Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Posted by appolus on March 27, 2015
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Many times in my walk with the Lord I have forgotten this truth. Many times in the last twenty-five years I have come across brothers and sisters who have either never learned this or have forgotten it. If God so loved me as a sinner that He sent His Son to die for me and then I was reconciled to Him, how is it that I could ever think that some how I had blown it with Him? If Jesus died for me while I was yet in my sin, how much more does His eternal life in Heaven at the right hand of the Father, interceding for me, guarantee that He will never leave me nor forsake me and the He indeed is the author and the finisher of my faith. He died for my justification and He rose again victorious and reigns for my sanctification. This is the promise upon which I stand. He is the author and finisher of my faith. By His power I was saved and by His power I shall be sanctified, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Maybe you are feeling very low today? Maybe you have fallen down and it seems like you shall not recover? Maybe you feel like you cannot be used by God, that you are not good enough, not Holy enough, not anointed enough, not gifted enough? Can I reassure you today that if you were saved by Jesus you shall be sanctified by Jesus, you shall be used by Jesus, you are a work in progress and the last chapter of your life is not written. All that the Lord requires from us is a broken and contrite spirit. If you live long enough you will know that life often breaks people. Yet right there, in the midst of your brokeness the Lord says β Lift up your eyes, come to me, see where your help comes from.β Come to me in your brokenness and I will give you rest.
Too many people fall and then believe that they are not worthy enough to come to God. This is a lie from hell designed to keep your face in the mud. Jesus died for you and for your justification. He rose victoriously for you and reconciled you to your heavenly Father to whom you have access and can cry β Abba.β God dwells with the lowly and the contrite, He is the healer of the broken. Do not make the mistake of falling and being broken but not coming to the Lord, this is the enemies desire. There is a world of brokenness which leads to despair, hopelessness and ruin. Do not let your brokenness lead you there, let it lead you to light and to life, the life of Christ and Him resurrected. Come unto Him today. He awaits.
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology, Uncategorized | 8 Comments »
Posted by appolus on March 26, 2015
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.(Isa 57:15)
God is high and lifted up. He is glorious in His majesty. In the presence of God there is fulness of joy. In this place there is nothing impossible. Our minds are lit up by His mere presence, the manifest presence of God. To come up and into this place is to dwell with Him. This is where we are changed. This is where the attractions of this world and everything it has to offer loses all of its meaning. One moment in the manifest presence of God does more good than a lifetime of struggling against sin. For in this light we see the true darkness of our souls and we long to never again walk among the shadows. This life is but a shadow and this flesh is the vehicle that must be inhabited until that happy day when the mere moments in His presence is transformed into eternity. If we desire God, if we truly desire to come into His presence, then we shall be as the deer that panteth for the waterbrooks.
Humility and brokenness is the door and the lintel that ushers us into this Holy place. Everything about our walk with the Lord is a contradiction to the world. In order to live we must die. In order to be truly rich, we must become poor to the things of this world. In order to lead we must serve. In order to ascend unto that holy place of His presence we must bow low. It is in the deepest valleys that the saint will discover the greatest mountaintops.We must stoop down low on bended knee in order to ascend that hill and truly see. The greatest danger of the one who brings trials and tribulations and persecutions upon the saints is that they create the perfect environment for the most radical encounters with the Living God that they will ever have had. This is why the saint who genuinely desires a radical encounter with the living God is such a danger to the enemy of our souls. If he pushes too hard against the saint, he pushes Him deeper into the heart of God and that becomes a witness that has a life all of itself. The Spirit of Glory that stands for all time.
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology, Uncategorized | Tagged: Holy place, humble spirit, manifest presence of God, presence of god | 1 Comment »
Posted by appolus on March 25, 2015
A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. (Psa 133:1-3)
Prior to taking the promised land, the Israelites fought as one. They had just passed through the wilderness for forty years and for hundreds of years prior to that they were enslaved by the Egyptians. So whether is was slavery or wilderness wandering or fighting to take hold of their possession, they were one. As long as they were all facing the same circumstances, then they were as one. When we look out over the barren wasteland that is Christendom today, we see a thousand different moving parts, each doing their own thing. They have no common vision, in fact quite the opposite. Every little thief-dom has its own vision for what it wants. The bigger picture is quite lost to all but a few. Do we see life in Christendom in general? Now, I do not mean much activity, I mean the life of Christ manifested in His presence amongst His people?
In WWII, London was severely bombed by the Nazis. London was a highly diverse city, its millions of people were separated into groups. There were working class folks and lower working class. You had the middle class and the upper middle class and of course you also had the Royal family so you had the aristocrats. This was a class system where one would never really have any contact with someone outside of your class unless compelled by some sort of business. It was a rigid system broken down into ” stations,” and one was compelled to stay within their station by centuries of tradition and etiquette. Yet when they faced destruction they were compelled to work together just to survive. Their previous ways of life had to be suspended and they had to come together if they were to survive. They suddenly had a common goal and it brought them together in unity in such a way that had never been seen before nor has been seen since.
Christianity in general is facing a coming storm. Just like the rise of the Nazi party in the 30s which was very ominous for the world and the Jewish people specifically, then so the coming storm is ominous for the saints. Its goal will be to simply kill every genuine saint. Now, nothing can bring Christendom together but what can bring the Body of Christ together? Circumstances will certainly help. Persecution will help to bring the saints together when they will realize that they need one another. Yet the only thing that can bring about the unity of the saints where the blessings of life shall be commanded by God, is the Holy Spirit flowing down through the very essence of the saints who are priests in a royal priesthood. Saints, if you could go back in time and speak to a Jewish person in Germany in 1933, what would you say to him? Would you not tell him that he and his family must flee? If you could look forward and see a storm of darkness and death heading towards the Body of Christ, what would your advice be to them? The antidote to death is life. The antidote to darkness is light. The antidote to hatred is love. The antidote to eternal death is Jesus who is Life and Light and Love and eternal life.
Those with eyes to see the coming storm are beginning to flock together. For together, with all the walls broken down, there is a commanded blessing. When the dew falls from the sky it covers everything. Every single blade of grass is covered and is sustained. Gods abundant blessings of life are found when the saints march together under the banner of Christ. An army of saints covered by the blood of the Lamb walking lockstep in common purpose and unity as they face their final and most tumultuous battle prior to the return of the Bridegroom. Lord may your Holy Spirit open up the eyes of those who have a desire to see and open up the ears of those who would hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, prophecy, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology, Uncategorized | Tagged: Christendom | 3 Comments »
Posted by appolus on March 24, 2015
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; (Jas 1:1-2)
Another way of saying this is that we count it pure joy when we face every kind of trial. Are you there brothers and sisters? Are you close? Do you want to be there? In order to see our trials as opportunities to be more like Jesus, we have to want to be like Jesus very much. When we find ourselves even close to this kind of thinking, we begin to elevate ourselves above the circumstances. In every trial and situation we can ask ourselves “what would bring God the most glory?” Just the mere asking yourself that question will bring so much clarity to your mind. As you begin to think of His name and how you can glorify Him in your trial, then you have taken your eyes off yourself. As you do this then you begin to walk in victory. Your trial becomes your vehicle that drives you deeper into the Fathers heart. When things are going well in our lives, we may not react that much differently from those in the world. Yet when we are facing dire circumstances and trials or infirmities, then it is a glorious opportunity to not only reveal God’s truth and glory in you to the world but also to the principalities and powers, the mockers and accusers of the brethren.
We have been called to live extraordinary lives. It is ordinary to bemoan our state when we experience trials. It is mediocre. Do you want to live a mediocre life for Christ? That word comes from two old Latin words , medius meaning middle and ocris meaning mountain. To be mediocre is to be neither at the top of the mountain nor the bottom, just somewhere in the middle. If you allow the trials of your faith to shape you for His glory then the Scriptures say that it will make you complete, wanting nothing. How would you like to be completely satisfied, content in Christ in this hard life? How would you like to walk in that kind of victory in the midst of the many trials of life that will be with us until the day that we die? How would you like to experience even a portion of this pure joy? Are you fighting your trial? Stop. Do not resist any longer. Your trial, if you allow it, will make you stronger and God will never be closer. Walking in this closeness, this proximity to God will cause you to triumph over every trial and circumstance. Now lift up your eyes and see that you are on top of the mountain. To summit the mountain is to conquer the mountain. We conquer our mountains and cast them into the sea by faith in God in every situation.
One last thing brothers and sisters, James writes this to the ” twelve tribes that are scattered abroad.” God’s remnant children are scattered all over this world. God encourages His own. And so to the remnant saints I want to say to you ” be of good cheer,” and count it all joy in the midst of your trials for our Lord is returning soon yet He is with you even now. He sees your trials, He sees your tears, He sees the afflictions of His people. He is with you in all of them.
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology, Uncategorized | 7 Comments »
Posted by appolus on March 23, 2015
“I see thousands of Christian young adults in America who, like Simon the Sorcerer, are hungry for the supernatural and are therefore looking for an impartation, prayer or touch from a well-known leader in the body of Christ to launch them into their ministry. Rather than seeking intimacy with Jesus Christ and walking in true legitimate kingdom authority like Peter and John, many, just like Simon, are seeking a drive-thru experience because they are hungry for authority, but aren’t willing to obtain it legally through intimacy.” Read the full article by Jeremiah Johnson by clicking the link …. A generation of Simon the Sorcerers is rising.
Carrying on this theme, I have included a portion from my book ” The fall of Christendom and the rise of the remnant.” It speaks of the two sorcerers Jannes and Jambres. This is perilous times brothers and sisters and we must be aware and beware…………………..
Jannes and Jambres are noted as men who greatly resisted Moses and since the context of this chapter is perilous last days, then we can assume that men like Jannes and Jambres will greatly resist Godβs true people in these latter days. Now who were these men and what do they represent today? Well Jannes and Jambres are reckoned to be two of the occultist magicians in Pharoahβs court who replicated the rod turning into a snake, then were able to replicate some of the plagues. It is reckoned that when Moses and the children of Israel left Egypt that they had become followers of Moses, perhaps for the same reasons as Simon the magician of Acts 8 , who was amazed at the power of the Apostles and who tried to buy this power.
Extra Biblical evidence suggests that Jannes and Jambres were very influential in persuading Aaron to make a golden calf when it seemed that Moses may not return. And we know that the calf was made with the gold and the treasure that was taken from Egypt. And so we see two men who had some kind of power, perhaps even a form of Godliness since they were now following Moses, persuade men to fall down and worship the treasures of the world and act just like the world from which they had been delivered. Do we not see that in Christendom today. There are so many men just like Jannes, just like Jambres, just like Simon, men who are desperate to operate in the power of God so that they can impress others and elevate their own status. It will never happen. Todayβs so-called miracles workers and self-proclaimed prophets are merely operating in the soulish realm. And Godβs fire will never fall on them. This will be one reason they will hate genuine saints, for as God pours out His Spirit on genuine saints in these latter times and they begin to move in the genuine power of God, it will enrage the false teachers just as it enraged the religious leaders in the days of Jesus. We see a small clue in Matthew 27:18 as to why they wanted Jesus deadβ¦ β For he knew they had delivered Him because of envy. β
REPROBATES, CASTAWAYS AND FRIENDS OF THE WORLD Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, prophecy, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology, Uncategorized | Tagged: Jannes and Jambres, Simon the Sorcerer | 3 Comments »
Posted by appolus on March 3, 2015
When the cliffs are to your back
And the tide is coming in
When the waters surely rising
And you know you cannot swim
And the water comes so slowly
But you know there’s no escape
It laps around your ankles
It will take what it will take
You know your slowly drowning
But you do not seem to care
What you really are afraid of
That come the morning your still there
How many tides have come and gone
How many fogs have rolled on in?
How dark has been the darkest night
It tries to drown the light within
And suddenly you realize
You are a beacon in the night
You stand above the highest tide
Eternally a shining light
A lighthouse standing on the Rock
For all the world to see
Standing whole and strong above the storm
Shining light for all eternity
Through endless storms and ages past
Through every dark and stormy night
You’ve come to learn this single thing
There always comes dawns early light
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 | 2 Comments »
Posted by appolus on March 1, 2015
Heb 2:14-16 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, (15) and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (16) For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.
He humbled Himself and became a man and raised the state of redeemed man to be higher than the fallen angels. These angels who fell remain where they are, there is no redemption for them. Their leader is the father of sin and the first to sin and then to beguile men to sin and to be takenΒ captive by the bondage of that and eternal death. Yet the children of light, the redeemed of the Lord no longer dwell in such bondage and can say ” Oh death where is your sting, oh grave where is your victory?” Jesus was victorious over death and the grave, He has arisen and He bids men to join Him. Brothers and sisters, consider your freedom this day from bondage. The fallen angels found no such aid yet you, think slowly, you have been raised up with Christ. Your outward man is perishing, but your inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.2Co 4:17-18
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: eternal death, fallen angels, fear of death, The fallen angels | Leave a Comment »
Posted by appolus on February 27, 2015
2Co 1:24 Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand.
Oh brothers and sisters, where is the Apostolic leadership of our day? Where is the wisdom of God? Where can we find such leadership that would proclaim that they do not have dominion over ones faith but are actually fellow workers for the joy of the saints? If one of the chief purposes of gathering together is for the edifying of the saints, for the equipping of the saints, for the feeding of the sheep, then where is the servant leadership today? In our day we produce leaders, yet all though the Bible leaders were called of God by His Spirit. When Christendom is reduced to an industry, then the industry itself finds, promotes and trains its leaders. The land is in desperate need of men that are called by God and who reject all titles and privileges. All too often and in too many places the saints have been reduced to dumb spectators whose tithes and offerings are for the equipping of the salaried staff. We have it backwards, may the Lord forgive us.
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: Apostolic leadership, servant leadership | 6 Comments »
Posted by appolus on February 26, 2015
Mat 21:33-40 “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. (34) Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. (35) And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. (36) Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. (37) Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ (38) But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ (39) So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. (40) “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”
Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees here. This must have incensed them as they realized He was talking about them and the people they led. God is the Landowner and the nation of Israel and its leaders were the vinedressers. Now it must be realized that God has also planted a church, the church was born at Pentecost. Just as the Lord was looking for fruit from ancient Israel, He is also looking for fruit from the church. God sent messengers and prophets to Israel and they abused them and treated the cruelly and killed them. Over the last 2000 years God has sent messengers and prophets to His church. Is there fruit behind the walls? Will He find faith on the earth? If He cut of the natural branches should that not give pause for thought to the branches that were grafted in? There is a harvest coming. The owner is coming back for what is His. Jesus’ first coming was the culmination of all the messengers and the prophets. His second coming will be heralded as well. The people and their leaders will be without excuse. God continually reaches out and exhorts and warns of that day that is to come for His love is without question and His long-suffering with a stiff-necked people is remarkable.
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: Israel | 2 Comments »
Posted by appolus on February 25, 2015
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
“I am the Truth.” Wow. Jesus had not come to teach us the truth, He had come to show us the Truth. Jesus was not another teacher teaching us about truth, He was Truth and He had come to reveal Himself. Jesus says in another place that if we abided in His Word then we would know the truth and the truth would set us free. In another place we are told that in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. Jesus is the Word. The Word and the Truth are Jesus. If we abide in Jesus, if we dwell with Him, if we come to Him, then we will know Him and in knowing Him we shall be set free. He who the Son sets free is free indeed, liberated from bondage and the curse of sin. Now, you can know the Bible and not know the Truth, but you cannot know the Truth and not know the Bible. Those who are in Christ and know Him are in the Word and the word is in them and they continue in it, they abide in it. There is a huge difference between memorizing Scripture and knowing the Word. He showed us the Way by showing us Himself who is the Truth and it led us deeper into Him, who is Life. All of that leads us to the Father. Show me a man with the life of Christ in Him and I will show you a man knows the Truth and walks the narrow way that leads to the Father and eternal life.
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 February 24, 2015
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. (Hab 3:17-19)
Have you ever seen the mountain goat traverse almost vertical sheer cliffs? It is a sight to behold. In the making of these goats God withheld fear. It is as if the mountain is not there. There is something in their very make up that causes them to move with ease in surroundings that would kill almost any other living creature, God made it so. When gross darkness comes upon us brothers and sisters, there is a perfect love that casts out all fear. We traverse the mountains and the valleys and the shadows of death with power and love and a mind that is stayed upon Him. He is your strength and He will make you fearless when the time comes and you will walk in high places. Even in the midst of great turmoil and chaos, peace will reign in the hearts of the saints whose eyes are stayed on 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 | 4 Comments »
Posted by appolus on February 23, 2015
The title of this piece is very controversial. I have lost friends over this subject. I do not take it lightly. It is quite an audacious thing to say that the very system that most of Christendom labors under is un-biblical and flawed but there it is, that is what I believe. The mere fact that it has existed in some form or fashion for countless centuries in no way legitimizes it.Β If it did, then the Catholic church would be the most legitimate church out there. It seems plain enough that in Scripture, Christians met in their homes and their very homes became places of worship, houses of prayer if you like. The outside world saw life in these people, saw love in these people and God Himself added to them daily. Think about all the church programs that are designed to ” get,” new members or to somehow stop the ” revolving door,” and keep the folks who come and visit. Yet the early believers had no such programs.
What led people to the truth was the very life in those who represented it. A burning love and passion for Jesus.Β They had no desire to bring folks to their particular house, or tell people that they must hear their particular teacher or pastor, no their singular obsession and passion was for the one who radically transformed their lives and it was now no longer them that lived but Christ lived in them. Therefore they were not afraid to die for Jesus , in fact, the early Church counted it as a great honor and thanked God that they were counted worthy to suffer for Him. This was the life of Christ burning in their bones, coursing through their veins, it completely dominated their whole lives, their life was about His life in them and this drew others to Jesus. God Himself was given all the honor and the glory for the drawing of others to Himself as of course it should be. Consider the words of T.A.Sparks……………………………
The Lord has not called upon us to form churches. That is not our business. Would to God men had recognized the fact! A very different situation would obtain today from what exists, if that had been recognized. It is the Lord Who expands His Church, Who governs its growth. What we have to do is to live in the place of His appointment in the power of His resurrection. If, in the midst of others, the Lord can get but two of His children, in whom His Life is full and free, to live on the basis of that Life, and not to seek to gather others to themselves or to get them to congregate together on the basis of their acceptance of certain truths or teaching, but simply to witness to what Christ means and is to them, then He has an open way…. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, prophecy, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology, Uncategorized | Tagged: the Body of Christ, The Pilgrim Church | 19 Comments »
Posted by appolus on February 22, 2015
Joh 2:11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
The beginning of a manifestation of His glory. This would culminate in the greatest manifestation of Gods glory here on earth, the transformation and the regeneration of a human soul. To take what is dead and bring it back to life again.To take what is broken and to restore it. To take what is captured and to set it free. The earth cries out for such manifestations of glory in our day, yet perhaps the church is crying out for other things?
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: manifestation | Leave a Comment »
Posted by appolus on February 21, 2015
Psa 125:2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.
The Lord Jesus is as a mountain to His people. He is our higher ground. He towers over our valleys and beckons us to come up higher, to come to Him and rise above our circumstances. When you are in the valley of weeping lift up your eyes and see where your help comes from. Three times a year the people of God were called to come up to Jerusalem, to the temple of God. Psalms 120-134 are songs of ascendancy. It was vital for Gods people to come unto the sanctuary at various times throughout the year. This would give them the strength to dwell in the valleys and plains where they lived. Jesus, in a larger sense, came down from the mountain of heaven to the valley of this world. Time and time again He retreated to the mountain. He shared some of the greatest truths from the mountain, consider His ” sermon on the mount.” He would retreat to the mountain and get alone with His Father. Brothers and sisters, do not neglect this higher ground. One must come up and into the presence of God if one is to navigate the deep valleys of life.
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: higher ground | 4 Comments »
Posted by appolus on February 18, 2015
A wise man once wrote ” Friction is the polish that shines our graces.” Another way of saying that could be ” suffering is the path that leads to glory.” Now, this is never a popular teaching, but suffering is a gift from God in the sense that it helps to sanctify us and shape us and teach us. The flesh screams out against ever going down that path. As mere humans we would never personally choose to go down such a path. Yet do you know what that path is called? It’s called the narrow path and it leads to life. One might ask ” how can trials and humiliations , pain and suffering and even sometimes death lead to life?” As Christians, do we really need to ask that question? This was the life of Christ. He was acquainted with suffering, He was a man of sorrows. Some would teach that He suffered so that we would not have to. This is not true. He overcame suffering and hell and death so that we could overcome too in His name and by the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures tells us that “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; (Heb 5:8-9)
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;(Php 1:29)
If you are suffering today and in the midst of a sore trial, I want to encourage you. God is in control. He knows and He sees. There is nothing lost not a single tear. One day soon, all of those tears will be wiped away in the glories of heaven.
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: pain and suffering | 9 Comments »
Posted by appolus on February 17, 2015
Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. (Mat 4:8-9)
In this encounter with Satan, this is the final test for Jesus in the desert. Look at what Satan wanted, this is what he wanted over and above all other things, he wanted authority over Jesus. He would gladly give him all the kingdoms of the world and all the glory that goes along with that if He would only bow the knee to him. Of course Jesus refused.
I want you to see something in this. Satan wanted the authority and the preeminence that belonged to God alone. This is the sin that Satan was guilty of, this is the genesis of pride, listen to his words……Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:” You see, you can have everything this world has to offer if you will only bow to the authority of man which is ultimately the authority of Satan. This is where the struggle began and this has been the ancient struggle which will finally be dealt with at the return of Jesus.
The challenge to every saint in every age is what they do with established authority. Now they hated Jesus and Jesus told us if they hated Him then they would certainly hate us. Who would hate us? The rulers of this world, religious or otherwise. Why would they hate us? Jesus refused to bow His knee to the ruler of this world who is the ruler of rulers. Genuine saints have received the love of the truth and they abide in it and it has set them free. Those who perish and are deceived are those who would not receive the love of the truth.
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: (2Th 2:10-11)
Brothers and sisters, those who have received the love of the truth which is a gift from God are the persecuted saints down through the ages. They are the deadliest enemy of the father of lies. They will not bow the knee to him nor any of his emissaries even if they appear as an angel of light. This ancient battle of darkness against light started when Lucifer, in his mind, exalted himself above the throne of God and then would have Jesus bow down to him. There is a deadly fury of all of hell that comes against the one who refuses to bow to anyone other than Christ. It will culminate soon when all the world will bow down to the god of this world who is a pretender to the rightful throne of Christ. He will command all men everywhere to bow down to him, the saints will not. For they love the Truth more than they love their lives. When Jesus comes in all His glory then every knee will bow of those in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
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Posted by appolus on February 15, 2015
The Waning Authority of Christ in the Churches
A.W. Tozer
Here is the burden of my heart. While I claim for myself no special inspiration I yet feel that this is also the burden of the Spirit.
If I know my own heart it is love alone that moves me to write this. What I write here is not the sour ferment of a mind agitated by contentions with my fellow Christians. There have been no such contentions. I have not been abused, mistreated or attacked by anyone. Nor have these observations grown out of any unpleasant experiences that I have had in my association with others. My relations with my own church as well as with Christians of other denominations have been friendly, courteous and pleasant. My grief is simply the result of a condition which I believe to be almost universally prevalent among the churches.
I think also that I should acknowledge that I am myself very much involved in the situation I here deplore. As Ezra in his mighty prayer of intercession included himself among the wrongdoers, so do I. βO my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavensβ (9:6). Any hard word spoken here against others must in simple honesty return upon my own head. I too have been guilty. This is written with the hope that we all may turn unto the Lord our God and sin no more against Him.
Let me state the cause of my burden. It is this: Jesus Christ has today almost no authority at all among the groups that call themselves by His name. By these I mean not the Roman Catholics, nor the liberals, nor the various quasi-Christian cults. I do mean Protestant churches generally, and I include those that protest the loudest that they are in spiritual descent from our Lord and His apostles, namely the evangelicals.
It is a basic doctrine of the New Testament that after His resurrection the Man Jesus was declared by God to be both Lord and Christ, and that He was invested by the Father with absolute Lordship over the church which is His body. All authority is His in heaven and in earth. In His own proper time He will exert it to the full, but during this period in history He allows this authority to be challenged by the world and ignored by the church.
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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: Jesus Christ, Waning Authority of Christ | 12 Comments »
Posted by appolus on February 6, 2015
Recently we heard President Obama, at a prayer breakfast of all places, speak to a very diverse crowd including the Dalai Lama. In trying to establish a historical immoral equivalency between ISIS and the Crusades and the inquisition he erred. In actual fact there are not two or three or many historical incidents and periods from which to draw from and deem them to be equivalent. There is but one evil and it is ancient. It has been present at every barbaric act ever carried out in the name of religion. It is presently uniting the world through horror. In order to see the bigger picture you must be able to draw back the lens, come up higher. The view encompasses the beginning and the end. The world will come together, there will be a new order and that new order will be the deadliest enemy the genuine saint has ever faced. If you can believe it, it is already unfolding, hiding in plain sight. Because of the horrors and barbarism of ISIS and other groups, we are unwittingly coming together and uniting together, on face value to fight evil, but the intent of this evil is to unite the world against everything called fundamentalism. The world is a chess board and men, even the most powerful men, are but mere puppets, proxy’s in an ancient war of darkness and light. One hates the other. The conclusion is soon to come when Christ appears. Genuine saints must keep their eyes upon Him and walk according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. May you have eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit is showing and saying to the Church.
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, prophecy, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology, Uncategorized | Tagged: Dalai Lama, President Obama | 4 Comments »
Posted by appolus on January 31, 2015
Brothers and sisters, there is a coming storm. Even now the dark clouds are gathering over the land. War is on the horizon. The end of ages are upon us and the enemy of our souls knows it well. He will come against the saints first with great deception and then with great fury. A time is coming, a war is coming such as has not been seen before. Who will stand? In every stage of history men have made their decisions and their stands. Many men have stood on the wrong side of history. It is one thing to stand on the wrong side of history, it is quite another thing to stand on the wrong side of the ages.
Today the saints must establish in their hearts what they are living for and what they are willing to lose everything for. Are you living for all things eternal? Will you be willing in the coming days to lose everything? In that day, there will be darkness and various shades of grey on one side, and there will be light on the other. There is no darkness in God. We cannot stand in shades of grey. We will be compelled to choose. Even now the world demands compromise to the Word of God. Every institution will fall in line with the world or it will fall. Praise God some will choose to fall, most will fall in line.
A famous group of colonists once declared independence from great Britain and a shot was fired that was heard around the world. There will be a declaration all too soon that declares allegiance to God and God alone and further declares total dependence upon Him. When the colonists signed that declaration, death was assured for them in the event of defeat. They were, with their signatures, totally committed to the cause and willing to pay the ultimate price. If mere men can make declarations and give their life for that cause, what will an army of saints around the world achieve by their own declaration? And how will we declare such things? By our lives and the stands that we make. This will be universal. And the result? The greatest witness of Christ the world has ever seen in all of ages past. I pray I live to see that day.
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Posted by appolus on January 25, 2015
Dan 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Daniel speaks of a time when the saints will be worn down. I believe the process of the saints being worn down has already begun. Times have been changed and wrong has become right and truth, at best, is relative. This is wearing the saints out as they struggle to come to terms with these fast changing circumstances. There has been a blitzkrieg so to speak in the realms of the spirit. Compromise and unrighteousness has surrounded the saints. We are an obstacle that at some point will have to be removed if the enemy is to have total dominance. More laws will be changed and we will witness more compromise by Christendom
If you recognize this, then I want you to be encouraged saint. We have been called to stand. Even although many will fall away, we have been called to stand. There is an evil day ahead and the saints have been called to stand in that day. Now how are we to stand in the midst of this battle? We have been called to stand fully equipped with the armor of God, this is how we will stand and the enemy knows it, so he has come against every aspect of our armor in the last several decades, knowing the time is short.
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Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
A Call To The Remnant 