September 2 2010
Today while reading Isaiah, I was struck to the point of physical
exhaustion as the Lord made concrete, my mind's abstraction of a part
of the Lord Jesus Christ's suffering as he was beaten by the Roman
soldiers
before his crucifixion.
(Isaiah 52:14) "... So His appearance was marred more than any man ..."
Having seen mens' faces severely beaten, the reality of the Roman
soldiers mocking my Lord to "prophesy as to which one struck him", came
into sharp focus against all the deceptive placations that propose that
His literal beating was not that severe. Regardless of any blindfold,
or translation, even allusion to a soldiers bare hand not being able to
stand repeated strikes - negating the sheer number of soldiers - a
legion gathered about him. He was repeatedly struck by both rod, and
fist (open and closed). I have heard many explanations as to why the
disciples repeatedly failed to recognize him, even given the few
examples where he hid his identity for a time from certain disciples in
isolated instances, most explanations are at best a serious stretch of
scripture, if not outright deception. The truth of the matter is as
simple as previously stated.
Isaiah 53:2,3 makes it clear that he was a very "plain" man in
appearance, if not considered outright "ugly" by our sense of a person.
Is it not a "signature characteristic" of the Lord God to use that
which we deem as unworthy, uneducated, ugly or "lacking" in some form
or another to our seared senses, for His greatest, most profound
purposes?
Does the one and only God not delight in using the seemingly foolish to confound the wise?
Isaiah 53:(2) "... He has no stately form or majesty
That we should look upon Him,
Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.
(3) He was despised and forsaken of men,
A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
And like one from whom men hide their face,
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him."
As I read, and understood, a flood of connected scripture bearing
witness to the revealed truth, written over two thousand years ago, I
found myself angry, hurt and simply undone. I wept bitterly, realizing
that there had lain in me, previously unknown, a seed of disbelief, now
removed by the skillful hands of my Heavenly Father. A surgery
performed in response to my longstanding desire for His truth, and my
cry to Him for a return of my heart, mind and soul to my "First Love".
I went and slept heavily for hours.
After awakening, I was very impressed of the Lord regarding nearly every believer's fear of God's reproof and
correction, and how that fear plays into a believer's teachability.
Having little understanding of the true nature and expanse of the love of God, how often we shy away from the
Lord's instruction (NOT the instruction of MEN, who tickle our ears), especially the "meatier" issues of great
substance, such as the manifest absence of the well defined structure of the true "church" itself;
--the biblically mandated structure of the assembly, of the called ones, those called out--.
Our willingness to "suffer" the instruction of the Lord is mirrored in our "churches";
Our fear made manifest for all to see;
Lifeless whitewashed houses of pomp and circumstance, rife with pain.
The afflicted members and expectant visitors within barely manage grimaced smiles in an effort to hide the decay within;
Having been deluded into believing that the CURE is WORSE than the DISEASE;
They are then prime candidates for the apostate doctrine of demons that
decries a "simple fix" based on extracted scripture denaturing the word
of God by "mix", forming a "purpose driven" mandate, the decree of man,
an empty promise. This mandate is straight out of the
pride/deceit/rebellion class of the "Garden of Eden" fall. All such
deceptions threaten to ensnare the vulnerable believer, already reeling
from an apostate "church" of 1800 years (all (non)denominations
included), having been taught a powerless incomplete Gospel. Then along
comes a "program" originated of men, rooted in psychology, science,
medicine, and/or the latest repackaged "new" but ancient religion of
mystical enticement therein offering a wide path and an instant (or
quick) "feel good". Requirements are easy, whereby the believer has to
only accept "the truth" which is NOT true, and "activate", "rewire",
"renew" or any number of terms/phrases/mantras (usually rooted in
mysticism) and after "accepting the truth", often via a written or
agreed to "covenant" some ritualistic methodology is pursued such
as "21 days" or "40 days" or "40 steps" of doing something such
as "positive confessions", the believer is now thoroughly deluded, and
open to the enemy of God for further deception. The deceived, now
convinced that they have "arrived", now a "completed work", begins to
proselytize others with the same lie(s).
The "feel good" does NOT last, and the believer, now worse off than
before, begins the never ending chase to feel better. They buy the the
latest "cutting edge" books, ALL promising a fix for your problem (for
a price). Through new friends, or an email list, they hear of the
"revival over there" or "the Lord is really moving over here", or
"Look!, He is there".
If the above describes your experience, you are not alone. Stop chasing
the "feel good", and ask of our Heavenly Father for help in the name of
Jesus Christ. That's not a mantra, just basic instruction. Pray, and
wait. Be renewed by the washing of the word. Ignore EVERY voice that
speaks to you. Even the most tender and seemingly genuine ones. Be
patient. He who called you is always faithful. He will never leave you
or forsake you. He will instruct you, even though you can't imagine how
right now. Study, pray, wait. You will find Psalm 119:130 amazing at
some point. Commit your way unto the Lord, and trust Him, and Him
alone. He WILL make your paths straight. He is ALWAYS faithful.
And remember this, no man(pastor, teacher, book author, false prophet,
false apostle) is going to stand between you and the Lord your God on
the day of reckoning. Our God is a consuming fire, and His name is
Jealous. HE called YOU! He loves YOU. He says "you are Mine!". Open
your bible and find out where.
He did NOT call Rick about you first. He did NOT by divine appointment
(as arrogantly claimed in some books) call you to believe a book
written by a "driven" man with a "purpose" (to get your money).
I am pointing you to a book, the bible. It is not a book of stories, it
is a book of accounts. I am pointing you to the Most High. In Him, and
Him alone is your redemption. Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ (messiah),
the Son of the Living God made it very plain. There is no "wide" path.
He said "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the
Father but by Me."
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Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life". NOT the reverse as
has been espoused by some deceived "enlightened" individuals. The true
path is NARROW, not wide, and is abundantly described in the bible, both
New Testament, and Old Testament. The false doctrines and deceptions
have already infected a slumbering body of Christ. Jehovah God is NOT
going to present a mangled, raped bride to his son. Anyone who is
involved in
the active proliferation of any of the thousands of organizations
involved in the apostate "conversion" of the "church" has one of two
choices;
Repent, turn away, and expose your actions, or you will be laid down by His hand.
All has been made known in Heaven, and on earth. That thought secret by
the arrogant, will choke on their secrets; They perish for a lack of
understanding of that which they seek to profane. NO PROGRAM OF MAN
will ever establish righteousness or the kingdom of God on earth.
All such notions are ancient sorceries, idolatry;
True rebellion against God;
Born of pride;
Stillborn in disobedience to God.
The "shroud of Turin" is a lie. There is no life in it. Even Jesus said
"Blessed is he who has not seen and yet believes." The shroud is just
another "secret", "ancient mystery", or whatever it happens to be
billed as on any given day for consumption by the eye and mind of the
viewer. It is just another seduction to catch the eye, turning the
targeted victim's face away from truth. Yet another idol in a cast of
millions, "to be considered", weighed by the believer as to its
validity, not understanding its intended use as a stumbling block, or
to some a pit.
For the unbeliever, another shadow of doubt is cast in front of him.
Neither believer, or non-believer, have any understanding that the idol
presented for consideration, was presented by yet another idol, that
has force-fed both victims from its plethora of carefully engineered
"guided imagery" and sound (shamanism), ostensibly by those
"sponsoring" the presentation so that it might be "viewed at no cost"
to the viewer. The viewer considers the idol, is affected by the
imagery, pays for the "free" presentation with his cable company bill,
earning ever less, yet spending ever more as his family slowly fades
into dysfunction.
Still, they gather before the idol of idols to have their senses tickled - to death.
Let he who has ears to hear, and eyes to see, gain understanding.
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The watchmen are fast asleep at their posts.
No one cries out a warning.
Idols arise like grass in a freshly prepared and well watered field.
The land owner, the plower, the sower, and the waterer all cry out
"Behold!"
No one notices that the seed is ancient and poisonous.
No one sees that the winged creatures circling above,
nor the beasts of the field,
partake of the seed;
Rather they lie in wait,
understanding the true nature of the seed,
that their hunger will be satisfied
by the corpses of those that eat of its fruit.
The watchmen asleep at their posts, are unaware of the newly sprouted fields;
just outside the gates of the city,
even the walls,
nor do they see the fields as they multiply in every direction,
as far as the eye can see.
In their slumber,
they are unaware
that the walls of the city have already been breeched by the seed.
It has taken root inside the walls,
and is bountiful.
The watchmen, asleep at their posts,
are unaware of the seed.
They are asleep
because they have eaten bread laced with the seed.