Archive for March, 2015
Posted by appolus on March 31, 2015
Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. (Dan 2:46-47)
In this passage we can see that even the mightiest of Kings fell down on his face when he came face to face with the reality that God is the revealer of the secrets of mens hearts. Earlier in the chapter the wise men and magicians complained that there was no power on earth that could reveal the secrets of a man’s heart or his dreams or thoughts. When Jesus encounters the woman at the well He reveals the secrets of her heart. She is so utterly astonished that she rushes into town and publicly announces to everyone that she had encountered the Messiah and He had told her everything that she had ever done. They come, encounter Him and believe.
In 1 Corinthians 14:24:25 it says “But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.” The power of God brothers and sisters, just one aspect of the power of God in a living breathing entity called the Body of Christ. It demonstrates itself and it manifests itself in power, resurrection power. A life transformed and moving in the power of God touches the hearts of men. It changes them, it challenges them, it confronts them it penetrates deep into the hearts of men, it ” stabs men in the hearts.” In Acts chapter two men were so violently assaulted in their hearts by the Truth spoken by the power of God that they cried out to God ” what must we do.”
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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, Uncategorized | 6 Comments »
Posted by appolus on March 30, 2015
Brothers and sisters I believe the time is coming soon where the vast majority of genuine saints will not be able to stay within what I would call ” Christendom.” The pillars of truth are being assaulted in an ever-increasing fashion day by day. One challenge after another faces the organized church in an ever-changing world. One could argue that the world has always been changing and for sure on many levels this is true. Yet, fundamental absolute truths are being challenged in our day the likes of which we have never witnessed in the west before, never. Right is becoming wrong and day is becoming night.
If organizations of any stripes are to survive going forward, it will only be by compromise and capitulation. Now we do have a historical period that can give us some clues as to what a thoroughly compromised church looks like. In the 1930s in Nazi Germany we had the state church, the Lutheran church completely compromised by a country given over to national madness. One very honest German citizen said looking back at those days ” there was something in the air and we all breathed it in.” Can I suggest brothers and sisters that there is something in the air, in the very atmosphere and it is not limited to one nation or even one geographical location and the world is breathing it in.
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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, Uncategorized | Tagged: Confessing church, national church, underground church | 12 Comments »
Posted by appolus on March 30, 2015
His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak and to those who have no might He increases strength.(Isa 40:28)
Oh to rest in the unsearchable understanding of God. When the darkness presses in, when the trials of life are threatening to consume and we do not truly understand what is going on, there is a God who not only dwells in heaven but dwells within my beating heart. He knows, He knows and I can rest in that. There is a burden in knowing. I thank God that I do not know what is around the next corner. If I knew I would steel myself and the rigidity of that would break me. But in Him, I live and I move and I have my rest and my being. He is my sanity. He renews my mind and He takes the burdens of my heart. When I have no more love to give I drag myself to the well of glory and of life. If it were not for that eternal well of living water I would surely die and be consumed by the darkness that is never far away. Yet in Him, my Jesus, my Lord, my reconciler,my intercessor, the bearer of my burdens and the lover of my soul I live. I run when I should not even be able to crawl. Tomorrow I shall awaken the dawn and with everything that is in me I shall praise His name. He is the lifter of my soul and He lifted it from the miry clay to a high and lofty place. Lift up your eyes today brother, lift up your hands today sister. See the glory and begin to mount up high above the darkness.
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, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Posted by appolus on March 29, 2015
I would like to take the readers of this book on a spiritual journey. It is my wish and earnest desire and prayer, that this story will glorify the Lord Jesus and bring comfort and hope to all who read it. Through poetry and stories I hope to touch the hearts of many, and bring comfort to all those who hurt, whether physically or spiritually. I have found through experience that our Lord Jesus will certainly lift up the head that hangs down, will bring hope to a hopeless situation. I come from a small working class shipbuilding town in Scotland. It is situated on the River Clyde and the area is extraordinarily beautiful. When the sun did shine, and I admit that was not too often, it would bask our valley in magnificent warmth and splendor. The hills rise dramatically on either side and are shadowed by the mountains behind. Most often the mountains would be shrouded in mist and one could see very little of anything. It gave a very claustrophobic feeling and I always remember feeling trapped.
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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 »
Posted by appolus on March 28, 2015
Mat 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
Wow, can there be stronger words from Jesus to one of His disciples? How would you like to hear Jesus say that to you? It would be terrible. What is the context of this rebuke from Jesus? Jesus had just shared with the disciples how their declaration of Him as Lord was the foundation of the church, how whatever they loosed on earth would be loosed in heaven and whatever they bound on earth shall be bound in heaven. He tells them that they have the keys to the Kingdom of God. Excellent stuff, all positive and empowering, much like they would have felt when they were sent out by twos and welcomed everywhere and they healed and cast out demons.
Now Jesus explains to them the full dimension and cost of following the Father’s will here on earth. He must go to Jerusalem and be rejected by all men and suffer at the hands of these men. He would be tortured and then hung on a tree. At this, Peter rebukes Jesus. Think of that saints, a mere disciple rebukes Jesus the holy Son of the ever Living God! Peter is immediately rebuked in the harshest of terms. His rejection of future suffering for Jesus and for himself is evident. Jesus then makes it plain that if any man wants to follow him he must be willing to lose his life for Christ’s sake. He must be willing and expect to take up his cross and suffer. It is the heads and tail of the same coin. One faith equals ruling and reigning with Christ, walking in the power of the Kingdom of God triumphing over hell and darkness and doing it all in the midst of being rejected by those of this world and suffering and dying at their hands.
Saints, what is your attitude to suffering? Do you deny it and say ” God forbid?” Do you tell yourself that old lie that Christ suffered so that you do not have too? Is your goal in life to live your best life now? Is prospering in this world your main concern? Do you in fact mind the things of men and not the things of God? Can you worship and serve a God that has called you to enter into His sufferings? Those who are willing to enter into His sufferings are those who will rule and reign with Christ. Those who are unwilling to suffer and would rebuke anyone who would teach otherwise are counted unworthy of the Kingdom. Jesus goes on to say in the same breath that if you decide to avoid the sufferings that come from following Him and simply live in a fashion that produces your best life now then “what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” True joy and life is found in following the Lord wherever that narrow path takes us, whether through deep valleys of suffering or the high roads of victory. It turns out that they are one and the same road.
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Posted by appolus on March 27, 2015
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Many times in my walk with the Lord I have forgotten this truth. Many times in the last twenty-five years I have come across brothers and sisters who have either never learned this or have forgotten it. If God so loved me as a sinner that He sent His Son to die for me and then I was reconciled to Him, how is it that I could ever think that some how I had blown it with Him? If Jesus died for me while I was yet in my sin, how much more does His eternal life in Heaven at the right hand of the Father, interceding for me, guarantee that He will never leave me nor forsake me and the He indeed is the author and the finisher of my faith. He died for my justification and He rose again victorious and reigns for my sanctification. This is the promise upon which I stand. He is the author and finisher of my faith. By His power I was saved and by His power I shall be sanctified, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Maybe you are feeling very low today? Maybe you have fallen down and it seems like you shall not recover? Maybe you feel like you cannot be used by God, that you are not good enough, not Holy enough, not anointed enough, not gifted enough? Can I reassure you today that if you were saved by Jesus you shall be sanctified by Jesus, you shall be used by Jesus, you are a work in progress and the last chapter of your life is not written. All that the Lord requires from us is a broken and contrite spirit. If you live long enough you will know that life often breaks people. Yet right there, in the midst of your brokeness the Lord says ” Lift up your eyes, come to me, see where your help comes from.” Come to me in your brokenness and I will give you rest.
Too many people fall and then believe that they are not worthy enough to come to God. This is a lie from hell designed to keep your face in the mud. Jesus died for you and for your justification. He rose victoriously for you and reconciled you to your heavenly Father to whom you have access and can cry ” Abba.” God dwells with the lowly and the contrite, He is the healer of the broken. Do not make the mistake of falling and being broken but not coming to the Lord, this is the enemies desire. There is a world of brokenness which leads to despair, hopelessness and ruin. Do not let your brokenness lead you there, let it lead you to light and to life, the life of Christ and Him resurrected. Come unto Him today. He awaits.
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, Uncategorized | 8 Comments »
Posted by appolus on March 26, 2015
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.(Isa 57:15)
God is high and lifted up. He is glorious in His majesty. In the presence of God there is fulness of joy. In this place there is nothing impossible. Our minds are lit up by His mere presence, the manifest presence of God. To come up and into this place is to dwell with Him. This is where we are changed. This is where the attractions of this world and everything it has to offer loses all of its meaning. One moment in the manifest presence of God does more good than a lifetime of struggling against sin. For in this light we see the true darkness of our souls and we long to never again walk among the shadows. This life is but a shadow and this flesh is the vehicle that must be inhabited until that happy day when the mere moments in His presence is transformed into eternity. If we desire God, if we truly desire to come into His presence, then we shall be as the deer that panteth for the waterbrooks.
Humility and brokenness is the door and the lintel that ushers us into this Holy place. Everything about our walk with the Lord is a contradiction to the world. In order to live we must die. In order to be truly rich, we must become poor to the things of this world. In order to lead we must serve. In order to ascend unto that holy place of His presence we must bow low. It is in the deepest valleys that the saint will discover the greatest mountaintops.We must stoop down low on bended knee in order to ascend that hill and truly see. The greatest danger of the one who brings trials and tribulations and persecutions upon the saints is that they create the perfect environment for the most radical encounters with the Living God that they will ever have had. This is why the saint who genuinely desires a radical encounter with the living God is such a danger to the enemy of our souls. If he pushes too hard against the saint, he pushes Him deeper into the heart of God and that becomes a witness that has a life all of itself. The Spirit of Glory that stands for all time.
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, Uncategorized | Tagged: Holy place, humble spirit, manifest presence of God, presence of god | 1 Comment »
Posted by appolus on March 25, 2015
A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. (Psa 133:1-3)
Prior to taking the promised land, the Israelites fought as one. They had just passed through the wilderness for forty years and for hundreds of years prior to that they were enslaved by the Egyptians. So whether is was slavery or wilderness wandering or fighting to take hold of their possession, they were one. As long as they were all facing the same circumstances, then they were as one. When we look out over the barren wasteland that is Christendom today, we see a thousand different moving parts, each doing their own thing. They have no common vision, in fact quite the opposite. Every little thief-dom has its own vision for what it wants. The bigger picture is quite lost to all but a few. Do we see life in Christendom in general? Now, I do not mean much activity, I mean the life of Christ manifested in His presence amongst His people?
In WWII, London was severely bombed by the Nazis. London was a highly diverse city, its millions of people were separated into groups. There were working class folks and lower working class. You had the middle class and the upper middle class and of course you also had the Royal family so you had the aristocrats. This was a class system where one would never really have any contact with someone outside of your class unless compelled by some sort of business. It was a rigid system broken down into ” stations,” and one was compelled to stay within their station by centuries of tradition and etiquette. Yet when they faced destruction they were compelled to work together just to survive. Their previous ways of life had to be suspended and they had to come together if they were to survive. They suddenly had a common goal and it brought them together in unity in such a way that had never been seen before nor has been seen since.
Christianity in general is facing a coming storm. Just like the rise of the Nazi party in the 30s which was very ominous for the world and the Jewish people specifically, then so the coming storm is ominous for the saints. Its goal will be to simply kill every genuine saint. Now, nothing can bring Christendom together but what can bring the Body of Christ together? Circumstances will certainly help. Persecution will help to bring the saints together when they will realize that they need one another. Yet the only thing that can bring about the unity of the saints where the blessings of life shall be commanded by God, is the Holy Spirit flowing down through the very essence of the saints who are priests in a royal priesthood. Saints, if you could go back in time and speak to a Jewish person in Germany in 1933, what would you say to him? Would you not tell him that he and his family must flee? If you could look forward and see a storm of darkness and death heading towards the Body of Christ, what would your advice be to them? The antidote to death is life. The antidote to darkness is light. The antidote to hatred is love. The antidote to eternal death is Jesus who is Life and Light and Love and eternal life.
Those with eyes to see the coming storm are beginning to flock together. For together, with all the walls broken down, there is a commanded blessing. When the dew falls from the sky it covers everything. Every single blade of grass is covered and is sustained. Gods abundant blessings of life are found when the saints march together under the banner of Christ. An army of saints covered by the blood of the Lamb walking lockstep in common purpose and unity as they face their final and most tumultuous battle prior to the return of the Bridegroom. Lord may your Holy Spirit open up the eyes of those who have a desire to see and open up the ears of those who would hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
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, Uncategorized | Tagged: Christendom | 3 Comments »
Posted by appolus on March 24, 2015
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; (Jas 1:1-2)
Another way of saying this is that we count it pure joy when we face every kind of trial. Are you there brothers and sisters? Are you close? Do you want to be there? In order to see our trials as opportunities to be more like Jesus, we have to want to be like Jesus very much. When we find ourselves even close to this kind of thinking, we begin to elevate ourselves above the circumstances. In every trial and situation we can ask ourselves “what would bring God the most glory?” Just the mere asking yourself that question will bring so much clarity to your mind. As you begin to think of His name and how you can glorify Him in your trial, then you have taken your eyes off yourself. As you do this then you begin to walk in victory. Your trial becomes your vehicle that drives you deeper into the Fathers heart. When things are going well in our lives, we may not react that much differently from those in the world. Yet when we are facing dire circumstances and trials or infirmities, then it is a glorious opportunity to not only reveal God’s truth and glory in you to the world but also to the principalities and powers, the mockers and accusers of the brethren.
We have been called to live extraordinary lives. It is ordinary to bemoan our state when we experience trials. It is mediocre. Do you want to live a mediocre life for Christ? That word comes from two old Latin words , medius meaning middle and ocris meaning mountain. To be mediocre is to be neither at the top of the mountain nor the bottom, just somewhere in the middle. If you allow the trials of your faith to shape you for His glory then the Scriptures say that it will make you complete, wanting nothing. How would you like to be completely satisfied, content in Christ in this hard life? How would you like to walk in that kind of victory in the midst of the many trials of life that will be with us until the day that we die? How would you like to experience even a portion of this pure joy? Are you fighting your trial? Stop. Do not resist any longer. Your trial, if you allow it, will make you stronger and God will never be closer. Walking in this closeness, this proximity to God will cause you to triumph over every trial and circumstance. Now lift up your eyes and see that you are on top of the mountain. To summit the mountain is to conquer the mountain. We conquer our mountains and cast them into the sea by faith in God in every situation.
One last thing brothers and sisters, James writes this to the ” twelve tribes that are scattered abroad.” God’s remnant children are scattered all over this world. God encourages His own. And so to the remnant saints I want to say to you ” be of good cheer,” and count it all joy in the midst of your trials for our Lord is returning soon yet He is with you even now. He sees your trials, He sees your tears, He sees the afflictions of His people. He is with you in all of them.
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, Uncategorized | 7 Comments »
Posted by appolus on March 23, 2015
Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My Words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he was working a work on the wheel. And the vessel that he made in clay was ruined in the hand of the potter; so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the Word of Jehovah came to me, saying, O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter? says Jehovah. Behold, As the clay in the potter’s hands, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel. (Jer 18:2-6)
My question to the Lord’s children, the Lord’s Church, is, will you arise and go down to the Potters house? Will you come to the Father and place yourself in His hand? Will you allow yourself to be marred, to be ruined for this world? Can you abandon yourself to His wheel and allow Him to create in you what He will? For He will not force you , He will not make you, but He stands at the door of your heart and knocks. Will you come to Him, with the fullness of your life, holding nothing back and allow Him to mar you, to ruin you? Will you step up to the door of your heart and allow the King of Glory to come in , in all of His fullness? Will you get up from the pig sty of lukewarmness and arise from the mire of entanglements and make your way back to the Father’s house? For those who heed the cry, who heed the command to arise, who hear and respond to the knocking of the door, you will meet the Father of lights for He will see His children from a far way off and He will run to them and rejoice to see His children have come back to Him. Oh prodigal church will you arise and go down to the Fathers house, the Potters house? He is calling to you!
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: the potter’s house | 1 Comment »
Posted by appolus on March 23, 2015
“I see thousands of Christian young adults in America who, like Simon the Sorcerer, are hungry for the supernatural and are therefore looking for an impartation, prayer or touch from a well-known leader in the body of Christ to launch them into their ministry. Rather than seeking intimacy with Jesus Christ and walking in true legitimate kingdom authority like Peter and John, many, just like Simon, are seeking a drive-thru experience because they are hungry for authority, but aren’t willing to obtain it legally through intimacy.” Read the full article by Jeremiah Johnson by clicking the link …. A generation of Simon the Sorcerers is rising.
Carrying on this theme, I have included a portion from my book ” The fall of Christendom and the rise of the remnant.” It speaks of the two sorcerers Jannes and Jambres. This is perilous times brothers and sisters and we must be aware and beware…………………..
Jannes and Jambres are noted as men who greatly resisted Moses and since the context of this chapter is perilous last days, then we can assume that men like Jannes and Jambres will greatly resist God’s true people in these latter days. Now who were these men and what do they represent today? Well Jannes and Jambres are reckoned to be two of the occultist magicians in Pharoah’s court who replicated the rod turning into a snake, then were able to replicate some of the plagues. It is reckoned that when Moses and the children of Israel left Egypt that they had become followers of Moses, perhaps for the same reasons as Simon the magician of Acts 8 , who was amazed at the power of the Apostles and who tried to buy this power.
Extra Biblical evidence suggests that Jannes and Jambres were very influential in persuading Aaron to make a golden calf when it seemed that Moses may not return. And we know that the calf was made with the gold and the treasure that was taken from Egypt. And so we see two men who had some kind of power, perhaps even a form of Godliness since they were now following Moses, persuade men to fall down and worship the treasures of the world and act just like the world from which they had been delivered. Do we not see that in Christendom today. There are so many men just like Jannes, just like Jambres, just like Simon, men who are desperate to operate in the power of God so that they can impress others and elevate their own status. It will never happen. Today’s so-called miracles workers and self-proclaimed prophets are merely operating in the soulish realm. And God’s fire will never fall on them. This will be one reason they will hate genuine saints, for as God pours out His Spirit on genuine saints in these latter times and they begin to move in the genuine power of God, it will enrage the false teachers just as it enraged the religious leaders in the days of Jesus. We see a small clue in Matthew 27:18 as to why they wanted Jesus dead… ” For he knew they had delivered Him because of envy. ”
REPROBATES, CASTAWAYS AND FRIENDS OF THE WORLD Read the rest of this entry »
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, Uncategorized | Tagged: Jannes and Jambres, Simon the Sorcerer | 3 Comments »
Posted by appolus on March 22, 2015
Phil 4:8: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
One of my favorite verses from one of my favorite books. The book of Philippians is a weighty book dealing with weighty matters. Yet again and again Paul is telling us to rejoice in the Lord. There is a tremendous power in what we focus on. We have heard people speak who have a victim mentality meaning that they focus primarily on what has happened to them and they never seem to get over it. Their world revolves around the incident or incidents. They are locked into and tied to the events that have primarily shaped them.
When I was a younger Christian, I was asked many times to give my testimony. Some deemed it a rather dramatic conversion and I would not deny that. Yet I received some very good advice early on from an older saint who said ” never give the enemy too much air time.” You can hear many testimonies that are 90% bad stuff then they get saved at the end. Now I know that the vast majority of times people are only trying to contrast the bad with the good. They are trying to show how powerful God is by showing how bad they were yet often times there is way too many details about former lives and the devil ends up getting a lot of air time. You know what is a more dramatic story that being saved from the gates of hell? Going on to live a life deep in the Father’s heart. If one goes on in the Lord they begin to speak less and less about themselves and more and more about the one whom they are focused on.
When my oldest son was younger, in his late teens, I found myself over and over again getting on his case. I told him time and time again what would happen if he did this, what would happen if he did that.Actually I had probably been doing that for a long time. Now he gave us very good reasons to be anxious, to say he was a rebellious teenager would be way too mild. Yet despite that, the Holy Spirit stopped me in my tracks one day and very gently and firmly spoke to me ” I want you to speak life into your son.” I still tear up all these years later remembering that word. There is a power in the tongue, it can have life and death associated with it. Now I don’t want anyone to mistake what I have just said for the Word of faith heresy. That is so preposterous as to even give it any credence. The power that we do have is to focus on Jesus. To highlight everything He has done for us. To fill our hearts with His wonder and His glory. The fruit of this kind of thinking is thankfulness. Thankfulness is the resplendent warmth and light of the Son that lights up the darkest recesses of our souls. Without this light nothing can grow. Brothers and sisters, what is the state of your mind? What is the dominant themes of your conversation? Does it bring much light or does it add to the darkness?
I love to speak about His love and His power and His glory. His patience with me and His kindness and His faithfulness is so remarkable. When we lift our eyes off our own lives and situations and begin to cast our gaze into the heavens and catch a glimpse of His glory, everything begins to change in the light and the beauty of His Holiness. Let us think about such things and see what grows in the light of such thoughts and words.
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 | 1 Comment »
Posted by appolus on March 21, 2015
Then spoke the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not your peace: For I am with you, and no man shall set on thee to hurt you: for I have much people in this city. (Act 18:9-10)
I personally take great encouragement from this Scripture. It shows me that even the mighty men of God experienced fear, if it were not so then Paul would not have required a vision to tell him not to fear and to continue to speak the truth. We live in a day and age where there is tremendous societal pressure to keep our mouths shut, not to speak the truth lest we offend any number of folks. Listen brothers and sisters, you can be as careful as you like, you can tip-toe through the issues but do not be fooled, it is not tolerance that society wants, it is total capitulation on all the issues of life. It is not acceptable to agree to disagree and to allow everyone to live peaceably with their own views. The mere fact that you hold certain views is becoming abhorrent to the general population. For too long you may have relied on the fact that you have freedom of speech. Brothers and sisters, that is an illusion. You certainly have freedom of speech but not because men established it in documents, for what men can give you men can take away. No brothers and sisters, the freedom that you have is from God Himself and the only documents that we need, rely upon and stand upon is the Word of God. God has told us not to hold our peace in regards to the truth. Well there it is, that is not very hard to understand.
What is stopping you from sharing the Truth? Fear of men? Well this is an issue that even the author of two thirds of the New Testament dealt with. The solution to your fear of man? An encounter with the living God. God is still speaking to His people, His sheep hear Him speak and they know His voice. It starts with the Word of God, yet God also speaks to His people in a still small voice. Do not let the cares of this world and business drown out that voice. He still speaks to His people in dreams and vision and of course they never contradict what is written in the word. I want to encourage you today, God has His remnant. He has His people in every village, every town every city throughout the land. You are not alone. Jesus has not left you as an orphan, he has sent unto you His Holy Spirit. As the days grow darker, you will discover brothers and sisters you never knew you had as they too make the hard decisions to stand upon the Truth. Stay strong brothers and sisters in the power of His might. Speak the truth when the opening comes and if you suffer loss in this world you will gain it all back in the next.
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the state of the church, theology | Tagged: freedom of speech | 4 Comments »
Posted by appolus on March 20, 2015
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.Gal 2:20
This is a tremendous expression of the living reality of Jesus in His saints. Paul says that he has been crucified and that he no longer lives. There was an old Paul and then there was a new Paul and the new one was radically different from the old. Not only was there the death of the old Paul, but Christ was birthed in him. He had the life of Christ in Him. The life of Christ is dynamic and radical. When others look at you, can they see the life of Christ in you?
I am a city boy, born and raised in an industrial town. I could not tell you one tree from another. Big green things with branches, some prettier than others. I did know what a chestnut tree looked like, because every year as a boy I would go hunting chestnuts which we called ” cheggies.” We would look for the spiny fruit of this tree and for the wonderful brown nut that was inside it. We would bake it in the oven and then when it was good and hard, we would drill a hole through it and put a string through it and tie a knot at one end of the string. I would find some other school mate with one and he would hold his up, the chestnut dangling from the end, and I would try and hit it and destroy it with mine. Now, if I was walking along and saw apples on a tree then I knew that this was an apple tree, not rocket science right? And so the fruit of the tree identifies what kind of tree that it is. In a world where everyone calls himself a tree, a Christian, how can we identify who indeed has the life of Christ in them?
Is there fruit hanging from your branches? Has the life of Christ in you welled up from the depths of your spirit and produced fruit that others can identify and partake of? You have heard the saying that the fruit identifies the root. If others were looking at you, would they know what kind of tree that you were by the fruit that they could see? There is one thing about the life of Christ, it is unmistakeable. It radiates, it produces passion, people can even see it on your face. It wells up in us. As God pours in His living waters into the very depths ow who we are, as the life of Christ bubbles up in us, it has to have an expression. Artists must paint, singers must sing, musicians must play, sculptors must sculpt and writers must write. It is so vital to who they are, they are just out of sorts if they are not able to have an outlet for the passions that they were born with. It is not even something that they have any control over. If the life of Christ was born into the very depths of who we are it must and will have an expression. The creator of all things, dwelling in you, will love others, will comfort others, will share the truth with others. To those who have Christ living in them, to talk about the one they love is to turn their light on. Only as they are giving expression to that life that is in them are they truly alive.
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 | 1 Comment »
Posted by appolus on March 19, 2015
Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.
There are many Scriptures that are quoted frequently in Christendom in a context that makes you cringe. This is one of the worst offenders for me. You hear this Scripture all the time. If little Johnny is trying out for a part in a play, he may be quoted this verse. If someone is looking at a promotion they may be quoted this verse. And yet, what is the context of this verse? In the previous verses Paul tells us that he has learned to be content in whatever situation he found himself in. Whether he had a full stomach or was very hungry, he was content. He knew how to live if all his needs were met and he also knew how to live if he suffered need. Do you see what he is doing here, he is taking your current set of circumstances out of it all together. When he says he can do all things, he is talking about the bad things. It takes no supernatural strength to be content when you have much ( although in some cases it might) It takes no supernatural strength to be content when there is food on the table, when there is money in the bank, when there is a roof over your head, when there are clothes on your back, when you are free to move around wherever you desire.
No, the supernatural aspect of contentment comes to play when we are hungry, when we are in desperate need, when we are in chains, when we are lost at sea when we are persecuted for the cause of Christ. Now when you’re in these or a million and one other dire situations and you can say ” I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me,” then it rises up to heaven’s throne itself and becomes an anthem of praise and Glory to the living God. It tears away at the walls and the gates of the enemies kingdom. It shines light into deep darkness. You become a living epistle read of men.
When the Romans killed so many of our brothers and sisters in the arena and in a thousand different horrible ways, time and time again they were amazed at the peace which surpasses all understanding that was upon their ” victims.” It astonished many of them to such a degree that they found Jesus right there and then and took their places with the Martyrs. Can you hear their cry of victory now as they overcame in the Spirit every evil act that was designed to tear down their testimony ” I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” This, brothers and sisters is a declaration of victory over circumstances. This is a mountaintop cry heard in the deepest and darkest valleys. Light that penetrates into deep darkness. Joy that overcomes despair, strength that replaces weakness but most of all peace that surpasses all fear and all understanding. What a tremendous testimony to the power and the glory and the ever present help of the living God who has overcome. Let us be found worthy enough to utter such a cry and to God be the glory!!!!!!!
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: supernatural strength | 5 Comments »
Posted by appolus on March 18, 2015
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. (Heb 12:15-16)
The context of this Scripture is faith, trust in God. In this particular chapter, following the great chapter on the heroes of faith, we see that it is faith in the context of suffering. Will we still stand when we suffer? Broadly speaking, suffering or trials tend to illuminate who we really are. It can bring out the best in us or it can easily bring out the worst in us. It can drive us into the arms of God or it can drive us away from God.
The greatest trial and danger lies in when we are wronged.This is when the flesh is most dangerous. The enemy will take advantage of that and will plant his root of bitterness with our permission. This is his foothold which becomes a stronghold and then overwhelms and consumes us and begins to affect, or to use the Biblical word from the passage above, defile, everyone around us. The genesis of the seed is that in the beginning when the pain is great we fool ourselves into thinking we can compartmentalize this un-forgiveness, simply confine it to a small portion of our hearts. Yet if left unchecked, over a period of time it will spread to every part of your heart. You can see this in someone who gets angry over the slightest thing. Their hearts have been so contaminated by anger that they over-react to everything. It begins to affect everyone around them, slowly burning bridges, until they become isolated. Satan easily finishes of the straggler, the one who has found themselves isolated.
Please do not underestimate the flesh. It always screams the loudest. It is attempting to drown out that still small voice of God. Fear and insecurity are the greatest allies in this war of attrition. They are like fuel to a burning fire, the fire of bitterness. Now none of this may happen overnight. You might feel like you have a handle on your un-forgiveness but the enemy is very cunning and very patient. He has his foothold and he is prepared to wait. If he over-plays his hand right away he is in danger of losing right away. If he,in the form of bitterness, can manage to take up residence deeply hidden away in the depths of your heart, he will rise up at opportune moments and slowly drag you down, the small still voice of the Lord growing ever fainter until we only have ears that can hear our own desires. The antidote to all of this is death to the flesh by a thousand cuts. Forgiveness and love are weapons which the enemy has no answer too. The speedier that you employ them in every situation, the easier it will be in the long run. Now brothers and sisters, I strongly urge you that if you harbor un-forgiveness towards another, do not let the sun go down on this day without putting that right. You will free yourself from an entangled heart you will strike a great blow against the scheme of the enemy. You will glorify God. And you will unblock your ears to that still small voice.
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Posted by appolus on March 18, 2015
Hi saints,
I wrote the article below last year but wanted to bring it up again in light of the ISIS threat to blow up Big Ben the Eiffel Tower and the White house with dirty bombs. The main point I would like the readers to take away from the article is that most of the building blocks for a great worldwide persecution against genuine saints is already in place. We are one catalyst away, I believe, from the persecution beginning in earnest. As always we must ready ourselves for what is to come by drawing close to God and holding all things of this world loosely…….bro Frank
This subject can be very difficult to approach today because there have been so many crazy people claiming when the end of the world would happen. The below scenario reckons on the saints going through the great tribulation. Therefore there is no particular day or hour that is looked for, rather a season, birth pangs if you like. We are told by Jesus that we should be able to discern the signs of the times, not the day nor the hour of His return. In any event, most peoples of the world and the church have a difficult time imagining a time where Christians would be hunted down and killed for the mere fact of being Christian. They may be able to imagine this in a Muslim world setting, but not in the West. I do not claim that the scenario below is prophetic, I merely wish to show you a logical procession of events that could lead to a world-wide persecution of the true saints.
Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by appolus on March 17, 2015
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (Joh 8:31-32)
Here in this chapter we find a fascinating encounter between Jesus and the Jews who ” believed in Him.” So we are left in no doubt from verse 30 and 31 that these are Jewish believers in Him. This is what we call followers of Jesus today isn’t it, believers. I have never liked that term for the saints, for it is clear from this passage that one can be believers in what Jesus has said and yet not be saved, and actually, persecutors of Jesus and the saints. Now I want you to note what these Jewish people claim and what Jesus acknowledges as true. In verse 33 they say ” We are Abraham’s descendants.” In verse 37 Jesus says ” I know that you are Abraham’s descendants.” So there we have it, it is an established fact that they are descendants of Abraham. Yet in verse 39 they make another claim they say that Abraham is their father and in the same verse Jesus disputes that. So, these believers are descendants of Abraham but they are not his children nor are they Gods children. Well if they are not Gods children, if Abraham is not their earthly father and God is not their heavenly Father, then who is their father? In verse 44 Jesus answers the question unambiguously “You are of your father the devil and the desires of your father you want to do.” The end result of this encounter between Jesus and His believers? Verse 59 ” Then they took up stones to throw at Him.” They attempted to murder Jesus.
Now, what would Jesus say to ” believers,” in our day? Would the same people not claim that they are Christian descendants? Would they not bring out their heritage as a defense of who they are? Would they not point to their household, their church, their denomination, their water baptism in defense of what they claim? Yet, as we have seen, one can be a descendant but this is far different from being a child. You can be a descendant but not be a child of God. The circumcision of the flesh is without meaning, only the circumcised of heart are the children of God. Being born into a Christian household, being raised in a certain denomination, attending your church faithfully all of your life, all of this is the circumcision of the flesh. Only those born twice, born again from above, can claim to be a child of God. All others are mere descendants and are of the flesh and are ultimately the enemy and persecutors of those of the Spirit. The illegitimate child of the flesh is the persecutor of the legitimate child born of the Spirit. It is an ancient an eternal dividing line that is soon to come to a head. When challenged with the truth, the very truth that could set them free, as we saw in John chapter eight, the children of the flesh will seek to kill the children of the Spirit.
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: descendants of Abraham, followers of Jesus | 6 Comments »
Posted by appolus on March 16, 2015
Below is a short quote from A.W.Tozer. There is nothing radical about his summing up of what it means to be a saint. It may only seem radical to some because we live in and amongst a compromised generation who were born out of a compromised generation. The end result is fifty shades of compromise. Many radically born again saints have compromised themselves by dwelling among Nicolations. This in turn has led to a slow slow death in the tepid pools of stagnant waters………….bro Frank
We should know this. New life has to be born within us and that new life will not be born until there has been a collision with Christ.A real collision-the sinner has been met and defeated in his own will his own life brought down to the dust. He will always remember and look back upon that encounter, as he happily goes forward in his faith. His soul and the heart of God met in violent conflict for a moment but God won and then the heart of the man surrendered and he said ” Thy will be done.”
If we had our standards higher, if we really preached the truth of genuine repentance if we raised the Christian levels higher-would that sound like radical religion? (A.W.Tozer, Tozer speaks, pg 435)
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Posted by appolus on March 16, 2015
Neh 8:10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
In Neh chp 8 we see that a solemn assembly has been called. The wall had been completed, the exiles had returned and now they would seek the face of God. Now, in the revival movement of today we recognize well the first nine verses of Nehamiah. The solemn assembly, the reading of Gods word and sermons, the falling on our faces with our faces in the dirt so to speak. In Nehamiah the people wept upon hearing the word of God, they wept upon being convicted of their sins, they wept when they realized how far they had wandered from a Holy God, they wept when they realized just how compromised they had become after years of living in Babylon. In our revival meetings one often witnesses such weeping, such repentance, such dismay at how far we seemed to have wandered from God. The reason is the same today as it was in Nehamiah’s time, the Spirit of conviction falls upon the people and their eyes are opened to their condition and the condition of the church. When we hear Gods law spoken, when we read of it, we can recognize that the law works death to those who violate it even in one part. It strikes terror into the heart. It is true that everyone who finds himself under the law finds himself under a curse, for cursed is the man who violates even one part of it. And so they wept, and so we weep today at our current condition. Yet , praise the Lord we are not under the curse of the Law. It is a good sign to see a tender heart, a broken and a contrite heart, yet even in the day of Nehamiah’s reading of the Word, we find that it was a feast day.
The seasons of God are good and there is a time for weeping and mourning. Yet, if that is all that we have, if we live forever in a perpetual winter of weeping and mourning, whether that is in our personal walk or in our ministries, then nothing will ever grow. We will not grow in the knowledge of God. Yes, there is conviction in the presence of God. There is a time to rent our clothes and throw dust on our heads, yet if this one season becomes the whole then we render ourselves weak and ineffectual. Our real strength comes in the Joy of the Lord. If we cannot put on a garment of praise for a spirit of heaviness then we will not stand in the evil day. We will be overcome by trial and tribulation and persecution. When the Israelites were captured and taken away from Jerusalem, their captors sat them down by the river of Babylon and taunted them. They said to them, lets hear your songs of Zion, your songs of victory now. And the Israelites, once famous for their songs of praise to God, hung their harps on the willow trees, unable to sing, overcome in spirit in their defeat. The enemy had not only robbed them of their earthly freedom, they had robbed them of their joy, they no longer had a song in the night. The willow tree represents sadness, weeping. Can you imagine how powerful it would have been if the Israelites, trusted in a mighty God to eventually redeem them. It is a mark of God’s saints that they can praise the Lord their God despite their circumstances. It is a fruit in the lives of those with deep soil, deep roots, who can, in the heat of trial reach down into the depths of their lives and experiences with God which has been built on trust and the never changing word of God, and rejoice in the sure knowledge that God is with them and has already redeemed them.
This joy leads to praise, this praise leads to joy. And the outpouring of this joy and praise allows the saint to run and not grow weary, to walk and not faint, to mount up with with wings as eagles because every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. (Isa 40:4-5)
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Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. (Dan 2:46-47)
A Call To The Remnant 