Thursday, September 19, 2013

God would like to know, ‘Are your hands still on the plow?’

Luke 9:62 (NKJV) Jesus speaking:

But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

The heading that precedes that Scripture is titled, “The True Cost of Discipleship” and the title says, it all. Discipleship cost. Jesus warned one might have to give up everything for Him in order to receive what is referred to as the “Apostles’ Reward” or the Believers counterpart.

Matthew 19:29 (NKJV) Jesus speaking:

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.

Two of Christ’s Beloved Children contrasted. One many years ago when struggling with doubts, concerns, and what if’s received a Word from the Lord that, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” That wonderful Servant of the Lord put their flesh aside with all it humanness, fears, and desires and chose to serve the Lord. That individual was and has been greatly rewarded by the Lord Jesus in more ways than I can count for their service and is now one of many of the Lord’s Servants preparing a place of refuse for those individual whom will come out of the now nearing persecution and revival of the true Body of Christ. The other Beloved Child of God decided their will was better and that giving up their desires for their Sunday afternoon was too much obedience, too much submission, and too much to give to the Lord Jesus. Time will reveal their fruit, their reward for the choice they made in their hearts. The end for someone who turns away from God’s Will is not pretty.

2 Peter 2:20–22 (NKJV)

20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

We have now entered a season of open persecution, legislated by a governmental body, of the true Christian, the CURRENT Spiritual Remnant of God, in America. In the city of San Antonio, Texas, where family values are supposed to be held in high regard, there is a new city ordinance meant to stop discrimination, which actually discriminates against Christians. The San Antonio City Council members added new language to the city’s nondiscrimination policy. It now says, ‘anyone who may have "demonstrated a bias" based on sexual orientation cannot work with the city or run for city office.’ This can and will deeply effect the influence and productivity of both Christian Business People and Spiritual Leaders in San Antonio. A deeper examination of this ordinance reveals this would make it legally possible for Christian business people who are outspoken about the biblical view of the homosexual lifestyle to be charged with a misdemeanors crime. A Class 3 Misdemeanor , I believe.

The CURRENT Spiritual Remnant of God, if they stay true to God, will find themselves persecuted here in America. A while back, the call went out for the True Remnant to begin to unify and bring themselves into unity around Christ and true devotion to Biblical Principles. Persecution for the individual in a unified group is going to very difficult, persecution for the individual alone will be almost impossible. As we enter this time-period in the history of America, and we are at the threshold, what can we look around and see. Where have we been? How did we get here? What happens next?

Just as in Biblical Times, we see a parallel to all that took place with our own modern day slant. While the Church focused more and more on other lands, missions in other countries, their own country [house] was falling into disrepair.

Next came the apostasy of the church. The removal of all things God and Christ. The generalizing of religion to be all-inclusive. The crosses came down and eventually Jesus left the buildings. When is the last time you heard the true gospel presented in your church? When was the last time you were told you would have to depend on the cross of Christ to free you from what had you bound, that you must trust in Him and Him alone? No, religion is its own god. They do things their way; they deliver themselves through their works. What started out as a good thing, to love people into the kingdom, turned into something Satan used to destroy the American Christian Church because we lowered the Standard of God to make the person feel better, feel more love, feel more accepted, feel… now we live with the results – rampant apostasy. Just as in the days when Jesus walked the earth, we have lots of religion and boy isn’t and hasn’t religion done its damage.

A note of irony. During the reformation, people broke away from religion in order to worship God freely, as in the beginning when the Christ’s Church was started, before the days of corporate church and politics. American itself was fruit from that movement. What will be the fruit of the next move of God when His Remnant seek to flee persecution and a forced form of religion once again?

There will be great fleeing from persecution and great revival because of persecution.

There is a progression of both revelation and persecution. The prophets typically see God’s Plan and Will first and are the first to be persecuted in an area. Prophets today, as New Testament Prophetic People, do not add to Biblical text or change Biblical prophecies; their prophecies illuminate what is already established in God’s Word. These NOW Prophets and Prophetess have already suffered persecution for holding up the Standard, Principles, and Will of God as found in His Word. Persecution from both the world, the word systems /government, and persecution from the apostate church, just as Jesus and His Followers were persecuted in Biblical days of old by the religious community and governmental system [specifically Roman].

Currently true spiritual leaders find themselves beginning to come under such persecution, while at the same time realizing revival is coming. Next, the scattered Remnant of God, the truly Devoted Follower of Christ will begin to feel the pains of persecution and experience the joy of knowing revival is coming.

There are many Dear Ones out there who Satan has attempted to trampled without prevailing, Praise be to God. Of those Dear Ones, many come to mind but two specifically I will mention. One left their home, their comfort and took their family to San Antonio, Texas no less to help begin a church there – no doubt, God wishes to use this Beloved One for His glory. Another, the individual mentioned earlier as the Dear One who kept their hand on the plow and went forward, has entered yet another season of service with their spouse. This Dear One will be a part of providing a place of refreshing for those fleeing persecution. Living in an isolated area of the country helps them provide a place where those in need can go and rest, either for short or long periods of time, before going back into the world to continue the work God has given them to do. They will also be able to equip those who come through revival and will need equipping for the work of the Lord.

People, you will have to decide what you believe, who you believe, and whom you will serve. A day is coming when on some level, whether great or small, you will have to choose to honor God and His Principles or honor man’s ways and system. Choose well, the quality of your existence depends upon your choice.

“You can either be a prophet who stands on the outside of culture and argues against the injustices or you can be the king; and I don’t think you can be both.” – Rev. Ed Dobson, Moral Majority Executive 1979-1987 from PBS program “God in America”

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

¹¹And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹²for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— ¹⁶from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.