Archive for July, 2015
Posted by appolus on July 31, 2015
I know about thy grace
I simply look into the mirror
And gaze upon my face
I see no reason for His mercy
nor love He has for me
I see a man who was a prisoner
longing to be free
I see a man who long ago
found life though he were dead
A man who had been starving
and God gave him some bread
I see a man who walked in darkness
in whom there was no light
I see a man who was delivered
who was blind but given sight
I look away now from the mirror
and lift my eyes to glories throne
I see that I who once was lonely
shall never be alone
I see my risen savior
and He is high and lifted up
I stand there in His presence
for He has filled my cup
It’s filled with living water
my sin there is no trace
There’s only Gods own glory
and His unending Grace.
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christian poetry, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, poetry, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology, Uncategorized | 5 Comments »
Posted by appolus on July 28, 2015
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. (Mat 24:9-10)
Jesus has much to say in Matthew 24 about the end times. Much has been written on this chapter and 2000 years later the eternal word of God continues to give us insight into the unfolding truths of our world and what shall be its end. Many times Jesus spoke in parables and often the truths of which He spoke were hidden from those who did not have ears to hear. Yet, it could be argued that this chapter may be the least ambiguous of anything spoken about the end times which so many brothers and sisters believe we are now living in.
In verses 9-10 we see a good example of plain speaking. There is coming a time when the saints will be hated by all the nations for the sake of the name of Jesus. There will also be mass betrayal and hatred among people who call themselves after the name of Jesus. People who read my writings will know that I refer to everything that calls itself by the name of Jesus as Christendom. And so as the world turns on genuine saints, so will those who are merely Christians in name only but do not belong to the Kingdom of God.
It cannot be argued by anyone that there has ever been a worldwide persecution of Christians. It has been localized.It has certainly spanned nations and sometimes continents but never has the whole world hated Christians. Yet this is what Jesus says is coming. Kingdoms would rise against Kingdoms, meaning countries and we have certainly seen that in two world wars. In the last century more people were killed in two world wars that in every other war in the history of the world combined. Yet Jesus said this would happen, but not only Kingdoms against Kingdoms but nations would rise against nations. The word nation in the Greek is ethnos, it is where we get our English word ethnic or ethnicity from. People groups within Kingdoms would rise up against each other. Right now we have no declared wars between Kingdoms, but we do have people groups within kingdoms tearing themselves apart and threatening the peace of the whole world by perpetrating unspeakable evil on their fellow man.
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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: Kingdom of God, Kingdoms, the kingdom of God | 4 Comments »
Posted by appolus on July 28, 2015
I thought I would bring this article back to the front of the site. It has been a blessing to so many, I pray that it blesses you. This article forms two of the chapters in the book below…….bro Frank
A Call To The Remnant
Click on picture to purchase this latest book from Frank McEleny
Today we are witnessing an interesting phenomenon where many – God knows the
numbers – are leaving the relative structure and security of organized
churches, denominations and memberships, to follow hard after their God, to
a wilderness of sorts, a strange and unfamiliar place little understood by
establishment Christianity. Perhaps the Lord is calling His remnant to
Himself in simplicity and purity at the end of this age? Perhaps the
prophetic ministry from outside the walls has begun, or at the very least is
being perpetuated at this time? Perhaps a time of final testing for the
church and Israel is poised to begin? Whatever the ultimate reason, many are
coming out, and almost immediately they will need to adapt to this new and
strange environment where the Lord alone is all that they have.
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Posted by appolus on July 23, 2015
Psa 142:3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path.
There is a certain kind of comfort to be had when we realize that even giants of the Bible, men like David, men after Gods own heart experienced being overwhelmed. Psalm 142 was one of two Psalms written from a cave the other being Psalm 57. Perhaps you are feeling overwhelmed today? Maybe your situation is so dark that it is hard for you to see anything at all never mind anything good? Yet, God knows your path. He knows the road you have walked on. He knows how you ended up where you are. In Psalm 57 David starts out by saying that his soul trusts in God. He says he will find refuge in God, under the shadows of His wings until his calamities pass.
And therin lies the key to David overcoming. Even although he is desperate and his situation is desperate, he is not giving up on God. He says he trust in Him and will hide in Him until all his troubles pass. You see, something in David knew that his calamities would pass. The man or woman who has been on the road a long time knows that despite the fact that they have faced many difficulties and troubles, perhaps too many to mention, God has kept them. David also says ” I will cry unto God.” In our self-made world where we celebrate independence, it takes much humility to cry out to God, yet God hears the humble desperate cries of His children. Perhaps you need to cry out to God today?
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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, Uncategorized | 6 Comments »
Posted by appolus on July 19, 2015
As I was out walking this morning, praying and being alone with the Lord, this song came into my heart ” Victory is mine.” And, because of the wonders of modern technology, I pulled it up on my phone and began to listen to this old gospel song. Now, a couple of years ago, my old auntie had to have brain surgery. Part of her preparation was to have her genes tested, dont ask me why. Anyway, it was discovered that there is 10% of African blood in the McElenys. I think this is awesome but I can report that none of that blood has translated into me being able to dance or move in any kind of reasonably rhythmic fashion. So, when I put on the song this morning as I walked along the trail and I had an urge to walk in rhythm to the music I had to scan the horizon in all directions to make sure it was all clear. It was. I could now give way to my urge to kinda dance/walk along the way. I think it looked something like John Travolta walking down the street with his platform shoes in Saturday night fever. Sure enough, within about a minute, two people passed me on their bike, sniggering I am sure. Now I am either old enough or bold enough to not really care.
As I replayed the song and felt the power of God begin to run through me as I considered that Victory was mine, my legs and hips wanted to get in on the action. Before long my hands were jealous and even although I looked round each time I added to my dance routine, every time after about a minute, I was passed by folks on bikes. Now, I did resist the urge to do jazz hands 🙂 It is a wonderful thing to be unashamed of God. It is a wonderful thing to be filled with His Spirit as we consider His Victory in our lives. But can I tell you, when you are walking through the darkest periods of your life, when the narrow path takes you through the deepest darkest valleys, if you can sing in your heart the victories of God, if you can proclaim to the enemy that Victory is yours and tell Satan to ” get thee behind,” what wonderful light comes pouring into your spirit.
The joy of the Lord is my strength. God comes and inhabits the praises of His people. Darkness flees when Christ comes into a situation. The situation might not change but strength and courage and encouragement comes flooding into our souls. If you are struggling today, if you are feeling low and discouraged, I want to encourage you to remind yourself that ” Victory is mine.” Declare it out loud. Then add joy is mine, peace is mine. They are yours, they are yours in Christ. If you will wait upon the Lord, if you will continue to trust in Him no matter what, if you will continue to give thanks to Him despite your situations, then He will come and you will run and not grow weary, you will walk and not faint, you will mount up with wings as eagles and catch the updrafts of His presence that will lift you up and draw you deeper into the Father’s heart. Stand fast saints, the day of His coming is one day closer than it was yesterday.
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: gospel song | 6 Comments »
Posted by appolus on July 18, 2015
Lost and forsaken, wretched and blind
Then my Christ He came to stay
And from that day forward, I was never alone
He was always with me before His throne.
Through the night, through the day
And in every way, He is always by my side
The Groom and the bride, standing as one
Marching to victory for the battle is won
The path grows narrow the darkness falls
The Master call us to stand and see
The glory of His coming, an end to the ages
Time simply closes histories pages
Men sense in their spirits the end is near
Yet they do not fear, they drink and are merry
For tomorrow they die, they neither seek nor find
They stumble along for they are spiritually blind
Dwelling in ditches and ivory castles
Deeper in sin as the time draws near
Though judgement rains down and eyes are wide open
They are blind and wretched and thoroughly broken
As the enemy comes in, rising like a flood
Then God shall raise His own standard
He shall pour out His Spirit and baptize with fire
The saints are refined and are lifted higher
Then His glory shall cover all of the earth
As the waters cover the sea
Every knee shall bow and tongue confess
As the saints take up their final address
A place where His glory outshines the sun
Where every tear is wiped away
And the saints are refreshed by the waters of life
And they live forever, the Groom and His bride.
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Posted by appolus on July 14, 2015
1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
This then is the message that John has heard. He brings it all together in the statement that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. What then is the message? John says in the opening verses that he has seen the Christ with his own eyes. With his own ears he has heard God speak to him through the flesh. His eyes beheld Him and he even touched him. He handled the Word of Life. He embraced Him and he hugged Him and he kissed him on the cheek. For over three years he walked with Him, he walked with God and the message that he is now sharing is that in Him there was no darkness at all, they had walked in the light, and in this all-seeing all-knowing light it was impossible to walk in darkness. You simply could not walk with Jesus, could not fellowship with God if you were walking in darkness for God would call you on it.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1Jn 1:7)
What does it mean to walk in the light? It is not a small point, it is a vital point for it has major ramifications for who we are and how we live before men. You will notice that it says that if we walk in this light then we shall have fellowship one with another. Now, perhaps you did not know but there is two possible interpretations of this phrase ” one with another.” Many have believed that it means fellowship with other believers would not be possible if one were walking in the darkness. The other interpretation and the one that I believe and prefer is that “one with another” means having fellowship with God. Now, this will ultimately lead to a breaking in fellowship with other believers who may be walking in the dark, but primarily this scripture speaks to our relationship with God.
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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, Uncategorized | Tagged: fellowship, fellowship with God, relationship with God, walking in the light | 1 Comment »
Posted by appolus on July 12, 2015
Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him. For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody. Isa 51:1-3
Isaiah is speaking to a people in chapter 51 who have spent a long time away from Jerusalem. He is speaking to holy remnant people who long to return to the place from whence they came. Long have they suffered in a land full of sin. To add to their sufferings, so many of Gods people seem to have been taken by Babylon, seem to be indulging in all of its worldliness and comforts. In fact, when the time came to leave, historians tell us that almost three-quarters of the Israelites did not return but did in fact choose to stay.
But what a joy it is to be comforted by the knowledge that the Lord can and does and will comfort His people in the ” waste places.” He promises to make the desert places like the garden of Eden. Joy and gladness shall be found in the wilderness and the voice of melody shall carry on the hot desert winds. The Body of Christ finds itself in such a time. Long has it dwelt in Babylon. Long has the hearts of the saints been vexed just like righteous Lot’s. There is a grieving in the hearts of the saints as they witness the comfort and those at ease in Babylon. The saints know in their hearts that when made to choose between ease in Babylon or the long winding narrow path through the waste places and wilderness that leads them home, so many will choose to stay in Babylon.
Yet, it is better to experience the joy of the Lord in the wilderness places that to experience the joy of the world for a season. Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. (Heb 11:25-26)
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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, Uncategorized | Tagged: Babylon, waste places | 3 Comments »
Posted by appolus on July 6, 2015
Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together.(Act 4:25-27)
In the days just after Jesus died and rose again we see Peter praying prophetically. He quotes Psalm 2 as undoubtedly led by the Spirit and speaks of how the whole world will rage against God and His Christ. Brothers and sisters, we are entering into those days of this prophesy finally being fulfilled. It is becoming increasingly more difficult to speak the truth and the Word of God without being ridiculed or threatened. In verse 29 Peter prays on and says “And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word.”
It is interesting that Peter describes in his prayer, every aspect of society. There is Herod the King, and then there is Pontius Pilate who represents the power of the world. We have the gentiles who are simply the unbelievers in general and then finally the people of Israel who represents all the religious aspects of society. They all come against the Apostles. The nations do indeed rage and the people certainly plot against the Lord and His anointed. These are the days in which we live, these are the beginning of sorrows, the birth pangs if you like.
So, what was the point of Peter’s prayer? What was Peter praying for with such power that the Holy Spirit fell upon them? “And grant unto thy servants, that will all boldness they may speak thy word.” You see the prayer brothers and sisters? You see what Peter truly wanted in times of extreme persecution? He wanted courage and strength and boldness to be unashamed of the Lord and His word and speak the truth in love. He did not pray for deliverance from the world that was out to get them or from the threats of torture and violence they faced daily, He prayed for boldness to stand in that day. And what was the results of such a God pleasing prayer?
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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 | 8 Comments »
Posted by appolus on July 5, 2015
Despite it all-Love
Despite my falls-Love
Oh Father in heaven who could foresee
The tremendous love you have for me
The days are dark and the night is long
Yet within my heart there abides a song
Of Love and joy and the days to come
When the Body of Christ shall stand as one
No longer divided by time and space
But united together to finish the race
Christ the King is on His way
And shall we live to see that day?
We shall sing aloud until the day is done
And stand together we shall stand as one
With a lamp for our feet the night shall be day
And the light shall shine to show us the way
So, despite it all-Love
And despite my falls-Love
Oh Father in heaven give us eyes to see
Your tremendous Love has set us free
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christian poetry, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, poetry, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology, Uncategorized | Tagged: Oh Father in heaven | 1 Comment »
Posted by appolus on July 1, 2015
Mark 8:27 Whom do men say that I am?
Interesting question from the Lord. He asks that question to his disciples and they start to tell him what other men say about Him, but he wants to know what they say. What do people think about you? People in general may have some idea who you are, but your friends, your family, your co-workers, what do they say? Who do men say you are?
Who are you fundamentally? What is the thrust of your life? Now I am not asking how you performed today or this week, I am asking who are you? If people had to put something on your headstone, what would it be? What is the thrust of your life? Is Jesus the passion that drives your being? Is God the essence and the affection of your heart? We know that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. What does your mouth speak? We know that men who are passionate about politics speak about politics. We know that if a man is passionate about sports he speaks about sports. And these people who are passionate about sports or politics know all about their chosen passion. They know names and stats and history. They will take any opportunity to speak about their passion whether it be at home or work or standing in a line at the supermarket. It takes very little for them to want to engage people about their passion. Read the rest of this entry »
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 »
I know about thy grace
A Call To The Remnant 