*RAPTURING FAITH (PART 10)*
Introduction:
HE THAT IS SLOW TO ANGER IS BETTER THAN
THE MIGHTY; AND HE THAT RULETH HIS SPIRIT
THAN HE THAT TAKETH A CITY. (Prov.16:32).
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering (patience), gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance (self control): against such there
is no law. (Gal.5:22).
Do you let the Holy Ghost control your food appetite,
your sexual appetite and your emotions? It is necessary
in order to attain to the spiritual heights for translative
anointing!
*GOSPEL DISTRIBUTION*
*** SELF CONTROL ***
AND THEY THAT ARE CHRIST’S HAVE CRUCIFIED THE
FLESH WITH THE AFFECTIONS AND LUSTS. (GAL.5:24).
Our grand-parents constantly say they had to keep the opposite sex
away from their spiritual practices. They really might not know why.
They simply understood that the presence of the opposite sex would
hinder their exercises. Echoes of such thoughts, (i.e spiritual
hinderance due to sexual defilement), permeate the whole bible,
which we must consider, for those who want to climb the heights
with the Ancient of days.
That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath
already been; and God requireth that which is past. (Eccl.3:15).
In this writing, I will shed some lights on things for you to meditate
upon concerning the spiritual height we all want to reach with God
for translation.
I was in a vision long time ago and the Lord came to me to instruct
me on some issues. He took up a little girl in his arms and showed to
me on the girl that few things must necessarily be purified in human
private organs.
Many times christians try to neglect the body so as to mean the inner
man is more important. However as we think of rapture and
translation, the state of our body becomes important, and there is
need for some purifying of the body, because the body is not going
into the grave. Therefore apostle Paul wrote: I pray that your spirit,
soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
*Self control - sexual appetite: *
One important aspect of our body that needs to be purified is our
sexual appetite. The writings of Moses classified some uncleaness as
related to sexual ejections. Now this is directed to the married
christians. Those who are not married must simply keep themselves
away from fornication.
Apostle Paul admonished couples to stay away from one another
occassionally to give yourselves to fasting and prayer. It means
romance will hinder the spiritual exercise. (1 Cor.7:1-5). He also
mentioned that “there is a difference between a wife and a virgin.
The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she
may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married
careth for the things of the world, how she may please her
husband. (1Cor.7:34).
The plan of the Lord from the beginning of the world is that he will
produce both male and female sons of God to arrive at the spiritual
heights for translation. Therefore it was written that “male and
female created he them. (Gen.1:27). Some folks think one has to be
celibate in order to grow to a great spiritual height required by God
for translative power. They remind us of the Lord Jesus who did not
marry and of Elijah the prophet, of whom there is no record of his
children, to prove their point. BUT NOT SO! In order to show that
these elect seed will not need to be celibates, God gave an example in
Enoch who was translated without seeing death, even though he was
a married man and had children. We are to be trees of righteousness,
men and women who have the fruits of the Holy Ghost of self-
control.
However, consider this verse: "Enoch walked with God after he
begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and
daughters." (Gen.5:22). Lo, the connotation of the word after is
that Enoch put off or suppressed romance after he had begotten his
children and seriously walked with God. Actually it depended upon
when the revelation came to him. You cannot really put God off till
you are ready.
In many words it is revealed that for great spiritual heights, one
must keep oneself pure continually both in the body and in the spirit.
Fasting can soften your spirit and suppress the sexual appetite.
Men of old associated sexual activities with uncleanness. For
instant when God was to come down among the hebrews on mount
Sinai, they were told: come not at your wives (which means no
sexual activity).
And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and
sanctified the people: and they washed their clothes. And he
said unto the people, be ready against the third day: come not at
your wives . (Exo.19:13-14).
When David asked for the shew-bread from the priest in the
tabernacle of God, he was told it might be okay if at least the young
men have kept themselves away from women.
David said, Now therefore, what is under thine hand: give me
five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present. And
the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread
under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men
have kept themselves at least from women. And David answered
the priest, and said unto him. Of a truth women have been kept
from us these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the
young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea,
though it were sanctified this day in the vessel. (1 Sam.21:3-5).
Take note that it is not the presence of the opposite sex which
causes any uncleaness; but it is the flow of the spermicidal fluid into
the body which hinders anointing. The fluid will flow with mere
romantic touch or thoughts. Therefore the mind also is a battle
ground we must control. (Read Rapturing Faith part 6). He that
looketh at a woman to lust after her has commited adultery with her
already in his heart.
Lo, celibacy is not the answer as some religions instituted the order
of nuns and monks. But "self-control" is what Holy Ghost amplifies.
Because even celibates will still discharge the spermicidal fluid on
their beds in their sleep by merely over-sleeping the sexual organs.
Moses wrote that if one discharges upon the bed, he should wash his
clothes and shall be unclean till the evening. And if any man's
seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his
flesh in water and be unclean until the even. The woman also
with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both
bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the even.
(Lev.15:16,18,25,28).
This is because it will take a full day for the body to neutralize the
fluid which had flowed into the pipeline of the organs in the night.
If you are not married and you have sexual ejection upon your bed,
don't put yourself under a guilty conscience. If there is no dream of
fornication connected to it, simply clean up. If there is a dream
connected whereby you find yourself in the dream commiting
fornication, then pray against it, clean up and go about your business.
With spiritual maturity you will outgrow such dreams in time.
The Lord visited me one morning to give an anointing. But certain
thing was found in the pipeline of my organs and so he postponed
the process for another day. When I considered the postponement, I
got understanding of the importance of the purifying of our body for
translative anointing.
The link between our spirit and our soul is associated to the testes as
the Lord showed to me sometime ago. The following is a reprint of
my writings in 1981 concerning the spirit-soul-body architecture
*(quote):*
I met a christian brother one time, who asked me that is it evil or good if one
finds oneself in a dream or a vision flying in the air? he was troubled when he
had such experience and certain people told him he had to pray against it. Well,
I told him to have peace in himself for the bible bears it out that our soul can fly.
(Psa.11:1) In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul Flee as a bird to
your mountain? How say some that there is no spirit or soul?
I was in a vision one morning and I was on ship on a sea. I was relaxing, laying
on the floor of the ship's deck. Somehow the Lord loosen my spirit at the
shoulders and I found myself come out of the larger part of my personality by the
head as a small boy, and flying in the breeze of the sea wind for a while. I was
conscious only in the smaller-me that was flying freely in the air; and I saw
myself return to the floor where I was sleeping and slided into the larger (kind of
headless) section still laying on the floor. I saw the master came around and
kicked me by my testes to rouse me up from the floor of the ship, and I arose and
followed with the others who were also on the ship.
Yea, that was an experience of how the Lord taught the separating of the soul
from the spirit. The human being had really been shut up in the body so that no
one can understand the architecture of our creation, unless the Lord opens up
and reveal. And, IN THE DAYS OF THE VOICE OF THE SEVENTH ANGEL
WHEN HE SHALL BEGIN TO SOUND, THE MYSTERY OF GOD SHOULD BE
FINISHED.... (Rev.10:7). God spoke of the mystery of the face of the spirit
garment, where it is located. (Job.41:13-15) Who can discover the face of his
garment? who can open the doors of his face? His teeth is terrible round about.
(Our face has doors also!)
God knows the unbelievers will search to know what is contained in the living
creatures, therefore God shut-up man into this physical platform. But the deep
things of God are revealed by the Holy Ghost to those that follow on to know the
Lord. THEN SHALL WE KNOW, IF WE FOLLOW ON TO KNOW THE LORD:
HIS GOING FORTH IS PREPARED AS THE MORNING; AND HE SHALL
COME UNTO US AS THE RAIN, AS THE LATTER AND FORMER RAIN UNTO
THE EARTH. (Hos.6:3). In my vision above, it took double rousing to awake
me to the body. I have found that the angel of the Lord will often smite me on
my side, near the missing rib, in visions, to return me to the body; but in the soul
realm, the testes was kicked. The angel of the Lord similarly smote apostle Peter
on the side to wake him up. (Acts. 12:7).
In every realm of the living, our body, soul and spirit must be preserved
blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. “THE INVISIBLE THINGS
OF GOD FROM THE CREATION OF THE WORLD ARE CLEARLY SEEN,
BEING UNDERSTOOD BY THE THINGS THAT ARE MADE. It is even
revealed in man: take a close look at the eyes of a friend as they move ‘to and
fro’ in the sockets; you will realize that it seems there is actually another
personality inside that body case, simply wearing the visible face like a mask,
no matter how urgly or unattractive the friend may look physically. (2 Cor.5:2).
Yea indeed! “FOR IN THIS WE GROAN, EARNESTLY DESIRING TO BE
CLOTHED UPON WITH OUR HOUSE WHICH IS FROM HEAVEN”. (end-quote).
Why is there a defilement due to the seed of copulation? Yea, It is the
glory of God to conceal a thing; but the honour of kings is to search out
a matter. (Prov.25:2). Let’s search this out. Consider this: when you
blow your nose, the mucus out of it becomes irritable to the eyes, whereas
before it came out, it was part of you. So is the spermicidal fluids both in
men and women -- to the smell senses, it stinks; how much more to the
Spirit of Holiness. (Mat.15:17-18). .. but those things which proceed out
of the mouth come forth from the heart and they defile the man. In like
manner most of the things that issue out of the human body is irritating to
the human eye once they are out: such as feaces, urine, spittle or nasal
mucus.
When the discussion about marrital status came up before the Lord and
the disciples said “if the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good
to marry”, the Lord’s reply was: All men cannot receive this saying, save
they to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs, which were so
born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which
were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs which have made
themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to
receive it, let him receive it. (Mat.19:10-12).
In short, there is less emphazy put on the mating relationship all over the
scriptures. Christ also said “For in the resurrection, they neither marry, nor
are given in marriage but are as the angel of God in heaven. (Mat.22:30).
However God instituted it to bring forth the generations upon the earth till
the end. The submissive child of God will therefore have the fruit of the
Holy Ghost of self control.
Our spirit and soul will glow when empowered. But Adam and Eve lost
the glowing covering when they sinned: and the punishment on Eve was
around child-bearing. Yea, think about this: Adam lost the glow! Could it
be just the sin of disobedience or could it be the sin of adultery with the
serpent's involvement which caused it? (Compare: The fruit of knowledge
of good and evil --- the fruits of the flesh. Gen.3:1-7, Gal.5:19-22). These
are verses to ponder upon.
We know that at impregnation, the spirit of the child enters the human
testes, put on a "cloak" which will become the soul garment, passed into the
woman and put on a body in the egg: "and man became a living soul"
(Gen.2:7).
Now, the link between spirit and soul is at the genitals -- perhaps the
copulation discharge is a soulish activity that affects the soul and spirit link.
Also there is a link to the mind - the spirit laboratory. It is practically
impossible to discharge the seed of copulation without the mind
involvement. Then there could be polution of the mind during spermicidal
flow. Yet our mind is important to be used to propel us into the translative
spectrum.
In summary, what is revealed here is that there is some measure of
defilement after every sexual discharge.
*How much is too much?*
When we think about food appetite, the scripture says we should not be
glutonous: He that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich. (Prov. 21:17 ).
*For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty. (Prov.23:21).*
But how much is too much? Many people cannot afford to be glutonous due
to the price of meat and wine. Therefore they may think the scriptures about
drunkenness and glutony do not apply to them. But self control is measured
when there is meat or wine free of charge and in abundance. Similarly
when one is not married, one has the mandate as a christian to keep oneself
away from sexual activities. However when one is married, it is easy for a
couple to take marriage as a license to have sexual activity anytime and as
often as they wish. But it is during this time that self control needs to be
applied. If the Lord tells you how often you must deny yourself of sexual
activity with your spouse, it is to impress upon you the requirement for the
spiritual height which you desire to reach. If you decide to accept his
instruction, the devil will try you with lust during your fasting days. It is
during your fast that you will need the self control to overcome the
temptations.
For my own testimony, the Lord instructed me as I was preparing for
marriage that I should have no bedroom romance during school nights. I
tried to abide by that rule but would occassionally break the rule till the
Lord reminded me the second time few years ago. I then gathered that it is
very important to the Lord for my spiritual growth to attain to the heights I
desire.
*Self Control - emotions:*
Self control is also important in the area of emotions. Many scriptural
verses point to the fact that we must control our temper.
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth
his spirit than he that taketh a city. (Prov.16:32).
If you quarrel with your spouse to the point that you lift up your hand and
strike him or her, something is wrong with you! The Lord said: I say unto
you, resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn
to him the other also. (Mat.5:39). Why will you then be the one to strike
another person? Apostle Paul wrote: “why do ye not rather take wrong?
Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?” (1 Cor.6:7).
He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken
down and without walls. (Prov.25:28).
* The fruits of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
(Gal.5:22-23).
* Even a fool when he holdeth his peace is counted wise: and he that shutteth
his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.” (Prov.17:28).
If you lose your temper too easily, pray in the spirit regularly: speaking in
tongues regularly can remove the bad temperament as you gain self control.
He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself. (1 Cor.14:4).
*Self Control : food appetite*
Concerning food appetite, the scriptures say: the righteous eateth to the
satisfying of his soul; but the belly of the wicked shall want.
(Prov.13:25). But when lust steps in, one will not be able to successfully
complete even a single fast. For all that is in the world, the lust of the
flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the father, but is
of the world. (1 Jn.2:16).
A man who cannot control his food appetite will soon over-eat or do
wrong, in the face of free food. “When thou sittest to eat with a ruler,
consider diligently what is before thee. And put a knife to thy throat, if
thou be a man given to appetite. Be not desirous of his dainties: for they
are deceitful meat.” (Prov.23:1-3).
Self control is important! “Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is
sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.” (Prov.25:16).
If you still have to pacify your mouth with things such as cigarette, or
chewing-gum, etc., you need help! Confessing the word of God with your
mouth regularly against the habit will deliver you, for the word is the sword
of the Spirit against the addictive demons. If the Son therefore shall
make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (Jn.8:36).
As I said earlier, disciplined fasting will help quench the lust for food and
help control appetite. You must claim your victory over all of these lusts
(including lust for wealth).
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient; all
things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of
any. (1 Cor.6:12) (Rom.8).
May the Lord give you victory over the flesh which lusts to dominate the
spirit.
If you are edified by this literature, write and let us know. As the Lord
said, to him that heareth shall more be given.
*RESIST PRIDE *
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof. But he that doeth the
will of God abideth forever. (1Jn.2:16-17).
In the previous sections, I talked about quenching the lust of the flesh
and the lust of the eyes by the fruit of self-control from the Holy Spirit.
Pride of life is also a serious enemy of spiritual growth. In rapturing faith
part 6, I exhorted on humility as a necessary attribute of the saint to attain
to the spiritual heights for the rapture. I will like to continue in this line of
exhortation.
I quoted from the writings of the apostolic fathers about a visionary
parable given to a minister, in which was described the state of different
classification of believers. An angel gave sticks to the believers to keep, and
then asked for the sticks to examine them one by one. The angel said:
Those who returned their sticks green and cracked, are faithful at all times
(i.e they are born again believers); but they had a certain jealousy of one
another over questions of pre-eminence, and some kind of distinction. That
talks about some believers in many charismatic groups I have known. The
angel said they are all born again, but they have problem with pre-eminence,
(everybody wants to be the greatest), and some kind of distinction (each one
claims to be a greater prophet or teacher or evangelist than the other). This
visionary parable was written probably in the third century; yet the problem
is still alive among the 20th century believers.
The enemy knows the weakness of humanity therefore the devil has used
pride of life to divide and rule the protestant churches for centuries. Just
look around! After each confrontation for pre-eminence, the church had
always splitted into pieces, which sometimes we may say is okay, but the
outcome of it has always been that those splinter groups will never and can
never whole-heartedly fellowship with one another anymore. But God is
concerned with our hearts!
We say there is going to be a latter rain! We have been saying this since
the seventies! Yet it has been delayed! Therefore the showers have been
withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hast a whore’s
forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed. (Jer.3:3). We have got to
search and put our houses in order in the body of Christ. A minister saw a
vision sometime in the 50's about the perfect bride of Christ which appeared
like the church in the first century, and will appear again in the last century.
The minister saw in that vision that as this string of beautiful ladies, used to
symbolize the bride of Christ, was passing by, he saw in the vision that the
last two of the ladies were almost stumbling but they quickly corrected
themselves before they disappeared. We are precisely at that spot where
the bride seemed to be stumbling, especially with the attack from the enemy
to cause pride among the saints, in conflict with one another. It’s time to
stop and look again at the scriptures. We must show humility and divine
love which alone will rapture the bride! We must search our lifes and
repent of any thing that can be a hinderance to this latter rain we all expect.
We also must pray, because prayer changes things. You must pray for
yourself first, and also pray for the body of Christ worldwide. The Lord can
turn things around, but prayer moves his hands.
Paul wrote “let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another,
envying one another.” (Gal.5:26). It is vain glory when we seek pre-
eminence! Because nobody has any power except Jesus! Nobody has any
faith except Jesus! What I have found out is that all of us, human being,
don’t have a single faith to stand against the enemy! It is the faith of the
Son of God, Jesus, that he is planting into us. So then we have nothing to
glory about!
Spiritual pride is the major problem in the church; not the pride that one
has a house, or the other has a car. It is the kind of pride such as will make
one to say: leave this case to me, I can pray through and get the devil out!
The devil may refuse to obey him. If the devil senses that you have pride
and perhaps you look down on your brethren who are less anointed, the devil
has got a reason to disobey you! The one you think does not have the power,
the devil may even obey.
The disciples ran into such problem while Christ was still with them.
When the lunatick boy could not be delivered, there could have been a
struggle among the disciples about who should take charge, because the
Lord had gone to the mountain with Peter, James and John. After the
disciples asked the Lord why they could not cast the devil out, the question
arose who should be the greatest among them. Reading between the lines,
the question reveals what other problem they had which also hindered their
authority over the lunatick spirit. ( Mk.9:17-34).
This kind of spiritual pride is an hinderance to the growth of the saints.
The devil breaks more congregations by causing an in-fighting over pre-
eminence. Not pre-eminence in the government of the world! Not pre-
eminence in the city! But pre-eminence in the church. Apostle John also
wrote about this. John wrote about one disciple who showed the desire for
pre-eminence among the believers in his days. It is always a stepping stone
to sin and confusion. I wrote unto the church, but Diotrephes, who
loveth to have pre-eminence among them receiveth us not. Wherefore if
I come I will remember his deed which he did. (3 Jn.9). The desire for
pre-eminence is from the demons. Once the devil plants it into someone,
there is no way the fellow will submit to God. Because God chooses not as
man chooses.
Remember when God sent prophet Samuel to go and anoint one of the
sons of Jesse to be the next king in Israel. Samuel was looking for a sizable
man who could really handle any problem which the current king Saul might
present. But God looks at the heart! Once God has selected a man in His
plan, if the devil puts the desire for pre-eminence in another fellow in the
congregation, there definitely will be confrontation sooner or later. For
instance, when king Saul was rejected by God to transfer the kingdom unto
David, there was resistance after Saul sensed the call on David’s life.
We should pray for the whole body of Christ against this sin, because just
look around in the body of Christ. Even in the midst of christian television
broadcasting, what offence do you think will be prevalent? There was a
time I called a christian television station to find out how much they charge
for a 30-minute broadcast. The man told me the price. It was big, like
$10000 or so. Then he said “you know something? your program must be
really good to be accepted; because there are multitudes of churches and
ministries that want to get on the air but are not selected”. Those churches
wanted to pay but they couldn’t get on because the station has to pick and
choose what they think is the best among the numerous programs. So there
is bound to be in-fighting for pre-eminence among the ministries for
recognition! Don't you think so? The devil will use the same strategy of the
ages, (pride of life) to make some ministers do whatever it will take to get
their program on the airwaves, because they love the recognition. That is
why I say we must pray for the whole body of Christ.
The angel that spoke to the apostolic father in his writing said there will
be chastisement to get the problem out. James began to tell us how to get
it out of ourselves.
“Humble youself in the sight of the Lord and He shall lift you up”. One
sure manifestation of the pride is seen when one minister in his pulpit speaks
evil of another minister to make himself look good to his listeners. But
James said: Speak not evil one of another brethren. He that speaketh
evil of his brother and judgeth his brother speaketh evil of the law and
judgeth the law. (James 4:10). James wrote further: Who is a wise man
and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good
conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter
envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the
truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual,
devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every
evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then
peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits,
without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of
righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. (James 3:13-
18).
Apostle Paul admonished us thus: Put on therefore as the elect of God,
holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind,
meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one
another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave
you, so also do ye.
And above all these things put on charity, (divine love), which is the
bond of perfectness.
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are
called in one body; and be ye thankful. (Col.3:12-15).
We must confess our sins to God and ask the Lord to cleanse us and
move upon His body worldwide. Let’s get rid of the demons of pride. A
brother may be talking on the pulpit, and the demons may fly to one listener
in the pew and whisper: ‘“you know better than him on that topic; he
shouldn’t be teaching you!”. Those demons fly around and whisper proud
thoughts to the ears. Once you listen to them, they’ll give you more, and
continue to give you some more, until you either get rid of them or they land
upon you and settle, since you welcome them. Whereas love will cast off
such thought immediately.
Yea, let love reign in your hearts and the demons will have no chance!
Remember it's the Holy Spirit that will manifest the fruits of self control and humility in
us. And the word is written for you to see what you must submit your will to. For
example, if you have a quarrel with your spouse and will not speak to one another for few
hours. The Holy Spirit will remind you of the word of God as He asks you to go apologize
for peace's sake: why not rather suffer wrong? why not rather suffer yourself to be
defrauded? But the spirit of pride will immediately counter the word in your mind that
“why should I be the one to say I’m sorry! My spouse will think I'm at fault. He (or She)
should come and apologize! Also the wrong done to you will continually linger in your
mind as the demons refuse to let you forget it. Why? Because the scripture says “he that
repeated a matter separated very friends.
Your responsibility as a christian is to “remember the word of the Lord and to do it” by
humbly submiting to the Holy Spirit quickly because the scripture says my Spirit shall
not always strife with man. (Gen.6:3 ). If you do the regular prayer and praise, say
every three hours, your quarrels should not last for more than 3 hours. (Let not the sun
go down upon your wrath). The Holy Spirit will remind you the words of the Lord as you
step aside to pray and to offer your sacrifice of praise: leave there thine gift before the
altar; first be reconciled to thy brother, (or your sister, your spouse), and then come
and offer thy gift. ( Mat.5:24 ).
Therefore let humility reign in your heart and submit to the precepts of the word of the
Lord always.
*How are your kids doing?*
In the book of Judges chapter 2 verse 10, it says: And also all that
generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose
another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet
the works which he had done for Israel.
In the days of Noah, no single child was saved from the flood! The eight souls
saved were married adults. Who failed? The kids or the parents? Think about it!
Are your children, and all the sunday-school-raised kids on fire for the Lord to
carry the torch of the light of Jesus? Are they filled with the Holy Ghost and do
they prophesy like the daughters of Philip the evangelist? (Acts 21:8-9).
Remember King Hezekiah of Israel was so close to God that God turned back
the sun dial for him by ten degrees. (2Kgs.20:3-11). Yet Manasseh his son after
him was the cause of the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah when he turned to
idols! (2Kgs.21:11-16; 23:26). Why did some men of faith fail to bring their
children in?
Remember also King David a man after God’s own heart! Yet his son Amnon,
the first born, was so sexually promiscous to the point of raping his half sister
(David's daughter). (2Sam.13). Yea, consider the scriptures: BE THOU
DILIGENT TO KNOW THE STATE OF THY FLOCKS AND LOOK TO THY
HERDS. FOR RICHES ARE NOT FOR EVER: AND DOTH THE CROWN
ENDURE TO EVERY GENERATION? (Prov.27:23-24).
Is the Sunday school and family gathering enough to keep the children full of
the word? Are your children merely nice church kids waiting for the slightest
opportunity to be free from papa and mama’s policing? It's the word that
delivers! Though some kids follow their parents to church, many teenagers had
been seen, behind church building, doing their own things while the church was
in progress.
If sound doctrine is preached in the churches without prefering one topic to
another, your flock may be little but it will be the few that is heaven-bound!
Fear not little flock, for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the
kingdom.
There are some churches where the preachers are mere specialists. They only
preach on one topic! A sinner can be in the congregation for five years and never
hear a sermon that touches his or her lifestyle. Why? it’s not the specialty of the
pastor to talk on lifestyle! Therefore the world folks do not see any difference
between themselves and the church folks. Whereas apostle Paul said PREACH
THE WORD; BE INSTANT IN SEASON, OUT OF SEASON; CORRECT,
REPROVE, REBUKE, WITH ALL LONGSUFFERING. For the time will
come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall
they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. And they shall turn away
their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (2Tim.4:2-4).
Apostle Paul prophezied further that in the last days perilous times
shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous,
boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful,
unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers,
incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high
minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. Can't you see this
generation fulfilling all of these? If you are a christian who loves the Lord,
can your children fall into these categories, “loving pleasure more than
loving God? Will they rather go to all-night party than go to all-night
prayer-meeting? You may be raising another Manasseh in the household of
Hezekiah! “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord!” It is your
responsibility to make that happen for your children while they are yet under
your roof!
I preached in a village many years ago. After the service was over, an
elderly couple came to me and spake about their teenage son. The father
said the young man was rebellious, has dropped out of school, would not
learn any trade, was smoking and drinking. They knew he was on the road
to destruction and poverty and they asked if I could pray specifically for
him. I had just prayed for the audience for salvation and the young man was
in the crowd. (Many needy folks, who need personal ministration, are
hiding in the crowd in many churches). I asked the parent to call him and let
me first talk to the young man. He came and I spoke to him about life and
the path he had been following as reported by his parents. It hit this young
man so hard that he became very sober after the talk. Perhaps for the first
time he saw the concern his parents had for him! Also the anointed words
from the preacher’s mouth penetrated through the enemies resistance.
*FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS QUICK, AND POWERFUL, AND
SHARPER THAN ANY TWOEDGED SWORD, PIERCING EVEN
TO THE DIVIDING ASUNDER OF SOUL AND SPIRIT, AND OF
THE JOINTS AND MARROW, AND IS A DISCERNER OF THE
THOUGHTS AND INTENTS OF THE HEART. (Heb.4:12).
I prayed for this young man and he was delivered. Yea, the word
delivers! The Lord Jesus said the words that I speak unto you,
they are spirit and they are life! (Jn.6:63). Prayer also changes
things! We called for all-night prayer meetings, and only a few would
come! It is time the body of Christ worldwide go back to all-night
prayer-meetings, redeeming the time! The Lord is coming soon and
the dark days foretold have already arrived.
Have you ever wondered why the church has not been spared from
the troubles in the land? The following scriptures should tell you
why:
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And the Lord said unto him, GO THROUGH THE MIDST
OF THE CITY, THROUGH THE MIDST OF JERUSALEM,
AND SET A MARK UPON THE FOREHEADS OF THE MEN
THAT SIGH AND THAT CRY FOR ALL THE
ABOMINATIONS THAT BE DONE IN THE MIDST
THEREOF. And to the others he said, GO AFTER HIM
THROUGH THE CITY, AND SMITE: LET NOT YOUR EYE
SPARE, NEITHER HAVE YE PITY: SLAY UTTERLY OLD
AND YOUNG, BOTH MAIDS, AND LITTLE CHILDREN,
AND WOMEN: BUT COME NOT NEAR ANY MAN UPON
WHOM IS THE MARK; AND BEGIN AT MY
SANCTUARY. (Eze.9:4-6).
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Yea, doesn't the scripture say “judgement will begin at the house
of the Lord? (1Pet.4:17). It is time for the church to preach against
iniquity from the pulpit and outside the pulpit “without prefering one
before another! (1Tim.5:21). If you are not sighing and crying
against the iniquities around you, you may not receive the protective
seal that separates the good from the bad when God sends his wrath.
Yea, church folks, repent!
Bro. Julius Adewumi, Gospel Distribution Ministry,
USA.