Monday, August 26, 2013, 9:04 a.m. – the Lord Jesus woke me with this song:
Grace Greater than Our Sin / Julia H. Johnston / Daniel B. Towner
Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled…
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin!
http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Grace_Greater_than_Our_Sin/
Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Revelation 14:1-13 (ESV).
Not Defiled
We have here a scene of Mount Zion – our heavenly Jerusalem; the bride of Christ; the kingdom of heaven; the gospel of Christ and the life of Jesus Christ from eternity. The Lamb - Jesus Christ - and all those who have the name of Jesus Christ, the Son, and that of the Father written on their foreheads, stood on Mt. Zion, the Holy City – the spiritual city of our God, the body of Christ. I believe they stood as conquerors and victors over their enemy, Satan. A new song was sung, and the only ones who could learn the song were these who had not defiled themselves with other lovers, i.e. they were not idolatrous or spiritually adulterous in their relationships with Jesus Christ, but were willing to suffer for his name.
They are the faithful; the committed; and the obedient servants of our Lord. They are the ones who listen attentively to his words, who learn what he teaches, and who apply his words to their daily lives, though not with absolute sinless perfection. Yet, they have been cleansed in the blood of the Lamb, thus they have given themselves to spiritual and moral purity, and they do not follow after the lies of Satan, nor are they those who make a practice of lying and deception. They certainly have not bought into the lie of the beast and they do not bow to or worship his image. They are followers and seekers and supporters of truth, and they seek God’s truth in their own lives, humbly willing to receive divine correction, to repent of all sin, and to confess any known wrongs to those whom they have wronged. They follow Jesus Christ wherever he leads them, even if it means being hated, rejected, despised and even killed for their faith (see 2 Thess. 2:11-12; Heb. 11:25-26).
Give Him Glory
“Fear God and give Him glory” – what does this mean to you? The Lord Jesus gave me an illustration of this principle last night and again this morning as applied to his church here in America today. What he showed me is that a good number of professing Christians today, although they have been given the word of God – God’s letter to us that should be written on our hearts – do not honor God and give him glory, because they don’t even acknowledge to him what he has written. Scripture teaches that “every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.” He spoke to them in the letter about this lack of respect and honor, and how they do not trust him with their lives, or how they fail to trust him in matters that are difficult to understand, or how they are not willing to see him at work in their life situations, believing that he truly is in control. Yet, they have still failed to respond.
Jesus wrote this letter a long time ago. For many of us, we have had it in our possession since our physical birth, i.e. we have been exposed to its truths from infanthood. We have been richly blessed, and yet many take that for granted. We have the written word of God (the Bible), but we also have the WORD living within us, i.e. we have the person of Jesus Christ living within us in the person of his Holy Spirit, continually speaking his truths to our hearts and reminding us of all he taught us, if we are genuinely his true servants. He convicts, counsels, guides, directs, empowers, encourages, gives hope and healing, teaches, corrects, rebukes and restores. He also speaks to us through nature, i.e. through his created works and through his earthly and heavenly messengers who go throughout the earth proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ, and yet many are slow in responding to all that they have received. They want more time, and yet time is not on their side, perhaps.
These same professing Christians, who do not acknowledge Jesus’ words to them, and who have not yet responded to his messages to them, and who want more time, may speak about him, though, to the people of the world. They may give lip service to Jesus, in other words, but their hearts are far from him, so they betray him with their lips. Although they speak about him, they do not really commune (fellowship) with him with true listening ears to hear what he says; to acknowledge his messages through surrender, obedience and submission to him and to what he teaches us; and to respond to those messages through following Him wherever he leads us. In fact, they listen more to the world than they do to Jesus. They have the appearance of godliness, but they deny its power in their lives. They may even feel as though they have good intentions, but good intentions are not good enough if they are not followed through with genuine faith – repentance and obedience.
This grieves the Spirit of God, who tests our hearts. He longs to gather us in his arms as a mother hen gathers her chicks, and yet many are not willing, because they are not willing to listen (and heed) his voice. They already have their minds made up, and/or they fail to communicate with God in a way that shows they truly want to know him. So, they keep their distance from Jesus. Oh, they are not completely opposed to him, nor are they on fire for him. They are like the lukewarm Christians of Laodicea. They are casual Christians who lack passion, heart, commitment, earnestness and zeal for their Lord and for his service. They may talk to him, but they don’t really listen. So, they don’t really know him.
Jesus said to Philip: “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me?” I believe he is saying that to many in the church here in America today.
Fallen is Babylon
The end of time is drawing near. The Lord’s true disciples, servants, followers and witnesses will be persecuted severely because of their testimony for Jesus Christ and for his gospel of salvation. Many are being presently killed for their stand on “Mount Zion,” yet they are blessed. Many more will be martyred for their faith, or will be hated, rejected, betrayed, beaten, imprisoned or harassed at every turn, or even have false accusations made against them. The battle between the woman and the dragon is still going on. Brother will betray brother to death, scripture says. Yet, the sacrifice we make for the sake of the name of Jesus and for his gospel and for the salvation of souls is not meaningless, and it will not go without fruit for that labor in helping to prepare Christ’s church for his soon return.
Great is The Lord! / An Original Work / June 12, 2013
Based off Various Scriptures – Ps. 57:10; 89:1; 145:3; Jer. 32:19;
La. 3:22-24; Da. 9:4; Lu. 21:27; Ep. 1:19; Tit. 2:13; 1 Jn. 3:1 (NIV ’84)
Great is the Lord!
He has done wondrous things.
Great is His love
Reaching up to the heav’ns.
His faithfulness reaches
Up to the skies.
Of His great love,
I will sing evermore.
Great is the Lord
And most worthy of praise!
Truly His greatness
No one comprehends.
Great are His purposes;
Mighty His deeds.
His eyes are open
To the ways of man.
Great is the Lord!
His compassions ne’er fail.
Great is His faithfulness.
I’ll wait for Him.
He keeps His covenant
Of His great love
With all who love Him
And do what He says.
Great is the Lord!
He is coming in pow’r.
His saints will wait for Him;
Their hope secure.
How great His love
He has lavished on us,
That we should be called
The children of God.
http://originalworks.info/great-is-the-lord/
Grace Greater than Our Sin / Julia H. Johnston / Daniel B. Towner
Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled…
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin!
http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Grace_Greater_than_Our_Sin/
Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Revelation 14:1-13 (ESV).
Not Defiled
We have here a scene of Mount Zion – our heavenly Jerusalem; the bride of Christ; the kingdom of heaven; the gospel of Christ and the life of Jesus Christ from eternity. The Lamb - Jesus Christ - and all those who have the name of Jesus Christ, the Son, and that of the Father written on their foreheads, stood on Mt. Zion, the Holy City – the spiritual city of our God, the body of Christ. I believe they stood as conquerors and victors over their enemy, Satan. A new song was sung, and the only ones who could learn the song were these who had not defiled themselves with other lovers, i.e. they were not idolatrous or spiritually adulterous in their relationships with Jesus Christ, but were willing to suffer for his name.
They are the faithful; the committed; and the obedient servants of our Lord. They are the ones who listen attentively to his words, who learn what he teaches, and who apply his words to their daily lives, though not with absolute sinless perfection. Yet, they have been cleansed in the blood of the Lamb, thus they have given themselves to spiritual and moral purity, and they do not follow after the lies of Satan, nor are they those who make a practice of lying and deception. They certainly have not bought into the lie of the beast and they do not bow to or worship his image. They are followers and seekers and supporters of truth, and they seek God’s truth in their own lives, humbly willing to receive divine correction, to repent of all sin, and to confess any known wrongs to those whom they have wronged. They follow Jesus Christ wherever he leads them, even if it means being hated, rejected, despised and even killed for their faith (see 2 Thess. 2:11-12; Heb. 11:25-26).
Give Him Glory
“Fear God and give Him glory” – what does this mean to you? The Lord Jesus gave me an illustration of this principle last night and again this morning as applied to his church here in America today. What he showed me is that a good number of professing Christians today, although they have been given the word of God – God’s letter to us that should be written on our hearts – do not honor God and give him glory, because they don’t even acknowledge to him what he has written. Scripture teaches that “every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.” He spoke to them in the letter about this lack of respect and honor, and how they do not trust him with their lives, or how they fail to trust him in matters that are difficult to understand, or how they are not willing to see him at work in their life situations, believing that he truly is in control. Yet, they have still failed to respond.
Jesus wrote this letter a long time ago. For many of us, we have had it in our possession since our physical birth, i.e. we have been exposed to its truths from infanthood. We have been richly blessed, and yet many take that for granted. We have the written word of God (the Bible), but we also have the WORD living within us, i.e. we have the person of Jesus Christ living within us in the person of his Holy Spirit, continually speaking his truths to our hearts and reminding us of all he taught us, if we are genuinely his true servants. He convicts, counsels, guides, directs, empowers, encourages, gives hope and healing, teaches, corrects, rebukes and restores. He also speaks to us through nature, i.e. through his created works and through his earthly and heavenly messengers who go throughout the earth proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ, and yet many are slow in responding to all that they have received. They want more time, and yet time is not on their side, perhaps.
These same professing Christians, who do not acknowledge Jesus’ words to them, and who have not yet responded to his messages to them, and who want more time, may speak about him, though, to the people of the world. They may give lip service to Jesus, in other words, but their hearts are far from him, so they betray him with their lips. Although they speak about him, they do not really commune (fellowship) with him with true listening ears to hear what he says; to acknowledge his messages through surrender, obedience and submission to him and to what he teaches us; and to respond to those messages through following Him wherever he leads us. In fact, they listen more to the world than they do to Jesus. They have the appearance of godliness, but they deny its power in their lives. They may even feel as though they have good intentions, but good intentions are not good enough if they are not followed through with genuine faith – repentance and obedience.
This grieves the Spirit of God, who tests our hearts. He longs to gather us in his arms as a mother hen gathers her chicks, and yet many are not willing, because they are not willing to listen (and heed) his voice. They already have their minds made up, and/or they fail to communicate with God in a way that shows they truly want to know him. So, they keep their distance from Jesus. Oh, they are not completely opposed to him, nor are they on fire for him. They are like the lukewarm Christians of Laodicea. They are casual Christians who lack passion, heart, commitment, earnestness and zeal for their Lord and for his service. They may talk to him, but they don’t really listen. So, they don’t really know him.
Jesus said to Philip: “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me?” I believe he is saying that to many in the church here in America today.
Fallen is Babylon
Endurance of the Saints
The end of time is drawing near. The Lord’s true disciples, servants, followers and witnesses will be persecuted severely because of their testimony for Jesus Christ and for his gospel of salvation. Many are being presently killed for their stand on “Mount Zion,” yet they are blessed. Many more will be martyred for their faith, or will be hated, rejected, betrayed, beaten, imprisoned or harassed at every turn, or even have false accusations made against them. The battle between the woman and the dragon is still going on. Brother will betray brother to death, scripture says. Yet, the sacrifice we make for the sake of the name of Jesus and for his gospel and for the salvation of souls is not meaningless, and it will not go without fruit for that labor in helping to prepare Christ’s church for his soon return.
Great is The Lord! / An Original Work / June 12, 2013
Based off Various Scriptures – Ps. 57:10; 89:1; 145:3; Jer. 32:19;
La. 3:22-24; Da. 9:4; Lu. 21:27; Ep. 1:19; Tit. 2:13; 1 Jn. 3:1 (NIV ’84)
Great is the Lord!
He has done wondrous things.
Great is His love
Reaching up to the heav’ns.
His faithfulness reaches
Up to the skies.
Of His great love,
I will sing evermore.
Great is the Lord
And most worthy of praise!
Truly His greatness
No one comprehends.
Great are His purposes;
Mighty His deeds.
His eyes are open
To the ways of man.
Great is the Lord!
His compassions ne’er fail.
Great is His faithfulness.
I’ll wait for Him.
He keeps His covenant
Of His great love
With all who love Him
And do what He says.
Great is the Lord!
He is coming in pow’r.
His saints will wait for Him;
Their hope secure.
How great His love
He has lavished on us,
That we should be called
The children of God.
http://originalworks.info/great-is-the-lord/
