Look out for the numbers game. Churches and
ministries all seem to play it. Evangelists boast of how many people
answer their altar calls. TV preachers put up numbers of those calling
in and how much money gets pledged.
Churches post projected amounts needed for the budget vs. amounts
received in the offerings. All these things are boastful and prideful
and grieve the Holy Spirit of God.
"Now Satan stood up against
Israel, and moved David to number Israel...And God was displeased with
this thing; therefore He struck Israel." - 1 Chr 21:1,7
Even
King David could be moved upon by Satan. Pride, we're told, is the
number one sin that motivates all other sins. I think that is why we see
a dearth of anointed preachers and teachers today. The better preacher
they are, the more it goes to their heads.
An old friend of
mine, the late Dave Hunt was one of the most humble men of God I've ever
known. As a young believer I recall approaching him after one of his
moving messages and telling him how great it was. He reacted like I had
just slapped his face, and hurried to tell me it's the LORD - give honor
to Him alone.
Dave knew the danger of getting puffed up.
As a new believer, so hungry for God's Word, I could not suppress my
excitement after hearing a Spirit-inspired message and would thank the
speaker afterwards. Most would just say, Thank You. Dave recognized the
danger.
When do we cross the line over into idolatry? I believe
that happens when we exalt the messenger and not the One they point to.
The whole world will be falling into that snare soon when the antichrist appears and the whole world wonders after the beast.
We need to guard our hearts and minds.
"Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No
temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is
faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are
able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you
may be able to bear it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry." - 1
Cor 10:12-14
"Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen." - 1 John 5:21
[We can
appreciate this child's talent even as we see the attitude of idolatry
in the cheers of the audience. They don't call it "American IDOL for
nothing!]
I've been awfully nostalgic lately - maybe that's a sign of my age.
Television is so filled with garbage that I find myself drawn to
watching old movies and TV shows. One thing I've noticed is that the
Bible is quoted quite often in dialogue,
as if it was expected that the verses would be familiar to the
audience. On two different episodes I watched this week of the Perry
Mason show from the early 60s, he or another character quoted this verse
from Proverbs: "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes" - Prov. 12:15
They didn't cite the verse or where the quote came from - it was just
assumed all would know. I've seen this same thing on episodes of The
Twilight Zone and The Alfred Hitchcock show - it was just a natural way
for people to talk back then before Sergeant Pepper.
The Bible
talks about a time when there would be a famine for the hearing of the
Word. This is certainly fulfilled in our time. Even churches are getting
away from teaching the Bible and are becoming more like weekly pep
talks.
I know this is not news to any of you that America has
lost her biblical moorings and our society is post-Christian. In these
dark days of apostasy it's more important than ever to abide in the Vine
and to be in Christ. We can still feed ourselves on daily Manna as we
read God's Word with the understanding given to us by the Holy Spirit.
To those without the Spirit of God, the Bible is just wise words on
paper - but to us the words breathe life to our souls.
Remember to pray for America and for the peace of Jerusalem.
"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who
is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given
to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s
wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual
things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things
of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know
them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Cor 2:12-14
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the
LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all
thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in
thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and
shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou
walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."
Dt. 6:4-7
The mystery of iniquity is now widespread. The world has become a more
violent and cruel place. The news is full of ugly footage of man's
inhumanity to man. Antisemitism and anti-Christian bigotry and hatred is almost palpable around the globe.
But even on the local level, people just seem to be getting nastier and
meaner. To quote the verse "the love of many shall grow cold" does not
even quite personify the spread of evil we're seeing today in the course
of our lives. The roaring lion is on the loose and he's seeking whom he
may devour.
One can hardly leave the house without noticing
this. I was at the grocery store the other day, putting my groceries on
the checkout spindle, when I heard a vile voice growling at the clerk.
"Why are you putting my bread in the same bag with other stuff?," she
snarled. The clerk looked up startled. The bag was only half-full with
the bread on top. The mad woman went off in a rage. "I'll bag it myself!
You don't know what you're doing. You people are always bagging my
things wrong. I'm going to report you. I'm sick of this store!"
"I didn't know you wanted your bread in a bag by itself," the clerk
politely responded. "I would have gladly done so if you only would have
asked."
The crazy lady's voice could be heard throughout the
store as she ranted on and on while bagging her purchases. When she was
done she rolled her cart over to the customer service counter to
complain. Although I had a lot of groceries, she was still over there
ranting at the managers and pointing at the clerk when I paid for my
groceries.
I told the clerk that I could see she did nothing
wrong. She said, "Oh, that's nothing new. You should stand here and
watch what I go through every day. You'd be shocked."
On the
way out, I lingered near the front desk waiting for the mad banshee to
leave. When she did, the manager immediately headed for the clerk, I
suppose to confront her. I stopped the manager and told her that the
customer was obviously having "aisle rage" and the clerk did nothing
wrong. I gave her a blow by blow description of what I witnessed. Then
her boss came over and she told me to tell him what I told her. I did
so, and that calmed things down and they all returned to their stations.
The Bible says that the LORD loves justice. We as His ambassadors will
run into such incidents like this -- even more so in the future as evil
increases. May God give us the boldness and courage to speak up for the
victims and not turn away like others, whether it is a small injustice
or a big one. "Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy." - Proverbs 31:8-9
God answers prayer. Jesus sees our suffering. He cares!
He hears us when we humble ourselves before Him. He hears us when we pray fervently. He hears us when we cast our cares upon Him. He hears us when we put others' needs above our own. He hears us when we give Him honor and glory for all He has already done for us. He hears us when we thank Him for His promises. He hears us when we pray according to His will. He hears us when we look to Him for wisdom.
He makes even our enemies at peace with us. He promises to direct our steps and guide our paths. He communes with us through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. He is our shield when we put all our trust in Him. He is our provider and protector. He is our all in all.
Seek His face today because of Who He is. Read His word for the renewing of your mind as you meditate upon His goodness and love and mercy. Lift up the needs of the saints. Bless His holy name.
Remember our brother Carman today, languishing with cancer and all our brothers and sisters in Christ who are hurting. Do so with fervency. Amen.
“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." Luke 11:9-10
"Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! "Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: "Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, "Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies" Ps 103:1-4
I have decided to stop my four-year long program on Rapture Ready
Radio, the Scattered Sheep Report. It seems to have stagnated as far as
downloads go for the past couple of years. The technical issues I've
been having with blogtalk have been frustrating - especially when I have
no control over it. I'll keep my Scattered Sheep blog going as well as
my Youtube account and hope I can start
publishing reports via video there instead of just audio. That way the
programs will stay in my Youtube account and not, like my past RRR
shows, get lost in the archives.
For now I"m focusing on
getting organized - my research is a mess right now - and finish and
publish my book on Amazon. I would appreciate all your prayers.
Concerning the times that we're in, my assignment from the LORD that
I've been doing for over a decade to warn the body of Christ of the
apostasy going on is complete. The church has had her warning and now
lots of saints have taken up the task.
I see the time is right
to get the message of salvation and the soon return of the LORD to the
highways and hedges by pointing out to the unsaved world the signs all
around them. This will be a daunting task due to the way people like
Harold Camping have made prophecy a laughingstock, but with God all
things are possible.
Although I took a break from facebook, I
see the importance of keeping these lines of communication open with
fellow scattered sheep. I do not see my fb page as a place for naysayers
to come in and give us a hard time for believing what the Bible has to
say, so those 'friends' will be weeded out when they reveal themselves.
So let's stay on the alert - watch and be sober. His coming is soon. Let's pray for one another.
