Archive for March, 2022
No pre-trib rapture, only a second coming of Jesus.
Posted by appolus on March 31, 2022
Posted in bible, Christian, christian blog, christian living, Christianity, church, church of england, church of scotland, churches, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, End Times Eschatology, Eschatology - Study of the 'End Times', Jesus, revival, testimony, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, The Psalms, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, theology | 4 Comments »
To be shaken and to be filled.
Posted by appolus on March 31, 2022
Act 4:2 Being greatly disturbed that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
The Pharisees, the Sadducees, the priests and the captain of the temple were greatly disturbed that disciples taught the people. This was their first crime. When was the last time you greatly disturbed someone? Who were these unlearned peasants who dared to teach the people? The religious folks of the day were grieved in their spirits that they were being usurped. If the ordinary folks were listening and being taught by other ordinary folks, where would that all end? They were, of course, particularly grieved that they taught that Jesus was the Christ and that He was alive! Now, the rulers and the elders and even the high priest had the disciples set before them. Outside of the Romans, these were the most powerful men in all of Judah. They demanded to know by what authority they spoke. It is always about authority.
Peter stood up, and, filled with the Holy Spirit told them boldly and plainly that it was in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ they spoke “whom you crucified.” And then, to hammer home the point about Jesus being the Christ says “there is no other name under heaven, given among men by which we must be saved.” Unlearned men, untrained blue collar workers. Their only qualification, which was recognized, was that they had “been with Jesus.” Praise the Lord. When they were commanded by the rulers to never speak of Jesus again, the disciples rebuffed them by asking, who should we listen to, you or God? Oh for a tiny portion of that boldness in our own days. Never in the history of the Church has this kind of boldness been more needed.
The same religious men in our days have attempted to silence “the unlearned and the untrained.” And for the same reasons. Authority. They desire the authority and the preeminence. If every ordinary man or woman could preach or teach or give a word of wisdom or a word of knowledge or a tongue or a prophecy then where would that leave the religious leaders? Probably out of a job. If Christians this day had the same boldness to stand and be counted for the cause of Christ as the disciples did, not afraid of what might become of them, then we would have a Church like the early Church. And when the disciples went back and recounted what had just happened to them, their brothers and sisters prayed over them for even more boldness “and when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they spake the word of God with boldness.” Would to God that we would pray that same prayer and experience that same shaking and filling.
Posted in bible, Christian, christian blog, christian living, Christianity, church of england, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, signs and wonders, spiritual gifts, testimony, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, The Psalms, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, theology | Leave a Comment »
Why we must be baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Posted by appolus on March 29, 2022
Posted in bible, Christian, christian blog, christian living, Christianity, church of england, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, Fresh Fire, Jesus, revival, spiritual gifts, testimony, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, theology | 1 Comment »
A disaster has befallen us (abortion)
Posted by appolus on March 29, 2022
Posted in Babylon, Christian, christian blog, christian living, Christianity, church, church of england, church of scotland, churches, consequences of sin, Daily devotional, Demonic, Devotions, end times, Jesus, revival, Spiritual warfare, testimony, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, theology | 2 Comments »
Fullness of Joy.
Posted by appolus on March 29, 2022
Act 2:28 You have made known to me the ways of life; you shalt make me full of joy in your presence.
When we are laid down in the earth, our corruptible bodies shall rise again in incorruption. Our resurrected bodies will encompass our eternal spirits. This is the way of life and not death, this is the portal through which we must pass from this world to the next. And there our joy shall be full in the presence of the Lord. His smiling face gives light to our spirits. We can undoubtedly experience His presence here on earth, in part, and even in the smallest measure it fills these broken bodies and gives us great joy. And this joy, the joy of the Lord, is our strength. Yet the fullness of our joy awaits us yet when life arises from death.
This is the blessed hope that we rest in brothers and sisters. It gives us great peace to know that death is merely the passing from this world to the next. That knowledge is strength. Oh death, where is your sting? Oh grave where is your victory? Knowing this brothers and sisters we should be steadfast in our walk and unmovable by circumstances. The apostles witnessed this very thing. They saw the Lord crucified, and they saw the Lord resurrected. They saw the empty tomb, they saw the Lord and they saw the marks on His hands and on His feet and on His side. They were witnesses to life, to eternal life springing up from the grave. Saints, we died and we were born again. The very same life of Christ raised us up as new creatures. We are witnesses to His resurrection power. He has made known to us the ways of life and we are called to live that life abundantly. Let us live that abundant life before men.
Posted in bible, Christian, christian blog, christian living, Christianity, Daily devotional, Devotions, Jesus, revival, testimony, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, theology | 1 Comment »
Does the fire yet burn?
Posted by appolus on March 27, 2022
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Power brothers and sisters. Power, primarily, to be a witness! So much has been written about the Holy Spirit. So much has been spoken of about the sign gifts. So much has been counterfeited by sheer emotion and even the enemy himself. What are the signs that a man or a woman are Baptized in the Holy Spirit? Is it tongues? Is it being an apostle, a prophet, a worker of miracles? …Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.(1Co 12:29-31)
All of these gifts are from the Holy Spirit indeed, yet the primary identification of one baptized in the Holy Spirit is your witness. It is the life that you lead. A life that clearly identifies with Jesus. It is the words that you speak, the Word of God that does not return void. It is your un-ashamedness. Are you ashamed of God before men? Are we too afraid to share the gospel with others? This is a sure sign that we are either not baptized in the Holy Spirit or that we thought, somehow, that is was a onetime thing and that there was no requirements to be “full,” of the Holy Spirit. We must abide in Christ and in His word. We must walk closely with the Lord, seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness that we may be partakers of His righteousness and His holiness. And we also are called to be disciples.
On the road to Emmaus Jesus walked with two disciples. And when that walk was over, they later marveled “did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” The fellowship of the burning heart. Brothers and sisters, those who are baptized in the Holy Spirit will have such a fellowship. Their hearts will burn within them as the Holy Spirit opens up to them the Scriptures just as Jesus did with these two men. The Greek word for heart is Kardia, it means “the effective center of our being.” If Jesus is the effective center of our being then there shall be a fire at the very heart of who we are. Does the fire burn brothers and sisters? Without the wind of the Spirit there is but a smoldering ember. With the Spirit there is a raging fire that burns. It is this passion of all things Christ, that creates in us the light of the Gospel of the Kingdom and this light shines into the darkness.
Posted in bible, Christian, christian blog, christian living, Christianity, Daily devotional, Devotions, gifts of the spirit, Jesus, manifest presence, revival, signs and wonders, spiritual gifts, testimony, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, theology | 1 Comment »
No more weeping!
Posted by appolus on March 24, 2022
Posted in Christian, christian blog, christian living, Christian poetry, Daily devotional, Devotions, intimacy, Jesus, poetry, revival, spiritual poetry, testimony, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, theology | Leave a Comment »
The vastness of God!
Posted by appolus on March 24, 2022
Posted in Christian, christian blog, christian living, Christianity, Daily devotional, Devotions, Jesus, revival, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, theology | 1 Comment »
The propulsion of the Holy Spirit.
Posted by appolus on March 24, 2022
2Jn 1:4 I rejoiced greatly that I found some of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
In 2nd John 1:4 John says that he rejoiced greatly to have found some of the saints walking in the truth having received the commandment from God. In 3rd John 1:4 John says that he had no greater joy than to hear that his children were walking in the truth. Imagine that, the great Apostle’s greatest joy was the saints walking in the Truth. Why was this his greatest joy? John knew that if we walk in the Truth, then and only then will we make forward progress in the Kingdom, overcoming trial and temptation and becoming more like Jesus. Obedience is the key to this.
Imagine you are in a small boat in the middle of a vast ocean. You have no sail and you have no motor to power you. What will happen? Without the thrust of forward momentum you will drift. The power that will move you will be the current of the ocean. It will take you where it will take you. I want to suggest to you that without obedience to the Word of God and to the Holy Spirit you will not make any forward progress on your spiritual journey.
Obedience is the outboard motor that will propel your forward. The Holy Spirit is the fuel in the motor. Obedience is the raising of the sail that will catch the wind, the Holy Spirit is the wind that will propel you forward against the forces of the current.. How mature are you? How many weeks old are you in the Kingdom? We make forward progress in the Kingdom by prayerful obedience to the revealed will of God. What is the revealed will of God? First and foremost it is the Word of God, the Scriptures. Secondly it is the still small voice of God, the Holy Spirit. And of course, one will never contradict the other, there will always be perfect harmony between the Holy Spirit and the written Word of God. He is the author.
Posted in bible, Christian, christian blog, christian living, Christianity, church, Daily devotional, Devotions, Jesus, revival, testimony, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, The Psalms, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
The false prophets and those who bear the Water.
Posted by appolus on March 22, 2022
2Pe 2:17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
We live in a day and age of false prophets and false teachers. They speak great swelling words from high and lofty pulpits. The Word of God represents the waters of life, yet these men are described as wells without water. Can you imagine something as useless as wells without water? They promise much but can deliver nothing. They are clouds carried on the wind. They are driven by their own passions and not the wind of the Spirit. Not only are they in error, but they spread error for their own dishonest gain. They are followed by people of like minded passions. Imagine a man who stands up and rebukes a virus and then has no shame when the virus continued on unabated? Great swelling words, devoid of all truth and life. Imagine a man who would tell “his people,” that a certain President would win and then has no shame when it does not come to pass?
The man or woman of God are wells with water. They are humble because they have been humbled. They reach the broken because they themselves were broken. They are tenderhearted because they have been the recipient of a great Love that they did not deserve. They are carried by the wind of the Holy Spirit. He drives them, He leads them, He guides them into all truth. He fills these broken vessels with living water and if flows through them. He fills them with the glory of God and it shines through every broken part of their humbled hearts. They comfort one another with the very comfort that they themselves were comforted with. Their words are not empty but rather they are full of life, the life of God. For the false teacher there is prepared the eternal blackness of darkness forever. For the child of God there is the eternal light and the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. Keep sharing the truth brothers and sister.
Posted in bible, Christian, christian blog, christian living, Christianity, church, Daily devotional, Devotions, False Prophets, False Prophets and Teachers, false teachers, Jesus, lies, revival, testimony, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, theology | 1 Comment »
Why I left the “organized,” church.
Posted by appolus on March 20, 2022
Posted in Babylon, Charismatic, Christian, christian blog, christian living, Christianity, church, church of england, church of scotland, churches, Daily devotional, deception, Devotions, discernment, Fresh Fire, hope, Jesus, religion, religious, revival, testimony, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, theology | 2 Comments »
Catching the updrafts of His glory!
Posted by appolus on March 20, 2022
1Pe 4:12-14 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: …………….If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
The spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. We are told to rejoice in the midst of fiery trials and be happy if you are slandered for Christ’s sake. Rejoicing and happiness, not exactly a worldly response to trials and mockings. This is the paradoxical world of the Kingdom. This is why the world is turned upside down by the disciples of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. It is in marked contrast to nature to rejoice in the midst of trials. Yet herein lies the power of God that rests upon the saints. It renews yours strength and revitalizes your spirit. Wait upon Him with patience and expectation of deliverance whether in this world or through the next. It is all the same to the saint who has already died to this world.
There is power in the glory of God. When it surrounds us and courses through us then men see the power of God in us. We have this treasure in earthen vessels. This is light shining out of darkness. And not just ordinary light but the light of the glory of God. This glory emanates power. Do you want to walk in the power of God brothers and sisters? Do you want to shake the foundations of hell? Do you want to run and not grow weary, walk and not faint? Do you want to rise up and soar where the eagles soar in the updrafts of His glory? Then you have to spread your wings and catch the rising glory. To “spread your wings,’ is to lift your hands heavenwards and glorify God in the very depths of your situation. It is akin to calling down the glory of God.
Posted in bible, Christian, christian blog, christian living, Christianity, churches, Daily devotional, Devotions, Fresh Fire, gifts of the spirit, Jesus, revival, testimony, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, theology | 1 Comment »
Walking according to the Spirit.
Posted by appolus on March 17, 2022
Posted in bible, Christian, christian blog, christian living, Christianity, Daily devotional, Devotions, gifts of the spirit, intimacy, Jesus, revival, testimony, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, theology | 2 Comments »
We are sons and daughters of God.
Posted by appolus on March 17, 2022
1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
One nation brothers and sisters! A holy nation and we are the priests of the Living God. We are a separated people who walk apart from this world, through it and in it but not of it. We walk through the darkness of the deepest valleys shining the most marvelous light of the Lord Jesus Christ. Into the depths of hopelessness we bring the light of hope. He who reached down into the barren wastelands of sin and plucked us from its grasp and renewed us and restored us, sends us forth back into those places. As ambassadors for the Kingdom of God in priestly garments of holiness, we walk this sin sick world with the banner of the Kingdom raised on high.
We are not like other men or woman, we are a called out people, a chosen people. We have been chosen to show forth His praises and to speak of His glory to the captives, to the crushed, to the broken to those who are caught up in the ravaging storms of the flesh and its dying sin. We were the broken children of a broken world and we were not His people but rather the condemned children of Adam. And now we are sons and daughters of God! Behold what manner of love that the Father has lavished upon us that we should be called children of God. Children of God brothers and sisters. (1 John 3:1) This is the good news of the Kingdom and we have been called to proclaim it. Remind yourself today who you are and what your calling is. It is glorious.
Posted in bible, Christian, christian blog, christian living, Christianity, Daily devotional, Devotions, Jesus, revival, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, The Psalms, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, theology | Leave a Comment »
Unspeakable joy.
Posted by appolus on March 15, 2022
1Pe 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
This unspeakable joy that is full of glory belongs to those who truly know Him and to those alone. The glory of God and His manifest presence in your life causes immeasurable joy even in the context of 1st Peter where Peter is addressing grevious trials and fires of afflictions. The mark of the saint is that his mind is set on things above. His spirit is led by the Spirit. The Spirit of God magnifies the Lord Jesus Christ in our hearts and all the more so when we wade through troubled waters. Imagine, rejoicing in the midst of troubled waters! Imagine having a vision in the midst of being stoned to death and crying out to God to forgive those who cast the stones. We can rejoice in everything brothers and sisters.
Have you experienced unspeakable joy? Do you know what it is to rejoice and give thanks in the midst of various trials? This, we are told, is for the testing of our faith, the genuineness of our faith. The joy of the Lord we are here told is “unspeakable.’ There are no sufficient words to describe what it means to experience His presence. Even although we do not see Him, we sense Him in the deepest parts of who we are, in the bear essence of our existence. He comes to His own. We draw near to Him, He draws near to us. And His very nearness cause our hearts to burn within us. The joy of the Lord begins to fill us and as it does it begins to strengthen us in our inner man. We change in His presence. People can see it in our faces. They do not know how to describe it but they can see it on our “countenance.” The Love of God , His love for us, our Love for Him is the foundation of it all. Rejoice today brothers and sisters.
Posted in bible, Daily devotional, Devotions, God's love, God's voice, intimacy, Jesus, revival, testimony, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, theology | Leave a Comment »
The magnifying power of the Holy Spirit.
Posted by appolus on March 14, 2022
Can you remember as a child, when you first discovered the power of a magnifying glass? I remember the first time I was able to start a fire with it. Harnessing the power of the sun. The magnify glass does not change the power of the sun, it intensifies the light that shines from the sun. You can cause a dormant match to burst into flames. You can melt an ice cube with it. Scientists can harness the power of the sun and create lasers that can cut through almost anything. The Holy Spirit is our magnifying glass. For those who are baptized in the Holy Spirit He causes the love of Jesus to explode in our heart.
He magnifies the Lord Jesus Christ to us. He causes the light of His love to set our hearts on fire. That concentrated power is aimed directly at you. One is powerful, a whole gathering is incredible. His grace becomes magnified in us and we weep because of it. His mercy is intensified in our consciousness and we cry out to Him. His intensity causes our own sin to be magnified in our conscience and we cannot bare it, under the power of conviction. Upon the crumbs of our bravery and obedience He shines this light and we stand as David stood against Goliath. When we speak with the intensity of this power men are stabbed in the heart and His word does not return void. A mere thimble of compassion in us becomes a mighty raging river by the power of the Holy Spirit. What absolute madness to think we could do anything without being endued with the power of the Holy Spirit.
With a magnifying glass, you need three things to make it burn, You need the glass itself, the person and the sun. If the sun is not shining then the glass is not working, it has nothing to intensify. Yet, with the Holy Spirit, the whole earth could be covered with clouds and darkness and gross darkness.We could find ourselves in the depths of the deepest dungeon or walking through the darkest valley, yet the Holy Spirit can magnify the light of Christ into our hearts under any conditions. Where could we flee from His Spirit and His magnified presence? If we ascended up to heaven, He is there. If we make our beds in hell, behold He is there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall His hand lead me, and His right hand shall hold me. Brothers and sisters, even the darkness is light to God. His glory, magnified by the Holy Spirit is all powerful.(Psalm 39)
There is a scripture that alludes to one who would hide Himself in hell to avoid God but that the hand of God would reach right into hell and pull that one out (Amos 9:2) If indeed the hand of God would reach into hell itself for judgment, what circumstances could you face where the light of the glory of God, magnified by the Holy Spirit, could not reach you? Could not penetrate the darkness of your situation? There are no such set of circumstances, glory to God. Far too often, the flesh is being controlled by it own magnifying glass and not the Holy Spirit. It magnifies our fears. It magnifies our insecurities. It magnifies the darkness that would come against us. The Holy Spirit intensifies the light, the enemy intensifies the darkness. What will be magnified in your life this day brothers and sisters?
Posted in bible, Christian, christian blog, christian living, Christianity, church, Daily devotional, Devotions, Fresh Fire, gifts of the spirit, God's love, God's voice, Ignited Church, Jesus, new wineskins, revival, testimony, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, The Psalms, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, theology, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
The flesh, and its war against the spirit.
Posted by appolus on March 13, 2022
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.(Rom 8:1)
The flesh presents the greatest danger, not when it is acting according to its nature, but when it rises up and defends us when we are wrongfully accused, or when we are sinned against. We know that the flesh wars against the spirit within us. The battle lies within. There are very obvious sins of the flesh that need no description, they are usually tied up in our appetites and our desires. And there is danger in this of course. Yet the greatest danger comes when we have been wronged and your flesh rushes forward to defend you. We need to stop right there, in the moment, and realize the flesh will take you down. It is no ally of yours. It rushes to defend you only because it knows that this is your weakest point, your desire to defend yourself. It will have its way in this less obvious action and take you down.
In Romans eight we are told that there is therefore now no condemnation to those who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. What is this “walking in the Spirit?” What does it mean to “not walk according to the flesh?” In Romans 7:17 and 20, Paul says something quite remarkable “It is no longer I who do it but sin that dwells in me.” A cursory reading of this would give the impression that Paul is making an excuse for his sin, a defense of it. Yet it is quite the opposite.He is mounting an attack on it. He identifies a “law in his members,’ which wars against the law in his mind. And so it shall be until this corrupt flesh of ours is raised in in-corruption. The willingness of our spirits, empowered by the Holy Spirit is the law of our minds. The Royal law which is written upon our hearts. There is no condemnation for those who walk according to the Spirit and the Lord has provided pardon for the weakness of the flesh.
Sin, although it remains is us through the flesh, is not triumphant, rather it is overcome and defeated, time and again by the willingness and desire of our spirit. This willingness and desire is a very real reflection of what God has given us by the Holy Spirit and those who are baptized in Him. The flesh yet wars but it well knows the war is lost. We see its power degraded as we continue to walk in obedience to the royal law written upon our hearts. It is slowly but surely starved and rendered weaker and weaker. And its final humiliation is death itself, yet the spirit lives on. The outer man is perishing, and it knows it, yet the inward man is being renewed daily. Glory to God. Remember this saints. The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.(Rom 8:18) We often groan within ourselves as we await the full redemption of these weak vessels within which we journey. Yet don’t forget that in all these things we are more than conquerors. It is a given here in the scriptures that you are conquerors, yet we are told we are even more than that through Him who loves us. And nothing that exists, in this world or the next, can separate us from this great love.
Posted in bible, Christian, christian blog, christian living, Christianity, Daily devotional, Devotions, Jesus, revival, scripture, testimony, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, theology, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
There is no pre-trib rapture.
Posted by appolus on March 12, 2022
Posted in bible, Charismatic, Christian, christian blog, christian living, Christianity, Church history, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, End Times Eschatology, Eschatology - Study of the 'End Times', False Prophet, Jesus, pentecostal, rapture, revival, Spiritual warfare, testimony, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, theology | 1 Comment »
The crown of life.
Posted by appolus on March 10, 2022
Blessed is the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him (Jas 1:12)
There is here a blessing for the saint who endures his or her trials. Not just here on this earth in the midst of your trials, which of course is supernatural and draws the attention of all who witness this to Christ, but also a crown of life in the next. And therefore, those who are tried and endure are those who are crowned with life. These promises are made to those who love Him. A sure sign of our love for Him is how we conduct ourselves in the midst of our trials and suffering and temptations. It is the measure of us saints. And love is the key. Without an overarching love for God and His Word, then there can be no enduring with joy in the midst of the fires and floods of life.
There are three broad categories of saints in this life, and if you have lived long enough you will have met them all. There is the man and woman who are ruled by their souls. Then there are those who are ruled by their heads. And finally there are those who are ruled from their hearts, the seat of their affections. Where does you spirit dwell saints? Does it roam the endless seas of the soul where it is driven by the winds of emotions? Typically driven onto the rocks or near enough to hear the ancient sirens call that would lure them away unto destruction? Or does it roam the endless corridors of the mind where the brain rules supreme. Each door in these endless corridors having to be opened in the futile task of trying to figure everything out. Or, does it dwell in the throne room of your humanity, the heart, where the throne of the Lord dwells?
The soulish man loves himself and is driven by his emotions, self love. Self love cannot endure trials, rather it cries out in anguish and torment. The man who is ruled by his head is driven by his intellect, self love. This self love cannot endure trials and torments for it cannot figure out the purpose of it all, and therefore ends up like the soulish man or he stoically endures and love is driven from him by circumstances. Those who are ruled from the heart where Jesus rules supreme, and loving Him means obeying Him and seeing Him high and lifted up, endure with joy and to them there is promised the crown of life. We know that we have been called to confess with our mouth and believe in our hearts. The Spirit speaks to us, not in the soulish realm nor in the realms of the intellect, but via our spirit which dwells in the new heart that the Lord gave us. The royal law is written upon our new hearts. Only those who truly love Jesus will follow His commands and be His witnesses, and to them is promised the crown of life.
Posted in bible, Christian, christian blog, christian living, Christianity, Daily devotional, Devotions, Jesus, revival, testimony, the crucified life, the deeper life, the gospel, the persectuted church, The presence of God, the remnant, The State of the Chuch and Manifest presence, the state of the church, theology, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
The trial yet rages.
Posted by appolus on March 8, 2022
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into various temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith produces patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (Jas 1:2-4)
To be joyful when you are being tested is the high water mark of the saint. It separates us, in a supernatural sense, from all others. It separates saints from the world and it separates saints from people who merely profess to be saints. There are plenty of people in this world who can be stoic in the middle of a severe trial and testing in their lives. The Brits call it “the stiff upper lip.” It comes from the head. It is a mere philosophy. It has many admiral qualities but they all reside in the realm of this natural world. Much of the world knows how to grit their teeth and put one foot in front of the other. Only the saint can be joyous in the midst of a trial and it stems from the fact that the Holy Spirit dwells in us. Yet we still have to “count,” it all joy, meaning it is up to us to decide how we shall react and when we have made the decision, then the Holy Spirit enables us. The joy of the Lord is our strength therefore we are strengthened by our decision to follow the commands of God.
When we realize that each trial can draw us nearer to Jesus then we press in. We rise up in our spirits and lift holy hands to the heavens. We cry out to God. As we rise up, as we are drawn heavenwards, with our eyes looking unto Jesus, then we rise above the circumstances. The trial still rages, the fire still burns, the water yet rises, but we rise higher. He raises up a standard in us. A flag of victory is hoisted over the battlefield of your life and we charge on-wards and upwards and we exhibit the joy of the Lord and the world marvels. Our friends marvel, our families marvel as they gaze into your situation and see one like the Son of man in the midst of it all. Glory to God. It is He who is elevated and when He is elevated, when He is lifted up then He draws all men to Himself. This testing and finding that God is faithful increases our faith. Our faith only ever increases as a direct result of seeing Him who is faithful to us. And in this, He gets all the glory and we get the benefits of becoming more like the One that we love.
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