27 THINGS THAT WILL HAPPEN IN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

This certainly got my attention! There are links to all of the information mentioned here so that anyone can do further research on any or all of the material.

It's Really Him!

One of the most profound moments in my life was when I heard the Scripture, "God speaks once, yea twice, and man perceiveth it not", Job 33:14. It was if my eyes were opened and I began to understand that all of the things we think of as coincidence are God. Does that sound crazy? Look at the rest of what He has to say about it. Read Ephesians 1:11, "...In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." Or, Proverbs 16:1, "The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord", and verses 9&10, "A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.  A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment". How about Psalm 139:1-18, "O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.
² Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
³ Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
⁴ For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.
⁵ Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
⁷ Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
⁸ If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
⁹ If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
¹⁰ Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
¹¹ If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
¹² Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
¹³ For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
¹⁴ I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
¹⁵ My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
¹⁶ Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
¹⁷ How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
¹⁸ If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee".
   These words of God are profound! We can rely on Him knowing that He knows. Verse 17 means He is constantly thinking about us...can you believe that?
   I remember being in my 30s, I was in the Army, basic training, and I had turned my back on the idea of God because I wanted to be 'sure'. I wanted to 'know the truth' and not follow some ideology without proof, and so on. I had had many spiritual experiences throughout my life that I could not explain, but I was discounting them, because 'the brain is so wonderful' that I can't be sure that those things were from God. Anyway, things started happening to me that I just couldn't keep ignoring. Some how, everything I secretly hoped for was happening. Who knew me? Who loved me? Why? For instance, I was driving back to Fort Bragg from Baltimore as I did every weekend. My family lived there and my Captain gave me permission to make the trip. I was in a big windowless Chevy van. I noticed I was running out of gas and I had about 50 miles to go with not much in sight. I looked over on the seat and realized that my purse was gone! That meant, no id, no credit card, no money, and no way to call anyone if I ran out. I made a decision to turn around and go back to see if I could find my purse, when I happened to notice a pay phone on the side of the road. I thought that since the area was so rural, an operator might actually have some idea as to where that gas station was. Well, she didn't. But, as I put down the receiver, $1.10 fell into the change receptacle. I said, "What?", "What's this for?" So, shrugging, I put it into my pocket and continued down the road. Well, I came upon a gas station and I went to look for my purse. It was there, on the back side of a toilet in the bathroom. I was so grateful and desperate for gas that I didn't even bother to count the money. I just filled up the tank. I was $1.10 short. What was in my pocket? You know? A lot of things are hard to understand aren't they? So many of these kinds of things happened to my that one day, I finally had to get down on my knees and say thank you. I had to acknowledge this Person who went so out of His way to get my attention.
   Through the years, I began to see that the Scriptures upheld this idea about His love. Then one day, I heard Job 33:14 and the light went on. He is GOD. He is omniscient, powerful, loving, and Wonderful! His Word stands. There is an Enemy, and Adversary. Those not under the umbrella of His protection due to their rejection of His authority are in extreme danger. God still speaks to them, He still reaches to them, but He will not force them. And yet, when they do call on Him in their distress, He answers. It's really Him! Psalm 107 talks about the cycle of those who call on the Lord, he answers them and repeat, such as seen in verses 10-15, "Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!" Psalm 107 sheds a lot of light on what is happening in this world.
   There are two camps...those who have obeyed from the heart the Word of God in trusting the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus for their redemption, who have believed God, that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, (not to heap treasures upon themselves, but spiritual treasures); and those who refuse Him, for whatever reason. One is under the direct tutelage of the Holy Spirit, and one is a target for the Enemy of God who goeth about seeking whom he may devour.    
   We may find our refuge today, Romans 9:8-11, " But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed". Praise God for His wonderful Plan and love to the children of men!

A Way to get Clean

For the most part, I have avoided listening to the news media recently because it's so terrible. But, my husband sometimes shares some of it with me. I am so troubled this morning about a program we saw last night, that I feel compelled to shout. The whole world lies in darkness. I sincerely wonder if there is any true wisdom left. When anyone speaks about anything that bucks up against the current philosophy they are immediately labeled as some type of kook. How's that working for you? We, as a Nation, have embarked on a course that has swept us out to a roaring sea of filth and shame. As adults, we have encouraged our youth to 'be themselves', be 'all they can be', 'open their minds', without the benefit of solid direction, or true understanding of what we have done to them. Maybe we think we have sufficiently edited what they will see and hear, but in reality we have opened the door to the world wherein filters are easily deleted. How are they supposed to know what is good or bad? How could they even imagine the consequences of the life choices they are making without the benefit of adult supervision? Most parents, I would think, would like to protect their children. I'm sure that they don't want them to become victims of addiction, disease, or crime, but cautioning them verbally, while encouraging them to 'explore' at the same time will ultimately put them in harm's way. One of the news videos we watched last night finally began to expose the dangers children are facing when they have to move and live in a society that is drenched with pornography and drugs. They 'explore', they taste, and find out too late that the consequences are beyond anything they could have possibly imagined. Consequences that will color the rest of their lives and the lives of their children as well. The video followed two teens that came from upper middle-class families. The parents had no idea about what their kids were involved in. They were, unknowingly, financially supporting kids that had become addicted to heroin, living their lives only for the next fix. A young girl answered questions about pornography in school and about her experience of its effects on the lives of both the boys and girls. She described her own experiences and how confused and upset she was at first. Our children are being destroyed! The only reason that a program like this aired is because it has become too much of a problem to be ignored. To me, that means too late. How can anyone go about protecting their kids from these things? They are everywhere. Children access porn even by mistake, they accept a drug they think is harmless only to find out they were deceived, and it's too late. What I want to get across is that there is an answer. It's been rejected by this Nation. But, it remains as the only answer. The Blood of Jesus was spilled for what should have been my punishment and yours. I deserve death for my behavior. We can sit back and explain ourselves, we can make ourselves the exception, we can sooth ourselves, but what about the people we hurt? Nothing we do can change what we've done and how it has affected them. Nothing can make it better. But, when God Himself provides an answer, and says that it makes you clean in His eyes, then you are clean indeed, because He is the final Judge. Most of the reason that this Nation has rejected Christ, is because, in my opinion, that the Word of God has been misused, misunderstood, maligned, watered down, and/or exchanged for another 'gospel'. The Scriptures explain themselves, they interpret themselves, and they remain. We can kick, scream, throw a fit, refuse it, cover our ears, etc... but, what God says does not change, nor does He defend it. As He Is, It IS. One of the things it says is that if you haven't heard from Him, you need to keep your mouth shut. Too many people are in the pulpit preaching a doctrine, an idea, a philosophy, having never heard from Him. The people in the pews blindly follow, and after awhile, there is no truth in what is being touted as the Word of God. Another thing that the Scriptures say, is that you don't need anyone to teach you, but that the Holy Spirit will lead you and guide you into all truth. We don't need to lean on our own understanding, but to acknowledge Him in all our ways, and He will direct our paths. The Bereans were more noble in that they listened to the preaching of the Word, and then they went home and searched the Scriptures as to weather those things were true. We need to become students of the Word. Search the Word, go back into the original languages...the tools are available on-line, and are also in print, such as the Strong's Concordance. English is a horrible language for its ambiguity. The New Testament was written in Greek, because it is such an explicit language. For example, when we translate the verse in 1 Corinthians as 'love is patient', it pales in comparison with what is actually meant, that love, after suffering a long time, is kind. That love believes all things, and then it hopes all things, and then, it bears what it finds to be true after all, and it's still kind! Without faith it's impossible to please God, and faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Not a nod in its direction, but receiving its authority. It's been a long time now, since this Nation embarked on it's current path...since we threw away the Word of God and substituted 'our own reality'. Look where we are. Look at the murders, the atrocities, the predation, the corruption, the lies, the shootings, the lost, confused population embracing and defending the very ideas and behaviors that are killing them. "Men love darkness, rather than Light, because their deeds are evil". Wake up America! Judgement is coming. God will not suffer this madness forever. There is an appointed time for His intervention and it will come. We all know it. It's been trumpeted on the internet for years now. What will happen when circumstances strip us from all our pleasures? Will you know how to live? Will you know what to think? Will you know how to help others that are suffering? The Scriptures say again that 'if a man believes in his heart the Lord Jesus, and confesses with his mouth that God has raised Him from the dead, he will be born again'. It's that simple to receive a new life in the eyes of God. Jesus said, "I am the Door that leadeth unto life, no man comes to the Father, but by Me". When you decide to call upon God, He will be there to help you and He will honor His Word as you obey Him by faith and look to Him for guidance. Many questions remain, but it takes a lifetime to learn any subject in depth...I have prayed for you that your faith fail not. If you are interested in references for the above quotes, the Biblegateway.com site will allow you to search by phrase or individual words, and you will learn a lot more by seeing their context and what else the Scriptures have to say. God bless each one who longs to be clean and calls upon the only Savior.

FALLING ASLEEP

We have been fed the idea that affiliating ourselves with Jesus will result in a cushy life full of happy, smiling, benevolent, brothers and sisters in Christ. Especially around this time of year, we don't want to be reminded of anything unpleasant. What will happen to those who have nestled down deep in this comfortable ideology and fallen asleep, when affiliating ourselves with Jesus is no longer comfortable or pleasant? The Scripture says that there will be a great falling away. Rev 3:16-18, " So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 BECAUSE THOU SAYEST, I AM RICH, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold TRIED IN THE FIRE, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 AS MANY AS I LOVE, I REBUKE AND CHASTEN: be zealous therefore, and repent. "Hebrews 12:1-17, " Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; WHO FOR THE JOY that was set before him ENDURED THE CROSS, DESPISING THE SHAME, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 YE HAVE NOT YET RESISTED UNTO BLOOD, STRIVING AGAINST SIN. 5 AND YE HAVE FORGOTTEN the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 for WHOM THE LORD LOVETH HE CHASTENETH, and scourgeth EVERY son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit,THAT WE MIGHT BE PARTAKERS OF HIS HOLINESS. 11 Now NO CHASTENING FOR THE PRESENT SEEMETH TO BE JOYOUS, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15 looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 16 lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears."

WAR

There's been lots of chatter on the web today regarding WWIII. Tensions are ratcheting up within Nations and between Nations. There's also, the usual resistance. No one wants to acknowledge that something of this magnitude could happen, but it seems to me that a proverbial 'perfect storm' is brewing. I've posted several articles to this effect elsewhere...http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/569300/20141013/nuclear-war-russia-over-ukraine-vladimir-putin.htm#.VIxUhdFOePJ.google_plusone_share and http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/risks-of-nuclear-war-is-rising-because-of-global-tensions-and-insecure-stockpiles-warn-experts-9909379.html
there are more. Plus, re the perfect storm...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmcBu1E5vuM and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKkNzRCwTWs and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvfzrFGCXos 
The first three seals in Revelation 6 speak about the power to conquer, peace being taken from the earth/people killing one another, and what looks like an economic collapse...how close are we? Revelation 6, "And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and HE WENT FORTH conquering, and TO CONQUER. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to TAKE PEACE FROM THE EARTH, and THAT THEY SHOULD KILL ONE ANOTHER: and there was given unto him a great sword.

And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine." I wondered about the last verses, as 'a penny' seems awfully cheap to me, which should be good, right? But, turns out, when the prices drop the commodities purchased with credit, result in a great loss for the producers...hence, a collapse as they lose their investment. Multiply this event across the 89 (ish) small oil producers in our country and it wipes them out creating a global cascade effect, as the oil cartels (OPEC) apparently no longer have the ability to shore up prices as they've always done.

The Schoolmaster

Listening to Richard Rives video, this morning, alluded to, and gave credence to, the rising crescendo of voices insinuating that Christians are to obey the Law. The Law, as the Scripture says in Romans 7:12, "...is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good...". That will never change. But, it can never do anything than to convince us of our need for Christ.  Romans 9:31, "but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal...". Galatians 3:23-25, "But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." I do not know how much clearer the Scripture can be. Romans 6:15-18, "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 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? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness." Paul wrote about a more excellent way...that of Love. Now the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life. The spirit of the law is Love. Faith works by Love. Love does no ill to its neighbor. Love is the fulfillment of the Law. The instrument that our Lord chose to answer these questions was the 'Hebrew of Hebrews' Paul. If you notice much of his writings are for the express purpose of answering the question as to whether or not Christians need to obey the Law. The Book of Romans answers the question for Gentile believers, the Book of Hebrews answers the question for Jewish believers (with dire warnings), and there is much information to be found in other epistles, especially Galatians. Notice Paul's arguments about this subject with the other apostles...especially Peter. Note that Paul did NOT TEACH the TORAH. As we submit ourselves to God, HE leads us and guides us into all truth. HE sanctifies us and corrects us. Romans 5:20-21, "Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." 1 Tim 1:5-7, " Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: from which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm." Galatians 3:2-3, "This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?". Many are influenced by people that are in the public eye...you are responsible for what you preach and will stand to give account before the Judgement seat of Christ. I suggest you give diligent heed to the writings of Paul and ask the Lord you claim to serve (as did the Pharisees and Sadducees) to search your heart and mind and to correct you if need be. I say "if need be" because I know that in your heart you believe yourself to be serving God. Woe to them that go in the way of Cain...who gave his best to God, but was rejected because he refused to acknowledge what God said He actually required. Our best, our understanding, our opinions are as dung. Compare Scripture with Scripture and as you heart is prostrate before God, He will do the work and as the Scripture says, will lead you and guide you into all truth.

TOO MANY ARE MISSING THE MARK

As I read today's 'Christian' news, I keep hearing the same message. It all sounds good...pastors gathering together to preach against homosexuality, bloggers urging people to wake up. What's wrong with that? Well, firstly, pastors need to be prostrate before God and listening to Him. They need to preach what He wants them to preach. Instead, reacting to political pressures, they gather together and decide what they need to do to maintain religious freedom in their State and in America. It IS hard to see why that's a problem. You know, the Children of God ARE FREE say what He wants us to say, no matter if we are in a church or in jail. The first century apostles and pastors were constantly opposed by the powers of the State. We should expect it. So, it's not a matter of figuring out how to maintain the status quo. It's not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, sayeth the Lord,(Zechariah 4:6). He says He is opposed to what these pastors are doing in His Name! Jeremiah 23:30-31, "Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbour. Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith". Give it up! Lay it down! Wait, I say, on the LORD. The people in these congregations need to hear from Him...not from you! His desire should be our desire, His passion, our passion. We are so steeped in religiosity and methodology, that when we think we are serving God, we are ourselves the victims of our own vain imaginations. And we have set up the traditions of men above the Word of God, while using that same Word to justify it. Sound familiar? That's exactly what the Sadducees and Pharisees were doing. Who were the only people Jesus got angry with? The religious elite. It's not that they didn't have the Word of God, or know the Word of God...they did. But, they missed the point and that is what I see happening here.
Secondly, the bloggers crying Wake UP! Yes!!! Wake up! But, you won't be awake if you think that you are 'hot' (vs lukewarm) because you are in church on Sunday. Nothing's wrong with going to church per se...but, as already stated, look who's preaching! Look at what is being preached. 
Jeremiah 23:26-32, "How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord. Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbour. Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord".
2 Peter 2, "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; and delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire". Wow.  If you refuse to believe these things about your pastor, I totally understand, but just look at the recent news stories of preachers sleeping with the women in the congregation, advocating homosexuality, being more concerned for numbers and building funds than hearing from the God they presume to speak for, etc... One is following another and they are leading their congregations into the ditch. When a man hears from God, you will hear from Him too. Romans 11:22, "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"...what He says will cut across our natural thinking, it will not always be nice, politically correct, happy, or make you feel good. Who cares! As long as He speaks! Where can we go but to the Lord? Is there any other refuge?

Every one that has been made to drink of that Holy Spirit of God...every one that has believed in his heart the Lord Jesus and that God has raised Him from the dead. Every one that confesses with His mouth that He is Lord, needs to seek His face, in secret, just you and Him. Matthew 6:6, "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly". Read the Scriptures for yourself, check what you hear by the Scriptures and don't just read the citations given, compare Scripture with Scripture...it interprets itself. The Holy Spirit will lead you and guide you into all truth. The brightness of His life and love will burn in you and teach you to discern between good and evil. You will be 'hot' for Him. Rev 3:14-22, " And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I WOULD THOU WERT COLD OR HOT.  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." This generation is the church of Laodicea (meaning 'the voice of the people). God's desire for us is that we are hot for Him! Do you KNOW HIM? Will He say, in that day, that He knows you? Matthew 7:21-23, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity". So, how can we be sure? First, as I stated already have you believed in your heart and confessed with your mouth, the Lord Jesus? Romans 10:8-13, "But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved". So, it's not about church, methodologies, works, conduct, devotions, tithing or anything else. Jesus is the Door that leadeth unto life...you must go through the Door! John 14:5-7, "...how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him." Matthew 7:13-15, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." If you have this assurance then you need no man to teach you, but the Holy Spirit will lead you and guide you into all truth, 1 John 2:27, "But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him". Now, that same Spirit has given the church pastors, teachers, evangelists and so forth, but you will be able, as you grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus to 'hear' whether or not these entities are speaking the truth of the Scriptures, or if they are off. My sheep know my Voice and another they will not follow, John 10:27-28, " My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand". Especially, in these last days, you must run to the Lord and ask Him always to search your heart that you may be able to walk in the truth and not be afraid. I always emphasis this point, because our hearts are desperately wicked and deceitful above all things...who can know it? but the Spirit of God searches the heart and mind. He uses the circumstances of our lives to try us and to reveal to us what it actually in us, (Psalm 139). And, He will verify what He is speaking in the mouth of two or three witnesses, 2 Corinthians 13:1, "...In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established". You will learn to recognize that. Hold what you 'know' as you are growing and learning with an open hand, waiting and watching only for Him. He has promised to correct us if we are 'in anything otherwise minded', Philippians 3:15, "Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you". 

Matthew 24:33, "...so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors". 

Matthew 25:10, "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".

TIME IS SHORT...THE BRIDEGROOM COMETH!