Archive for the ‘the remnant’ Category
Posted by appolus on June 3, 2016
John says “We saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” ‘The law was given through Moses;grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” “For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.” What the law demands, grace supplies. The contrast that John pointed out is expounded by Paul; The law came in so that transgression would increase,” and the way be prepared for the abounding grace more exceedingly. The law demands, but makes no provision for its demands being met. The law burdens and condemns and slays. It can awaken desire but cannot satisfy it. It can rouse to effort but cannot secure success. It can appeal to motives, but it gives no inward power beyond what man himself has. And so, while warring against sin, it becomes its very ally in giving the sinner over to a hopeless condemnation. “The power of sin is the law.” (1 Cor 15:56) (The Two Covenants, Andrew Murray)
Isn’t it fascinating that without grace the law becomes sin’s ally? If we know only law then we have a two-pronged attack against us that leaves us in hopelessness. Yet grace, the unmerited favor of Christ on the cross and His shed blood for us, accepted and embraced, delivers us from the law of sin and death and showers us with hope and joy and life.
Yet even then, sin tries to worm its way back into our lives and have dominion over us. And again, it uses the law to bring the saints under condemnation. It is vital that we can identify ourselves. In an age of ” gender confusion,” identity is under attack. Even in the very beginning God says that He made male and female. This very fundamental concept is under attack and make no mistake about it, it is the enemies work. Adam and Eve knew who they were until their identities were attacked. They tried to be something they were not and could not be. Lucifer tried to be something he was not nor could be. The results of Adam and Eve’s sin was that they hid themselves from God and refused to come out when He called on them, they were ashamed.
We must know who we are. The devil says to Jesus in the desert ” If you are the Son of God.” Can you see him trying to undermine who Jesus is in the subtlety of the question? Of course he was the Son of God and the devil knew that well. You, saints, are the children of God, that is your identity. You are sons and daughters of the Living God. You have the Spirit of God burning inside of you. Yes Frank but you do not know what I did yesterday. I can no longer be used of God. Lies!!! All lies from the father of all lies. God has given us a means whereby we can come before the throne of Grace and be forgiven. But I can’t come I am too ashamed. You must come because outside of the grace that you will find there, there is only darkness and condemnation. The law itself will work against you allied with your sin if you resist the grace of God, if you refuse to avail yourself of the work of the cross, reconciliation.
A way to the Holy of Holies has been wrought for you at a terrible price to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Who would like to see you separated from that? Yes, the enemy of your soul. You come right now to God dear saint. Do not let sin separate you from your loving Father. I am not talking about eternal separation here, I am talking about being estranged, walking outside of manifest presence in your every day life. The times are too dark to walk like this. We are light to the darkness of this word and must continue to be so. This is our work, we glorify God by allowing His work to be poured into these earthen vessels. You are a child of God, you are a priest in a royal priesthood you are a mighty man or woman of valor. You are. God says it. Who are you gong to believe? It is time to arise and fulfill your destiny in Him and by Him and for Him.
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Posted by appolus on May 29, 2016
Phil 4:11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
Paul is a great example to us when he tells us that he had “learned” to be content. There is no magic wand to arrive at this position. We must “learn” And we learn by walking through the fires and the floods. Giving ourselves over and surrendering in every situation so that we can find the freedom that is found in the darkness. What do I mean by that? Well the greatest freedom ever wrought was formed and delivered to us from Calvary. It is on the tree that Jesus set us free from the laws of sin a death. Gethsemane, Calvary, the cross, the resurrection, this is the path. There has to be a willingness to take up our crosses and die. I do not believe it is every forced upon us. Well I remember the day in 1995, four years after I came to Jesus, that I cried out to my heavenly Father” whatever it takes Lord for me to be useful to you.” One of those prayers that you know that you know that has been heard before the throne.
The next 20 years there was one trial after another. The kind of trials that make you fall to your knees. Over and over again. Yet, I began to discover deep truths in these trials. After so many of them it occurred to me how faithful God was to me in the midst of them. How He was always there. How disappointed I was by my lack of total trust in Him a I walked through them. How I was determined in my spirit to walk through the next one, which I knew that was coming, with more faith and trust in the faithfulness of God. I discovered that this journey was a journey not about my own faith but about discovering just how faithful the Lord was to me. It was all about His faithfulness!! And the light bulb began to come on. I was “learning.”
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 | 7 Comments »
Posted by appolus on May 25, 2016
What is the glory of God? We hear it used so often in Christian circles, but do you really know what that is? Is it just a description, an adjective, something to describe what you imagine God is like or what it is like to be in His presence? The truth is, the glory of God is God Himself. Wherever He is, then there is the glory. It is a dwelling place, it is His dwelling place. Moses had to put off his shoes because he was standing on holy ground. Now, was the ground holy before the Lord came? Was it holy after He left? What about the burning bush? When God inhabited the burning bush then the bush was God and could not be consumed by fire. Yet when the Lord left the bush was just a bush. Does God dwell in temples made by human hands? Is a church building holy? What is a building without the manifest presence of God? What is a person without the manifest presence of God operating in their lives? Where is the glory outside of the presence? How can the world see a manifestation of His presence if that manifestation of that presence cannot be seen in His children?
Will you manifest His presence today to the world? Will the light from His glory radiate off you as the light from the sun reflects off the moon and lights up a dark world? The moon is a dead object yet it has tremendous influence on the world. If we die to ourselves and live for Christ then we too can have an enormous influence in the world by the mere light that reflects from us. As you speak to people today remember the glory, move in the glory be led by 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 | 3 Comments »
Posted by appolus on May 25, 2016
How many times was the Lord rejected? How many times was He ridiculed and scorned? How grievous the journey knowing the end? How savage the battle in the garden? How savage the treatment at the hands of Romans? How cruel the desertion of all of his friends, including his best and dearest? How indescribable the drinking of the cup? Yet even in the midst of one of the cruelest deaths known to man, He ministers. How deep the love that cries ”forgive them Father?” How dead to the flesh a man must be to cry ” hold not this charge against them.” How transformed must the flesh be that has a vision in the depths of being stoned by his countrymen? And brother Stephen was taken home loving those who bore the stones.
Would I respond in kind in the same situation? I pray that I would, I pray that every trial and tribulation I now suffer is a mile run by one who trains for a marathon. Can I see my trials as blessings? Can I walk counter to modern Christendom and count my trials as I count my blessings Could I sing ” Count my trials name them one by one, count my trials see what God has done, count my trials, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done” This is the deeper life brothers and sisters. This is the counter-culture. This is the way of the remnant.
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 »
Posted by appolus on May 24, 2016
What are the riches of our dwelling place with the Lord. Out of the beauty of dwelling with Him, do we have the finest gold of unconditional love? Are the walls of our dwelling place encrusted with the jewels of forgiveness and mercy? Are the windows of our dwelling places draped with meekness and humility? Do trophies of grace hang on every wall? Are they framed with the finest materials of patience and kindness? Do we pursue the riches and the glories of heaven with the same vigor and single-mindedness that men here on earth pursue gold and silver? And the treasures that we have attained in Christ, do we protect them with all the resources that we have? Do we value the treasures of our heart in the same way men value their wealth? There is a direct correlation between how much we value something to the lengths we will go to protect it. Guard your hearts brothers and sisters in Christ, for we have an enemy who seeks to steal and destroy what we have. Satan knows the value of what we have oftentimes more than we do.
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 May 23, 2016
Joh 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
I grew tired of living in fear and the Lord brought up situations in my life where they had to be directly confronted. One of my major fears was going to college. Another was quitting construction, another was speaking in public, another was money matters, another was self- image, another was facing a life threatening disease, and a thousand more besides. So, choices had to be made, confront or flee. Always, confront or flee. I was never condemned by the Lord when I ran. Now, I condemned myself, but not a single time did the Lord condemn me and I finally figured out that when I ran, the situation was still waiting for me and I was simply putting of the inevitable. I would go around the mountain again until I was ready to take on the obstacle. Yet probably the single biggest factor for me was recognizing that my fear was actually sin. Every single time I was afraid, I was saying “Lord, you are not Lord of my life, the fear is ” And I recognized that I was, in fact, a slave to sin because I had not reckoned on what the Lord had said to be true.
We cannot be slaves and free men all at the same time. If the Lord has set me free, if He has come and opened up my jail cell, what was I doing still in the cell looking out through the bars at the world? Why had I not walked through the door that the Lord had opened? Was it safer for me to stay where I had become accustomed to? Even although it was a slavish miserable place, was it still preferable to me than to go beyond the horizons of what I had ever known? Yes, for many years it was. I was like the Israelites, threatened by armies or thirst or starvation, who wanted to turn back to Egypt with the rationale that at least in Egypt, at least in slavery, they could count on certain things. That was me.
And so I was like a pioneer back in the wagon trail days. I had started a journey, which by the way typically started at a town in Missouri called, of all names, Independence. I traveled through different rugged States, overcame deserts and rivers and mountains which were called anger and fears and lusts and insecurity, and I finally came to a vast ocean. I found many camps there, all up and down the coast. Different camps of Christianity. They had all found their way here because they had followed trails. And yet their destiny lay beyond the horizon of this sea called “Dependence.” It was very comfortable on the shores, yet the master called every day. “Come away with me to a place beyond what you have ever known. There are no maps, you must cast yourself upon the sea of dependence and trust me.”
I looked around and saw what was happening to these people who had set up camp. The call from the sea lessened every day and many people started drifting back to the different States they had overcame. In a mad wild moment I decided, a decision of complete abandon, life or death, to throw myself upon the sea of dependence. And that is how I have come to be where I am right now. I am still on the sea, and I have no control where I will end up. I don’t care, I only know that the Lord has always been faithful and He has been directing and guiding all the way. So the question is where are you in the journey? Are you still in the jail cell? Are you somewhere on the wagon-trail crossing mountains and valleys? Are you by the sea of dependence? These are the great questions of life for every Christians. We must face these questions and they must be answered. Will you abandon yourself completely to the will of God?
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 May 22, 2016
John 8:38 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Jesus is our victory, in Jesus our Lord we find true Freedom. The Scriptures say that He who the Son sets free is free indeed. This majestic freedom rises high above all earthly gained freedom. If men could attain freedom then Christ died in vain. Freedom given my men can be taken by men. The freedom wrought on Calvary by Jesus can never be taken from us no matter what our circumstances are.
How free was our brother the Apostle Paul when he languished in the deep? What about Peter and John as the lashes tore the skin from their back? What about our brother Stephen as the cruel stones destroyed his earthly body? I say that they were as free as the birds in the sky, no, so much freer than they. For the birds are as free as the sky in which they fly, our freedom ascends to the very throne of the Almighty God.
In the deepest darkest dungeons, chained to the walls, we are the light that penetrates and destroys the darkness, we are the salt of the earth. If true freedom could be granted or taken away by men then it would not be the freedom of Calvary. The gentiles busy themselves with earthly things, buying and selling, gaining and losing and for needs sakes we too must walk amongst them. And yet, we are a brotherhood, a Royal Priesthood sent to shine that light of Calvary’s freedom into every corner of the earth. We are called to be a counter culture, not a sub-culture.
So remember brothers and sisters as you go about your business today, you walk in freedom. Never forget what that freedom cost our Lord. You are free to follow Him and praise Him no matter what you face today. Choose to walk in freedom today, it is your choice. And to those who walk in freedom you also walk in victory. Let victory be yours today. Even although darkness surrounds us and the enemy desires to silence us, let us not be silent. Stand your ground my fellow saint for that ground is holy ground and it is victorious ground. The ground that you hold is the ground that was watered by the blood of the saints and the Blood of Christ.
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 »
Posted by appolus on May 20, 2016
“Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” (Rev 3:19-21)
For too long we, as people of God, as the called out people have only entered into “His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.” And while there is great emphasis in ancient Israel for worship of joyful abandon and gladness, this was not the only “mood,” of worship. Even prior to Jesus manifesting Himself on the earth there was a worship of awe and of reverence where one could barely lift their heads. The power would fall, the shekinah glory of the living God would fall with such a “Holy heaviness,” that one could barely lift their heads.
If we are to move to a different place in God, as individuals and as a called out people, we must answer the knock at the door of our hearts. In order to hear that knocking we must abandon the cares of the world. Instead of seeking the gold and the silver of this world, we must turn our eyes to the treasures of heaven and its throne room. If we are to hear God, we must become silent before Him. We are moving into a time where it will be vital to be intimate with Him.
There is a time for shouting and praising God, but if we are ignoring the knocking, then we must stop shouting. If our lives are not reflecting the Glory of God, if we are not becoming like His Son daily, then all of our shouting and praising God will just be so much noise. How tragic for the church of the living God if, when He looks down, He does not see praise but just a group of people making a noise.
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 »
Posted by appolus on May 17, 2016
Psalm 46:1 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God shall help her at the turning of the morning.
Perhaps you have reached a crisis point today? Will you call upon the Lord who is your refuge and strength and who is a very present help in time of trouble? Do you know that God is in your midst and you shall not be moved? God will help you at the “turning of the morning.” This means “at the break of Dawn.” You have heard the phrase “things are always darkest just before the dawn,” then praise the Lord we serve a God that shines His light into the darkest of situations. No matter what you face today, no matter how dark your situation, there is a God who cares and is working behind the scenes. Cry out to Him today, trust Him today and if the Lord has called you to do something, please do it no matter if it makes sense or not. Trust in Him, He is the morning sun that rises in the heart of even the darkest of circumstances. Put your foot in the water with the Lord Jesus elevated above your circumstances and see if your river will not dry up and enable you to cross. Just test Him and see if He will not make a way where there seems to be no way.
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 | Leave a Comment »
Posted by appolus on May 16, 2016
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Perhaps you have a family member or friend or loved one that seems to be in a hopeless situation, you may even have given up all hope for that person. Yet Our Lord is Hope itself. Hope is the wellspring that all of our joy flows from. We have two choices in this life, even as a Christian, we can live in hope or we can despair. Hope gives birth to joy and to life and to strength. It is because I am in Christ that my hope springs eternal. It is awesome to know that our Heavenly Father is willing to go to enormous lengths to fulfill His plans.
You can only see a snap-shot of your life but the Lord sees it all, from beginning to end. Keep on seeking the Lord with all of your heart. He will bring you out of this place that you find yourself in. Lift up your eyes today and see where your help comes from. Your help comes from the Lord. He sees the afflictions of your heart and He knows your pain. Be encouraged today saint, the Lord your God is with you and He wants you to know that.
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 »
Posted by appolus on May 11, 2016
I was a fatherless child
A crushed and rebellious heart growing wild
Sinking deeper with abandon into the miry clay
Living for the moment, just living for the day
I could care less if I lived or if I died
No tears would fall from my heavy heart, even if I tried
A heart locked away and hidden behind iron bars
If you could see what He could see then you would see my scars
At the end of my road I was all used up and I was diminished
Then I heard these words of life ” oh Father it is finished.”
And light fell down from up above and the darkness fell away
The Lord had come to dwell in me and that is where He’d stay
My crushed and broken heart He healed
My eternal destiny was sealed
My sins were all forgiven on the day He set me free
He opened up the door of hell with His eternal key
My Lord and God He came to me and He has made me whole
He revived my heart and restored to me all that the locust stole
Now what the Lord has done for me, He can do for you
He can refresh the broken heart in you just like the morning dew
Lift up your eyes oh captive son
For your enemy is on the run
He has delivered you from slavery
He has broken chains and set you free
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christian poetry, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, poetry, revival, spiritual poetry, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | 4 Comments »
Posted by appolus on May 8, 2016
The story of Esther is a fascinating story. From the book of Esther we can see that she was a orphan, no mother and no father. Now, this would be difficult enough in any generation but it must have been very difficult in the ancient world. To add to Esther’s trouble she lived in a time when the king of all the land was looking for a new wife. The king was Ahasuerus and he was very powerful and his dominion was vast. It is reported in history that he had a bridge built near the ocean and it was destroyed by a storm. He had all the builders killed and he ordered that the sea be “whipped and chained.” They literally flogged the sea carrying out the orders of this man who had the power of life and death.
Now the reason he was looking for a new Queen was because his current wife and queen refused to appear before him and the royal court naked, wearing only a crown. apparently he had been boasting to other men just how beautiful she was and he wanted to show her off. She refused him and she would be replaced and banished and never be seen by him again. So, people were sent out into every corner of the vast empire to collect the most beautiful young woman who could be found and assemble them back in the capital city for preparation. Esther was chosen from her region, there would be 400 young women on all. Now you might think that this would be an incredible opportunity for Esther, but it was a truly horrifying prospect. Each young woman would be prepared for a year for their ” encounter,” with the king, meaning they would have to sleep with him. Out of these 400 he would choose a queen. The other 399 women would be, effectively, slaves for the rest of their lives. They would not get married or have children nor have a family. They would be kept in separate quarters and, unless they had somehow pleased this wicked old man, they would quite probably not be called upon again.
And so Esther’s life was one of many difficulties and she faced many trials. It is reckoned she would only be about 14 when she was taken. You can imagine the trauma. What really interests me is what happens after she is indeed chosen and becomes queen. She obviously has to make the best of it being married to a man famed for his hedonistic ways. Yet then comes the crisis that we know about from the book. The Jewish people face being wiped out and Esther is called upon by her uncle Mordecai, an honorable man, to make an appeal to the king. Esther has to break convention and enter into his presence without invitation, a crime whose punishment was death. So, she makes up her mind to do it and makes this statement in regard to it ” If I perish I perish.”
Although there is no mention of God at all in the book of Esther, I see her actions and her statement as an act of faith that can be found all throughout the Bible. In Revelation 12:11 it says “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” This loving God and following the truth more than loving one’s own life is fundamental in the examples of faith throughout the Bible. It is supernatural and can only be achieved by the power and the unction of the Holy Spirit operating in the depths of the children of God. I think of Job when he says in Job 13:15 “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” Now we know the life that Job had lived and the circumstances that had befallen him.
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Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, faith, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the crucified life, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | 3 Comments »
Posted by appolus on April 30, 2016
Are we Unleashing a Monster?-Donald Trump
I would argue that this current political cycle is a perfect example of form triumphing over substance. The rise of Donald Trump is the rise of form over substance. He merely taps into the mood of the people and says what he needs to say to get elected. He is an amalgam of our personality cult culture and business and now politics. This is the end result of a long process that could only truly find its successful conclusion with the rise of media and especially social media.
Now there have been notable people from the previous century that gives us clues as to how we got here. If we look at Hitler we see a man who could never have arisen without the aid of radio and the camera and of course circumstances. The circumstances are obvious. There was social unrest caused by a financial meltdown. This of course was severely aggravated with the rise of socialism and communism throughout the world. Given these fears and others, the people turned to someone who promised to make Germany great again. Someone who would face the problems of the day head on. Now they knew that he held extreme views but their fears for their present situation overcame any misgivings they may have had for him. The basic premise throughout the ruling classes was ” he would at least sort out the Communists,” which of course he did yet they had unleashed a monster.
Along with all those reasons, Hitler could still not have come to power without the aid of media. Radio of course was the social media of the day. People gathered in their living rooms and listened to his captivating speeches. They also went to the movies and saw such productions as ” Triumph of the Will.” A movie about the rise of the Nazi party that combined music and clippings of speeches and rallies. It is purported to be the greatest propaganda movie of all time and truly shows the power of media, form over substance, to move a whole nation. And of course that power has only increased exponentially over the last 80 years.
The first ever televised interview of two politicians debating was in 1960 and was between Nixon and Kennedy. Unbeknownst to Nixon, Kennedy had the heat turned way up in the studio because he knew Nixon had a tendency to sweat. When they both sat down to debate, Kennedy looked cool and collected while Nixon sweated badly. This had a great effect on the viewing audience. No matter what one of these men you liked, it could easily be argued that Kennedy knew the value of form over substance, it was less about what they were saying and more about how they were coming across to the audience.
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Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, Donald Trump, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, politics, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | 28 Comments »
Posted by appolus on April 27, 2016
I think it is hard for many people to separate what victory means and what victory looks like.
Look at Jesus on the cross. Nailed up there, rejected, tortured, stripped naked, taken outside the city to the garbage dump, and killed there. A notorious and ignominious death. This is victory, this is what the defeat of Satan looks like. The world and the spirit of the world hates this. This physical death looks like anything but victory, but it is and He made an open shame of Satan, by this death, according to Scripture.
” Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.” Can you hear the chains falling brothers and sisters? The chains of hell and sin and death. Foolishness to those that are perishing, victory and glory to the saints. Satan will soon be loosed once more only this time will be his end. Satan himself will come in the anti-christ and he will get what he has always wanted. Every tribe, every tongue, every nation will bow down to him. This is what, in the very beginning, caused his fall, pride. He thought he could take Gods place! And now here he is, every living being bowing down to him.
But wait, what will darkness do with the light of the saints? What will he do with the bearers of the truth? What did he do to Jesus? He will try and kill every voice that stands against him. But that’s okay, for the saints overcome him as Jesus overcame him. Not by avoiding death, but by embracing it and crying out like Jesus did, not rendering evil for evil. This is how evil is defeated. This is the victory, Satan may destroy our bodies, like he did with the Apostles, but victory reigns eternally in the spirit of the saints. Praise God Satan was defeated at Calvary and millions of saints after Him were able to follow His example and even after the great falling away, God’s remnant saints in these last days will follow His leading and we will take up our crosses willingly by the power of the Spirit that burns inside of us…………bro Frank
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, inspirational, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
Posted by appolus on April 25, 2016
Tozer writes………..
Allowing yourself to be out in such a position that God is exalted is the goal of living the crucified life. When you allow God to be exalted in your difficulties, you will be in the perfect position to smell the sweet fragrance of His presence (Tozer)
Have you found that to be true in your own life? The depths of His presence is no more deeply felt than in the depths of the valleys of our lives. The crucified life runs counter to every human emotion that we have. It is not natural at all it is supernatural. Brothers and sisters, if we can understand this, if we can desire this, if our chief end is truly to glorify God, then we will discover a depth of His presence that we have never known before.
How many of us say that we want the Lord to bless us? What does that actually mean? If the ultimate blessing is to know God in the depths of who He is and the only door that will lead us to that blessing is a door that says above it ” crucified,” will you walk though that door? Now please do not rush to answer that question. It’s an all or nothing question. There is no connection to be had between the mediocre Christian life and the crucified Christian life, they are worlds apart.
If we want to enter into a place of rest and I am sure that you do, then we must come through the crucified door. Think about the children of Israel entering into a place flowing with milk and honey, the promised land, praise the Lord the promised land. They had wandered all those years in the wilderness and now, the promised land. Before they could even start there was a river swollen by spring time waters. It took faith and a mighty miracle just to cross over. Battle over? Not so. Then they came to the most formidable walls you could imagine. It was beyond their ability to conquer. More faith more miracles required. Now, surely, with this huge obstacle removed it is finally plain sailing? No. Then came defeat at Ai. Lessons learned, now Ai is defeated, now we can finally settle down to a peaceful existence? No. More battles, more tests, more faith more miracles.
Brothers and sisters this is our lives as children of the living God. The crucified life is a series of battles, it is a life of overcoming. It is a life of subduing and persevering. Who will endure to the end? To whom are the promises made in the first three chapters of Revelations? To the overcomers, to those who endure to the end. It is to those who live the crucified life that all the promises are made. I want you to take heart today. Perhaps you have been discouraged by a life full of trials. My encouragement today is not to tell you that your trials are behind you or that there are no battles left ahead of you. This I know, there are battles ahead, all along the narrow path that leads to life.
Yet this I know also, that our God goes ahead of us. Our God loves us with an everlasting love and He is well pleased with His children who have laid down their lives and taken up their crosses. He is with us in the midst of our battles, He is with us as we walk through our trials. He is with you right now brothers and sisters. Can you smell His fragrant beauty? It flows down from heaven above when He is exalted in love. When we exalt Him in the midst of our trials then the light that dwells within us shines out through our brokenness to a lost and dark world. Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by appolus on April 21, 2016
Have you been subdued by the Majesty?
Has your head hung low in the glory?
Has your darkness been shattered by the light from up above?
Have you found yourself adrift in an ocean of love?
Oh God in heaven rend the skies and come down
May I fall to my knees with your glory all around
May the waters rise from the tears of a million saints
Let us enter into this place where no one ever faints
Brighter than the light of a thousand suns
Where time has no place and eternity’s just begun
Where every part of me is one with every part of you
And the glory falls and covers me like the morning dew
I am whole and complete, here before the mercy-seat
I am refreshed and restored where my mercies are replete
Oh God in heaven take me to this place
Where I forever look unto your face
Tears of joy and wholeness rise in me
Waters from the saints that are deeper than the sea
Only in this place do I truly belong
Forever singing heaven’s Holy song
Suddenly I am back from whence I came
But this I know, I shall never be the same
And the memory of His presence lingers on
My heart is full, tis food to dwell upon
This hunger and this thirst is part of me
Longing to be adrift once more, in that eternal sea
Oh take me to that place that is my home
Where I shall dwell eternally before thy throne
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Posted by appolus on April 18, 2016
If I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then behold them that are sick with famine! yea, both the prophet and the priest go about into a land that they know not. (Jer 14:18)
Famine and drought plague the land. The spiritually dead are everywhere. And where they are not dead they are sick with the famine. And yet in the midst of this the prophets and the priests cry out to a willingly blind people that peace and prosperity lie just ahead of them. They say that they are enriched yet the very riches they have gathered to themselves have shut up the skies.
Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart…….. And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem.(Jer 14:14-16)
Those who follow the blind prophets, who willingly have forsaken spiritual eyes for worldly treasure will suffer the same fate as these blind leaders of the blind. Pray now that the Lord will give you eyes to see that your gold is actually brass. Your peace based on circumstances is an allusion, it is the peace of the world that will be shaken to and fro. The people of the world rely on the rain that falls from the sky and the grass of the field to feed their livestock. How feeble is that peace? How dim is the light from the sparks of a fire of their own making?
Seek now, while it can yet be found, living waters. Let the food of your soul be the Word of God to you. These alone will sustain you. The full effects of the drought and the famine is gripping the necks of the willfully blind like a lion grips the neck of its prey after the chase , just prior to its demise.
Jer 15:11 The LORD said, Verily it shall be well with thy remnant;
Even in the midst of great turmoil God’s hand shall remain upon His people. As spiritual darkness falls on every nation, there is a light that dwells in the chests of His children. Even as the world is spiritually ravished and morally bankrupted, the saints of God will fall deeper into the heart of God and will shine like true heavenly gold amidst a wicked and perverse generation.
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Posted by appolus on April 14, 2016
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Posted by appolus on April 12, 2016
The fire in the furnace reveals Christ in the midst of His people…………….The revelation of God is the fruit of the flame.How many times have we missed the fragrance of God’s presence because we resist the furnace and the tribulation and the suffering before us……We want to be coddled on our way to heaven and have the easy life. We want to make sure that we are going to go to heaven when we die but in the meantime we want to enjoy the pleasures of this world.
There is no revelation of God in following that path. There is no experiencing the fragrance of God’s presence. There is no burning of the bonds that the world has imposed upon us, setting us free to follow the Lord. Yes we walk by faith. But occasionally there are some glorious moments in which God reveals Himself to us. I tell you, this is holy ground. This is an area of sacredness incomparable to anything else this side of glory. (A.W.Tozer)
Has this been your experience? Have you experienced incomparable sacredness and the beauty of Gods holiness as you stood there on Holy ground, or lay there on Holy ground? You see, holy ground is to be found in the midst of the fire. Moses was told to kick of his shoes for he stood on holy ground, the presence of God being right there in the fire. It’s in the fire that Christ comes gloriously to His people in a way that is beyond all comparison. He reaches into the very depths of who you are and He changes everything.
Now not all fires produce this. The fires that produce this kind of change is the fire that is yielded to. In the yielding and submitting to God in the midst of the furnace of our afflictions, the bonds of this world are burned off and we are freed to fly to the throne room of God. It is in the depths of this experience that we are truly changed in the most dramatic of ways. Sanctification, being separated from this world is a yielding voluntary process. When the flesh screams out for justification only yielding to the revealed will of our Lord brings us deeper into sanctification.
There is a reason why the narrow path, the deeper walk is to be found in so few people. Yes,many will be saved but by fire in the end, but those who choose to yield to the fire in the here and now are those whom God truly uses. It is through them that the Lord shines His light which has illuminated the narrow path for 2000 years. Maybe you are a yielder and you have experienced the depths of Christ in your innermost being and it has changed you forever. Yet you look at your life and it seems you have achieved very little. You do not have a large ministry. You are not a preacher nor an evangelist. Your just little old you. You don’t have an easy life and you seem to go from one trial to another. Can I tell you something saint? Inside your broken vessel is the light that shines forth from the darkness of your trials. This is the light of the world and it illuminates the face of Christ to a lost and dying people. Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by appolus on April 8, 2016
The next word is that which is best translated, I think, into our English word with which we have become sadly familiar in recent days – a refugee; the essence of this word is that. It means one who has left a region of desolation and found refuge from desolation – a fine thought for Overcomers. It is possible to know spiritual desolation even amongst the people of God, to know desolation of heart even in the Christian Church. So many write to us and speak to us – ‘The place where I attend is a desolation, there is no food, there is no life, it is all barren and dead; what are we to do?’ And that is a Christian church, so called; a Christian circle. Yes, we say it quietly because we do not gloat over that; it is the opposite of that that is in our thought. We have to take note of facts, and these are facts, that there is spiritual desolation today in Christendom and often even in evangelical circles; starvation and death, and the Overcomer, the remnant, are those who have left that region of desolation spiritually and have found food, come into life, into wealth, into spiritual affluence, who have found the realm of heart satisfaction. That is how it was at the beginning.” (T.A.Sparks)
“I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever
cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest
they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion
without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless
they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which
they first set out.” — John Wesley
“Preaching truth without the anointing of the Holy Ghost is helping
the devil to damn souls. There’s nothing on earth today so
deadening as preaching without heaven’s anointing. Refrain from
preaching unless you know that the dew of heaven is on your soul.”
— Duncan Campbell
I watched a nature program one time about an African country that had a very short rainy season. Long before the year was over, the rivers had dried up to a series of mere muddy pools. It showed that some of the animals set of in epic journeys to find life sustaining water, most stayed behind and died. God’s saints will find water, they are the few that will get up and seek Him where He shall be found. Those that stay behind slowly die as even the mud holes dry up and the land is scorched and the drought takes it’s toll.
Read the rest of this entry »
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A Call To The Remnant 