Running from the Kingdom

And having done all … to STAND
God may have you … right where he wants you

Authoring the articles on Tribulation-Now has been one of the greatest blessings of my life.  Folks … what a roller coaster ride.  My greatest triumphs have resulted from listening to you.  My greatest conclusions have come from peace.

Sometimes I see the Holy Spirit speaking through me.  Other times I see my “humanness” taking control.  Where is the Glory in all of this, if your “humanness” rises to conquer your peace?

As I reflect back through all the stories of the Bible, I cannot remember one in which God’s people were told to “make a run for it”.   Even when you overlay historical studies of Biblical times against the scripture, what you usually see is God’s people making a STAND.  At the very least, they held their ground, with the help of the Almighty God.

A Lesson from Ester

For example you see in the Book of Ester, God’s people being setup for a huge fall.  In fact the “setup” was so thorough, it would have resulted in the utter destruction of the Jews.  While my intent is not to lose you in the details of the history behind this story, suffice it to say that Haman’s plans were to kill not just Mordechai, but all the Jews in the empire.  Risking her life, the beautiful and God fearing Ester, coordinates a meeting with the King and orchestrates a reversal of the master plan to defeat the Jews. 

But the true moral of the story is not only the victory of Ester’s work, but understanding the results.  This “empire” was huge.  The Jews were spread all over the land in different territories of the empire.  If Haman’s plan would have been successful, not only would the Jews have all been slaughtered, but BY LAW they could NOT have fought back. 

The previous decree of destruction against the Jews could not be annulled, but the king allows the Jews to defend themselves during attacks. As a result, on 13 Adar, five hundred attackers and Haman’s ten sons are killed in Shushan, followed by a Jewish slaughter of seventy-five thousand Persians, although they took no plunder. Mordechai assumes a prominent position in Ahasuerus’ court, and institutes an annual commemoration of the delivery of the Jewish people from annihilation. (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Esther)

But This is Old Testament!

There are lessons to be learned from the Old Testament.  But you must be careful here.  When Jesus said “be gentle as doves”, you best take heed.  When he gave his most important and superseding commandment (to love one another more than you love yourself), you have to understand precedence setting.

If you are living under the atonement of Jesus Christ, and you intend to benefit by this atonement, then you must divorce yourself from the LAW.  The old covenant is dead to those living under the new covenant.  So take your position, under the Blood of the Lamb, but remember, do not confuse your obligation to abide by the rules of that covenant.  If you mix the two covenants together, you screw up.  You cannot have it both ways.  Either you live under the law, and die under the law … or you live under the BLOOD and you die under the BLOOD.  And the Blood of the LAMB is PEACE.  Are you hearing me?  LAMB = PEACE!

How Do You Know Which is Right?

So what is the single most discerning factor between ALL OTHER religions, and JESUS?  The answer is peace and love.  Once you get past the “tough love” dynamics of God trying to save his most prized human creations in the Old Testament, you see a most startling change occur as God “breathed” his Holy Spirit down upon his people in Acts 2:2. 

In fact it actually started to happen when the first human EVER received the Holy Spirit of God inside of him.  This blessed person was John the Baptist, son of Zechariah and Elizabeth.  John, unlike any other human, received the Holy Spirit into his life force, while still in the womb as a tiny fetus.  THIS MARKED THE END OF THE OLD TESTAMENT!

If you study all the writings of every other religion and “mythos“, you find turmoil, hatred, and destruction.  Lucifer, the great deceiver, is expert at weaving this “notion of peace” into a dynamic mixed with hatred.  You can detect this lying version of false peace, by the means at which it is achieved.  Lucifer’s version of “peace” comes at any price.  Lucifer’s version of peace does not result in peace at all … but instead results in the very destruction of your SALVATION.

Do not be deceived.  Ours is a mission of PEACE!

Praise Jesus,  I have No Other gods Before Him!

The Lord has blessed me, and I pray he continues to do so until I meet him in person.  Having other “g”ods before him has many deep lessons and meanings.  Fornication before the Lord is dangerous territory.  You do not “consort with the enemy”.  But alas, who is the enemy?  I say before you now, in Jesus name, anything that is not of JESUS and his peace is the enemy of your salvation.

What does it really mean when God’s word instructs us not to become “unequally yoked”?  This is a concept worth thinking about.  I propose to you that God’s word has multiple parallel meanings throughout.  I submit that any time you place ANYTHING above the purpose of Jesus Christ, you have become unequally yoked.  Think about it. 

This means even the pastor of a church who lives solely on the tithes of his congregation RISKS the possibility of becoming unequally yoked IF AND ONLY IF, he teaches “ITCHY EARS” prosperity doctrine and forsakes his mission to teach the truths of Jesus. 

I praise Jesus, I have NOTHING to gain by saying what I say to you.  I have my “day job” (praise God), and like the disciples of Paul’s time, I work for a living while I try to reach out to people and help them find “peace”.   I have no concern about losing your loyalty as a reader.  It matters not, if you “like” me.  I have only one GOD and that is the KING JESUS.  I have no bias, except for the Lord.  I speak only PEACE, encouragement, and LOVE when the Holy Spirit takes my hands and speaks to you through me.

Where is it, You Run Too?

Indeed, where is it you run?  Run …. run …. run away and hide in the mountains!  Run away to a hide out in the wilderness to survive.  Make sure you last every single minute you can on this GOD-FORSAKEN EARTH so you can avoid meeting your King as long as possible.  After all … it only makes sense you would want to last as long as possible so you can be shot by a demonic Chinese soldier and watch your children die at the hands of Satan’s army …. right?

I choose to do the work of my KING JESUS.  I will only run if the Lord COMMANDS me to run.  And the Lord will only command you to run if it is HIS WILL and he knows you will do WHAT HE WANTS you to do.  And he does NOT want you to hide in a wilderness fortress waiting to shoot at the enemy as they approach. NO!  He wants you to STAND and tell people …

God’s Fingerprint is Everywhere

Consider the lyrics of the Kenny Rogers song, the Gambler.
READ THEM and THINK.

You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count your money when you’re sittin’ at the table.
There’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin’s done.

Ev’ry gambler knows that the secret to survivin’
Is knowin’ what to throw away and knowing what to keep.
‘Cause ev’ry hand’s a winner and ev’ry hand’s a loser,
And the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep.”

And when he’d finished speakin’, he turned back towards the window,
Crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep.
And somewhere in the darkness the gambler, he broke even.
But in his final words I found an ace that I could keep.

Here is the ACE you can keep from these lyrics.  Your “ace of spades” is the Power of Jesus Christ.  Your “ace of spades” is being “saved by the Blood of the Lamb” which is PEACE.  Indeed, the best that you can hope for on this “earth” is to “die in your sleep”.  The “secret to survivin” is understanding there is no GLORY in “survivin” at all.  The Glory comes when your realize your victory is in JESUS.  Your true victory is living the life he told you to live and being harvested as WHEAT in his mercy and attending the banquet set aside for those who earn the right to become his “bride”.

Running from the Oil Volcano

Okay so do I run or do I stay?  One thing is for SURE … whatever the Lord leads me to do it will be in peace.  I have been so mercifully blessed with wonderful people from all over the world.  You have all written me emails and shared your ideas.  Some say to run.  Some say they will stay and STAND.  And I see glorious value in each of those dynamics.

I have not yet been given the necessary word from the Lord to go.  I have seen many leave.  Some years ago.  Some months ago.  But God has not paved the way for me to leave yet.  This means for now, I stay in peace.  Until the Lord impresses on my heart to leave, I stay.  I choose to STAND.  I will watch that tidal wave roll over this land in awe of our Lord and his MIGHT.  I will lift my hands up to him in tears and STAND BEFORE HIM, utterly blameless and bathed in his mighty LOVE and forgiveness.

If he tells me to go, then I will go.  But whatever the situation arise, I will go in peace.

And NEVER FORGET, God is at War.  There will be casualties of that war.  God can stop this OIL spill any time he wants.  That is why predicting anything with certainty is folly when you realize that God loves to humiliate his enemy.

COMMANDING LEVIATHAN TO GO

A wise contributor to Tribulation-Now suggested how awesome it might be for him to trade places with me here in Florida if only for a short time.  He wisely pointed out the dynamics of the God at War situation.  He explained how the forces of the enemy are bringing forth their “Leviathan” from the bowels of the earth with this oil spill lie.

I found it fascinating that he suggested  it might be awesome to witness the rise of this beast from the depths of Tartarus and STAND before it bathed in the glory and power of Jesus Christ.  On a spiritual level I can see his point.  If the Lord wants me to stay and “command Leviathan” to be BOUND AND CAST OUT in Jesus name – then So Be it.  I am not a fool.  I know that I will not see a great beast physically rise from the Gulf of Mexico.  But I am wise enough to know, that he will indeed be there, rising from those waters of destruction.

If the Lord leads, I would consider it an honor to stand before that beast, and command it in Jesus name to have “no effect” on the saints of this earth.

It is the least I can do for our King … Jesus Christ.