Wednesday, June 15, 2011

1984 Revisited

And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him
and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein
to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
Revelation 13.12


This idea of a power influencing people to act in a certain way,
even to give attention and worth to an image… a concept… an idea.

We see it all the time- do we not?

In America and all around the world there is
that idea of "political correctness"
where much pressure and influence is exerted
for people to look at things
and believe and behave in a certain way.

There doesn’t seem to be a care that the ways
they want people to see things
go against all tradition;
not a care that these 'new concepts' go against the Bible-
this ‘newspeak'.

For generations people of many countries
used the Bible and its truth as the standard.
Governments and laws were based upon it.
Such nations were even called “Christian” nations.

We have no government armed with power capable
of contending with human passions unbridled
by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition,
revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords
of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net.
Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.
It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
John Adams


The Morality of John Adams day was the morality
of Judeo-Christian influence.

But that is all changing.

There is that which would cause people
to worship something else
and that influence has nothing to do with heaven.

It has more to do with that which caused Eve
to take her attention off of the words
and truth of God as the first.

And that influence is with the subtlety of a beast.

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast….
Genesis 3.1

Friday, June 10, 2011

Power from on High

Even the Gospel has no effect upon me
until his hand is stretched out.
Spurgeon.


God never intended to send his servants forth
into the world with words alone.
No, there are two witnesses that come from heaven-
the Word and the Spirit,
and these two are always found working in conjunction.
They could no more be separated in their working
than the light could come forth from the sun without heat.

...nothing is hidden from its heat.
Psalm 19.6


The most respected Charles Spurgeon bears witness
that words alone don't cut it.
The good news must be accompanied
with the right hand of God's own strength.

For the kingdom Of god is not in word
but in power.
1 Corinthians 4.20


And there is another respected and notable
tabernacle of witness. Andrew Murray.
When writing in his book,The Two Covenants,
he poses the question, "Do we not need something more than
words and thoughts?”


He answers the question,
"Is not what we need...
the Holy Spirit that dwells within us..."


David cried out to the Lord.
My soul clings to the dust.
Psalm 119.25

His soul, he found, was often drawn
to that which is worldly and sensual
and his flesh was bogged down
as in a mire.
He knew that he needed a touch from God
and therefore he cried for the remedy.
Quicken me according to your word.


Jesus came recognizing the need of all mankind
and especially of his servants to fulfill their work
according to their high and holy calling.

He cautioned-
'the flesh profits you nothing'. John 6.63



The flesh and the spirit are mutually exclusive.
They are oil and water-they do not mix.
One does not help the other.
In fact one will crucify the other.

If we follow the Lord the flesh will be crucified.

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Luke 9.23


If we walk after the flesh the Lord will be.

....seeing they crucity to themselves
the Son of God afresh...
Hebrews 6.6


But God gives great grace to those who follow Jesus –
to those who set their hearts to keep his word.

Quicken me after thy lovingkindness;
so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth.
Psalm 119.88


His testimonies are kept as we learn to receive
and walk in his grace and power.

But if the Spirit of him that raised up
Jesus from the dead dwell in you,
he that raised up Christ from the dead
shall also quicken your mortal bodies
by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Romans 8.11