Tag: God

The Final Act is Being Prepared

We are living in some very exciting days right now. Biblical end-time prophecy is unfolding like never before, and we have the grand opportunity to see it unfold before our very eyes. While it is true that there are no more prophecies needing to be fulfilled before the Church can be caught up to meet Jesus in the air, we are seeing the final steps being taken to set the stage for the start of the tribulation period and the unveiling of the Anti-Christ. From a Christian standpoint we are truly living in exciting days no matter how bad things are getting because we see these things as signs alerting us to Jesus’ return for His Bride. What is ironic is that both the Jews and the Muslims are expecting their messiahs to arrive any day now, which according to end-time prophecy will probably be the same person, someone we know to be called the Anti-Christ.

 

Over the next several days it appears that the stage will finally be set for the arrival of the Anti-Christ. He may not take the stage right away, so to speak, and it could perhaps be several months or years before he does, but nonetheless everything will be in place for that to happen. What will it take for him to step into that position we don’t know, but one can speculate a lot of ideas for it. What we do know for certain is that he will be the one that confirms a 7-year treaty of some sort with Israel, and that will be the sign God gives to identify who he is. We also know that before that can happen, before he can be revealed for who he is, the one that restrains him must be taken away. Who is the one that must be taken away? Many say it is the Holy Spirit, and others say it is the Church. I personally believe it to be the Church, the Bride of Christ. While the role of the Holy Spirit here on earth may change very significantly after the rapture of the Church, I believe He will still be here in some capacity since God is everywhere all the time. In either case, even if the Holy Spirit is the one referred to as the one who restrains and is taken away, the Church would have to go with Him. Jesus promised us that He would never leave us or forsake us, and we are told that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and so that would only mean that if the Holy Spirit is removed then the Church would have to be removed as well.

 

What does that mean for us? Well, it means that the return of Jesus for His Bride is very, very, near, and we need to make sure we are watching and ready for Him when He does return. I’m not going to get into what it means to be watching for Jesus to return, but Scripture is very clear that only those Christians who are watching for Him will be caught up, or in other words called up to meet Him in the air.

 

As the return of Jesus draws ever so close it is also imperative we make sure we are not only watching for Him but also preparing for Him. Is there anything, or anyone, in our life that commands our attention or loyalties more than Him? If so, then we need to make some changes to put Him in His rightful place in our lives. What do we pursue the most, or who do we seek to please more than Christ? We can say He’s number one in our lives, but would the way we live support that statement, or are we deceiving ourselves? Seek the Lord and ask Him if there is an area, any area, or any person, that keeps Him from His rightful place in your life, and if so ask for His help in making the necessary changes to correct that. When you ask the Lord about this, make sure you’re listening for an answer even if it’s one you don’t like and not just listening for an answer that meets your criteria. Jesus is coming soon. The set is being prepared for the final act even as I type this, and it would behoove us to be wise and prepare for it in advance. It isn’t something to take casually, but something to prepare for at all times.

 

John Johansson

Forgiveness of Sins

Here is the third of a series of blogs I will be putting out to help us prepare for the soon return of Jesus for His Bride. If you were to give a name to this series of blogs I would have to call it “The Rapture Prep” series. This isn’t so much a series on explaining the rapture and what it is or is not, but instead the focus is to help us prepare for His return. The previous two blogs of this series was called “Recalibrating Our Thoughts” and “Are You Watching?” In this blog I want to address the subject of forgiveness.

 

To begin with, Jesus mentioned forgiveness a number of times in the New Testament. Many try to discount them citing that they were teachings before He died and resurrected, but these are not teachings to ignore. In fact, these teachings of His were different from what we find in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament we continually read of people asking God for forgiveness, or asking for forgiveness on the behalf of others, but very little instruction was given for people to forgive others. In fact, instead we read of what many live by “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth”. So, why would Jesus call people to change the way they lived in regards to forgiveness if it was going to be invalid in about three years? This doesn’t make any sense.

 

Jesus’ teachings actually raised the bar on how we are to live. In the Old Testament the people were judged and deemed righteous or not based on their words and actions, but Jesus took it to a new level when His focus was on the heart and its attitudes and motivations. Nowhere do we read of Jesus telling us, before or after His resurrection, to disregard any or all the commandments. What we do read is that He gave us two commandments to live by, and He further went on to say that the law is fulfilled in obeying the two He gave us. In the Old Testament, a person could hide to a point what was actually in their heart and present themselves as righteous, but in the New Testament we learn that God now looks right past our words and actions and focuses on our heart. There is no hiding from Him, and while we may be able to keep others from seeing sin in our heart or the wrong attitudes and motivations of the heart, we cannot hide these from God.

 

What Jesus was teaching us was definitely based on the relationship we could have with the Father after His ascension. We could never really call God Father until we had relationship with Him through Jesus, but Jesus teaches us to call God Father, something we couldn’t do before. Jesus taught a message of love and grace that we can’t really do apart from the Holy Spirit, especially towards those who hate, despise, or take advantage of us, but He also taught a message of obedience to Him and His commandments. Jesus would mention what the law would say, and then He would tell us to live it in our heart and not just in word or action. For example, He mentioned the law that says not to commit murder, but He raised the standard when He focused on our heart and that any hate we may have for another is the same thing in the eyes of God.

 

Having said that, we need to remember what Jesus said in regards to forgiveness. He indicated that we are to forgive others, so strongly did He make that point that He went on to say that if we don’t forgive then the Father will not forgive us. In what we know as the “Lord’s Prayer”, even then Jesus makes the statement, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others their trespasses against us”. Some argue that this does not apply to us since it was prior to Jesus’ resurrection, but that is far from the truth. Jesus was teaching us how to pray when He would no longer be with us. This is especially evident, as we indicated earlier, because He taught us to call God “our Father” in the same prayer, something we could not truly do until after the resurrection when relationship with God was made possible.

 

When we look at the parable of the unforgiving servant we learn something more about forgiveness. The point of a parable is to relay a truth that might not be otherwise understandable by the hearer, and Jesus is making a point in this parable that we need to learn. In this parable the king represents God, and the servants represent Christians. At a designated time the king decides to settle accounts with his servants. One of his servants owed him a VERY significant amount of money and the king was going to sell him, his wife and children, and all that he had to pay the debt. The servant begged for more time with a promise to pay back all that he owed. The king had compassion on him and forgave him his debt. This same servant went out and found a fellow servant who owed him penny’s by comparison to what the king forgave him of, and after demanding payment laid hold of that other servant and had him thrown into prison. Later word came to the king of what this servant did, and he was grieved and called for him. The king called him a wicked servant, who after being forgiven of much did not share the same compassion towards another that the king had given him, and the king then sent him to the torturers until he paid all. Jesus concludes with telling us that God will do the same for anyone who, from their heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.

 

Again, some argue that this doesn’t apply to us, but it does. It reinforces what Jesus has already told us, God will not forgive us if we don’t forgive others their trespasses against us. This is not typical Old Testament teachings, but instead New Testament teachings for the dispensation of grace we would soon be living in after His resurrection.

 

You know, something else that crossed my mind a few years ago. In the Lord’s Prayer we are told to pray, “forgive us as we forgive others their trespasses against us”. What if God were to really forgive us as we forgive others, not just in whether or not we forgive, but if we have conditions and/or requirements that must be fulfilled before we are willing to forgive? How many of us would want God to forgive us on the same basis that we forgive others? Scary thought.

 

One more thing. We know that Christ’s death was sufficient to pay the debt of all our sins, past, present and future, but how is that applied? Was asking God for forgiveness when we accepted Christ as our Savior sufficient to the point that we no longer have to ask for it? Some argue that since we asked for His forgiveness of our sins when we got saved, then we no longer have to worry about asking forgiveness of sins since it was already covered. This way of thinking is inconsistent with Scripture. Yes, His death was sufficient for all the sins we have or will ever commit, but that doesn’t mean we don’t acknowledge sin in our life and ask for His forgiveness of it later on in life. When John, the disciple of Jesus and His Apostle wrote in 1 John, he makes the statement “if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. Did you notice anything about this? One, he says “if we confess our sins”. He is including himself when he says “we”. If we no longer have to ask for God’s forgiveness then why is John including himself in that statement? He’s not saying it as something from the past, but instead the present and the future. He also does not indicate that the sin was already forgiven, but that it would be forgiven. The forgiveness given us by God through Christ is only applied to the sin in our life that we acknowledge and ask His forgiveness of.

 

Also, the writer of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 12:1, speaking to Christians and himself, that we are to “lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily ensnares us …”. The writer here is basically telling us to get rid of the sin that we get caught up in so easily. In Romans 6 it is very clear that we as Christians are not to continue in sin even though we are under grace. The Apostle Paul tells us that as Christian’s sin does not have dominion over us since we are no longer under the law but under grace. But, he also tells us that even though we are under grace we are not to continue in sin, and that we become slaves of whatever we submit ourselves to. To repent of and ask forgiveness of sin in our life means that we are to turn from that sin and no longer continue in it. That’s what true repentance is about, to turn away from sin. This is where we return to 1 John 1:9 where we’re told if we confess our sin, which involves acknowledging it, asking forgiveness and turning from it both in our heart and actions, He is faithful and just to forgive us. We are so blessed to have that assurance.

 

So, in conclusion, Jesus’s death was sufficient to cover all our sins, past, present and future. While at the point of salvation all our past sins are covered, any sin we do afterwards needs to be acknowledged as sin with the understanding that we need to ask for forgiveness and no longer continue in that sin. To refuse to do so shows a prideful heart that doesn’t see the need to acknowledge it, much less turn from it. Even though we do live under grace, it is very clear in scripture that we are not to continue in sin as we will then become the slaves of it. Just because we sin does not automatically or immediately result in broken relationship with Jesus, but it is clear that if we continue in sin with a heart that says it’s okay to continue in it we run the tremendous risk of dying spiritually. Paul is clear in Romans 8 that Christians living according to the flesh will die spiritually if they continue in it. Prior to salvation we are all spiritually dead, so Paul’s words about those living according to the flesh dying is in reference to Christians who had become alive in Christ.

 

When I was in high school someone I know stressed something to me, and that was the fact that unlike the Old Testament that was focused on words and actions, the New Testament starting with the teachings of Jesus focuses on the heart with its motivations and attitudes. Where is your heart? This is what God is looking at. As we see the return of Jesus for His bride getting ever so close, it is now more important than ever before that we make sure we place our sins under His blood through acknowledgment and true repentance. Just because there is sin does not mean we will miss the rapture, but if our heart finds ways to justify staying in sin then we do run the risk we will be left behind. I don’t want that to happen to me or to you. Praise God for salvation which gives us the opportunity to no longer live in or be in bondage to sin! Let us live worthy of such salvation!

Are You Watching?

A number of times in the New Testament Jesus is recorded as commanding us to watch.  Usually this was in reference to His return for us, His bride.  Over the years, and especially in recent months, I have talked with people who took one of three positions regarding this idea of watching and what it means to watch.  Some have indicated that they believe they don’t need to watch for Jesus’ return as long as they are living for Him, and others have shared that there isn’t a need to be watching for him now as they don’t believe Jesus will be returning anytime soon but instead 20 to 100+ years from now.  And, there is a third group of people who believe Jesus could return at any time and are actively watching for it.

 

So, what does it mean to “watch”?  Perhaps this is why some people take such a relaxed approach to Jesus’ return, not really understanding what it means to “watch”?  According to Dictionary.com, the definition of “watch” is;

 

  • to be alertly on the lookout, look attentively, or observe, as to see what comes, is done, or happens:
  • to look or wait attentively and expectantly:
  • to keep awake, especially for a purpose; remain vigilant, as for protection or safekeeping:
  • to look or wait attentively and expectantly for:
  • to guard, tend, or oversee, especially for protection or safekeeping:

 

For those who think that just living for Jesus qualifies as watching for Him, we can clearly see from this definition that this is not the case.  Imagine with me for a moment that two people are cruising down the interstate at 70 mph, both of them are in the farthest lane to the left.  Both of them are heading to the same destination, maybe a vacation resort of some sort.  One of these people are in deep conversation with someone else in the car, listening to some music or intently observing the scenery as they go along.  The other person is also talking to someone, listening to the radio or looking at the scenery, but all the while they are paying close attention to the signs along the interstate so at to make sure they don’t miss the exit.

 

After traveling for several hours and hundreds of miles the second person begins to make their way making one lane change after another until they are in the farthest right lane, yet the first person is still in the fast lane and busy talking to someone and taking in the sights as they go.  After a few more minutes the second person activates their turn signal and prepares to exit the interstate, but the first person is oblivious to the fact that they are about to go right past their exit at 70 mph.

 

The correlation is that the first person is too busy living and enjoying life and not paying any attention to the signs alerting them that their exit is just ahead, but the second person, while they are still living life, are paying close attention to the signs and begin making the necessary preparations to safely exit the interstate when they reach their exit.  The first person wasn’t watching at all, or even felt the need to be, but the second person knew that they needed to pay close attention to the signs so as to not miss the exit.  Some Christians are too busy living and enjoying life and are not paying attention to the signs all around alerting us to Jesus’ soon and possibly imminent return for His Bride, and that is a dangerous place to be in.

 

The second group of people don’t feel the need to really be watching and preparing for Jesus’ return because they think it will be another 20 to 100+ years from now before He returns.  Many of them like to say that it’s been 2000 years since we were first told He would be returning, and therefore it’s going to be quite a while still before He actually returns.  This, also, is a very dangerous view to be embracing.  One of the indicators we see in Scripture regarding the last days, which only confirms that we are in that day, is that people would mock or scoff at the idea of Christ returning any time soon.  Don’t be one of those who take that position.  It’s not going to be worth it!!

 

Like I said earlier, several times Jesus instructs us to watch, and in Mark 13:37 Jesus commands us with emphasis to “watch!”  So, if Jesus is telling us so strongly to be watching for His return, and the signs that point to it, why do so many seem to think that they don’t need to?  I know some think that all Christians will go up in the rapture, and because of that they feel secure enough that they don’t see the need to watch for Him, as if they know more than Jesus on the subject.  Jesus wasn’t telling the non-believer, those who were not following after Him, to watch, but instead He was telling those of us who are believers and follow after Him to watch.  If that is the case, apparently He knows something that many choose to ignore or refuse to believe, and that is not everyone who call themselves Christians or follow after Him will go up in the rapture.

 

Others seem to think that Jesus will not be returning any time soon, even though they do believe He will one day return.  These people are basically sticking their heads into the sand and wanting to think nothing but positive thoughts, listening to teachers and preachers who tickle their ears.  These same people are choosing to ignore for one reason or another the signs along the interstate telling them that the exit is just ahead and not as far away as they would like to think.  Multiple times Jesus describes these individuals, Christians who believe Jesus won’t return any time soon and live as they choose, as wicked servants.  Pretty harsh words, but Jesus is making the point of how foolish it is to embrace such a mindset.  Nowhere do we find that Jesus complimented or praised those who didn’t live watching and preparing for His return, but instead He chastised them for believing and acting accordingly.

 

When we talk of watching for the return of Jesus for His Bride, the church, we also have to remember some other words of Jesus regarding this.  In Matthew 24:32-51, Jesus reiterates the need to watch for His return.  He indicates that it was the good servant who watched, prepared and guarded his household against the thief’s arrival, but it was an evil servant who did not watch and take the necessary preparations against the thief.  Jesus used that illustration to point out that the “good” follower of Jesus will be watching and preparing for His return, and that the “evil” follower of Jesus will not be, and when Jesus returns he will give to the “evil” follower his portion among the hypocrites.  This also corresponds with the parable of the 10 virgins who represent 10 Christians.  The five wise ones who were waiting and prepared for Him left with Him at His arrival, but the five foolish ones who had not made enough provisions to last until He returned missed Him when He arrived and were later denied access to the wedding.

 

In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus tells us not everyone who calls Him Lord will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of the Father.  Some think that just because they said a prayer and go to church they are a shoe-in for heaven, but Jesus doesn’t say that.  According to Jesus, what kept some from entering heaven even though they acknowledged Him as their Lord and had an impressive Christian resume was the fact that they did not do the will of God in their life.  Instead they lived as they deemed sufficient and appropriate in their sight, practicing lawlessness in the sight of God. Part of God’s will for each and every one of us is that we be watching the signs that point to Jesus’s return and taking the necessary steps in preparation for it, which according to the signs screaming all around us is imminent.

 

Are you watching?  If not, then perhaps you should start, paying close attention to the signs around us that point to His return.  Jesus warned us, not the non-believer, of deception in these last days, as well as wolves in sheep’s clothing who deceive us into thinking and believing things that are contradictory to Scripture, ignoring what is said in the Bible regarding the days we are in which will only get worse.  An apathetic and complacent attitude and behavior in our relationship and pursuit of Christ, as well as in regards to Jesus’ return, is one of the biggest weapons the enemy of our souls is using to ensnare and trap Christians into.  Keep watching and don’t get caught up in the lies of the enemy promoted by wolves in sheep’s clothing, no matter what his or her Biblical credentials or resume may be like.

 

Are you watching????  Keep watching!!!!

 

John Johansson

Recalibrating Our Thoughts

The way things are currently developing both within the country and around the world, I am compelled to address a series of topic over the next several weeks. A 40 day period Jews observe called Teshuva begins the evening of August 17, 2015, a period of time set aside for the purpose of repentance and preparation for Rosh Hashanah. Actually, the first 30 days is to prepare for Rosh Hashanah with the hope and prayer they will be resurrected up and not have to continue the following 10 days which they believe no one really wants to go through. Yes, those remaining 10 days are that bad. These 40 days are closely connected to the rapture, or the catching up, of the Church and the following 7 year tribulation period that will see the judgments of God poured out on the earth. So, over the next several weeks I hope to bring a series of blogs to helps us do just that, to re-evaluate our walk with Christ with the desire that we will make the necessary changes in our lives in preparation for when that trumpet sounds signaling our call home to be with Jesus.

 

Several weeks ago someone made some comments in Sunday school, an echo of what others have said to me over the years that concerns me. Some of the individuals that have made similar comments love God, and yet others their love for God could be questioned. Some have even voiced these comments more to justify their behavior than as a sincere belief they held, and I believe my dad could have possibly been one of those.

 

So, what are these comments that I’m referring to? Based on the idea that anything prior to Christ’s resurrection is of little or no relevance to us as we are now living in the dispensation of grace, this person in Sunday school commented that we are free from the law and rules, and that whenever one lives according to rules or commands they are really being legalistic. Is this truly the case, or is something missing with this way of thinking? If this way of thinking is wrong, is it really all that important? And if it is important, what is the danger in holding to such views?

 

Yes, we do live in a dispensation of grace. Yes, our salvation is not based or maintained by the keeping of rules and laws. And, yes, we are free from the bondage and the penalty of sin. So, where does that leave us? Does this mean that the keeping of any laws or rules is legalistic, or is our thinking off some in this area?

 

To begin with, some have mentioned the words of Jesus in John 8:36 as the basis for their reasoning that we are free from having to keep any laws or rules, but in context that is not what this passage is indicating. Jesus is talking about being free from sin, not laws and rules, yet some choose to use this as their reasoning for living free from having to keep laws and rules. Is this way of thinking consistent with all scripture, or for the most part after Christ’s resurrection for those who discount anything taught by Him before hand? No, it doesn’t.

 

As I mentioned before, some think that keeping or living according to any laws or rules is legalistic and should not be a part of a Christians walk with Christ. The fact that our salvation is by grace and not of works or in the keeping of the law confuses some into thinking rules and laws should not be a part of our lives, and this is a misconception held by many. Those who hold to such views fail to realize the presence of rules and commands throughout the New Testament in the lives of the early believers.

 

One of the first commands we see in the New Testament after Jesus’ resurrection, and just prior to His ascension, was a command in Matthew 28:19-20. In this passage Jesus is telling His followers to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to do all that He had commanded them. Did you catch that? Jesus is telling them, and us, to teach others to do ALL that He had commanded them?

 

In Acts 15:6-29 we read of the Jerusalem Council, headed by James the half-brother of Jesus and the disciples, how after much consulting among themselves and prayer presented a series of guidelines, or rules, by which gentile Christians were to live by. These were not rules they had to follow for salvation, but instead rules providing a set of guidelines by which they were to live by, guidelines that set them apart from non-believers, and the Holy Spirit approved of these.

 

We also have the Apostle Paul giving instructions on multiple occasions on how we are to live, a set of rules we are to follow. He tells children to always obey their parents, wives to be subject to their husbands, husbands to love their wives as Christ loves the Church. He also tells all of us to obey those in authority over us, to obey the laws of the land, and to grow in maturity in our faith, among others we can see throughout the New Testament. These are all commands that we are to live by as we become more like Jesus, commands that also work to separate us from looking or behaving like those who are not believers. Not only that, Jesus told us that if we truly love Him we will obey all His commandments, and He went further by stating that if we don’t follow all His commandments then we truly don’t love Him as we think we do.

 

Again, I am not talking about how to obtain or maintain ones salvation as that is another subject, but instead to refute the idea that there is no place in the life of a Christian for rules or guidelines by which we are to live by. After all, if that is the case, then why stop at stop signs, file taxes on April 15th, pay for items at a store, or drive on the right side of the road? When one embraces a mindset of a life free of rules and laws, they are attempting to distance themselves from any accountability for their decisions and behaviors, and that is bad. When my dad, an otherwise strict and to some extent a legalistic person, held to such views, he was using it merely as a means for justifying his decision to keep God’s tithe for himself to control and give as he wanted. He was less concerned about honoring God with all he had or to reflect the Lordship of Christ in his life than he was in his intent on keeping control of his money for himself. Motivation is key, and to have a motivation that doesn’t seek to please or honor God is a motivation that seeks the satisfaction and the gratification of self.

 

It is becoming more and more evident that the return of Christ is right around the corner, and if that is the case as I and many others believe, then it is important for us to make sure we are ready for that day when it comes. I’m not saying that holding to such views as I’ve been addressing will keep someone out of heaven, though it might, but to not carefully and prayerfully consider these things could be very dangerous to your soul and your salvation. It’s time for us to check and see if our thinking needs to be recalibrated to match up with the Bible, and if it doesn’t then we need to take steps to get them readjusted to match God’s word. It’s not worth playing Russian roulette with. Wouldn’t you agree? Think about it.

 

John Johansson

Tick Tock

Things are sure pointing to the imminent, not soon, return of Christ for His bride. On July 3, 2015 one of the top Jewish rabbi’s in Israel, Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, made an amazing proclamation. I don’t know if this has ever happened before in Israel’s history, especially since 1948, but this leading and highly recognized rabbi announced, as a result of his studies and current events, the imminent arrival of the messiah. With this announcement he has also made a call to Jews all around the world to return to Israel in preparation of this event, noting that it would add to the glory of the messiah if all the Jews were there when he came. He’s even told some Jews visiting Israel to not even go back to where they came from believing the messiah’s arrival is imminent.

 

It has also been reported that everything needed for the rebuilding of the third temple and the implementation of the temple sacrifices has been completed, and that various groups and governmental agencies have recently begun working together to see this come to pass. There has risen recently an excitement among Jews that the messiah’s arrival is imminent and that they are to make all the necessary preparations for that time.

 

When Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky has been asked about the timing of the messiah’s arrival, he has emphatically and consistently indicated it would be after the end of this sabbatical year. When is the end of this sabbatical year? On the Gregorian calendar it would be Saturday, September 12, 2015, ironically the day before Rosh Hashanah. So, where does all this leave us?

 

To begin with, the messiah the Jews are currently looking for is not Jesus, but we know from Bible end-time prophecies that the Jews will initially embrace the anti-Christ as messiah, someone that scripture also tells us will not be revealed until after the rapture of the Church. While it is true that we do not know when Jesus will return for His bride, there is significant reason to believe it will be on Rosh Hashanah, whether it’s this year or not we don’t know. Rosh Hashanah, one of the seven feasts God instituted and commanded the Israelites to observe, represents the rapture, or the catching up of the bride of Christ. Also, of those seven feasts, Jesus and the birth of the church fulfilled the first four on the exact day of the feast, and the next feast to be fulfilled is Rosh Hashanah. Whether or not Jesus will return on Rosh Hashanah of this year is yet to be known, but there are a lot of things pointing to major changes to life as we know it coming this September. It would be one thing if it were only Christians believing something was on the horizon within the next two or three months, but even those who do not profess to be Christians or even believe in God are believing life as we know it will change globally in September, some even forecasting a major financial meltdown in the United States during that time.

 

The signs of the end times are not only seen all around us, but they are screaming out to us of Jesus’ imminent return. Things are happening at such an increasing rate and intensity that more and more Christians are beginning to call out to Jesus to come quickly, but sadly only a small percentage of them. In the last book of the Bible, a book that was written about 60 years after the ascension of Christ, we read in Revelation 22:12-17 that the Spirit and the bride say “Come!”. How many of you are calling out to Jesus to come, and to come quickly?

 

I remember growing up and people talking about how the time was 11:59pm on Gods prophetic timetable, and that Gabriel was putting the trumpet to his lips. Well, I think the time on Gods timetable is now 11:59:50pm, and Gabriel is now taking a deep breath getting ready to blow that trumpet. The times we live in are such that it would be very hard to argue that we’re not in the last days, and that the worst days of mankind are right around the corner.

 

This is not the time to be non-chalant about our walk with Christ. Instead, this is the time to make sure we are actively preparing ourselves for His return. Is our life centered around Jesus and honoring Him in all we say and do? Are we motivated to please Him with our life, or to please ourselves and others? Do we find reasons to justify sin in our life instead of removing it, rationalizing it one way or another looking for perceived “loopholes” in the scriptures? Do we love Him enough to follow His commands even when we don’t like or understand them, or do we embrace the view that we are somehow exempt from them as though we’re not accountable to Him anymore? Your answer to any of these questions can indicate whether or not you are prepared for His return. Some think that all Christians will be raptured up, but scripture plainly tells that this is not the case. Jesus made it very clear to us that we are to prepare for His return, and He even commanded us to “watch!” for His return and not be caught off guard. Are you?????

 

John Johansson

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As Unto the Lord

Do as unto the Lord.  A phrase that is often times heard within church circles giving both instruction and encouragement to fellow Christians, but I wonder how many of us really know or have any idea of what that means.  For that matter, how many of us can actually say we’re doing that?

 

For the past several weeks I’ve found myself doing something I don’t like or enjoy doing, and the question that has been asked of me, and that I have even asked of myself on multiple occasions, is this, am I doing it as unto the Lord?  Each time the question has been asked I have answered it in the positive, but this past week I have found myself really pondering the phrase and asking the Lord what does it mean exactly.  Now, what I’ve been doing isn’t something that I’ve been forced into, but it is something I’ve been willing to do on a very temporary basis, which raises the question all the more.  So, with that I have really been seeking to know exactly what that means and to see if I can, in clear conscience, say I have been doing that.

 

Where does the phrase “do as unto the Lord” come from?  We get this from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Colossians (Colossians 3:23).   We live in a society that has the mindset it can decide when and how we ought to “do as unto the Lord”, but right off the bat the Apostle Paul tells us it should be in whatever we do.  Some people try to find ways to justify or rationalize why they don’t have to do so, or even to find “loopholes” that give them an excuse to do otherwise, but Paul makes it clear it should be in whatever we do.  Have you ever heard someone ask the question, “what part of ‘no’ do you not understand”, or something very similar?  In much the same way, when people attempt to justify or find excuses to not do things as unto the Lord in a situation I find myself asking the following question, “what part of ‘whatever’ do you not understand”?  It doesn’t matter what we are doing, where we are at or even who we are with, but it is important for us to do everything as unto the Lord.

 

So, what does it mean for us to do whatever we do as unto the Lord?  Are there indicators to help us know whether or not we are doing things as unto the Lord?  As I’ve pondered things the past week or so a number of things have come to mind as indicators for us to pay attention to, and I encourage you to evaluate all the areas of your life as we go through some of the indicators I will address.

 

The first indicator of whether or not we are doing things as unto the Lord is found in the same verse.  Paul tells us to do things as unto the Lord and not unto men.  If we are doing things to gain the approval or acceptance of others then we are not doing them unto the Lord.  If we are more concerned about what they think or what they may do than we are of the Lord, then that is an indicator we are not doing things as unto the Lord.  Our motivation and attitudes in what we are doing are reflections of where our heart is and whether or not we are doing them as unto the Lord.

 

Another indicator of whether or not we are doing things as unto the Lord is in the area of integrity.  In 2 Corinthians 5:20, we are told that we are ambassadors of Christ and as such we represent Him to those around us.  As ambassadors of Christ it is vital that we do things with integrity as that is the heart of God and accurately represents the God we serve.  Many times over the years, and especially lately, I have been tempted to cut corners in what I’m doing.  Sometimes it involved doing things just enough to say I did it, or to cut corners instead of doing things right and properly, or even to report I did something I know I didn’t do.  The few times I did give in to such temptations it was quickly followed by conviction when the Spirit of God would tell me it was dishonoring to Him and that it was wrong and dishonest, and in those instances I’ve had to go back and correct those things, and when necessary confess and apologize to the powers that be.  If we are not doing things with integrity the conclusion is simple, we are not doing them as unto the Lord but instead unto ourselves or others.  To do things as unto the Lord requires that we do them with integrity no matter the cost.  As someone who trained professional bus drivers, one thing I would stress to them is that a mark of someone being professional was that they did things right, proper and safe, no matter how inconvenient or ridiculous it may appear even if no one is around to witness it.  As Christians and ambassadors of Christ, the standard by which God expects us to do things should at least match this mindset if not exceed it.

 

In going back to Colossians 3:23 we find another indicator of whether or not we are doing things as unto the Lord.  Paul tells us that we need to do it “heartily”.  Now does this mean we are to like or enjoy what it is that we are doing?  I don’t believe this is what is being said here.  When I think of Joseph who was sold into slavery and sent to prison on trumped up charges, I find it hard to think that he liked or enjoyed being a slave or a prisoner.  What I do believe is that in the midst of these times he made a point of honoring God in all he did no matter where he was or why he was there, and that should our mindset as well.  So, what does it mean to do it “heartily”?  I believe the idea is that we don’t attempt to do things as unto the Lord begrudgingly or because we’re supposed to, but instead we are to desire to do whatever it is as unto the Lord because of our love for Him and what He’s done for us.  If we do things with this attitude and mindset it makes things a lot easier to do them with integrity and character even when others are not around to see whether or not we’re doing them right and proper.

 

Another indicator of whether or not we are doing things as unto the Lord is the level of excellence we consider acceptable and strive for.  If we determine the quality and performance characteristics of what we do based on what others are doing, or on what those in the world considers acceptable regardless of whether or not it is right or wrong, then we are not doing them as unto the Lord.  God expects us to live by His standards, standards that far exceed what the world’s standards are.  To do so often times puts us in the cross-hairs of others who don’t live by the worlds standards and are usually convicted by it, and then another test of whether or not we are doing things as unto Him is whether or not we “cave” to such attacks.  God is a God of excellence, and one of the indicators that we are His is reflected in our pursuit of doing things at a level of excellence that mirrors the standards by which we are to represent Him to others.

 

One last thing to consider as we look at this is the potential or realized fallout of not doing things as unto the Lord.  I have heard of many, as I’m sure you have, of people who have looked at how Christians have done things or conducted business and as a result did not want anything to do with Christianity.  Sometimes they have questioned why they should have relationship with Christ if Christians live or do things no differently than others who are not Christians.  Others have been offended to think that Christians would be so “shady” in their doings and have concluded they did not want anything to do with Christianity because of the hypocrisy they see.  These people usually don’t verbalize these thoughts or decisions, especially to the ones that have offended them or were hypocritical in some way, but God knows and He holds us accountable if those people did not make it into heaven as a result of how we did things.  Granted, not everything that offends people or makes them think a Christian is hypocritical is correct and true as it sometimes is based on perceptions rather than truth, but we are to be mindful of how and why we do things and have a clean and clear conscience before God in it.  It’s not so much a matter of forgiveness as some would have it, but instead a matter of representation and living in a way that honors God no matter what others may think or do.

 

So, are there areas in your life and work habits that you found do not honor God, or that you’re not doing them as unto the Lord?  If so, then you need to first repent to God for it, then simply turn away from doing things as you have been and start doing them in a way that both honors God and reflects doing them as unto Him.  In some cases, it may mean you need to simply stop what you are doing if there is no way you can honor Him and do it as unto Him.  Take it to God in prayer and be open to His small, still voice for His guidance and instruction.  For many, what you’ve read in this blog will be God’s words to you and will be sufficient in His sight whether or not you choose to accept and embrace it, so be careful not to be quick to discount it as possibly God speaking to you through it.  May your life and all you do be one that can be said you did it as unto the Lord.  None of us will perfectly obtain that in every area of our lives on this side of eternity, but it needs to be seen in our attitudes and our daily decisions and choices that it is clearly both our priority and truly our heart and not just words we say.

 

John Johansson

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Wake Up Call

Well, here I am.  Between getting my latest book finished and released and a very crazy schedule the past several weeks, I am now able to do some blog writing tonight.  Yea!

 

Have you been watching the news lately?  Have you noticed that things seem to be racing towards a period of time long ago prophesied of events we can now see on the horizon, and in some cases are here even as I write this?  That period of time I am referring to is the seven-year tribulation period prophesied in the Bible.  We are seeing some of the events prophesied thousands of years ago coming into fulfillment within the next year or so.  For example, we are told that during the tribulation period everyone will have to have a mark of identification by which they will buy and sell, what is often times referred to as the “mark of the beast” as mentioned in the book of Revelation, and unbeknown to many there is currently a push to have everyone worldwide, not just in the USA, implanted with an electronic chip for identification and financial transactions by the end of 2017.  We are also seeing a push by many religious leaders to merge all the religions of the world, including Christianity, into one religion, or at least create a platform that allows all the religions to work together and to acknowledge many ways to the same god.  In recent months we have seen a major shift in the world financial markets as a growing number of countries are shifting the strength of their currencies from the dollar to the Chinese currency.  And, in order for there to be a one-world government the United States has to be brought down enough so that not only will its influence be greatly reduced, but the United States would have to give up its sovereignty as a nation to facilitate a one-world government, and we’re seeing the United States literally imploding upon itself in a large number of ways putting it into such a position when looking at things globally.  We’re seeing increasing turmoil within the Middle East politically, as well as increasing tensions and conflicts militarily, and a greater push to isolate and divide Israel.  Oh, and let us not just think of the civil wars that are taking place there, and Iran’s race to a nuclear bomb with the promise of using it against Israel and the USA, but also the increasing threat and influence of ISIS and their inhumane brutality beyond the Middle East.

 

What I just mentioned doesn’t even take into account the role nature has in this.  We’re seeing very erratic and unpredictable weather all over that is out of sync with the recognized seasonal and regional norms, the increase in famines and pestilence, and the growing threat of disease and plagues.  Yes, there have been numerous concerns regarding “global warming” and “climate change”, and more specifically blaming humanity for it, but it has been found to be a fraud of sorts used as a tool to help facilitate a one-world government.  While it has been seen in recorded history that nature generally shifts back and forth in cycles resembling what we’re experiencing now, nature is also in a form of labor pains getting ready to wreck havoc with humanity in a variety of ways.  There has been, in addition to what has already been mentioned, a dramatic increase in volcanic and strong earthquake activity even in places where it generally hasn’t been an issue.

 

What is all of this telling us?  Even the world knows that life as we know it is quickly racing toward a climatic time when life as we know it will no longer be, yet they will be quick to deny the prospect that all of this is a fulfillment of Bible end-time prophesy.  If that is not bad enough, what is worse is the deception many within the church have embraced who should know better but choose to deny that reality.  When we talk of the deception within the church, we need to first realize that was the first thing Jesus warned us about in Luke 21.  The Apostle Paul goes even further and talks of a great falling away of Christians in the last days, and how that many will follow teachers with itchy ears to hear what they want to hear and what sounds good.  What are some of the deceptions found in the church today?

 

When we talk of the deceptions within the church, one of the most prominent ones is the idea that things are only going to get better, or at least for the Christian it will be even though the rest of the world will go upside down figuratively speaking.  Very little is said or taught of end-time events and how we need to be mindful of them, something that Jesus commanded us to do, but instead much is said about how we are to be blessed and prosper, to grow in our faith to have less issues to deal with in our lives, and to focus almost exclusively on God’s grace, love and mercy.  While it is true that God desires to bless and prosper us, for us to grow in our faith and to rest in His grace, love and mercy, to avoid or not take into account what the Bible tells us regarding the days we have entered into will only lead to disaster for many in the church.  For those given the role of shepherding or teaching the body of Christ who only speak of the good things and avoid anything about these last days, they are in essence presenting a very incomplete gospel.  Many think that God’s plan for the redemption of mankind was concluded when Jesus arose from the dead, but in actuality God’s plan for the redemption of mankind will not be concluded until the end of the 1000-year reign of Christ here on earth.  The seven feasts that God instituted in Leviticus, not for Israel but for Himself, outline God’s plan of redemption for mankind,  and of those seven only four have been fulfilled to date.  So, one of the deceptions is the ignorance of Bible prophesied end-time events while focusing on that which tickles the ears of the hearer.

 

Another deception is found in the rejection of the rapture of the church.  Even though the word ‘rapture’ is not found in the English Bible, the teaching and picture of the rapture for the church can be seen throughout the Bible.  The rapture is our blessed hope, something that is also seen in the feasts.  Many people argue against teaching or promoting the belief of a rapture referring to it as a doctrine of escapism, and while I agree some have taken this view of escapism to an extreme that they’re not occupying their time here properly, Jesus promoted the idea of escapism when He told us to “watch and pray that we are counted worthy to escape all things that will come to pass” (Luke 21:36).  In that one verse Jesus tells us to watch for the signs of the times and that which is coming, and also to pray that we are counted worthy to escape those things that are coming.  We can’t really do that if either through ignorance or ones decision to reject such teaching we focus on the positive’s we addressed in the previous paragraph.  Hey, if Jesus commands us to “watch” and to “pray we are counted worthy to escape”, then it’s something we should really look at and take heed of.  If we won’t tell others about the times we are in and what is on the horizon, along with the hope we have in being raptured up before these things come to pass, then we are not being His ambassadors as we should be and are setting up others for failure with an incomplete and sometimes warped gospel.

 

There is another deception regarding the rapture many are buying into “hook, line, and sinker”, and that is the idea that all who call themselves Christians will be raptured up, but Jesus strongly countered that way of thinking in Matthew 7:21-23.  The rapture is only for those who have been watching and preparing as a bride for His return.  Some have argued that the Church is not the Bride of Christ, but since the Bible is strongly and concisely clear that the Church is the Bride betrothed to Christ then I can’t help but ask what Bible they are reading from since it’s not the Christian Bible.  If one doesn’t believe that the Church is the Bride of Christ, then what guarantee do they have that they will be raptured up when the rapture is strictly for the Bride who has prepared herself for Him?  It doesn’t matter the voice or who appears to us, even if they are an angel of light, if what is said is in conflict with the written Word then it is not of God.  In other words, God will never contradict His own Word to us, no matter how nice and good it sounds, and if it does conflict with scripture then it needs to be rejected as coming from someone other than God, Himself.

 

Anyways, we need to wake up and take a look around us of what is going on, and to be aware of some of the deceptions infiltrating the church in these last days.  This is not the time to be ignorant of the times we are in and the explosively fast fulfillment of end-time prophesies, or to fall victim to doctrines and beliefs that keep us from clearly seeing things as they are so we can prepare for the return of our Savior and groom, Jesus Christ.  There is enough in scripture to get a pretty accurate picture of the times we’re in and what is coming down the pipe, so to speak, and we shouldn’t be afraid of to teach and share this with others as it could make the difference as to how ready they are for His return.

 

John Johansson

Living Life

Within the past few days I had a conversation with someone who was sharing about someone who had just passed away.  When asked if the person died knowing Christ, the person I was talking to didn’t know but had sufficient reason to be concerned for this person’s salvation.  He further went on to share what this person was like and how much the lifestyle of socializing and partying was in their life.  For the rest of the day I found myself thinking about this person and the life they lived, and how so many find themselves living the same type of lifestyle this person did.

 

In Matthew 24:36-44, and also in Luke 17:26-36, in describing what the days of His return would look like, Jesus likened them to the days of Noah and Lot.  In both passages He indicates that people will basically be caught up with life itself and its many different pleasures, a description we can easily make for the times we are now living in.  As I pondered these things I found myself asking a simple question, what does it mean to live life, and to live life more abundantly?  In John 10:10, Jesus tells us that He came so that we can have life, and life more abundantly, but what does that mean?

 

I’ve talked to many a person over the years who have shared with me what living life looks like to them.  Some of the people were Christians, and some were not, but I would have to say the majority of those who were Christians seemed to say the same thing that non-Christians would say.  They would talk of their embracing and enthusiastically pursuing some of the pleasures this world has to offer them, and in some cases would note how they enjoyed themselves so much that they couldn’t remember what they did.  While there is nothing necessarily wrong with enjoying some of the pleasures this life affords us, I can’t help but wonder if this is what Christ was talking about.  Did Jesus come so that we could enjoy and find pleasure in the things the world offers us, and all the more abundantly?  Or are we missing what it was He was talking about?

 

If what Jesus was referring to was our ability to participate in and enjoy the different pleasures of this life, then why did He come and die for us?  After all, we can clearly see that the world has more than mastered that, enjoying the various pleasures of this life in passion, fervor, and enthusiasm.  Everywhere we look we see people enjoying and loving “life” with everything within themselves, even to the point of living their life for the pleasures awaiting them.  Some of these people live it in various forms of recreation, whether it is a weekend on the lake, a game of soccer with the guys, a day of shopping with the girls, various social activities and parties, or the tinkering on of an old car or scrapbooking, many are living for the recreation and enjoying it immensely.  Some people live it in entertaining others, or by being entertained by music, TV, sports, videos or movies.  And others live life in the pursuit of riches, fame, material possessions and power.  And still others find it in the passionate pursuit of what we sometimes call “vices”.  You know what I mean, for some it is the pursuit of the pleasures they receive from alcohol, drugs, and various sexual conquests and experiences.  No matter the form, everywhere we look we see people living life, and living it with gusto, but is that what Jesus came to give us?

 

The other thing that comes to my mind stems from the fact that we are spiritually dead apart from Christ and the sacrifice He made for us.  How can we identify what life is and what it means to live it based on people who are spiritually dead?  That doesn’t make sense, yet so many times that is exactly what we do.  That’s like a doctor walking up to a dead corpse and saying life is where one doesn’t breathe because that is what the corpse is doing.  There is something definitely wrong with this picture.  Jesus said He came to give us life, why, because we were dead.  We can read the New Testament, especially the writings of Paul, and we will see that we were dead because of sin, but that through Christ we were made alive.  Paul even breaks down the differences in our behavior between when we were dead and now that we have become alive in and through Christ.  What was characteristic in our life before Christ in how we lived and what our priorities were should not be the same now that we’ve given our lives to Him and subsequently made alive.

 

I think often times we determine what it means to live life, and more abundantly, based on what we see in the lives of people living without Christ.  Some may argue that they are looking at how other Christians are doing so, but even then it often times mirrors what the world is already doing.  We tend to think that because we see other Christians doing the same things then it must be the way it should be, but is that deception at its best?  I heard that a minister once said that one of the greatest weapons the enemy of our souls has leveled against is if found in one word, entertainment.  We live in a society that is addicted to entertainment and recreation, and if they don’t have it they go into withdrawals becoming depressed and grumpy if they don’t have it to partake in.  Many times people even become quite demanding in order to fulfill these desires, and that isn’t pretty.  In the passages mentioned in the second paragraph, it is evident that people are caught up in living life, and Jesus doesn’t refer to this as a good thing.  In fact, Jesus views it as a bad thing in that these people will not be aware of His return and be caught off guard and left behind.

 

So, the question remains, what does it mean for Christ to bring us life, and life more abundantly?  Obviously, to answer that question based on how the world lives life will give us the wrong answer, and it would imply that Jesus didn’t really know what He was talking about if it was nothing different than what the world was already living.  Some would argue that it is the ability to live in the moment without fear of eternal consequences because Christ died so that we could have the forgiveness of sins, but that is really no different from how the world lives.  People in the world live for the moment with no regard for any consequences, much less eternal.  So, that can’t be what Jesus is talking about either.

 

When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, they lost relationship with God and spiritually died.  It could be argued this was because they were being self-centered thinking to please themselves more than God, but it could also be argued that they were thinking of others more than God as well.  Yes, Eve was deceived into thinking that God was holding out on them, which is where we can find the self-centeredness, but Adam knew what he was doing and it could be argued that he was thinking of Eve more than being obedient to God.  I think either argument could be summed up with one thing, that they lost relationship with God and died spiritually because they didn’t seek to please and honor God first and foremost in their lives, no matter how it played out.

 

So, when Jesus talks of giving us life, He’s talking about bringing us from spiritual death unto spiritual life and restored relationship with God, and when He’s saying life more abundantly I believe He’s talking of a life with God over and above anything Adam could ever dream of having.  But what does that mean, and what does that look like?  Again, many think it is the ability to live in the moment enjoying the pleasures this world has to offer, but that isn’t what we see in scripture.  After all, does that mean those mentioned in the later part of Hebrews 11 were not experiencing the life Jesus came to give each of us?  Or, what about the Apostle Paul who was routinely beaten, stoned and left for dead, shipwrecked and imprisoned for the Gospel, and subsequently beheaded for Christ?  Does this mean he was not experiencing the life Jesus came to give us, and more abundantly?  What about Peter and the other apostles who were later martyred for the Gospel?  And the saints in the early church who suffered and endured various persecutions for the faith, often times leading to brutal deaths of various sorts?  If the life Jesus came to give us and more abundantly is mirrored in how the world lives life, then those I just mentioned fell tragically short of it.  The people I just mentioned were not concerned about living for the moment and the pleasures the world has to offer them, but instead they were more concerned about living for Christ no matter the cost, knowing that they now had a relationship with God that would give them life eternal in heaven with Him.  This was the blessed hope they each lived for and clinged to in the midst of certain death.  They understood that life apart from Christ and living for Him is not really life, and they understood that life with Christ and living to please Him in all they do, fulfilling God’s will for them, in that there was the most fulfilling life one could ever seek to have.  When we allow God to breathe into us the breath of life, we become energized in our being for Him.  We begin to realize that the value and purpose of our life goes beyond ourselves or the person next door, and that our value is now based on our relationship with Him and our purpose is locked up with being His ambassadors to a lost and dying world.  To be His ambassador may look different from one person to another, but the idea is that our life is now centered on His will for us and what pleases Him.  It’s not based on what we do or where we go, or even who we’re with, but it’s based on Jesus and His will for us.  This doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy some of the pleasures this world has to offer, but if we are basing what it is to have life and to live it abundantly on how the world lives life, then we are greatly missing what it is that Jesus came to give us.

 

Someone once said that the God we follow should be simple, and that is very true.  Our life as a Christian should be very simple, yet so many times we make it complicated.  I’m not saying we make it more complicated, I’m saying we make it complicated, period.  How do we complicate it?  We complicate it when we begin to compartmentalize our lives and what parts Christ has any access or say over.  We complicate it when we choose to push Him aside and what He’s called us to for a period of time that we want to set apart for our own desires and will.  We complicate it when we try to live for Him with anything less than 100% of ourselves, our time, our resources, our energies, or anything else you can think of.  Jesus wants us to live totally and completely for Him, 100%, and that means placing each and every area of our lives under His leadership 100% of the time, and that is very, very simple though difficult to do at times when our flesh struggles for control in this area or another.  It could be said that the life we live, and the abundance of it, is directly proportional to how much of our life we allow the Spirit of God to breathe into, which requires daily denying ourselves, taking up ones cross and following Him.

 

How much of the life Jesus came to give each of us are you living and experiencing for yourself?  Or, are you struggling to live for Him and living according to the desires of your flesh at the same time, trying to have “the best of both worlds”?  Some people argue that there has to be a balance between the two, but in this area the only balance is one where we are 100% serving and living for Him.  Jesus, Himself, said we can’t serve two masters, yet many times we do just that when we try to live for Him but hang onto the desires of the flesh.  Many are afraid if they sell out to Christ 100% they will have a boring life, but then again we have to ask ourselves, much like we did regarding what it means to have life and live it abundantly, if we are basing what is boring on what the world considers to be boring.  Jesus said that for those who seek to save their life they will lose it, but for those who choose to lose their life for His sake will assuredly find life.  What do you want more, life as portrayed by those in the world, or life as Jesus will give those who live for Him?  These are just some things to think about.

 

John Johansson

Power To Be Witnesses

I recently heard someone share on what the phrase “power to be witnesses” found in Acts 1:8 means. As he spoke I began to ponder within myself what that actually means as I’ve never really given it much thought in the past.  As I asked the Holy Spirit to direct my thoughts on this He pointed me in two directions to look.  No, these two directions do not conflict with each other, but instead confirm and validate the other.  Follow with me as we take a brief look at what it means to have power to be witnesses for Him.

 

The Spirit first directed me to look at the life and ministry of Jesus while He was here on earth. He reminded me that Jesus did not live His life here according to His own deity, something that would have both negated the sacrifice of His life for our sins as well as negated His example of how we should live.  In Philippians 2:5 we are told to have the same mindset as Christ, and in the subsequent verses were shown the example Christ left us to follow.  In 1 Peter 2:21 we are told that Jesus left us an example for us to follow.  Even though the passage in 1 Peter refers to suffering, we have to remember that to be a disciple of someone means we are to be like them in all ways, and so being a disciple of Christ means being like Him in more ways than just how He handled suffering.  In John 5 Jesus tells us that He only did what the Father showed Him, and what the Father was doing.  In Matthew 4:1 we see that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit, and that is what we need to do as well.

 

The Holy Spirit then directed me to look at the early church and not just the apostles. The lives of those in the early church after Pentecost should give us a good picture of what it means for the power of God to make us His witnesses.  Just in case people want to argue that what Jesus did was done out of His own deity and not by the leading of the Holy Spirit and what the Father showed Him, what we see from the early church should silence any argument of how the Holy Spirit empowers us to be witnesses as none of them had any deity to fall upon.  Yet, what we see in the lives of the early church are very similar to what we see in the ministry of Jesus, and therefore what we see in both should give us a clear indication of what it means for the Holy Spirit to empower us to be witnesses of Christ.

 

There are four characteristics found in both Jesus’ ministry and the lives of those in the early church that we can attribute to the empowering of the Holy Spirit. There may be more, but these were the ones I believe the Holy Spirit showed me as I pondered the above question, what does it mean to have the power to be witnesses of Jesus?

 

 

Four elements of a person empowered by the Holy Spirit to be a witness;

 

  1. Boldness to “proclaim the gospel”

 

The first element was the boldness to proclaim the gospel. In Acts 4:23-31, after being commanded by the religious leaders to no longer proclaim the name of Jesus, Peter and John went back to their companions explaining all that was said to them.  It is believed that while their companions may have included some of the other apostles, it no doubt included those who were not.  After sharing with their companions all that was said to them, they immediately went to prayer asking Jesus for boldness to speak His word.  What was God’s response to this prayer?  The place where they had assembled together was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, after which they spoke the word of God with boldness.

 

Just in case you’re thinking it was just the apostles, we have to remember Stephen in Acts 6-7. Stephen was not an apostle, but the Spirit of God gave him boldness to proclaim God’s word with authority, and the religious leaders did not like that.  We, too, should have this kind of boldness to proclaim Christ to those around us.  It’s not just the commitment to share the gospel whenever the opportunity presents itself, as we can see anybody can do that, but there is a boldness that goes over and above just a commitment to share.

 

  1. Leads us to speak to the heart of an individual

 

The underlining point in all of this is that we are to be led by the Spirit of God in all that we say and do. As we are open and sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and grow in that, there will be times when we will speak right to the heart of an individual.  We see many instances when Jesus did that with others, including the Samaritan woman, but we can also see multiple instances in the book of Acts and other parts of the New Testament.  While it is true that Stephen was not talking to an individual in Acts 6-7, the things he spoke did pierce the heart of individuals as he spoke.

 

There were times when Jesus or those in the early church spoke to the heart of an individual bringing them hope and deliverance, among other things, but they also spoke to the heart of individuals whose hearts were wrong and wanted nothing to do with the truth. The Spirit of God leads us to speak to the heart of individuals in ways that only He can, as He is the only one that truly knows the heart of each person.  He can reveal things to us about someone that only that person knows, and that in itself shows that God is acutely interested in them.

 

  1. To do signs, wonders, and the supernatural

 

The third point that the Holy Spirit showed me was that a life that has been empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of Christ will do signs, wonders, and the supernatural. If we want to truly be His witnesses then we need to be open to allow Him to do these things in and through our lives for the benefit of the Kingdom of Christ.  A person that is closed off to that being a part of being His witnesses is limiting God in their own lives, and are presenting Christ as someone less than all-powerful to those who we are reaching out to.

 

The apostle Paul, who was very learned being a Pharisee, in I Corinthians 2:1-5 indicated that he did not seek to reach people through his excellent words and speech, but instead through the demonstration of the Spirit and of power. Many times we limit ourselves to proclaiming the gospel through our words and intellect, but Paul who was well trained chose instead to proclaim the gospel through the demonstration of the Holy Spirit and of power.

 

When we go back to when Peter and John, and those who were with them, prayed for boldness, we see that they also prayed that God would stretch out His hand to heal, and that they would do signs and wonders through the name of Jesus. This was something they recognized as essential to being His witnesses to a lost and dying world.

 

Now before you think that was limited to the apostles, let’s go back to Stephen. In Acts 6:8, we see that Stephen, who was not an apostle, was full of faith AND power, and that he did great wonders and signs among the people.  This is something that should be a part of every believer that has been baptized in the Holy Spirit and fire as John the Baptist said Jesus would do in both Matthew 3:11 and Luke 3:16.  If the early church, both apostles and those who were not, prayed that they would do signs and wonders to proclaim the gospel in demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit, then who are we to say that we shouldn’t do the same thing?

 

When Jesus sent out the disciples to preach that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 10 to “heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and to cast out demons”.  In Mark 16:15-18, Jesus told them not only to go and preach the gospel to everyone, but He also told them that signs would follow those who believe.

 

There is nothing wrong with asking God to do signs and wonders to validate and promote the gospel He’s called us to share with others. It’s part of being His witnesses, ambassadors of His eternal kingdom.  Many are closed off to this aspect of being His witnesses, but as we see in scripture not only should it be a part of our life, but just as the early church did we must also be open to and asking God for this to be evident in our lives for Him.  To deny this element, or any other for that matter, basically expresses an attitude and mindset making ourselves superior to Christ and the early church, when in reality they should be an example to us of what it means to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of Jesus.

 

  1. To be martyrs for Christ and the kingdom

 

Finally, to be His witnesses means that we are willing and ready to die a martyr’s death for Him. All the apostles except for John are believed to have been martyrs for Christ.  One of the signs that we have been empowered by His Holy Spirit is that we’re willing and able to be martyrs for Him.  The word translated as witnesses in this passage means to be martyrs, so this is important for us to understand.  There are many people in the world who are willing to die for a cause, but this goes beyond that.  We are willing to be a martyr for Christ, the gospel, and for the Kingdom of God.  We’re not trying to make a statement as many martyrs do, but instead we are willing to die for the one who gave His life for each of us, knowing that eternity with Jesus is far greater than anything we may ever experience in this life.

 

The apostle Paul in Romans 8:18 tells us that the sufferings of this present life are not even worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed in us. And, it is the empowering of the Holy Spirit that enables us to have the ability and resolve to give our lives for Him no matter what the cost.  Not only is it believed that the apostles died a martyr’s death for Christ, but history shows that countless numbers of believers in the early church died a martyr’s death for Christ, some of which were even thrown to the lions in the Roman coliseums.  Even in the day we live in now we hear of Christians who are dying a martyr’s death for Christ, something that requires the empowering of His Holy Spirit in our lives.

 

Have you received the power of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of Jesus? Do you see the above elements active in your life as a disciple and witness of Him to a lost and dying world around you?  I have to admit that in looking at the above attributes of one empowered by God’s Holy Spirit to be witnesses, I find myself falling short.  Just as the church in Acts 4 asked God for boldness and to perform signs and wonders in His name, I need to seek Him more to fill and empower me to be the witness of Him He’s called each and every one of us to be.  How about you?  Are each of these elements an active part of your life as a witness of Him, or do you need to seek God for more of that empowering in your life.  If you find that you lack in any of these above areas, then I encourage you to begin seeking and asking God to manifest each of these in your life in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Time is short and the world needs to know and see that the power of God is more than sufficient to meet their every need.

Just A Little Sugar, Please

Today was interactive Sunday for us at Church. Once a month a Sunday is set aside for a time when people can anonymously submit questions to the Pastor for him to answer.  These questions are not submitted prior to the service, but instead during the service, and for that reason he has no prior notice of what the questions will be for that service.

Back to today and the questions that were asked of him. His answer to one particular question, asked by who I don’t know, probably didn’t set well with many, but thinking about it later a thought crossed my mind.  The question in particular asked him about the difference between various movies and fictional characters, including ones “Christian” based, that involve some level of witchcraft, sorcery, mysticism, the casting of spells, or other stuff of the like.  In his answer he made two comments that best sums up his response.  He simply said that there is no difference between them, and that none of them should have any place in the life of a Christian.  He also pointed out that each of these are elements of occultism.

Over the years it has amazed me as to how many Christians think nothing of something God has explicitly forbidden. Some have argued that some of these things are mere entertainment, or that they are so mature in their faith that these things have no effect on them.  Why is this?  There are perhaps many reasons why this happens, but a thought crossed my mind today that really sums it up.  Satan, the enemy of our souls, knows just how much “good stuff” to infuse into the bait to get us to bite, or how much truth seasoning the evil needs in order for us to make excuses that rationalize and justify our acceptance of it.

In Deuteronomy 18: 9-14, God not only makes it very clear that we are to have nothing to do with any of the above mentioned things, but He also makes it clear that these things are an abomination to Him. Yet, we can find all kinds of ways to rationalize and justify why we allow such things in our lives.  We have in essence told the enemy that if he sprinkles just enough “sugar” on the evil then we will accept it whole heartily.  I realize a little sugar helps make the medicine go down, but we’re not talking about medicine.  We’re talking about evil, and apparently if enough “good stuff” or truth of God’s Word is sprinkled on it then that supposedly makes it all good and acceptable.  The problem is that with God saying it is an abomination to Him, no amount of “sugar” is going to change His mind on the subject and make things acceptable to Him.  So, why do we treat these things as though they are when God has not changed His mind about it?  Some may say that was Old Testament, but nowhere in the New Testament do we see God changing His mind on the subject.  Instead, we read of how those that were involved in such things burned all their occultist paraphernalia when they were converted to Christianity.

Satan’s tactics remain largely intact when it comes to other things that God has specifically said should not be, especially if we call ourselves followers of Christ. Satan knows just how much “sugar” to infuse or season these things with in order to ensnare us in the sin.  Just to make it clear, the “sugar” I’m referring to is anything that in itself is not necessarily wrong or sinful, or is made up with just enough truth of God’s Word that we can’t see the sin clearly.  I heard it once said that the best lie is the one that is 99% true, and Satan is the father of all lies.  Whether it is adultery or fornication, hate and murder, gossip or backbiting, or any one of many other things the Bible refers to as sin, Satan’s tactics remain the same.

So, I encourage you to take some time to pray, asking God to reveal to you any areas in your life that you may have taken Satan’s bait with. Is there anything that you’ve embraced because the enemy has “sugar coated” it, making it easy to participate in or to find ways to justify your acceptance of it, even in the areas of entertainment and recreation?  If so, no matter what it is, you need to repent of it, surrender it to God, and embrace the truth of His Word in your life as never before.  Today in Sunday school it was briefly discussed how that our silence regarding what is wrong or displeasing to God sends the message that we embrace, or at best condone as acceptable that which is wrong or evil.  Don’t get caught up with the mindset that says to the devil, either in our words, our behavior, or in our silence, “just a little sugar, please”.

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