Who is this great multitude that is referred to in Rev 7:9-16 ? So we see this great multitude, and they are standing before the throne of the Living God dressed with white robes and crying out praises to God who sits upon the throne and unto the Lamb. Can I suggest that this great multitude is God’s remnant children who, in all possibility, could be this very generation. Now I realize that this possibility does great damage to those of the pre-tribulation persuasion, but the truth is the truth.
Archive for May, 2013
Who are the multitude from the Great Tribulation ?
Posted by appolus on May 31, 2013
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, prophecy, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | Tagged: blood of the lamb, end time prophecy | Leave a Comment »
Enemies of the cross of Christ-Spurgeon
Posted by appolus on May 31, 2013
“No man who is the friend of the Cross of Christ will give license to his passions, or indulgence to his appetites. If he does so, he proves that he is the enemy of the Cross of Christ. No man will seek honor for himself who has known that Christ has bought him with His blood. He will not, he cannot, he dare not live for himself, either in the accumulating of wealth, or the getting of fame, or the enjoyment of pleasure. His first, chief, master thought is, “For Jesus Christ all things—all things in Him, and for Him, and to Him, seeing that He has redeemed us with His precious blood.” They who shirk His service, who take no interest in holy enterprises, who just try to live to themselves—your eaters and your drinkers, your hoarders and your men and women who are always adorning the body, but never consecrating their souls to God—these are they who are “the enemies of the Cross of Christ.” It galls their shoulders and they will not bear it, so they turn aside to ways of their own.”-Charles H. Spurgeon
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | Tagged: charles h spurgeon, cross of christ, hoarders, precious blood | 7 Comments »
We’ve lost Christianity-Andrew Strom
Posted by appolus on May 29, 2013
Despite the thousands in our megachurches today, soaking up the warm entertainment offered to them every week, I want to put it to you that we have lost Christianity. Despite the Christian books now found in every Walmart, and the “crossover” of Christian artists into the mainstream, and our Christian mega-stores and CD’s and DVD’s and Study-Bibles, I want to put it to you that we have lost Christianity.
Despite our lavish Cathedrals in the suburbs (‘Charismatic or not)
with their pastel hues and comfortable pews, their projector screens
and $30,000 sound systems, I want to put it to you that we have
utterly lost Christianity.
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | 5 Comments »
Victory is won in the depths of the valley!
Posted by appolus on May 27, 2013
For Christians, victories are won in the depths of the valley and this is where strongholds are broken down and conquered. This is where the fight is taken to the enemy. This place is his dark domain. This is a place that we would never voluntarily come to. We would never come to this place willingly. Yet this place is where we see the gates of bronze broken down and the bars of iron cut in two. Perhaps you are in the depths of a deep valley today, surrounded by darkness? Be of good cheer and be encouraged, for this place where the enemy would see you destroyed is actually the place where you will see victory in Christ and your mourning shall be turned in dancing and He will put upon you a garment of praise and this spirit of heaviness shall flee before His presence.
Who needs a candle
When the sun rises in my heart?
For the light of Christ consumes all else
And it quenches every fiery dart
The Lord is a sun and a shield to me
He is the sun and the moon and the stars
All darkness flees before my precious Lord
For He has broken all the iron bars
Gates of bronze, chains and fetters
Opened and broken and swept away
As He hung on the cross and said ” it is finished,”
As He hung on the cross and showed us the way
He arose, He arose He arose triumphant
He calls to His children ” arise with me,”
Come and walk, come and walk in the light of my presence
Come and walk in the light of my victory
I am the Way and the Truth and your Life
No one comes to the Father but by me
Will you come and die and rise again
Will you follow the path to Calvary?
Will you take up your cross and follow your King
Through the fires of hell if you must?
Will the world see in you, something of Him?
Will the world see a child-like trust?
Yeah though you walk through the valley of death
And there is darkness all around
Be of good cheer for your Lord is near
And there is mercy at the throne to be found
Even this darkness is light to Him
And the desert becomes like a river
Your valley of tears will become a door of hope
And you will dwell in His arms forever!
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | 2 Comments »
How will revival come to the Saints?
Posted by appolus on May 24, 2013
The depths of the presence of God in meetings lies in the cross of Calvary. We must catch a vision of Calvary, a revelation, an illumination of what the Lord did, and this must come by the Holy Spirit. Only then can we truly have an ” outpouring,’ or a ” revival,” of meaningful depth which changes a man to his core and brings to life half dead Christians and those who have left their first love. I believe that we are headed towards such a thing. It is only by the true revelation of Jesus, a genuine manifestation of who He is, that the world gets a chance to accept or reject Him. Lets consider what happened in a broad overview of the life of Jesus and bear in mind that this is a type. Jesus turned the water into wine, He taught, He revealed teachings from heaven itself when He taught on the mount. Men tried to make Him their King, He rejected that and would not commit to them because He knew what ” was in man.” Again they tried to make Him their King, waving palm leaves. Again Jesus withdraws. In John 6, the majority reject who He is and go away. In the garden we see Peter reject Jesus for who He is and deny Him. Then we see the crowd, of Jewish people and their leaders, who represent the world, reject Jesus outright and choose Barabas , a freedom fighter, a man willing to fight and kill for freedom. They cry out that they have no King but Caesar and that they would have Jesus’ blood upon their heads and their children’s heads.
Now, how will we see this play out again? When Jesus reveals Himself in the last days saints, saints willing to take up their crosses and die, this will be totally rejected by the majority. The majority want leaders who will teach them how to pursue happiness and freedom in this life. They believe this is their right. They want to know how to live their best lives now. They, like the Jewish people, have no desire to follow a God that would have them die. Oh, they will follow men who will promise them miracles and blessings and riches and prosperity, but they will totally reject the God that calls them to lay down their lives, to leave their riches behind. In order for clarity, the Lord must raise up such a group of saints in this generation, in these last days. The choice will lie before men, follow the Lord to Calvary and beyond, or follow the man or men who will lead them to a better life now in this world. That is why in classic revivals of the past, the focus was never on miracles and healing’s.
The focus was on the centrality of Jesus, and Him crucified and resurrected. We do not hear men in revivals of the past cry out “is there a healing for me, is there a miracle for me, is there a better life for me.” we hear them cry out ” is there mercy for me, is there mercy for me.” And praise God, by a revelation of Jesus and what He did and who He is, they find out that there is indeed mercy at the cross to be found. There is life to be found, and that more abundantly, in the Christ who can wash us clean of our sins. There is such great love to be found in the revelation of Calvary. We find out in that revelation, just how much God loves us. This is what transforms men and makes them to shine like gold , treasure indeed to an impoverished generation. Is there such a move coming? Yes praise Jesus I believe with all of my heart that this move is almost upon us because the Lord is coming and He is coming soon and the birth-pangs happening even now.
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | Tagged: jesus blood, miracles and blessings, presence of god | 6 Comments »
Hyper Grace?
Posted by appolus on May 20, 2013
I went along this Sunday to a service where I knew the preacher was and has been preaching on what we would call ” hyper grace.” It is always good to hear first hand and living in Kansas, we have every kind of church here so one can check out these teaching’s for one’s self. Listening to the sermon, I was reminded of an analogy given by Tozer I believe. He talked about a man of God who loved God and studied His Word all of his life and mined the depths of it and always pursued a deeper more intimate walk with the Lord. Near his death in old age, he proclaimed that the more he knew about God, the less he knew about God. Just how vast and ultimately unknowable He was to us mere mortals in this flesh, although He fills our minds and our hearts and spirits to their capacity. Now he longed to stand before God in his raised incorruptible body so that he could know as he is known. This, Tozer suggested, was a good servant. Now, along comes a 18 year old, listens to the old man’s dying words, and proclaims that since God is ultimately not able to be fully known in this flesh, then there is no point in studying His Word so much and pursuing a deeper walk. You see the point, they can both come to the same conclusion, but one is a good and humble servant and the other is a lazy servant who presumes upon God. I would suggest that one pleases God, and the other does not. Not unlike Cain and Abel.
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | Tagged: presence of god | 27 Comments »
After the drought………
Posted by appolus on May 15, 2013
After the drought comes the rain. Perhaps you feel like your in a drought? Perhaps its been a long time since you encountered the presence of God? For those who believe and prevail and overcome, can I tell you that there is a cloud , the size of a hand, on the horizon. There is a deep penetrating rain coming for Gods people. He has taken His people into the valley, the valley of death, the valley of decision. Because of the intensity of the battle that lies just ahead, it was and is necessary for the Lord to take His people into the desert of testing, a place of scourging and stripping away of every single thing that we have relied upon that is outside of Him. A place where survival depends not on tradition or past victories or heritage, a place where we once again cry out to the Living God for Him and Him alone. Only those who truly desire Him will stay in this place of testing. Many will return to Egypt, many will look back to where they came from and be turned into pillars of salt. Yet, the Remnant of Gods people will prevail. And our God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | 4 Comments »
Living in a mud hole
Posted by appolus on May 14, 2013
It was not that long ago that I saw a documentary on a certain part of Africa. For 10 long months it sees no rain. First the mighty river dries up and then it becomes pools, and then the pools slowly shrink until it is nothing more than mud-holes. In this particular documentary, it showed a giant crocodile that had taken up residence right in the middle of the mud-hole. Yet despite its presence, deer and other animals risked their very lives in order to partake in the last of the water.
A very few animals went on a long migration looking for water, many died, some found water. Yet almost all the animals that were indigenous to this geographic location, died before the rains came. Animals that in normal circumstances would never come within 100 yards of a crocodile, came right up beside him in a desperate attempt to get some satisfaction, relief, from this drying mud-hole. When God withdraws the rain of His presence from His church we see many strange things.
Let us pray to our faithful Lord that the He will send the rain to a people who have learned not to take for granted His presence, and are focused on nothing else. What was very clear from the documentary was that the animals knew that this was life or death. The tragedy for many in the church is that they can live a life, devoid of His presence, and not even know that they are dying.
If you have spent your whole life sucking on mud, barely surviving on the moisture that comes from a mud-hole, getting filthy and dangerously close to being consumed by the world, what a tragedy for a generation of people to have been raised in the dry season who have never known what it is to see the river of life that flows from the throne, let alone step into it and be taken by its current at the deepest part.To try and operate in this world as a church without the Holy Spirit and the presence of the living God is to be reliant upon a mud-hole. Some vestige of some by- gone days where once the river flowed. Talk of past victories but no present life. Living on memories and manna from the day before. Yet manna is to be gathered fresh every day.
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | Tagged: faithful lord | 5 Comments »
When Rock star preachers spew a false Gospel-Jennifer LeClaire
Posted by appolus on May 8, 2013
When preachers tour like rock stars, it´s no wonder sinners flock
to stadiums. Of course, preachers holding stadium-sized events
packed out with lost souls is awesome-unless those preachers
present a hyped-up, watered-down, seeker-friendly gospel that´s
giving the assurance of heaven while sending people to hell.
I am convinced that too many people who claim to be Christ-
followers are not really saved because too many false teachers
and false prophets are propagating a “different gospel” centered
on “another Jesus” (see 2 Cor. 11:3-4). I am convinced that
many self-professing saints are going to sit right next to sinners
in hell when it´s all said and done-thanks, in part, to rock-star
preachers presenting a hyped-up, watered-down, seeker-friendly gospel.
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | 2 Comments »
Whether we live or whether we die!
Posted by appolus on May 6, 2013
For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. (Rom 14:8)
There was a famous group of warriors from the Highlands of Scotland. The “Highland Charge,” was one of the most effective field combat strategies in the arsenal of the Scottish army. Imagine facing hundreds of large screaming Highlanders coming at you at full tilt screaming their lungs out and swinging broad swords that measured six feet. Many armies who faced this charge simply broke ranks and fled. These front-line warriors always took great casualties but they were abandoned to the battle and they died with honor. Are you abandoned to the battle that you have been called to? Is the fear of life or death, success or failure, standing in the community or rejection, holding you back from serving the Lord with all of your heart.
The Spirit that was in David compelled him to not only challenge Goliath, but to run to the battle. The Hebrew children said to that wicked old king that their God would save them from the fire. Now, how many in Christendom would say amen to that? Yet, what is not often quoted in many circles is what they said after that which is truly a statement of faith “But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods nor worship the golden image which you have set up.” (Dan 3:18) You see, whether they lived or died, they would glorify their God. “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.” (Job 13:15) Job is saying that even although he has lost everything and even if God would kill him, still he would trust his God. Paul says ” For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”(Php 1:21) Can we say that brothers and sisters, can we truly say that this is our chief end, that whether we live or whether we die we will glorify God? There is a Scripture often quoted by many in Christendom and it is this ” By the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony,” and this is how we overcome the evil one. Yet the full Scripture says. ” And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”(Rev 12:11) “And they loved not their lives unto death” Brothers and sisters, this is the mark of the genuine saint, not that they are delivered from every situation but that they glorify God despite their circumstances, even in matters of life and death. This is normal Christianity. This is a witness to the world.
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | Tagged: hebrew children | 6 Comments »
It is for this reason I bow my knee
Posted by appolus on May 2, 2013
In Ephesians 3:14 Paul writes that it ” is for this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” And previously he wrote in verse one of this chapter ” For this cause, I Paul the prisoner of Jesus Christ,” meaning for this reason he bowed His knees, he was a prisoner. What was the reason that Paul bowed his knees? Why was he gladly a prisoner? Why, in other places in Scripture does Paul rejoice in his chains? We can find the reason back in chapter two of Ephesians, we can find the cause, the purpose, the reason for it all. We discover in chapter two that
1. God was rich in mercy and His great love for us and raised us up together with Christ to make us sit in heavenly places with our Lord and Savior. (Eph 2:4-6)
2. That He might show us the richness of His grace through His precious Son Jesus. (verse 7)
3. That by that grace, we may be saved by faith and not of our own works. (8-9)
4. That whether circumcised or uncircumcised , constrained by the Law or not, that in Christ Jesus there would be no division, no separation, no walls of partition , but we would be one in Christ by the work of Christ on Calvary’s bloody cross. (11-16)
5. That through Jesus and by the Holy Spirit we now have access to our Heavenly Father. (18)
6. That we are no longer strangers and foreigners to each other, no matter our background, but that all in Christ Jesus are being built into a Holy Sanctuary for God to dwell in, each one of us stones, rightly shaped and fitted together by the power of the Holy Spirit to form the household of God.
Now in chapter three we see the culmination and purpose of the above points. That by the richness of His glory, that we would be rooted and grounded in love, and that with all the saints we may know the length and the depth and the height of the Love of Jesus which surpasses knowledge. And in this ” knowing,’ we would experience the fullness of God. Can you bow your knee to this brothers and sisters? Do you realize that each child of God is a living stone that is being laid in place to build a dwelling place for God? And that the foundation of this dwelling place is Jesus and the Apostles? We are one in Christ, we belong to another kingdom, we are now strangers in this world, sojourners, pilgrims, merely passing through. In the flesh, when you travel abroad and have been gone for a long time and then meet another American, what joy it brings to meet a fellow citizen. Can you say that brothers and sisters when you meet a fellow citizen of the kingdom that we truly belong too? Does this one Spirit that unites us burn within your heart?
John writes in 1Jn 3:14 ” We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brothers. He who does not love his brother abides in death.” This is a great barometer to your spiritual health. Do you abide in life of death? “1Jn 4:20 If anyone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar. For if he does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” How indeed? We are of no use to the world and to the lost if we cannot love our brothers and sisters in Christ. In the separation now taking place, in the midst of the great falling away in which we now dwell, we will be tested on this as brothers and sisters from all kinds of back-grounds are brought together. Yet, those who burn with the Holy Spirit will recognize the Spirit in others despite very different backgrounds and the world will know us by our love for one another. For when the man made walls of separation have finally been swept away, when the scourge of denominationalism gives up its portion of saints, then, very likely in the midst of severe persecution, the world will know that we are one and that God sent Jesus because of the ” richness of His mercy and His great love.”
And I have given them the glory which You have given Me, that they may be one, even as We are one, I in them, and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that You have sent Me and have loved them as You have loved Me.
(Joh 17:22-23)
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | Tagged: power of the holy spirit | 2 Comments »
A Call To The Remnant 