GET INTO THE ARK
by David Wilkerson
John Owen, the great Puritan preacher, spoke the following message to his congregation on April 9, 1680:
“You know that for many years, I have been warning you of an approaching calamitous time, and considering the sins that have been the causes of it…I have told you that judgment will begin in the house of God; that God seems to have hardened our hearts from his fear…and that none knows what the power of his wrath will be. In all these things I have foretold you of perilous, distressing, calamitous times…
These all now lie at the door, and are entering in upon us.”
God did send His awful judgments on that society and John Owen lived to weep over a flaming holocaust that engulfed London.
Yet, before he ever saw a single one of these calamities take place John Owen faithfully cried out from his pulpit: “I am going to show you how we ought to deport ourselves in and under the distressing calamities that are coming upon us, and may reach, it may be, up to the very neck.”
We too are living in such a time as this; and in times as these there is only one response to the coming storm - “The just shall live by faith!”
Owen admonished his people with tears, “Get you an ark—prepare an ark for the safety of you and your families.” Then he added, “The ark is Jesus Christ. There is no other way, no other ark—for Isaiah, the prophet, said of our Lord, ‘And a man [Christ] shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadows of a great rock in a weary land.’ That is our ark! Blessed are they that trust only in Him…I know of no safety, no deliverance, in the trials and afflictions coming upon the earth, except in believing in Jesus the Christ as our only refuge.”
We may see dangers on all sides, including a devil and his principalities who want to drown our faith in doubts. But we have a fiery guard of angels surrounding us and a God who has promised to carry His children through any disaster we may face.
Be certain you are His child - totally surrendered to His will, walking in His ways. Fix your eyes on Jesus. He alone is our hope.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
"Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. Ezekiel 38:3-7
Libya is in the news lately for obvious reasons. The popular uprising against the Gaddafi terrorist regime, the Savagery of Gaddafi himself, as well as the feckless quality of leadership displayed by the Obama administration, the bungled attempt at coalition building, and the debate as to the wisdom, not to mention constitutionality, of the intervention make for an interesting situation.
God has plans for Libya, that are not as fickle as those of the kings of the earth. Libya is slated to go down to destruction as part of a coalition of nations armed and headed up by Russia and Turkey, and include Iran, Somalia, and Ethiopia in a catastrophic war against Israel, a war that will demonstrate to the world that the LORD is the only true and living God.
It is distressing that the USA is lending its strength to make war on behalf of Al Qaeda, which is leading the opposition toward Gaddafi, in the eastern province of Cyrenaica, a long known hotbed of Islamist fervor. We have aided Al Qaeda before, when we bombed our former allies the Serbs into ceding Kosovo to the Albanian branch of Al Qaeda, under the Clinton administration. Elections have consequences:
But be assured, our God is Sovereign.
The Eastern province which is resisting Gaddafi in the name of Al Queda is Cyrenaica --remember Simon of Cyrene, the man who carried the cross of Jesus? Simon was from Cyrene, modern day Libya! At one time in the first three centuries, North Africa was the Christian center of the world. There were several Cyrenians among the first disciples, and at Pentecost. But Libya has long been swallowed up in Islam's tomb.
God says to Russia, that He is going to put a hook in his mouth and draw him out, down to the mountains of Israel, for his epic last battle. It is interesting that Vladimir Putin condemned the Obama coalition for its bombing of Gaddafi's strongholds, calling it a "modern crusade," words chosen carefully to stir Islamic passions around the world.
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by My servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them? And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the LORD God that My fury shall come up in My face. For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel. Ezekiel 38:17-19
All of the elements of Old Testament warfare by God against pagan invaders coming against Israel are moving into position for the great shaking.
And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the LORD God: every man's sword shall be against his brother. And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.Thus will I magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.
Ezekiel 38:21-23
Even so, LORD Jesus, Come Quickly.!.
snippets taken from article by Pastor Bill Randles
Libya is in the news lately for obvious reasons. The popular uprising against the Gaddafi terrorist regime, the Savagery of Gaddafi himself, as well as the feckless quality of leadership displayed by the Obama administration, the bungled attempt at coalition building, and the debate as to the wisdom, not to mention constitutionality, of the intervention make for an interesting situation.
God has plans for Libya, that are not as fickle as those of the kings of the earth. Libya is slated to go down to destruction as part of a coalition of nations armed and headed up by Russia and Turkey, and include Iran, Somalia, and Ethiopia in a catastrophic war against Israel, a war that will demonstrate to the world that the LORD is the only true and living God.
It is distressing that the USA is lending its strength to make war on behalf of Al Qaeda, which is leading the opposition toward Gaddafi, in the eastern province of Cyrenaica, a long known hotbed of Islamist fervor. We have aided Al Qaeda before, when we bombed our former allies the Serbs into ceding Kosovo to the Albanian branch of Al Qaeda, under the Clinton administration. Elections have consequences:
But be assured, our God is Sovereign.
The Eastern province which is resisting Gaddafi in the name of Al Queda is Cyrenaica --remember Simon of Cyrene, the man who carried the cross of Jesus? Simon was from Cyrene, modern day Libya! At one time in the first three centuries, North Africa was the Christian center of the world. There were several Cyrenians among the first disciples, and at Pentecost. But Libya has long been swallowed up in Islam's tomb.
God says to Russia, that He is going to put a hook in his mouth and draw him out, down to the mountains of Israel, for his epic last battle. It is interesting that Vladimir Putin condemned the Obama coalition for its bombing of Gaddafi's strongholds, calling it a "modern crusade," words chosen carefully to stir Islamic passions around the world.
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by My servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them? And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the LORD God that My fury shall come up in My face. For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel. Ezekiel 38:17-19
All of the elements of Old Testament warfare by God against pagan invaders coming against Israel are moving into position for the great shaking.
And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the LORD God: every man's sword shall be against his brother. And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.Thus will I magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.
Ezekiel 38:21-23
Even so, LORD Jesus, Come Quickly.!.
snippets taken from article by Pastor Bill Randles
Friday, March 18, 2011
"Is the truth that which I imagine to be revealed to me by some private communication? Am I to fancy that I enjoy some special Revelation and am I to order my life by voices, dreams and impressions?
Brothers and Sisters, fall not into this common delusion! God’s Word to us is in Holy Scripture. All the Truth that sanctifies men is in God’s Word! Do not listen to those who cry, “Lo here!” and, “Lo there!” I am plucked by the sleeve almost every day by crazy persons and pretenders who think that they have Revelations from God. One man tells me that God has sent a message to me by him—and I reply, “No, Sir, the Lord knows where I dwell and He is so near to me that He would not need to send to me by you.” Another man announces, in God’s name, a dogma which, on the face of it, is a lie against the Holy Spirit. He says the Spirit of God told him so-and-so, but we know that the Holy Spirit never contradicts Himself. If your imaginary Revelation is not according to this Word of God, it has no weight with us! And if it is according to this Word, it is no new thing! Brothers and Sisters, this Bible is enough if the Lord does but use it and quicken it by His Spirit in our hearts.
Truth is neither your opinion, nor mine—your message, nor mine! Jesus says, “Your Word is truth.” That which sanctifies men is not only truth, but it is the particular Truth of God which is revealed in God’s Word—“Your Word is truth.” What a blessing it is that all the Truth that is necessary to sanctify us is revealed in the Word of God, so that we have not to expend our energies upon discovering the Truth of God, but may, to our far greater profit, use Revealed Truth for its Divine ends and purposes!
There will be no more Revelations—no more are needed! The Canon is fixed and complete—and he that adds to it shall have added to him the plagues that are written in this Book! What need of more when here is enough for every practical purpose? “Sanctify them through Your truth: Your Word is truth.”
from: Our Lord’s Prayer for His People’s Sanctification, Sermon #1890, delivered on Lord’s Day Morning, March 7, 1866, C.H. Spurgeon
Brothers and Sisters, fall not into this common delusion! God’s Word to us is in Holy Scripture. All the Truth that sanctifies men is in God’s Word! Do not listen to those who cry, “Lo here!” and, “Lo there!” I am plucked by the sleeve almost every day by crazy persons and pretenders who think that they have Revelations from God. One man tells me that God has sent a message to me by him—and I reply, “No, Sir, the Lord knows where I dwell and He is so near to me that He would not need to send to me by you.” Another man announces, in God’s name, a dogma which, on the face of it, is a lie against the Holy Spirit. He says the Spirit of God told him so-and-so, but we know that the Holy Spirit never contradicts Himself. If your imaginary Revelation is not according to this Word of God, it has no weight with us! And if it is according to this Word, it is no new thing! Brothers and Sisters, this Bible is enough if the Lord does but use it and quicken it by His Spirit in our hearts.
Truth is neither your opinion, nor mine—your message, nor mine! Jesus says, “Your Word is truth.” That which sanctifies men is not only truth, but it is the particular Truth of God which is revealed in God’s Word—“Your Word is truth.” What a blessing it is that all the Truth that is necessary to sanctify us is revealed in the Word of God, so that we have not to expend our energies upon discovering the Truth of God, but may, to our far greater profit, use Revealed Truth for its Divine ends and purposes!
There will be no more Revelations—no more are needed! The Canon is fixed and complete—and he that adds to it shall have added to him the plagues that are written in this Book! What need of more when here is enough for every practical purpose? “Sanctify them through Your truth: Your Word is truth.”
from: Our Lord’s Prayer for His People’s Sanctification, Sermon #1890, delivered on Lord’s Day Morning, March 7, 1866, C.H. Spurgeon
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Roger Oakland, Understand the Times International writes:
"And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie." 2 Thessalonians 2:11
Instead of warning that disaster is coming, many pastors have become false teachers and are actually helping expedite this great delusion. While the economies of the world are collapsing, charlatans are doing all they can to hang on to their assets and build up their empires, often in the name of God. Instead of serving people and being involved in reaching the poor, the widows, and the orphans, they are forever looking for further ways to grow their “kingdoms”: more radio stations, bigger buildings, more property, and large screen monitors for broadcasting their own messages to satellite outreaches reaching millions across the globe with their agendas to reproduce themselves.
The Bible, once taught faithfully, has become a manipulated spring board for postmodern “googly-gook” that destroys the truth. Large meetings are held in stadiums with bands that are popular with the world. More funds are spent on entertainment than on promoting Jesus Christ.
Be exhorted to reach out to the lost with the true Gospel. The world is being deceived, and so is most of organized Christianity. Strong delusion has made its mark. An apostate church is emerging, an apostate church that has left the light of the Word and is headed into the darkness while those we love are firmly held in its grasp.
'Dear LORD, help us to be faithful servants. It is indeed a small price to pay for all that You have done for us.'
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."
Revelation 12:11
"And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie." 2 Thessalonians 2:11
Instead of warning that disaster is coming, many pastors have become false teachers and are actually helping expedite this great delusion. While the economies of the world are collapsing, charlatans are doing all they can to hang on to their assets and build up their empires, often in the name of God. Instead of serving people and being involved in reaching the poor, the widows, and the orphans, they are forever looking for further ways to grow their “kingdoms”: more radio stations, bigger buildings, more property, and large screen monitors for broadcasting their own messages to satellite outreaches reaching millions across the globe with their agendas to reproduce themselves.
The Bible, once taught faithfully, has become a manipulated spring board for postmodern “googly-gook” that destroys the truth. Large meetings are held in stadiums with bands that are popular with the world. More funds are spent on entertainment than on promoting Jesus Christ.
Be exhorted to reach out to the lost with the true Gospel. The world is being deceived, and so is most of organized Christianity. Strong delusion has made its mark. An apostate church is emerging, an apostate church that has left the light of the Word and is headed into the darkness while those we love are firmly held in its grasp.
'Dear LORD, help us to be faithful servants. It is indeed a small price to pay for all that You have done for us.'
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."
Revelation 12:11
Friday, March 11, 2011
I do not know why --
I do not know why Japan has been hit by the largest earthquake in history.
I do not know why New Zealand has been hit not once, but twice by devastation.
I do not know why Haiti has been plagued by earthquake and disease.
I do not know why America with its acceptance of homosexuals in the military, with its sensitivity training for the military, with its refusal to support marriage as between one man and one woman, with it refusal to ban abortion, with its propensity to call good evil and evil good has not.
"He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." Matthew 5:45
"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap." Galatians 6:7
But, get ready America - your time is coming.!!.
I do not know why Japan has been hit by the largest earthquake in history.
I do not know why New Zealand has been hit not once, but twice by devastation.
I do not know why Haiti has been plagued by earthquake and disease.
I do not know why America with its acceptance of homosexuals in the military, with its sensitivity training for the military, with its refusal to support marriage as between one man and one woman, with it refusal to ban abortion, with its propensity to call good evil and evil good has not.
"He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." Matthew 5:45
"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap." Galatians 6:7
But, get ready America - your time is coming.!!.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Psalm 36:1 – "An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before His eyes."
A Christian is one who strives to conform to the image of Christ.
If you have one foot in the church and one foot in the world, comfortable in both, remember the Word says that a double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Jesus in your head is not Jesus in your heart. Even the demons tremble at the Name of Jesus but they are indeed not saved.
As the dark clouds of complacency, lethargy and deception crowd out the SonShine over America's churches, 'christians' are no longer able to discern between good and evil. The socialist one-world government crowd is marching forward with their duplicitous programs, codifying many of their various steps for implementing one-world rule. Those without a biblical worldview are handicapped from being able to discern between short term safety and long term slavery, seeking to trade freedom for security. At some point they will have neither. While the American public remains focused on the pleasures of this world, doing what seems good in their own eyes, their souls hanging in the balance; they neglect their great Salvation, giving little thought nor time to the things of God.
The day to prepare to defend your faith is today, not when you reach the point where you are faced with the choice of standing strong in the faith, perhaps dying for it, or denying our LORD in order that you or your family might live. If He is not your LORD today He will not be your God when you face persecution. Do not expect to stand up and defend the faith tomorrow if you will not defend the faith today.
A Christian is one who strives to conform to the image of Christ.
If you have one foot in the church and one foot in the world, comfortable in both, remember the Word says that a double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Jesus in your head is not Jesus in your heart. Even the demons tremble at the Name of Jesus but they are indeed not saved.
As the dark clouds of complacency, lethargy and deception crowd out the SonShine over America's churches, 'christians' are no longer able to discern between good and evil. The socialist one-world government crowd is marching forward with their duplicitous programs, codifying many of their various steps for implementing one-world rule. Those without a biblical worldview are handicapped from being able to discern between short term safety and long term slavery, seeking to trade freedom for security. At some point they will have neither. While the American public remains focused on the pleasures of this world, doing what seems good in their own eyes, their souls hanging in the balance; they neglect their great Salvation, giving little thought nor time to the things of God.
The day to prepare to defend your faith is today, not when you reach the point where you are faced with the choice of standing strong in the faith, perhaps dying for it, or denying our LORD in order that you or your family might live. If He is not your LORD today He will not be your God when you face persecution. Do not expect to stand up and defend the faith tomorrow if you will not defend the faith today.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
As we watch the conflict and chaos in the Middle East while reading of "peace talks" between Israel and the Palestinians -controlled by outside forces - remember what Sovereign LORD has said:
For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. Joel 3:1-2
Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompense upon your own head: Joel 3:7
Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. Joel 3:9-14
For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. Joel 3:1-2
Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompense upon your own head: Joel 3:7
Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. Joel 3:9-14
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