Christian Martyrs

Watching and Waiting

The Glory Of God

There is a truth revealed throughout the word of God that explains why Christians suffer, why God seems to wait until our situation seems impossible before he moves to deliver, why Jesus said “take up your cross and follow me”, why God chooses the weak and foolish things of the earth to confound the wise, why God chose Abraham and his children after him when they were the smallest family not the greatest, and just about every other question we have about the trials and the weaknesses Christians face. 

It has to do with his glory being revealed in the earth according to his many promises.

As background to what I want to share, there is a series of three David Wilkerson messages explaining what the glory of God is. But I can only find Youtube links for messages two and three.

The Effects of Seeing the Glory of God

Walking in the Glory of God

It doesn’t matter if you read my message below or listen to David Wilkerson first. I listened to the Wilkerson messages several times before absorbing them completely.

August 8th 2019.

Two nights in a row the Holy Spirit gave me a prayer and the prayer was, “Lord, for the church to affect the world, the world needs to see you miraculously preserving and delivering your people.”

I was under the night sky where I had already learned months before that the stars cannot be seen in the day when the light is bright, they can only be seen at night when it is dark.

This is also true of the light in the lives of Christians. The bible reveals that the light of God is seen when it is dark, and more and more light is evident as the darkness increases.

And recently, David Wilkerson’s messages on the glory of God reminded me that the glory of God is not merely the manifestation of his power and kingdom, it is his nature as he revealed it to Moses on Mount Sinai, and reminded me that specifically, God’s glory is seen in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 4:6). As Jesus walked the earth, the glory (nature) of God was revealed in him.

And then, last night, I remembered Isaiah 60 which says that “darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people, but the glory of the Lord shall arise upon thee and His glory shall be seen upon thee”. And I understood, with a true shout of joy, that God’s purpose for the darkness in the world, and God’s purpose for the persecution and suffering we all face, is to reveal his mercy and grace, which is his glory, in a dark world. GOD’S TRUE NATURE CANNOT BE FULLY REVEALED IN ANY OTHER WAY. This has been his plan all along and is what is described by Paul as God’s perfect will.

As we rest in his perfect will, we are totally (TOTALLY) secure in the love of God as we pass through the fire, the storm, and the shadow of death… in the process God is revealed in all of his glory… and, this has been his plan from the beginning.

This truth explains why Jesus was a Man of Sorrows, why Paul (as soon as he was saved) was told of all he would suffer for Jesus’ sake, and why true disciples of Jesus throughout the world all partake of the same sufferings to this day.

The glory of God is revealed as we rest secure in his will for our lives. He asks us to trust him, and when we do, a river of life springs up within, and we never again have to ask why, because we know that we are in the perfect will of God.

That is the revelation that made me shout, and that I am convinced will be a huge blessing to all who embrace it.

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Watching and Waiting

The Cliff

Shortly after The Golden Chain, my wife received another dream from the Lord, warning of a day when many would be deceived by lying signs and wonders.

In the dream she was on a country road with many other people, all travelling the same direction. She and a few others were walking, but most of the people on the road were running.

Ahead, she saw the road lead directly over the edge of a cliff into a very deep chasm. And from the chasm a sound like a mighty rushing wind could be heard. Those who were running along the road were plunging straight over the cliff without any hesitation. But when my wife looked over the edge, nothing could be seen below.

Then off to the right, standing together on a low hill, she saw a small group of people gathered around a very plain looking man. They were not leaping off the cliff. My wife joined them and the dream ended.

We immediately understood that this dream was sent as a warning. In the future a phenomenon will appear that many Christians will run after, unaware of the danger ahead.

The people travelling on the road represent Christians and the path we all are on together. The chasm represents the empty result of false teaching. And the plain man on the hill represents the Word of God.

The walking group and the running group experienced two completely different outcomes. Those running fell into the empty chasm. Those walking were safely gathered around the Word.

The sound of a rushing mighty wind represents a display of lying sign and wonders. The symbolism comes from the description of the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:2. But in the dream, when my wife looked over the cliff’s edge to observe what was drawing so many people, there was nothing to be seen. The sound she heard imitated the gospel, but it was not the truth. It was empty, and came from deep in the earth, not from heaven above.

The issue in the church today leading to the fulfillment of this dream is that many born again Christians and evangelical denominations have departed from the Word of God, and are not aware of it. Consequently they are in danger of being deceived by the Antichrist.

Something we must understand in order to interpret this dream and identify true Christianity is that at the end of time, everything planted in the earth (both good and evil) will be ripe for harvest. (Rev 14:14-20) This means that While God is waiting patiently for the good fruit to ripen, evil will have its fullest expression in the rise of the Antichrist, and his eventual reign as a world dictator.

But the spirit of antichrist was already “planted” at the time of the apostles and has been working within the church ever since. Masquerading as the spirit of Christ, scripture reveals that this seducing spirit has been given the power to conquer many Christians and Christian denominations. (See 1 John 2:18-19 and Rev 6:2)

The Bible has plenty to say about this spirit, but the short version is that those under its influence tragically misuse the Word of God. Specifically they ignore Jesus’ teachings about the cross, or deflect the true meaning of Jesus’ words. Plainly stated, they reject the requirement to lay down one’s life in order to gain heaven and save our fellow man. Under scrutiny, their gospel preaching is carnality thinly veiled in spirituality, but many are attracted by these vain prophets and their empty words.

Added confusion arises because the spirit of antichrist maintains its “Christian” appearance, and can appear extremely successful. But the apostle Paul exposes it completely when he calls it another gospel, about another Jesus, which is not the gospel at all. (2 Cor 11:4 and Gal 1:6)

As the end of time approaches this antichrist deception will escalate, because the false prophet will be given the power to deceive through lying signs and wonders. (Rev 13:12-14)

So perhaps now the interpretation of the dream is clear to you, as it was when my wife told it to me.

Those running on the road will fall to the deception I have described, because they previously rejected the central doctrine of true faith in Jesus. “And whosoever does not bear his cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27)

Following Jesus without embracing the cross is not the truth, it is something else. It is an imitation. To be Jesus’ disciples we must walk exactly as he walked, fully determined to go to the death of the cross.

And to know his power, the same principle applies. “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone. But if it die, it brings forth much fruit.” (John 13:24)

Cast your life and the outcome of it completely onto God! Trust the Holy Spirit for everything you need now and in eternity. You will gain not only your own life, but others besides!

So many in the church today are baffled that there is no power, so few being saved, so little joy in worship, no shout of victory in the camp, such poor discernment among leadership, and so much fear of what the future holds. It is simply because we are not going God’s way.

Now, before moving on to other things in future posts, can I advise you one final time? Search the scriptures carefully. There is a reason we are instructed to die to self… because it is the ONLY way to be Jesus’ disciple and to experience his resurrection power in the here and now.

Stop trying to manipulate your circumstances. God can change them in an instant, when it’s time.

Rather, let the Holy Spirit lead you through the wilderness if that is what it takes. I am there. All true men and women of God are. It can be a lonely, difficult path, but it is the path to glory and power. And in the midst of it all, God’s word promises joy, peace, and his presence to comfort and to guide. (See John 16:24-33)

Then tell the truth to as many people as you can along the way. Forgive their insults like Jesus did. Pray that the Holy Spirit will turn their hearts and teach them to embrace the cross too.

It is the only way that you will have the pleasure of snatching them from the devil, and taking them with you to glory.

I know you are aware of the preaching at Times Square Church in New York, but this particular message is especially timely.

Check out         http://www.tscnyc.org/media_center.php?pg=sermons&mi=47133

Watching and Waiting

The Golden Chain

One morning in 1988 my wife received a dream from God as she awoke. I had just finished praying when she came down the stairs. As she described the dream, a vivid picture came into my mind as if it was my own, and with that came the interpretation from the Lord. It all remains as clearly today as when it happened.

In the dream my wife saw a very old, strictly orthodox religious man, leading a woman by a thin gold chain attached to a bracelet on her wrist. The woman was also very elderly, and had obviously been subject to the old man for a long time. The chain however, was extremely thin. She could easily have broken the flimsy restraint, but was thoroughly conditioned, afraid of going beyond familiar confines.

They were walking through a school yard, and as they passed, the old woman reached out, grasping my wife in a desperate embrace around the shoulders. Then like a drowning person, she would not let go. Repeating, “Help me, help me,” she dragged my wife downwards with her.

Almost brought to the ground, my wife pushed the old woman away with all of her might. Now free and leaving them both behind, she was instantly running with great leaps and bounds down a main residential road. As she ran, my wife passed lines of people from many nationalities and religions, all sitting beside the road.

This whole scene took place in the small town where we attended church.

The old man in the dream represents tradition, and the old woman, the church. The gold chain represents the thin thread of lies that keep the church in fear. Running in leaps and bounds represents the joy, liberty, and power we will find when we break free of man-made religion and follow the heavenly man, Jesus. And the people at the side of the road are the nations, who will witness the glory of God as the remnant of God sheds the shackles of tradition and walks in truth and power before Jesus returns.

Religious tradition is one of the cloaks that Satan wears in the church. Listing his many ploys would require a whole book, but his goal is always the same – to replace Jesus as the head of the church.

It is plain from scripture that the church ought to be governed by the gifts of the Spirit, and not by the institutions of man. For when the Holy Spirit is in charge, Jesus is glorified, the church grows in faith, the world sees the miraculous power of God, and multiplied souls enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Every Christian denomination started this way, as men and women were touched by the Holy Spirit and learned to submit to his leading.

But over time, Satan subtly hides behind naturally gifted, self-willed men and women, who love to have the preeminence, who worship the work of their own hands, who use pious, reasonable sounding arguments to lead the church away from a vital, living relationship with the Holy Spirit. Then, not knowing the Spirit, well meaning underlings preach self preservation to the natural man, as the spiritual man who craves to be given for others withers and dies. Finally, gasping, the church latches on to anything she thinks will help, trying to rise above the world she knows is sinking.

So it is with great sadness that God and those who know the Spirit view much of what passes for spirituality in the church today. It seems that the hope of the world is blind and failing at a time when lost souls need someone to show them light and a new way to live.

Jesus wept at this terrible, terrible wrong in his day. He wept because the word of God declares freedom from every doubt and earthly restraint, but instead the people of God willingly maintain the chain they could so easily break.

Now. Can I tell you the secret to a life of power in Jesus Christ, where you can experience the full measure of God’s liberty and joy? It is not complicated. Jesus taught us what to do.

Instead of loving yourself and the world, love your neighbour. Lay down your life, abandon your ambitions, forsake your own comforts and pray earnestly for souls. Can you do that?

I have learned that I am unhappy when I am double minded, and fearful when my eyes are on the circumstances around me.

But when I pray and share Jesus’ love for souls, I see that he is already moving in sovereign power, that many are answering his call, and that soon he will do something the whole world will notice.

In the word of God it is written. God always has a remnant who walk as Jesus walked.

I received a word of knowledge from the Lord in July 2003. “The church is about to have a short period of tremendous success, but then persecution.”

God has been preparing again, a remnant who will fulfill his word in the final days, and there will be a great harvest in every corner of the earth. But it will not be without cost. As revival goes throughout the land, persecution will arise, and a conclusive choice will have to be made. Either forsake your life and follow Jesus Christ to certain death, or choose to preserve your life and fall away to the Antichrist. For many years I have sought a gentle way to say that, but there is none.

It also grieves me to say that the distinction will not be obvious to everyone. Only Jesus’ disciples will have their eyes open. If you take up your cross, you will be his disciple and you will understand. But if you refuse God’s way, you will not understand or be ready for all that happens as the end of time approaches.

If this message finds a place in your heart, I feel confident saying that you have probably been mourning the same things I am writing about. But rejoice now, for during this difficult wilderness God has been teaching you to trust him, to follow Jesus without qualification or fear, and soon he will release you into his new work.

Are you ready? Embrace your cross and carry it to the end.

GOD will take care of you. He will make you stand, and not fall.

Watching and Waiting

Do You Want The Power of God?

I hope it is evident as I write about personal experiences, that this is not the story of what a man can do when he is in God. No, this is the testimony of what God can do when he is in a man. God can take your hand and carry you every step of the way, and your will witness so many miracles in the process that his praise will simply flow out of you.

Previous posts have told of being born again and baptised with the Holy Spirit. These are both vital experiences. We must be born again (there is a natural birth and there is a spiritual birth) because the Father’s true love can only be revealed to us by his Spirit. And we need to be baptized in the Holy Spirit to have power to live right and to battle dark powers.

And many Christians pursue the Holy Spirit and the spiritual blessings that come from above. But they find that there is a “stone” in the way. His name is Jesus, the Word of God, the “stone of stumbling.”

Now, I am going to present you with the words Jesus declared to me just hours after I was born again. Cross over this line, and you will see love and power from God like never before.

The day I was born again I started reading the bible at Matthew’s gospel. I loved what it said. It felt so familiar, and my new heart was a clean slate, ready for God to write his laws there. Maybe that day or the next, I came to Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:39, “He that finds his life shall lose it: and he that loses his life for my sake shall find it.” Those words literally leapt off the page, going straight to my inner man with perfect clarity. And this may be a foreign concept to our modern minds, but from that moment forward I fully expected to someday die for Jesus and the gospel.

Does that sound crazy? No one would expect that, would they? But that is what Jesus said, and I’ll tell you why he said it. Jesus’ words are the dividing line between those who truly love God, and those who say they love God but in reality love themselves. And if you want the power of God you must love God with everything in you, love God even more than you love yourself, and then be ready to give yourself completely if necessary to serve God and to truly love your neighbour.

And Jesus did exactly that. Two thousand years ago, after four hundred years of prophetic silence, while the people of God debated the word of God, the Father sent Jesus into the world to do “among them the works that none other man did,” (John 15:24) rebuking theoretical preaching and false teaching with a display of miraculous power and selfless compassion unequaled in human history.

You see, before time began, Jesus agreed to lay down his life to rid the world of sin, to destroy the devil, and to demonstrate the love of God. And that decision brought the promise of God’s power to him.

And to this day, the revelation of Matthew 10:39 remains the most important ever given to us, because embracing death for the sake of Jesus and the gospel produces the promise of God’s power in us.

Now to believe and follow Jesus in this way is not strange. In fact it is the experience of many Christians in many parts of the world today, who are ready, before the end of time, to lay down their lives for Jesus in a final display of God’s miraculous power and unfailing love for lost souls in a dying world.

How do I know? Because Jesus said, “and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” (Matthew 24:14)

So, do you want God’s power?

First, if you catch yourself debating internally or with anyone else about God’s word, pray and deal with that first. Second, don’t try to figure out what your cross is, or understand every last detail of what dying for Jesus means. That kind of questioning is just another excuse for not stepping over the line.

Third, don’t be afraid. Let the word of God wash away all of your doubts. Oh… that is true freedom, when Jesus’ words become better to you than life itself.

Finally, step over the line.

It is a decision that you will not regret.