Post by Brother Ben on Aug 25, 2010 10:08:18 GMT -5
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
This is one of my favorite passages. It brings comfort to me to know that my Saviour knows me, (and he still loves me.) He is the Good Shepherd. As we see the times changing, however, a different aspect of our call comes clear.
Luk 12:51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
You might ask, "What does this have to do with being one of his sheep. Well, it goes with this:
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
As we see the signs of the coming of our Lord on every corner, this falling away does already affect those serious about following Christ, and will increase in its intensity. As the churches listen to "another" shepherd, and we see the practice of Christianity change we become more and more a "spectacle" to those around us. We notice, that we don't "fit in" with the status quo churches. This is to be expected. Along the same lines of the apostasy is the growing coldness and calousness of those who claim to be born again believers. Jesus said:
Mat 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
Mat 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Have you seen this or fealt this in your spirit? If you are serious about your walk with Christ I think you have. I see in my own relatives (outside of my house, Praise God for my wife, and children,) the spirit of the lawless one, working in them. Offended. You didn't say anything...your testimony did. they're offended. There is no fellowship between darkness and light. You don't have to come out from among them, they don't really want you around anyways.
The crop is tall:
Mat 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
The harvesters see them, standing there among the wheat...tares almost ready for the fire. And you...right there among them. No, you aren't compromising, it is the times your living in, you can't help it. But be encouraged, the harvester is coming:
Rev 14:14 ΒΆ And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud [one] sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
Rev 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
We have some hard days ahead, brethren. I know this is hard to be received by some, but don't put all you eggs in the pretribulational rapture, easy way out scenario. No, instead, fall down before God and cry out and ask him to make you holy. This is the only way we can make it.
He is preparing for the final harvest, but these is just a little more time, time for the good wheat to come to full maturity. Grow, brethren, let us grow.
This is one of my favorite passages. It brings comfort to me to know that my Saviour knows me, (and he still loves me.) He is the Good Shepherd. As we see the times changing, however, a different aspect of our call comes clear.
Luk 12:51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
You might ask, "What does this have to do with being one of his sheep. Well, it goes with this:
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
As we see the signs of the coming of our Lord on every corner, this falling away does already affect those serious about following Christ, and will increase in its intensity. As the churches listen to "another" shepherd, and we see the practice of Christianity change we become more and more a "spectacle" to those around us. We notice, that we don't "fit in" with the status quo churches. This is to be expected. Along the same lines of the apostasy is the growing coldness and calousness of those who claim to be born again believers. Jesus said:
Mat 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
Mat 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Have you seen this or fealt this in your spirit? If you are serious about your walk with Christ I think you have. I see in my own relatives (outside of my house, Praise God for my wife, and children,) the spirit of the lawless one, working in them. Offended. You didn't say anything...your testimony did. they're offended. There is no fellowship between darkness and light. You don't have to come out from among them, they don't really want you around anyways.
The crop is tall:
Mat 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
The harvesters see them, standing there among the wheat...tares almost ready for the fire. And you...right there among them. No, you aren't compromising, it is the times your living in, you can't help it. But be encouraged, the harvester is coming:
Rev 14:14 ΒΆ And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud [one] sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
Rev 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
We have some hard days ahead, brethren. I know this is hard to be received by some, but don't put all you eggs in the pretribulational rapture, easy way out scenario. No, instead, fall down before God and cry out and ask him to make you holy. This is the only way we can make it.
He is preparing for the final harvest, but these is just a little more time, time for the good wheat to come to full maturity. Grow, brethren, let us grow.
