a time of trouble,

such as never was since there was a nation

even to that same time:

 

and at that time

Thy+ People shall be delivered,

every one that shall be found

written in The Book.

 

And many of them that sleep

in the dust of the earth shall awake,

some to everlasting life,

and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

 

And they that be Wise

shall shine as the brightness of the firmament;

and they that turn many to Righteousness

as the stars for ever and ever.

Daniel 12: 1-3

 

In The Name of GOD,

YHWH ELOHIM Almighty,

 and  YHWH ADONAI+

HIS only begotten, Eternal SON+.

And YHWH RUACH ha KADOSH

HIS Eternal SPIRIT.

 

AMEN + + +