DOES THE BIBLE SAY THAT PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE SINS CAN NO LONGER SEPARATE US FROM GOD?

DO THE SCRIPTURES TEACH US THAT GOD NO LONGER SEES OUR SINS?

I hear and read these comments frequently. What does the Word of God teach us on this subject?  Are we to believe our favorite ministries, pastors or books who teach this erroneous doctrine – or shall we submit ourselves to the Scriptures and believe what God has taught us?  Do we believe them just because they have a television program, or went to seminary or wrote a best selling book?  Is this the criteria for our belief?  Do we not know that the every single Apostle and Jesus Christ Himself warned us against wolves, false prophets, angels of light, ministers of satan and He said many would come IN HIS NAME – that is, speaking for Christ.

Let’s examine the Word of God and I will use New Testament scriptures only to show the error of the above thinking.

Jesus gives a very sobering, stern warning:

Luk 13:5  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Repent or perish – Yes, that’s the words of our Savior Jesus.

____________________________________

All sins, past present and future?

Rom 3:25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

Note – Remission of sins that are PAST.  This text does not say all of our future sins are forgiven.

__________________________________

Awake or asleep?

1Co 15:34  Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

_________________________________

Reaping death or life –

Rom 6:16  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

_______________________________

The apostle Paul gives additional warnings regarding the following sins that forfeit salvation:

1Co 6:9  Know ye not that the unrighteous SHALL NOT INHERIT the kingdom of God? BE NOT DECEIVED: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall NOT INHERIT the kingdom of God.

Gal 5:19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Paul is warning the church, that is, those who called themselves Christians, that they will NOT INHERIT the Kingdom of God, because of SIN!    Even though they may have had a past moment of faith, they were not to believe that they could remain in sin and be saved.

_______________________________

Jesus had very stern warnings to us in the Book of Revelation:

Rev 2:5  Remember therefore from whence thou art FALLEN AND REPENT, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Verse 6 says they were FALLEN.  Is a fallen person still saved?  Is a Christian still a Christian if they are fallen?  If Jesus removes His candlestick (light) from us, do we think we have eternal life?

__________________________

Rev 2:16  REPENT; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

Do we want Jesus to be against us?  Can we even believe what it must be like to have Him fight AGAINST US?  Is this person saved and enemies with Christ?

____________________________

Rev 2:21  And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

22  Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. :23  And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

Jesus is very angry with Jezebel in these verses.  She is the one who allows the false prophets to continue teaching LIES.  Because she refused to repent and continued to hold onto her own mind (her own will/my ministry/my pastor) she is now under the wrath of God.  This verse is to the Church!  It is to one who calls themselves saved, a Christian, and a believer in Jesus Christ.  It is to teachers who are instructing in things contrary to the doctrine of Jesus Christ.  Jezebel promoted idolatry and taught people how to practice it.  Are not false doctrines idols in our hearts?  Can we be idolators and remain saved?  Can we think that Jezebel and her children (those that follow her teachings) will rise to everlasting life or condemnation?  Can we be under the wrath of God and still be saved?

_____________________________________

Jesus warns the church in Sardis:

Rev 3:3  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

The Lord is exhorting us to REMEMBER what was taught to us – and to repent.  Clearly this church had removed itself from the truth of the gospel.  He warns Sardis of the danger to those who do not repent — He will come as a thief.

The apostle Paul gives us further insight:

1Th 5:2  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.  :3  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4  But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.  5  Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.  6  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7  For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 9  For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

Children of God know the season, they know that Jesus will not come TO THEM as a thief.  Can we remain in sin and be children of the light?  Do we believe the peace and safety doctrine that says all my future sins are already forgiven and that sin is no longer a problem with God?  Paul warns the CHURCH not to be asleep or drunken in the night.  Can we be asleep and children of God?  Are we saved and drunken?

____________________________

Jesus warns the CHURCHES that unless they repented of various SINS, he would come upon them as a thief, fight against them with the Sword of His Mouth, remove their candlestick, and in the case where the sinner refused to repent – would place her (Jezebel) under His judgment.  The same message to the Churches in Revelation apply to the Churches today.

___________________________________

Love Jesus and remain in sin?

Heb 10:29  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30  For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Are we wreckless with our salvation, believing that sin is no longer an issue with God?  Hebrews teaches us that we do despite to the Spirit of grace, and count the blood of the covenant an unholy thing if we ignore the warnings in scriptures.  Note verse 10:31 – it is a FEARFUL THING TO FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE LIVING GOD!  We are warned about a “sorer punishment.”  Does this sound like a saved person?  Do we think we can remain in our sins and deny that God will not take Vengeance?

________________________

God is not mocked –

Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap CORRUPTION; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, IF WE FAINT NOT.

Sow to the Spirit/walk in the Spirit/life in the Spirit is fellowship with God and reaps eternal life.  Can we believe that sowing to the flesh and reaping corruption means we still inherit eternal life?  We are warned to FAINT NOT if we wish to reap the eternal blessings of God.  Verse 7 is very sharp BE NOT DECEIVED!  Yes, we can be deceived and it is done through the decetifullness of sin!

_____________________________________

We must repent –

2Co 7: 10  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 11  For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

Peace with God comes through our confession, repentance and forsaking our sins through the sacrifice and shed blood of Jesus Christ.  If we sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, but there MUST BE REPENTANCE, we MUST REPENT OF THE SIN, WE MUST STOP THE SIN!

______________________________________

God commands what?

Act 17:30  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31  Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Do we think we can deny God’s commands and be saved?  Do we dare say to God we don’t have to repent but we still expect you to accept us as your children?

______________________________________

What must we do TO BE SAVED?

Act 3:19  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Repentance and then conversion.  We must forsake the sin and be converted, that is be renewed in the spirit of our minds/put on the mind of Christ…so THAT OUR SINS MAY BE BLOTTED OUT when the Lord comes.  Can we remain in sin and deny the conversion God wishes to accomplish in us by ignoring this verse and think we are in right standing with God?  Do we think just because we confessed faith 10 or 20 years ago, that moment of faith can carry us to our graves?  Is there not a conversion that must occur, as the apostle says?

_________________________

False prophets:

Be warned against those who say sin is not an issue or a problem with God.  This is false doctrine and is dangerous.  The one who subscribes to once saved always saved/perseverance of the saints believes that sin is not going to separate them from God because of what Jesus did on the cross.

The only sins that are forgiven are the ones that we have forsaken and asked God to wash away by the blood of Jesus.  This is true confession.  To remain saved, we must “strive to enter in,” keep ourselves,” “be holy,” “sin not,” and a multitude of other scriptures to warn us against the deceitfulness of sin.

____________________________________________

What is biblical faith?

Heb 3:12  Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.  13  But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

14  For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;   15  While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.  16  For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.  17  But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?  18  And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?   19  So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

The scriptures in Hebrews defines unbelief and calls it sin.  Note in verse 17 the writer states that those who SINNED died in the wilderness and in verse 19 he states that they could not enter in because of UNBELIEF.  Biblical faith/belief is defined by our obedience, not  just by our mental asset.  The devils believe, but they are not saved.  Are we inheriting eternal life through unbelief?  Are not these scriptures in Hebrews written for OUR INSTRUCTION?  Do we understand that the children of Israel were killed in the wilderness – they did NOT ENTER IN because of their sin.  Are we not to learn from their example?

____________________________

Again – what is belief?

Mar 1:15  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

If we repent and believe the gospel, we will be saved, but if we do not repent, how can we say we believe?   Do we really believe what Jesus said.  If we do, won’t we obey Him?  If he says we must stop sinning, do we say we don’t have to because our future sins are already forgiven and God doesn’t see them anymore?  Why would Jesus tell us to repent if sin was no longer going to be a problem under the gospel?  If we believe this lie, we must forsake it and those who teach it.

___________________________

Mercy and truth:

Jesus offered the woman caught in adultery forgiveness.  He is loving, compassionate and forgiving, but he told her to “go and sin no more.”

The man at the pool of Bethesda was healed, but Jesus warned us to go and sin no more, “less a worse thing come upon thee.”

_____________________________

Are we really in the Spirit or are we really in the flesh?

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who WALK NOT after the flesh, but AFTER THE SPIRIT :2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.  3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in US, WHO WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH, BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT.  5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  6  For to be carnally minded is DEATH; but to be spiritually minded is LIFE and peace. 7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus to those who walk after the Spirit – these are saved.  But to those who walk after the flesh, that is to remain in sin, are carnal, at enmity with God, and do not please God.  Note verse 6:  “to be carnally minded is DEATH.”    He’s not talking about the death of the body, he’s talking about spiritual death.  Can we be enemies with God and be saved?  Do we have life and peace, that is, reconciliation with God and keep sinning and not think this is backslidding?

_____________________________________

We must repent and return to the truth of the scriptures and renounce the hidden things of darkness — that is forsake those idolatrous false doctrines, ministries and teachers that continue to build up the kingdom of satan by saying that sin is no longer an issue.  This is a lie from the father of lies and designed to destroy you!  If you have believed this doctrine, let your mind be renewed by the Word of God.  If you are in your sins because you were taken captive by the lies that says all our future sins are already forgiven and that God no longer sees our sins — repent, be converted, ask God to help you overcome sin in your life and endure to the end.

The promises and hope are to the OVERCOMER:

Rev 21:7  He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.   And by chance there came down a certain priest that way:  and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place,  came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,  And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence,  and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.  Which now of these three, thinkest thou,was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him.

Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Luk 10:30-37

• A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

Jesus taught us that the devil comes to steal, kill and destroy.  As satan was more subtil than any of the other creatures in the Garden in his temptation of Eve, we learn that our adversary still attempts to deceive mankind through his subtilty.

2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

If we fail to resist the temptations that fall upon us and  yield to sin, thanks be to God we are still afforded God’s grace and forgiveness through repentance, however, we must never do despite to the Spirit of Grace and be careless with such a great salvation.  Jesus warned the church in Laodicea:  Be zealous, therefore, and repent. (Rev. 3:19).  God is not mocked – whatsoever we so, we will reap.

The story of the man on the road to Jericho opens with a critical piece of knowledge.  While I do believe there are layers to this story and the message is clear that we are to care for one another, I see a deeper message at work.  Jesus tells us that the man was:

Overtaken by thieves:   Joh 10:10  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Stripped of his raiment: Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Wounded him:  Pro 7:26  For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.

Left  him near death: Eze 18:26  When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.

The thief, in his boldness and arrogance against the Word of God spoke lies to Eve, and in her deception she fell, became stripped of the glory of God’s covering Spirit, was wounded by her sin and inherited death.  Although our Merciful Lord covered the sin of Adam and Eve with the slain animal foreshadowing the Cross, they were still put outside the Garden, and now subject to the curse for their disobedience.

We see some of the same principles in the story above – the man on the Road to Jericho was left for dead, BUT for the mercy of one who had compassion upon him.  But before we learn of the Samaritan’s goodness, we see that those who had the knowledge of the scriptures, the Levite and the Priest, wanted nothing to do with the perishing man.  Perhaps in their self-righteousness they thought he had received his just reward because of some sin; or perhaps their hearts were just plain cold and uncaring.   While we are not given the reason for their neglect, we do learn that those had knowledge, those who were ordained by God to reveal His will to the world, did NOTHING.  They misrepresented the Great Physician and Giver of Life.  They looked upon a human being in perhaps one of the most miserable of conditions one could know, and, by their rejection, judged him worthy of death!

Knowledge without application is hypocrisy and detrimental to our souls.  Regrettably, we see many Levites and Priests at work today who teach that a faith without works is sufficient and accepted of God.   We are encouraged to “judge not,” and be “politically correct,” in our dealings with one another.  These hypocrites say “prophesy not, speak to us smooth things,” because the very Light of Christ is exposing their own heart of unbelief.  These wish to remain hidden from God, and live comfortably in their fig leaves, rather than to let sin be dealt with by His Holy Spirit of purging.

To ignore a dying man can very well place us in the role of his murderer.  Furthermore, to turn a blind eye on a perishing soul puts us under the condemnation of God.  If we see a brother or sister in sin, we must be as the Samaritan, ministering to their needs, by tenderly applying the oil and wine to save a soul from death.  The Prophet Ezekiel gives us a very stern warning:

Eze 33:4  Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.

Eze 33:5  He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.

Eze 33:6  But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.

Eze 33:7  So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.

Eze 33:8  When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

Eze 33:9  Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

Ezekiel teaches us, as my friend once said, “love warns the wicked.”  Samaritans contend for the faith by their actions, unlike the hypocrites who deny the Word by their works.  It is not enough to know – we must know to do.  A faith without works is a dead faith and not a saving one.  Evidence of a life submitted to Christ is not in whether we can memorize and quote scripture, but in the bearing of fruit.  The Levite and Priest were surely tested as they viewed the body of the dieing man on the road to Jericho, but they  denied the Word that taught them to be healers and givers of truth.  It took a man that some saw as alienated from the Commonwealth of Israel, a man that was viewed with skepticism and exclusion, to perform the works of God.  The Samaritan was as Christ, giving whatever was needful so that this soul could recover from certain death.

In the parable of the sheep and the goats, Jesus is again showing us the hypocrisy of a faith without works.   We read:

Mat 25:41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Mat 25:42  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

Mat 25:43  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Mat 25:44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Mat 25:45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Mat 25:46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

The righteous were as was the Samaritan.  They performed the works of God, possessed a genuine heart of compassion and ministered what was needful for life.  The goats were as the Levite and Priest.  Their hardened hearts of unbelief were revealed in their neglect for a perishing man, and disregard for the Word of God.

God forbid that we should ever be as the Levite and Priest, who denied emergent care to a soul, condemning a man to death.  Let us never believe that we are so pure and separated from God’s creation, that we fear getting our hands dirty.

While in Jerusalem, the King of the Universe, our Beloved Savior, Jesus, could have marched into the pristine Temple, sat upon a golden throne and surrounded Himself with beauty only, however, Jesus went to where the need was the greatest – at the Pool of Bethesda:

Joh 5:2  Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

Joh 5:3  In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

Joh 5:4  For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

Joh 5:5  And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

Joh 5:6  When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

Joh 5:7  The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

Joh 5:8  Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

Joh 5:9  And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

One can only imagine the sights, sounds and smells of the Bethesda pool.  This gathering of the sick was probably just as unpleasant to witness, as was the man on the Road to Jericho.  Any presence there would have placed one subject to various communicable or other diseases, much like the hospitals of today.  However, the Lord Jesus was far more concerned with serving than being served.  He cared more about stooping down to heal the suffering, rather than sitting on a throne.

The world is filled with those who have been wounded by the deceitfulness of sin. They are as the valley of dry bones, once alive, but seemingly without hope.  It takes the breath of God and the Word of Truth in the mouths of His faithful servants to minister what is needful for revival.  They possess the supernatural oil and wine and know how to use it — in humility, in love and in honor of their Heavenly Father.  They are as Jesus, not fearing getting dirty and are not so prideful so as to turn a blind eye when they behold a sinful condition.  They see it as an opportunity to offer the hope of the resurrection and eternal life to those who are stricken.  These Samaritans walk in love and not hypocrisy.  They look not on their own things, but on the things of others.  Phi 2:4  They fulfill the words of Jesus, the One who epitomized love, truth and righteousness and in whose example we must walk, by what they did.

“Go, and do thou likewise.”

God grants us all free will to either choose or reject His existence and power. This country also has laws that support freedom of religion.  While I wish they would join us, I must understand that after having done all to share as the Lord commands us, I must let them go. Sometimes these proofs of God are more than words, but they are also demonstrated by supernatural powers, such as in healings or prophecies.

And as Atheism is their religion, I stand with God in supporting their free will decision of choice. I do not want to go into their homes and arrest them, I don’t want to sue them, nor do I want to see them harmed because of their unbelief.  I know there will be consequences for their rejection, and that is between them and God.   I know there is a day of reckoning and if they fail to come forth, I weep for them because in the end they will know they were wrong and it will be too late.

Interestingly, I find it hypocritical that atheists attempt to stop us who do believe.  They wish to deny us any rights to express our faith. Because they hate the Word of God and its author, they will resist Him anywhere His voice may be found, their own arguments expressing their hypocrisy.  Churches are routinely burned down and Christians are still being killed every single day.  Ungodly laws are drafted and supported by ungodly men.  It brings to mind Hitler and his genocide.

But God is not mocked and His voice cannot be silenced.  It is everywhere, in the creation, in the change of seasons, God is in the waves of the ocean coming forth and stopping, and in the seed sprouting forth life.  His handiwork is in the heavens and there is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.

God IS — יהוה He is YHWH – the Great I am – the self existent one.  Even within His name, Christ and the cross is revealed – the hand, the outstretched arm, and the nail, is contained in the very letters in the Name of God.

No, there is no speech nor language where He is not heard. There is no where on earth where his power is not seen.  And there is no where in the things that God has created where Christ is not revealed.

To the law and to the testimony:

if they speak not according to this word,

 it is because there is no light in them.

Isa 8:20

Jesus Christ taught us, along with his holy apostles and prophets to test all things.  Thank God we have the standard of the scriptures in order to determine what spirit is speaking.  While it is true that not everything is clear in the bible, we do have foundational truths to guide us in the paths of righteousness.  Insofar as in areas that are not clear in scripture, we have an unction from the Holy One, we have an anointing that no man need teach us, and Jesus’ sheep hear His voice.  Children of God are royalty, and as children of the King, we can go to the Throne of Grace for guidance.  Jesus has not left us as orphans – we can go to Him to receive knowledge in things that are not necessarily outlined within scriptures.

Mat 7:7  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9  Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10  Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

We are warned repeatedly in the Bible to try the spirits to see whether they be of God, as many false prophets have gone into the world.  False prophets are not only in the churches – they are also in the schools, in all media and in every area of life.  Truly, this word is true:

Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

See that? Satan deceived the WHOLE WORLD!  No wonder the Lord Jesus warned us to take heed that no man deceive us.  Not only are people deceived and being deceived in the world, but some were even coming in His Name saying “I am Christ.”  That is not to say they are Jesus, but they attempt to speak for Him.

The necessity of being rooted and grounded in the scriptures is imperative.  This requires dedication and diligence.  Setting aside time every day in the Word of God to be alone with Jesus, will be rewarded with understanding of the precious truths contained in the scriptures.

Once we have knowledge of the Word,  we will be able to test the things we hear.  We will be able to discern whether the pastor who is preaching, the book we are reading, or the conversation we are having with others represent the truth or not.  This is also true in the spiritual world.

We know God has sent to the heirs of salvation, ministering spirits and we have testimony in scripture that these angels have communicated with men and women.  We further have a record in the book of Hebrews that says in these last days, God has spoken to us by His Son.  We also know that the Comforter, who is given to believers, leads us into all truth.  God will never deny His Word and His sheep will not follow the voice of a stranger.  So then, who is the stranger and what his purpose?

Joh 10:10  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Satan’s army of demons are in the earth, and their mission is to destroy us.  We are not going to know them by sight – they do not appear as boogy men with horns and pitchforks to reveal their nature.  Satan is the father of lies, and no lie is of the truth, and his method is to negate the Word of God by any means possible. We can know them by their words.

Gen 3:4  And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

Lying spirits are found in the Word of God:

2Ch 18:19  And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner. 2Ch 18:20  Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? 2Ch 18:21  And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the LORD said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so. 22  Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee.

 Ahab’s time had come, and because of his wickedness, was to be destroyed.  God used a lying spirit to accomplish his end – to fall at Ramothgilead.  We do peril to our souls when we deny what has already been revealed to us!  As Ahab was a son of Israel, he knew what the will of God was, yet the testimony of scripture speaks that he was the most wicked of all kings.  God sent the lying spirit into the mouths of the false prophets who urged Ahab to go up and prosper – giving him an assurance of peace and safety.   However, Micaiah prophesied Ahab’s end.  Ahab did not hearken to the true prophet’s word, went up to Ramothgilead and fell.

The Apostle Paul prophesied that in the latter times some would follow after seducing spirits.  He went on to say how they would deceive – by speaking lies.  Again, we see that we can know whether the voice we hear is of God or another spirit, by the words that they speak.

1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

 We must also be mindful of the thoughts that come into our minds and try them by the standard of scripture, because the enemy comes not only in an audible voice, but also in an internal one.   I have heard some that they doubt the Word of God, where they once held the scriptures as truth.  This is because they heeded to the voice of the serpent and agreed with him.  We certainly do produce the fruit of our beliefs, and if we give heed to lies, we have been overcome by the adversary.  The thief stole the truth from this soul and his next mission is to kill him.  If we die in our sins, ultimately, we are destroyed – that is we perish and lose the hope of everlasting life.  This is the modus operandi of satan.  To steal, kill and destroy.

The book of Revelation again shows us how demons infiltrate mankind:

Rev 16:13  And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14  For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

Spirits of devils are in the earth, obeying the voice of King Appolyn, that is, the devil.  Note the repetition of the scripture – “out of the mouth,” is mentioned three times.  The Lord is graciously giving us a very important lesson here – we can know the demons by their words!  No wonder the Lord told us that life and death are in the power of the tongue.  Note that these unclean spirits are sent to the kings of the earth.  These are men who have power and position, and would have influence over others.  We also learn that these demons also go into the whole world.

Another scripture speaks of false ministers who are sitting in the Temple of God, speaking “in His name.”  Satan is now in many denominations twisting, lying and negating the gospel that was once delivered to the saints.  They preach a gospel with no power, they remove repentance from the scriptures and like the false prophets of old – assure peace and safety to men and women who are still in their sins.  These ministers are satan’s agents and their mission is to steal, kill and destroy.  The deception they breed is so rampant in these dark days, that the pure simplicity of the gospel has become so distorted that many would not even accept the truth if Jesus Christ Himself appeared and relayed it.

2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

 With the rise of the internet, we are literally inundated with voices of men and women who “speak for God.”  You Tube, Facebook, and chat programs are areas where they meet and share their visions, revelations and teachings.  We know that they are faithful men and women sharing the truths in blogs and videos and we thank God for them.  But unfortunately these mediums are filled with distorters of scriptures and can cause massive confusion to souls not grounded in the Word of God.  These will say “ the Lord told me..” when the Lord has not spoken to them.  But we can know whether they are truthful or not, by the words that they speak.

 There are prophets in the churches that give startling revelations – prophesying things that are hidden.  How can we know that they are speaking for God?  How can we know if these are no different than psychics or mediums?  What is the source of their knowledge?  Are they receiving information from God or from the demonic realm?

I believe one of the most obvious ways we may discern is when they merge their supposed “gifts” with New Age theology.  These may use vocabulary distinct to occultists and follow the progressive path of occultism to its end.

Another way they deceive is where a seemingly sincere Christian shares a prophetic word, but upon examination we can learn that this individual will be getting their information from another spirit.  Be alert to the message of the speaker – because the great deceiver can use truths to cause one to follow other gods.  That is, they can prophesy true things, but that would only be a web of deceit to capture the unlearned to follow other gods, another spirit, and another gospel.

 Deu 13:1  If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, 2  And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; 3  Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4  Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.

We see here that a sign or wonder can be performed by a false prophet but the purpose of that sign or wonder is to cause one to follow after false gods.  Again, how can we know if the message, sign or wonder is from God or another spirit – by the words that they speak.  In the scripture above, we see that the devil has empowered the false prophet with signs and wonders to entice one to follow after false gods.  We must beware of spiritual manifestations in the churches!  Not everything supernatural is of God.

Rev 16:14  For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

Try the spirits and prove all things.  Be like the Bereans, examining the scriptures to determine if the things spoken are of God.   True shepherds faithfully execute the ministry in accordance with the Word of God.  Their goal is always to serve the Lord Jesus and feed the flock of God with the truths of scripture.  These do build disciples to Christ and do not draw away disciples after themselves.  A crown of life awaits the faithful servant, but the false prophet has another end.

Deu 13:5  And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.

Finally, I wish to add that we do see in part, and are all growing in the knowledge of God.  We may be wrong in an area and when we are corrected I pray we would be teachable and not haughty by holding onto our own opinions that are opposed to the Word of God.  If we do acknowledge our error, we should share that information with others.  God certainly forgives a repentant heart and our motivation should always be to please our Heavenly Father, and not seek a following of our own.

What can wash away our sins?  The blood of bulls and goats?  The Levitical system of sacrifice?  If we think the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the New Testament He has brought in is insufficient and we must remain under laws that were done away, we are fallen from grace.

2Co 3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

2Co 3:8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

2Co 3:9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

2Co 3:10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

2Co 3:11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

2Co 3:12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:

2Co 3:13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

2Co 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

2Co 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

2Co 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Beware of those who attempt to place you under teachings of the Old Covenant.  We do not have to speak in Hebrew, and we are not cut off from the Lord if we say Jesus instead of Yeshua.

Jesus Christ made reconciliation for iniquity and joined us together in Him, as “one new man.”  There is no separation of Jew or Gentile in Christ; there is no differentiation of gospels;  nor do we have to become Jews first in order to become followers of Christ. Jesus prayed that we would all be one, as He and His Father are One.  We cannot divide Christ’s body – there is no separation in Him.

Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Eph 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

Eph 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Don’t be intimidated by those who attempt to merge two covenants together.  Paul likened that to adultery.   (Romans 7:3-4)  Don’t feel threatened by this Hebraic movement and brush the dust off your feet when they seek to make you feel less than a believer because you are not like them.  You are NOT like them because Jesus Christ made all things NEW. Unfortunately, the vail still remains on some.  Saints – stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made you free and do not become entangled again in the yoke of bondage.

Gal 4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

There is no peace to the wicked. We may have financial prosperity, healthy children and homes, but if we are alienated from God we are spiritually dead.

These run to and fro, looking to men to cure their ills, to governments and politicians and some run to churches to hear a smooth word, rather than confronting the sin that stands between them and God. Prozac will calm your mind for an instant. The raise in salary may comfort you when you sit down to write out your bills. You may have momentary pleasures in this life, but you will not have peace, not until you submit yourself to God and come to terms with the ONLY provision that The Father has provided – faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Only by repentance and faith in the offering so graciously given, can we have forgiveness of our sins – this shedding of His blood alone cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Then there is peace, then there is reconciliation, and then there is life. The old man dies and the new man rises to life. Seek the Lord WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND. Don’t deny Him when He visits you with His message of grace and forgiveness. The night is coming, and judgment awaits all who have rejected the only source of life.

that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.  

 For when they shall say, Peace and safety;

 then sudden destruction cometh upon them,

 as travail upon a woman with child;

and they shall not escape.  

1Th 5:23 

Her house appeared no different than the other homes on the street.  It was beautiful, freshly painted, with manicured gardens.  We entered the home and I was astounded at what I saw –  images of men and birds and creeping things.  There was no furniture, and not the usual items you would see in a living room.  Only images that looked like mannequins, but when I looked closer, they were men who were dead, yet alive.  They were imprisoned within themselves and could not escape.

Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall:

and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door.  

And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.

 So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things,

and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel,

pourtrayed upon the wall round about.

Ezek 8:8-10

A very large woman appeared in the midst of these figures.  She was dressed in religious clothing and cordially greeted us, inviting us to sit with her.  She spoke, but I did not understand her speech, it was as if I was deaf to her words, yet could hear her.

And a stranger will they not follow,but will flee from him:

for they know not the voice of strangers.

 Joh 10:5 

As I looked around this room, I became more and more repulsed by what I saw, images of idolatry and a stench of death pervaded the place.  I told my friend we must leave immediately.

Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister;

 and call understanding thy kinswoman:

That they may keep thee from the strange woman,

from the stranger which flattereth with her words.

Prov. 7:4-5

My friend and I walked out of this house speaking of the horrors we saw within it.  We stopped and rested for a moment and we met a man who was looking for this strange woman.  He sat with us a while and we gave him words of life and warned him to stay away from her, as her house was the place of death.

For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,

And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths,

a young man void of understanding, Passing through the street near her corner;

and he went the way to her house, In the twilight, in the evening,

in the black and dark night: And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot,

and subtil of heart.   (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:

 

Now is she without, now in the streets,and lieth in wait at every corner.)

So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face

said unto him, I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.

Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.

I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.

I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.  For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:

He hath taken a bag of money with him,  and will come home at the day appointed.

 

With her much fair speech she caused him to yield,  with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter,   or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;  Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare,and knoweth not that it is for his life.Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children,and attend to the words of my mouth.

Let not thine heart decline to her ways,go not astray in her paths.

Pro 7:4-25

 

As we continued on, we saw a large field having a marketplace beaming with all kinds of activities and merchants.  Adults and children passed through it going about their daily business.  It all seemed very normal and just another day, but suddenly, a fire broke out in this place and consumed much.  Men rallied around this fire and believed that they had contained it, assuring others there that they were safe.

 

I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: t

hey commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers,

that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom,

and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.

 

Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets;

Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall:

for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land. 

 

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you:

they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.

 

They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.

Jer 23:14-17

The fire is not contained –

Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad;

and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:  

 

Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 

Ezek 13:22-23

 

I saw these men standing near the flames as the fires raged uncontrollably, and wondered why they didn’t tell others to flee.  They kept saying that the fire was contained, but it was not.

But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven,

and destroyed them all.  

 

Luk 17:29

The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom;

but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world;

and the reapers are the angels.

As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire;

so shall it be in the end of this world.

Matthew 13:38-40

 

The simple go straightway to her house, like an ox to the slaughter, like a fool to the correction of the stocks.  They believe that the fire is contained and that there is no harm in fellowshipping with her.

The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 

Matthew 13:41

Jesus will gather out of His Kingdom, meaning, they were once in His Kingdom but will be cast out into the fire to be burned.

 

And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.  Matthew 13:42

 

If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 

John  15:6

I urged my friend that we must leave, that the fire was not contained and we must run as far away, as fast as we could from the destruction.  We found others who understood the destroying power of these flames and we gathered in a field in the country, far away from this burning city.

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:

for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?

and what communion hath light with darkness?

 And what concord hath Christ with Belial?

or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?

for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said,

I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God,

and they shall be my people.    Wherefore come out from among them,

and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing;

and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you,

and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.  

2 Cor 6:14-18

We saw an airplane and entered in.  It carried us up and above these fires that continued to rage and destroy everything in their path.  We were comforted in that we had escaped, yet when we looked at the fuel gauge we wondered if we had enough fuel to arrive at our destination.

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.

Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 

2 Cor. 13:5

Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah

brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;

And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain,

and all the inhabitants of the cities,

and that which grew upon the ground. 

But his wife looked back from behind him,

and she became a pillar of salt. 

Gen 19:24-26

 

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins,

which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

And at midnight there was a cry made,

Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you:

but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came;

and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Matt. 25:1-13

The judgment of God is coming as it is written – the fires shall consume all things that offend.  Only the faithful will be delivered from the wrath of God.

False prophets abound in many houses called by the Name of the Lord, yet within them are all manner of unclean doctrines, those that ensure peace and safety to sinners who have stopped their ears from hearing the pure truths of the scriptures and enjoy fables instead.  They are slain by believing the lies of the strange woman and become trapped within these houses because they loved not the truth.

The woman continues to allure souls attempting to entrap them into her web of deceit, but the sheep do not hear her voice and flee from the voice of the stranger.  The sheep know her house is the way to hell and will not call Jezebel and her followers brethren.

The faithful warn the simple to repent or perish; to deny ungodly doctrines that lead to destruction; and they expose the unfruitful workers of darkness and iniquity.  They cry out – Babylon is fallen and there is no healing her.  The fire is not contained, it is raging and will accomplish what it was sent to do –

And to you who are troubled rest with us,

when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God,

and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord,

and from the glory of his power;  When he shall come to be glorified in his saints,

and to be admired in all them that believe

(because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

2 Th. 1:7-10

We cannot remain in Sodom in peace when God is calling us out.  We cannot think that the fire is contained and that we will have peace in what God has called unclean.  There is no peace to the wicked, saith my God.

Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest:

because it is polluted, it shall destroy you,

even with a sore destruction.

Mic 2:10

Let us not boast or be overly confident that just because we have understood the scriptures, we always necessarily will.  Just because we have come out of her, or because we can expose false doctrine and name sinners, that we are immune from backsliding.

Take heed brethren, less there be in any of YOU, an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.  Exhort one another daily, while it is today, before the flames of God come forth upon those who have yielded themselves to the spirit of antichrist and hardened their hearts against the Lord and His Word.   Walk in the fear of the Lord, remaining within it and enduring to the end.

Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith.

Be not highminded, but fear:   For if God spared not the natural branches,

take heed lest he also spare not thee.

 

Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God:

on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness,

if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

Rom 11:20-22

All the virgins had oil, yet half were not prepared with enough. Lot’s wife was delivered from the flaming fires of judgment, yet she looked back and was destroyed.

Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 

Rev 3:11

Be sure your vessel has enough fuel to reach its destination.  Be faithful to the end, and Jesus will give you a crown of life.

But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the LORD hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.

Jer 26:15

The blessing of God in Christ is the salvation of our souls.  In Christ, we can expect the windows of heaven to open and nourish us, as we abide in the Vine.   Our Heavenly Father desires that we perform His Will in the earth, and as we continue to yield to His truths, executing righteousness, loving our enemies and sharing the gospel, God’s word ensures our peace.

But what if we refuse Him that speaks from Heaven?  What if we deny the drawing of the Spirit that wishes to sanctify us?  Will God bless us if we remain in iniquity, denying the Lord who bought us?

Deu 30:19  I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.

For those who insist that God’s promises of blessings and curses were done away, I share the following:

Luk 13:5  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

God’s Word emphatically states that sin will yield spiritual death.    The Words of Jesus in Luke 13:5 make it clear – to remain in sin is death.

However, God has provided a cure to our ills and hopelessness, a means by which we could be reconciled to Him – by faith and obedience in the long – prophesied and now revealed Son of God, Jesus Christ.  We can be saved, we can be restored to life, we can know God and receive the forgiveness of our sins, through obedience to the gospel and the shedding of Jesus’ precious blood.  In Him, we are made holiness unto the Lord:

1Co 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31  That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

The choice is before us, as it was in Moses’ day.  Eternal principles existing in the Word of God reveal that it is His Will that we obey Him, an obedient faith that works by love.  There is “nothing new under the sun…” and Jesus Christ is the “…same, yesterday, today and forever.”  In Christ we are set free from the curse of the law, and we can know His love and manifest blessings in our lives.

If we choose life in Christ, we will live.  Death will never touch us and while we may have sufferings as we carry our crosses, we remember the words of our Lord Jesus to His disciples:

Mat 16:28  Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

If we choose death, that is rejection of the Life Giving Spirit, we will reap the judgment of God in this life and an eternity separated from Him in the fires of hell.

Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Moses’ words to the children of Israel reveals God’s promises to the obedient and disobedient.  Let us review.

Moses gave instructions in Deuteronomy 28 (among many other places) of God’s promises to the obedient and to the disobedient.  His Mighty Hand would protect them from their enemies, from all forms of illnesses, would ensure their sustenance in labor, food and dwelling place.  God’s provisions included economic stability and prosperity.  His promise to the Nation of Israel in that day was they would become the head and not the tail – and God’s will for this chosen people was to share the Will of God to the nations.

Deu 28:2  And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

Deu 28:3  Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

Deu 28:4  Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

Deu 28:5  Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

Deu 28:6  Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

Deu 28:7  The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.

Deu 28:8  The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Deu 28:9  The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.

Deu 28:10  And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.

Deu 28:11  And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.

Deu 28:12  The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

Deu 28:13  And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:

Deu 28:14  And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

But what of the disobedient?  How will God handle those who have denied His instructions?

The curses of God are sure and we cannot escape them, even if we flee to Masada.  Remembering the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, some fled to Herod’s constructed fortress, believing they would be safe from the Roman assault.  They did not escape and death came upon all of them.

One wonders if they remembered their cries on the day Jesus stood before Pilate:

Mat 27:22  Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. 23  And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.  24  When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.  25  Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

They saw the fulfillment of their words – the blood of Jesus fell upon them, and their children, and because they crucified the Just One, the vengeance of God was now upon them.

Christians today can expect the same persecutions.  They hated and killed Jesus without a cause and will do the same to us, and the same consequences will fall upon all who reject Christ and hate the brethren — their blood will be upon them.

Eze 18:20  The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

Reviewing the remainder the Deuteronomy chapter, we learn how God will deal with those who forsake Him, His Living Word and Will.

The ungodly can expect to suffering judgments in this life, and I do believe even in the midst of these consequences, God wants a repentant heart to return to Him.  If calamity falls upon us because of sin, be zealous and repent, because the Lord our God is gracious, merciful and it is His will that none should perish.

As this chapter reveals, disobedience to God reaps failures in all we would set our hands to.  Pestilences fall upon the ungodly, as well as various sicknesses, madness and fear.  Unrepentant sinners can expect that God WILL NOT HEAR their prayers (Deut 28:23).  God will not protect them from enemy and those of a foreign tongue will rule over them.  Ungodly souls can know that they will suffer economic as well as personal hardships, poverty, divorce, loss of children and home.  All of these things will fall upon those who refuse to hear God’s cries from heaven.

Examining the state of America today, we can see some of these judgments have already appeared.    I fully expect foreigners to rule over us and in fact, it may already be occurring as America is financially bankrupt and indebted to heathen nations like China, the godless communistic country that routinely kills God’s messengers and its own citizens.  Americans are plagued with cancer (pestilence) while other countries are not.

This nation that was given many blessings of God, because it was founded on Christian principles has backslidden into a state of decay.  Because she condones what God hates, she will reap the judgment of God.  Foreigners will rule over her and all forms of judgment until she is eventually destroyed.  The only escape is to return to God through faith in the ONE He has chosen – Jesus Christ.

2Ch 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

I encourage you to read the following verses closely and ask the Spirit to illuminate their relevance for TODAY.  It is not too late and God’s Word shows us the way out.  The church has an enormous responsibility before them.  I pray we would all be faithful with the charge God has given us.

 

Deu 28:15  But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:

Deu 28:16  Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.

Deu 28:17  Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.

Deu 28:18  Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

Deu 28:19  Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

Deu 28:20  The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.

Deu 28:21  The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it.

Deu 28:22  The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.

Deu 28:23  And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.

Deu 28:24  The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

Deu 28:25  The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.

Deu 28:26  And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away.

Deu 28:27  The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed.

Deu 28:28  The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart:

Deu 28:29  And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee.

Deu 28:30  Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof.

Deu 28:31  Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue them.

Deu 28:32  Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand.

Deu 28:33  The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway:

Deu 28:34  So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.

Deu 28:35  The LORD shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head.

Deu 28:36  The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.

Deu 28:37  And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee.

Deu 28:38  Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it.

Deu 28:39  Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them.

Deu 28:40  Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall cast his fruit.

Deu 28:41  Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity.

Deu 28:42  All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume.

Deu 28:43  The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low.

Deu 28:44  He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.

Deu 28:45  Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee:

Deu 28:46  And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.

Deu 28:47  Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;

Deu 28:48  Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.

Deu 28:49  The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;

Deu 28:50  A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young:

Deu 28:51  And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee.

Deu 28:52  And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.

Deu 28:53  And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee:

Deu 28:54  So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave:

Deu 28:55  So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates.

Deu 28:56  The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter,

Deu 28:57  And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates.

Deu 28:58  If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD;

Deu 28:59  Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.

Deu 28:60  Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee.

Deu 28:61  Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

Deu 28:62  And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God.

Deu 28:63  And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it.

Deu 28:64  And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.

Deu 28:65  And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind:

Deu 28:66  And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life:

Deu 28:67  In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.

Deu 28:68  And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.

And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.  They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came,and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodomit rained fire and brimstone from heaven,  and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the daywhen the Son of man is revealed.  Luk 17:26-30

Statues of people made of gold were everywhere.  While they all appeared similar, there was a distinction.   Some were pure gold, but others had a marking etched upon them.  The angel said that those of pure gold were worthy of redemption, but the others were rejected.

But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. Heb 6:8

She searched through voluminous ancient texts in libraries searching for the story of Vesuvius.  (Its name means “unquenchable.”)  She had to climb quite high in one particular library to find the book of knowledge.  As she pulled it off its shelf, it started to fall apart in her hand.  It was dusty and decaying, but within it contained the pertinent information that she sought.  It told the story of a city that was marked for destruction and why.

As she read, she was transported to ancient Vesuvius, a thriving town filled with commerce, religion, lasciviousness, and great wealth.  The architecture of Pompeii was extravagant, and upon its walls were frescoes portraying multitudes of the false gods worshipped there.

She stood in a field, beautiful, green and lush amidst many other souls who were going about their daily activities.  As she watched, she noted that no one seemed to notice that the earth was shaking!  She looked up she saw a great mountain in the horizon.  It was shaking and quaking and suddenly an explosion erupted and spewed forth a great black cloud.  Fires streamed forth from Vesuvius, and she watched as all life, both man and beast were destroyed. The fires were everywhere and as they passed through her, she stood and was not destroyed.

Pompeii was a real city, with a thriving culture, under the severe rule of the Roman Empire.  Its citizens appeared to have lived very opulent lifestyles in lavish homes, where its walls were decorated the various cult gods.  Some of these frescoes portrayed a serpent which was used in some of their rituals. Standing in the midst was the great mountain, Vesuvius, known for its prior eruptions.  They lived in a virtual city of destruction.

The timing of Vesuvius’ eruption is interesting.  Just several years prior to Pompeii’s annihilation, the city of Jerusalem was overcome and destroyed by the Roman leaders Vespasian and Titus, just as Jesus told us:

And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. Mat 24:2 

Vesuvius was speaking long before the eruption occurred.  It had erupted in the past, and just a few years before the destruction of Pompeii, earthquakes were occurring.

God has not left us without a witness.  Even in nature we see the evidence of Him all around us.  He also sent the Faithful Witness, our Lord Jesus and His words, life and history are preserved in the last witness which is under vicious attack – the Word of God.

Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever:  That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:  Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:  Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.  Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon:  Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.  And he shall break it as the breaking of the potters’ vessel that is broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit. Isa 30:8-14

Sadly, in many homes and institutions, the Bible sits on bookshelves where it collects dust.  The truths contained within the scriptures are rejected and replaced with the wisdom of men – professors, philosophers, politicians, movie stars, sports heroes and the like.  Man has exalted himself in every area of human life above God, and sadly, even within the church.

God says, all souls are mine, but man says we may kill it.  God says, teach your children my ways, but man has removed His Wisdom from schools and homes.  God has said, I am your King, but man elects Saul in His place.

For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. Jer 2:13 

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. Hos 4:6 

Evidences of God’s power and judgment are all around us, are recorded within the Bible and the historical texts that fill up libraries everywhere.

Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 1Co 10:11-12 

My father used to say, not all that glitters is gold.  While some Christians have gone through the fiery trials of faith to be purified as pure gold, the majority have not withstood the test of faith.  They have refused the counsel of God, denying the cross and its sufferings, having followed after the systems of the world.  They no longer reflect the Light of Christ, and because of their refusal to submit to the obedience required in the scriptures, have gone the way of Cain.  Being of the world (and no longer heaven), they now bear its mark, reflecting carnal, unholy and ungodly beliefs, whereby they reap corruption.  The serpent’s tail (false prophets) have drawn down these stars that once shined so brightly in the firmament.  This tarnished gold still wishes to be called by His name, appearing in churches, pulpits, conventions, television and all other media, but they are no longer “HOLINESS TO THE LORD.”  They bring forth another message, another gospel, deceiving and being deceived.

Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Jas 5:3 

Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. Dan 12:10

Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things. Pro 28:5 

However, those that have drawn nigh to God, being conformed to the image of the Son, and having their minds renewed and washed with the Holy Scriptures, have separated themselves from the world and its defilements.  They do not have the mark of destruction upon their foreheads on in their right hands.  These are undefiled and holy and they follow the Lamb wheresoever He goes.  They are the gold that is redeemed and have been forgiven their sins by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. Rev 3:4 

Jesus taught us that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.  If we have dedicated our lives to the defense of the gospel and propagation of the Word of God, we know His will.  We understand God’s blessings and cursings, as they are recorded in the pages of scripture.

Saints possess the Holy Spirit, and can feel the earth shaking long before it ever manifests in the physical realm.  They expect the fires to come and know they will arrive soon.  They warn the wicked to forsake their ways, because when judgment does come, it will be too late.  But the wicked mock and scorn God’s messengers, as they mocked Noah and Lot, however, when catastrophe strikes the tarnished gold will cry “hide us from Him that sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb.”

And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. 2Th 1:7-10

Fire is coming.  It will be as Vesuvius, unquenchable.  It will destroy all the evil doers that are offending God.  Jesus is returning and will judge all of mankind.  There is no escape.

To those that are without, the saints cry, “come to the city of God, flee from the wrath to come.”  The Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep stands at the door and knocks.  I beg you not to reject the One who came to bring you life.  If you are backslidden, repent and return to the Savior.  If you are in unbelief, cry out to God and He will reveal the Son.

The Spirit and the Bride say, “come.”

Those who love the Word of God will accept all scripture, knowing that they are profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness.  Bible lovers understand that their love for God is proven by their love for His Word.  Certainly if one claims to love God, they will believe what He has spoken to us.  Lovers of the Word will endeavor to conform their lives to the mandates of scripture, aligning their thoughts with His.  They defend the oracles of God and share His Wisdom with others.  They meditate on its precepts and seek God’s guidance in all areas of their lives.

Psa 119:97  MEM. O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

Bible haters will either completely disregard the Word, or twist it to their own destruction.  These will argue against our Lord’s will for mankind, thereby creating a god in their own image.  Such actions stem from a spirit of rebellion because their hearts have been hardened due to the deceitfulness of sin.  What is written is a rock of offense to the disobedient because it exposes their hearts and motives.

Joh 3:19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

God Word is settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89), will not return void (Isa 55:11), is the Truth (John 17:17), is a shield (Pro. 30:5), is Life (John 6:63) and all scripture reveals the One the Father Sent – Jesus Christ, who IS the Word:

Rev 19:13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The Bible is the written Word which reveals and leads to the Living Word, Jesus Christ, who alone is our salvation.  We would do well to heed to the the holy men of God, who wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.  Their prophecies all saw their fulfillment (and will in the future) in the person of Jesus Christ.  He is the object of all scripture, the Alpha and the Omega, and the first and the last.

Psa 40:7-8 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,  8  I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.