We all face trouble in life. It is something we can all agree upon.
No matter who you are, something bad will eventually come to cause you
trouble. Something will break your heart. Something will break you down.
Something will make you crazy, concerned or confused.
When we look at the story of Job in the Bible. We see a lot of spiritual truth that we can apply to our lives.
Now, understand that trouble is relative to you. Just because someone
on the other side of the Earth is in extreme poverty with nothing.
Doesn’t make your problems any less concerning. Just because someone
else is dying of some terrible disease, doesn’t make your troubles any
less destructive to your life.
Evil is evil, in whatever form it manifests. We need to stop
belittling peoples troubles and start solving problems. It’s very
possible that if we solved the petty problems, they would not become the
huge problems. If we cared about the person who can’t afford simple
things, we might also care about the person in total poverty and solve
the problem. If we care about the person with a flu bug, we might also
care about the dying man, or even prevent disease from growing.
I say this because Job, faced terrible tribulation. He lost
everything he owned, His children were all killed, and his health was
attacked. On top of that, his wife was against him.
Just because Job’s troubles were really bad, doesn’t mean yours are
not concerning to you. The Bible often gives us the most extreme vision
of things so that we will see that our troubles are also able to be
overcome. The same faith can overcome all of it. The same God is with us
in all of it, no matter how big or small.
In the book of Job, Satan comes to God and asks to test Job. He claims that if Job is mistreated he will turn from God.
That is the focus of the story and that is our focus. Nothing else matters.
It doesn’t matter how bad the trouble was. It doesn’t matter if God
allowed it. It doesn’t matter if Satan did it, or God did it. None of it
matters.
Because Job had no clue. He just knows he is having trouble. His
whole life has been upended. We even see toward the end of the book that
Job is confused and has questions. It’s ok to have questions, doubts
and confusion. But, Job turned to God. Job stayed with God. That’s the
point.
When we face trouble, we often have no clue what’s going on. We might
think it’s nature. Or God is punishing us or the devil is attacking us.
We might know exactly what we did or didn’t do. We might be suffering
because of something done to us by people who claim to love us.
None of it matters.
The answer for all of it is the same. Turn to God.
Pray to Him, ask Him to save you and help you. Listen to His guidance.
Job said, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15)
He turned to God and trusted Him. Even if God chose to kill him, Job
knew God was good and had good reasons. He trusted God, and continued
walking in the way that he was walking in his life, because he did not
see that he had done anything wrong. And he hadn’t. God will let you
know.
The whole point of the story is that Job turned to God and stayed
with Him. No matter how bad. No matter what philosophies, or good
intentions from friends. No matter how much a friend called him a
sinner. No matter how much pain and humiliation. Even when his wife, was
led by Satan to say, “Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse
God, and die.”
Job stayed with God. He trusted God and turned to God.
Now understand that I am not talking about going to church. You can
go to church all you want and still not know God. You can be the
greatest member of your church and still be lost.
Do you know Him? Do you trust Him? Turn to Him.
This can be seen in the Garden when Satan through the Serpent,
tempted Eve. He caused her to doubt God’s promises and His goodness.
(Gen. 3)
That is the the devil’s favorite tactic. To get us to stop trusting
God and to not reach out to Him. Once that’s done, we have no real hope
or real help. We are defenseless and powerless.
This is why God brought the curse. It is designed to cause us to turn to God.
When Adam ate of the fruit all humanity gained a corrupted nature
through him. The only solution is to turn to God for salvation and
help. The Curse causes us to seek that help, if we are willing.
Always turn to God. Turn to Him in everything, and He will save you, lead you, grow you and know you.
You have a choice. Do not let trouble or the enemy drive you away from God. Turn to Him and let Him work.
Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger from
Southern Illinois. He has published in several magazines, and has
written a poetry eBook called “Against the Man” and an Addiction Recovery eBook called “Made Free: Overcoming Addiction“ a collection of dystopian short stories.“The Future is Coming” and his latest book “The Latter Days‘ is a book on Bible Prophecy and avoiding the deceptions to come.
If you seek to save yourself you've destroyed Grace.
"Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.And
if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more
grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work
is no more work."---Romans 11: 5-6 KJV---all verses are KJV
In this verse in Romans, Paul makes a statement
regarding grace that should settle all matters regarding salvation by
faith, or works, or whether you can lose your salvation, or whether you
must do works to maintain it.
He plainly states, that it cannot truly be grace if you have to do anything to obtain it, or keep it.
The whole idea of grace is negated by any notion of effort on our part.
The
King of everything is offering us salvation, adoption, total
forgiveness, mercy, joint ownership of the Kingdom, all for free,
forever, if we just turn to Him, and ask. Confessing Him as our Lord,
believing and trusting Him alone.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
For
we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which
God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."--- Eph. 2:8-10
We are saved by grace. THROUGH faith.
Faith is a medium. It's like a telephone line that connects us to God's Grace. We are not saved by faith, we are saved THROUGH faith.
God
does not want anyone boasting or acting like they did some great deed
to be saved, or that they were obedient servants. We must accept our
fallen state and inability to save ourselves, in order to receive God's
Grace. That's part of it. You must acknowledge your need for him alone.
But, here's where we encounter a problem.
Some
people want to use Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10 as an excuse to try to
save themselves. It will not work. We cannot save ourselves or even help
God at all. The second you try or think you are, grace ends.
After
Adam fell humans became corrupted with a sin nature. We are not able to
do right or fix ourselves. This is why God gave us the law. The purpose
of God's law is to show us we cannot obey it and need to turn to God
for salvation. This is why Jesus came to save us. We are not saved by
doing the works of the law. We are saved by Grace. We are saved through
faith in Christ alone. We follow the law because it helps us avoid
trouble in this life. But, it does not save us.
Let's rightly divide the Word, in verse 10.
"We are HIS workmanship"= It is God's Work not ours. "created in Christ Jesus unto good works"=
We are "Born Again" or Created in Christ, to build the Kingdom, to
Spread the Gospel. to love and help people. These are the works we do.
"which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."= God already had a plan for our lives in Him and wants to work through us.
This
is not about our salvation. We cannot do the works God desires without
first being saved and letting Him work through us, by His Spirit.
But,
some continue to use this verse and other verses to attempt to prove
that we must pay for our salvation or do something to earn it.
The
fact that they think they can earn it, is proof that they really do not
understand how wicked we are. It proves God right, when He says "None
seek God". We
seek ourselves, when a person wants to save themselves. (Romans 3:11)
When you wonder if someone can
lose Grace. The answer is no. But, many "Christians" have never received
Grace. Because they have chosen to earn it themselves, And force others
to do the same.
They don't lose it. They
never had it. They never fell on their face and said "Have mercy on me a
sinner". They never really had any oil in their lamp because they never had faith in God. ( Luke 18:10-14)
Let God save you.
Just turn to Him and ask Him to save you. (Acts 2:21)
Confess that Jesus is your Lord and believe He rose from the dead. (Romans 10: 9-10)
Believe He has saved you and is working on you. Trust His promise. It's not a feeling.
God
has saved you, if you asked him to. Now He will start working in your
life to help you to have more faith and grow in Him. To help you serve
Him. He will lead you to study his Word and find a place where you can
be with other saved people.
Trust Him.
Let me give you a little analogy.
Let's say there's a parent and a child.
Which is better?
The child that ignores the parent, and goes its own way and is hurt or has a ruined life?
or
The child who chooses to read about the parent and rules and laws, obeying them perfectly but never really knowing the parent?
or
The
child who turns to the parent and says. "Please help me". The child who
chooses to turn to the parent and ask them to help them and grow them.
The child who wants a relationship?
Which is better?
It's kind of a no brainer.
Turn to the Lord and trust Him.
-----
Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger from
Southern Illinois. He has published in several magazines, and has
written a poetry eBook called “Against the Man” and an Addiction Recovery eBook called “Made Free: Overcoming Addiction“ a collection of dystopian short stories.“The Future is Coming” and his latest book “The Latter Days‘ is a book on Bible Prophecy and avoiding the deceptions to come.
Jesus said. "Peace I leave with you,
my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let
not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."---John 14:27 (John 14:1-31--in context)
When God calls us, and we turn to Him, confessing Jesus is the Lord, asking Him to save us and putting our faith in Him.
He saves us, and fills us with His Holy Spirit, washing us clean.
This
brings us peace. Not our peace. But HIS peace. This must be understood.
Because we do not nor cannot maintain this Peace ourselves. He does it as we
continue to turn to Him and grow in Him, and know Him. The Word He gives us is Jesus. The Word He gives us are His Promises.
The second part of the verse is what I want to focus on.
"Not as the world giveth, give I unto you"
Because
God doesn't give as the world gives. (You've lived in this world long
enough to know how this world and the people of it give.)
When God gives, it's free to you. He paid for it.
It's a gift not a loan. There is no interest and it doesn't have to be repaid.
He doesn't take it away from us if we fail.
He doesn't use it against us.
He doesn't use it to guilt trip us.
He doesn't hold it over our head.
He doesn't give us something cheap and shoddy.
He doesn't give us a hand me down.
He loves us. He understands us. He works with us. He knows us, if we choose to know Him.
He fixes us and helps to grow us. He doesn't cast us aside.
He is with us always even till the end of the world.
And that's why we have the peace that defies all understanding. (Phil. 4:6-7)
Praise Jesus.
So
what do we do? We remind ourselves of his promises. We speak them
aloud to hear them and drive the enemy away. We remind our selves of the
great things God has done for us. We thank and praise Him for it. This
brings peace as the Holy Spirit works in us.
-----
Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger from
Southern Illinois. He has published in several magazines, and has
written a poetry eBook called “Against the Man” and an Addiction Recovery eBook called “Made Free: Overcoming Addiction“ a collection of dystopian short stories.“The Future is Coming” and his latest book “The Latter Days‘ is a book on Bible Prophecy and avoiding the deceptions to come.
“Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing
ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers,
ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of
the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of
strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of
righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that
are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses
exercised to discern both good and evil.”— Heb. 5:11-14
God’s Word teaches us that there is a difference between milk and meat when it comes to our growth in Christ.
There comes a point when we have read the Word, over and over. When
we have sat in all the bible studies and read commentary books. When we
have heard all the sermons for years. There comes a point when we are
supposed to be ready to serve Christ.
There comes a point where we step into our gift and start using it
for the Kingdom. When Church is no longer about sitting in the same pew,
listening to the same music, and the same sermon series, from the same
guy who gives only milk to drink.
The burden is on both the leader and the church member to grow.
If all a church member ever gets from the pastor or preacher is milk, then how are they supposed to be ready to consume meat?
If the pastor never hears from the Holy Spirit, or even talks about
the Holy Spirit, then who is guiding this man? Who is giving him his
sermon notes? Does he get his ideas from other preachers in books who
never spoke of the Holy Spirit? Men who never spoke as unto the Oracles
of God themselves?
The preacher is to tell the flock what the Holy Spirit tells him to
preach. It’s not about what the preacher thinks. It’s not a scholarly
task. If he says “I was thinking about this”, he is glorifying himself.
He should be teaching what the Spirit has told him. If he can’t “Speak
as the Oracle of God” meaning that he is speaking what God has told him
to say, then he needs to go sit down. He is too afraid to acknowledge
that he heard from God, because certain members of his congregation
would label him as crazy or false. The congregation should never think
that hearing from God is crazy. We are supposed to converse with God,
and we are supposed to be crazy for Jesus. (1 Peter 4:11)
That
doesn’t mean that a preacher cannot express his own opinion or tell
what his own understanding of the Word is. There are lots of places
where that’s needed. But, his view point must really be from the Word
and the Holy Spirit.
The congregation gets the preacher they deserve. If they are not
ready for meat, then they get a preacher who never preaches meat, and
the congregation will not grow in Christ. If the congregation doesn’t
read the Word, or spend time in prayer or service, fighting the fight of
faith how can they be ready for meat?
If all they know is from Bible classes and sermon series, then they
are babes. They have never been broken or know Christ. They have never
really learned from Him. They are like baby birds sitting in a nest
eating regurgitated food from their parents.
Have you ever read the Word? Have you ever really studied it? Not
cherry picked sermon series, but actually read and studied the Word? If
your pastor started teaching false things, would you really know?
If you get enlightened things from your pastor, and you have never
read or studied the Word for yourself, how do you know you are not just
getting really good milk? How do you know that it’s not just a good
speech? Good speeches can elicit emotions as well. It doesn’t mean the
sermon is from God.
The writer of Hebrews goes on to speak of what Milk is.
“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us
go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance
from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms,
and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of
eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit.”—Heb. 6:1-3
If you do not know the basic doctrines of Christ well enough to go
out and teach others and preach the Gospel, then you are still a babe.
Have you asked the Holy Spirit to teach you? Do you realize your
teaching comes through getting up and serving? Do you read the Word? Do
you have real faith in God? Do you only get your doctrines from one man
teaching milk?
Does your pastor feed you milk, because he wants to keep the flock in
the pen so he can fleece them of tithes? Perhaps, you’re not growing in
Christ because the leader you keep following doesn’t really know Him?
Is he too afraid to preach the meat of the Word because he doesn’t want
to upset the rich people of the church who pay his salary?
We are called to be soldiers in Christ. We are supposed to be serving
God. That means that our pastors, preachers and teachers are supposed
to be letting the Holy Spirit, speak through them for the purpose of
getting people saved and preparing them to go forth and fight the true
fight of faith. They should be leading and providing means for them to
really serve. Not just waiting on tables or doing tasks, but exercising
their gifts for real out in the world. Not just sitting on committees
and doing bible studies.
We are supposed to be telling people about Jesus. Not bringing them
to church so that someone else can tell them about Jesus. The time we
waste between inviting a person to church and them showing up, is the
time Satan draws them away. We are supposed to be prepared to give the
Gospel at the moment Jesus brings someone to us. Not force them to wait a
week to come to church and hope the preacher happens to give the Gospel
that week. Are you really ready to serve? Can you not present the
Gospel? If not, then are you really saved? Do you understand it enough
to really know it? (1 Peter 3:15)
We are supposed to be taught by the Holy Spirit, and listen to his
guidance as He leads us to serve and learn from teachers who really
speak the Word. ( 1 John 2:27, John 16:13)
But, are we “dull of hearing” because we are lazy and sitting in that
same old pew? We have been lulled into a stupor and need woken up? Like
the writer of Hebrews says “For when for the time ye ought to be
teachers, ye have need that one teach you again “
They
had fallen into false doctrine. They had never grown. They did not
really know Christ because they were never taught by Him. They had left
the basic doctrines.
This is why the writer goes on to say some of the most terrifying words in the scriptures.
“For it is impossible for those who were once
enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made
partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and
the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them
again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God
afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinketh in
the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them
by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which
beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose
end is to be burned.”—Heb. 6:4-8
He is warning them. They had heard the Gospel. They had woken up with
joy. They had been partakers of the Holy Spirit’s work, and seen Him
move. But, they were still babes. They still consumed milk. They never
grew. This should be a red flag, that they never really got saved.
Since they never grew, they turned away into false things. They
turned from God and his salvation unto their own self-righteousness. You
must understand these are people who are sitting in the church reading
this letter.
They had turned away from the basic teachings of Christ. They had
turned to thinking they were saved by obeying the Law, and by doing good
works, instead of grace
by faith. This is why the writer speaks of relearning the basic
doctrines, when they should be teachers of it. Because they never really
got it.
These people did not lose their salvation,
they never really had it. They never really knew Christ. They just saw
the truth, but never really moved to accept it and become a part of it.
They just sat in their pews and ate the food, clapped to the music and
enjoyed the story telling from the pulpit. But, it never changed them.
It never led them to be saved. It never led them to grow in Christ.
These people are like the folks in the parable of the sower. The
tares among the wheat. They are birds in the tree, stealing the seed.
(Matthew 13)
They never really knew Him. The devil snatched the Word from their
heart. Persecutions and tribulations kept them from trusting God. The
flesh, the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches kept them
from really turning to God. They were never saved.
These folks are the foolish virgins. They are the ones who say “have we not done marvelous works in thy name?“.
They are the ones at the wedding feast in the wrong clothes, because
they never really put faith in God for salvation through Jesus Christ.
They trusted in their own works and their own name to save them. They
thought that living a life resisting temptation and not sinning was
knowing Christ. Ignoring the fact that Christ died for those sins, and
giving it all to Him and following Him. (Matthew 22, Matt 25)
They “crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an
open shame” because they never really accepted the salvation from Jesus
the first time. They did not accept the salvation Jesus gave them. They
are like Moses who hit the Rock twice, because his flesh did not allow
him to realize that all he needed to do was speak to the Rock, and get
water. It was his work, he thought, that brought out salvation, not the
finished work of Christ. ( Exodus 17:1-7 ,Numbers 20:1-12, 1 Cor. 10:4 )
We confess our sins and He cleanses us and changes us. That’s the relationship. We don’t change ourselves. Sinners cannot change their own sinful ways, for all they do breeds more sin.
Do you know Him? Are you ready for meat? Are you following the Holy
Spirit? Are you serving in your gift from God? Are you fighting the
enemy, helping and serving others?
Or are you sitting in a pew for years, getting milk from someone who probably should not have been a preacher?
Ask God to save you and grow you.
Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger from
Southern Illinois. He has published in several magazines, and has
written a poetry eBook called “Against the Man” and an Addiction Recovery eBook called “Made Free: Overcoming Addiction“ a collection of dystopian short stories.“The Future is Coming” and his latest book “The Latter Days‘ is a book on Bible Prophecy and avoiding the deceptions to come.
Ok, so it’s obvious that when a Christian prays they pray in Jesus name. But, why do we do that?
Well, it comes from this verse. Jesus said,
“If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”— John 14:14, (John 14:13, John 15:16, John 16:23,24,26)
Jesus told us to do it. That should be enough. But, let’s dive deeper.
In the spiritual realms who you know and who you are, matters more
than what you’ve done and how much money you have. Your earthly position
or name does not matter in the spirit.
It is not like this world. It’s based upon truth, and your name. It’s based upon who you know.
Why do I say this.
Read this passage in Acts Chapter 19
“Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call
over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We
adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of
one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil
spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame
them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house
naked and wounded. And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also
dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord
Jesus was magnified.”
Some religious people tried to cast out a demon. They did not use
Jesus’s name. They tried to cast out the spirit “by Jesus whom Paul
preacheth”. Not because they knew Jesus, but they wanted the power.
The spirit said. “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? “
This demon did not recognize their authority because they had none. They were not known.
This matters and will be explained.
Understand that these sons of Sceva, were professional exorcists in
Judaism. They had standing in their nation and religion. They had
standing in their blood. They were the sons of a chief priest, they had
standing in this world.
But, not in the Spiritual Realms.
You must understand that humans are fallen. We are totally depraved.
Our standing is less than dirt. We are sitting in the camp of Satan,
just waiting for Judgement, Hell and the Lake of Fire. We are sinners.
We have a corrupted nature. We do not know God. Until we turn to Him.
(Romans 3:10-18)
God calls us to be saved. (Romans 1;1, 1:6, Romans 8:28-30)
When we hear that call we turn to Him and ask Him to save us. (Repent) (Acts 2:38)
The picture is when Jesus came to the disciples, and said “Follow me”.
They dropped everything and left it behind and followed Jesus. ( Matt.4:17-23)
So, we confess “Jesus is THE Lord”. (Romans 10:9-10, 1 Cor. 12:3, 1 john 4:1-3, Matt. 16:13-19)
We give ourselves to Him, and we are born again, washed in the blood.
We die to this world and are now known BY Him. We are in Christ. We are
no longer our own. We are bought with a price. He died to purchase us
from Satan who is the god of this world. (John 3:1-36, Romans 5:9,
Romans 6, 1 Cor 6:20, 2 Cor. 4:4 )
Jesus is God. He is Lord. He is equal to the Father and the Holy Spirit. They are God.
So, we become known by Jesus. We are in Him, and what we do is by HIS name. Not our own.
The idea is a servant who does his Masters work. He does it in the name of the Master.
Without Jesus, we can do nothing.(John 15:5)
God the Father, and all things spiritual do not recognize our
position and authority. We have none. But, they recognize that we are a
servant of Jesus’s.
Now, we become known because we are in Christ. This is why Paul was
known. Not for his deeds, or righteousness or good works, but as a
servant of Christ.
When we know Jesus, and have a relationship with Him, we become known in Him.
On Judgement day, we stand before Christ and it matters whether He knows us or not.
Did we climb up some other way? Did we not have on the proper wedding garb? Did we have the oil of faith in our lamps? Did we really know Him? (John 10:1-18, Matt. 22:1-14)
We are acknowledging our fallen status and our submission to Him as our Lord.
We are showing that our name means nothing, it is by his name that we receive anything.
We are showing that we are His servants, and put our faith and trust in Him for our salvation and for everything.
It is a sign of who owns us and who we worship.
It is a witness to the saints, that you are truly in Christ.
Any prayer given, that is not in Jesus, name does nothing.
Do you know Him?
Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger from
Southern Illinois. He has published in several magazines, and has
written a poetry eBook called “Against the Man” and an Addiction Recovery eBook called “Made Free: Overcoming Addiction“ a collection of dystopian short stories.“The Future is Coming” and his latest book “The Latter Days‘ is a book on Bible Prophecy and avoiding the deceptions to come.
Yes, it is the modern equivalent of the Tower of Babel from the days of old.
It is a picture of the same battle that has been fought between good and evil since the Fall of man. Since the enemy rebelled against God. Since the Lord ascended and the promise of His return was given.
We can see throughout history, the struggle between forces.
We can see the common tongue, in Jesus day was Greek, and the violent Roman empire ruled the known world.
And it was through Greek, Latin and the roads of the Roman empire
that the Gospel was spread, and the saints grew in number, till the
Church became the religion of Rome.
Then, Satan used false leaders in the Catholic Church to suppress the Word, excommunicating and killing anyone who opposed them.
But, the Word was printed and translated into other languages so the
truth and the Gospel could spread. But evil spread with it, and tried to
stop it.
Kings of Europe, rose up and fought wars, colonizing, and spreading
their power around the world. Satan’s servants enslaving, murdering,
worshiping money, and annihilating entire people groups. Putting the
whole world in debt to the fallen ones.
But,
within it the Gospel and God’s Word spread around the world using The
Spanish, French and British languages and empires, as a tool.
Till the world broke free from the Kings, and formed new governments,
and Constitutions promising free religion and free speech to spread the
Gospel and God’s Word around the world.
But a new last days empire has arose, and was taken over by the same
desire to grow, and kill and exploit the world and create a New World
Order Kingdom of the Anti-Christ.
In the midst of it, the Gospel is spread globally, even in restricted countries.
Then the internet came into being. The new Tower of Babel, to unite the world.
But, it allows the saints through social media and websites to spread
the Gospel so the Word can be published in every nation, till the end
comes. (Matt. 24:14)
As governments, corporations and religious leaders work to quell
rebellion and to control free speech on line, working to silence
opposition, and to prepare for the coming of the Mark of the Beast. The saints continue to work.
While things move towards the final persecution of the saints when the Anti-Christ over comes them. (Daniel 7:21, Dan. 7:25, Rev. 13:7)
Till the Lord returns and sets up his ever lasting kingdom.
Are you working?
Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger from
Southern Illinois. He has published in several magazines, and has
written a poetry eBook called “Against the Man” and an Addiction Recovery eBook called “Made Free: Overcoming Addiction“ a collection of dystopian short stories.“The Future is Coming” and his latest book “The Latter Days‘ is a book on Bible Prophecy and avoiding the deceptions to come.
There are times in our lives when we feel that God has abandoned us.
It seems that He doesn’t hear and we don’t feel His presence or see His
movements in our lives.
I have experienced the same.
God has opened my eyes to the reality of it, and I have listened to Him and grown in Him.
The matter is an issue of faith.
I want you to read this verse.
“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they
shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”—Matt. 12:36
Now a lot of preachers want to use this verse to impose fear.
But, I want you to see that Jesus is telling us that God hears every
word. God is so close to us and so interested in us, that every word we
say will be shown back to us when we see Him.
If you are saved and know Him, then this is not a scary thing. It spurs us to greater things.
So, read this verse and believe it. Believe it like God is standing before you telling it to you.
We are made righteous and our faith comes when we believe the Word God has given us. (Rom.10:17, Rom. 4:3)
So, when we think God is not listening or doesn’t hear, we can stand on this verse and say.
“No! God hears every idle word!” And believe it.
It’s not like sending a text message to a friend and we don’t hear back. So, we think “Did he get the text?”
God got it. We can KNOW he got it, because of this verse. We put our faith in it and Him.
Daniel prayed and heard nothing back. Till finally an angel came and
said. We got your prayer the minute you started praying. And I came to
answer but had to fight through the Enemy to get here. (Dan. 10:1-21)
Trust God. Trust His Word.
Our relationship with God is based upon faith. Our faith grows when
we trust his Word and stand on it, and see Him move in our lives
Satan is working to keep you from trusting Him. To keep you from
knowing Him. He seeks to destroy you and keep your faith weak. To keep
you from the battlefield.
This why we cannot trust our feelings. We are flesh. We have a
corrupted nature. We live in a world that is full of distraction, and we
have an enemy trying to destroy us.
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy
paths.”—Prov. 3:5-6
When everything tells us God has abandoned us and is not listening.
When the enemy whispers into our mind that we sin too much for God, or
that God has left us or even that He is testing us.
We can stand on the promises of God. We can rely on His Word and the things He has done for us in the past. That is our testimony. (Rev. 12:11)
So we say “No! I trust in the Lord. I’m leaning on Him and the Word says He will direct my paths!”
Have you seen movies where two armies oppose each other and a general
rides on a horse in front of his men and gives them great words of
encouragement?
He is building faith. He is building encouragement. He is trying to drive out fear and stir up morale for the coming battle.
“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” —(Rom. 10:17)
When we speak the Word, we also hear the Word and it stirs up our
faith in us if we are willing to believe it. Speaking the Word causes
things to happen in reality. God says “So shall my word be that goeth
forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall
accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing
whereto I sent it.”—(Isa 55:11)
God’s Word says “I will never leave you nor forsake you”—Heb. 13:5
He is with us. Believe it. Say it to yourself.
“God will never leave me nor forsake me.”
Believe it. Drive the fear and doubt away.
Will the Shepherd abandon the Sheep? ( Psalm 23)
No. He leads us to still waters. He protects us with his rod. His staff comforts us.
Because He is with us. We believe it and know it. He is here.
Do you know the Shepherd?
None of this matters if you’ve never turned to Him and asked Him to
save you. It’s the same faith. He calls us and we realize that we need
Him.
Then, we hear the Word He gives us and we believe it and turn to Him.
Asking Him to save us. Then, He washes us clean in the Blood of Jesus
Christ and we are saved and begin to grow in Him. Just ask Him to save
you. (Rom.10:9-10)
This world is tough. But, the toughness of this world is designed to cause us to turn to Him. Because He is our only Hope.
He is with us.
Believe it. No matter what things look like.
Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger from
Southern Illinois. He has published in several magazines, and has
written a poetry eBook called “Against the Man” and an Addiction Recovery eBook called “Made Free: Overcoming Addiction“ a collection of dystopian short stories.“The Future is Coming” and his latest book “The Latter Days‘ is a book on Bible Prophecy and avoiding the deceptions to come.
