at the door...

“…not as the world giveth, give I unto you.”

Revelation 22:17 to the world:

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

Revelation 3:20 to the church:

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

 

 

On NBC’s Today show this morning they played the 911 tapes recorded when a stalker/burglar was breaking into Sandra Bullock’s Los Angeles home recently. Sandra retreated into her bedroom and into the closet behind a “safe door,” a door presumably able to keep any intruder out.  The talking heads comments summarized were: “what a terrible frightening  thing to happen!” Willie Geist opined how frightening it must be to have someone on the other side of your door that might do harm to you or your family. And who would disagree? Yet…

In this small and dangerous world of sinners we are increasingly vulnerable to all manner of premeditated assaults on or persons and property. But many who are aware that our streets and even neighborhoods are dangerous have not realized the real dangers to the entire nation. Most of us have very limited access to the ears of our national leaders, and many of us just don’t concern ourselves with what is happening amongst the nations. If we were to look at the nations as individuals it should be seen clearly that some are not inclined to be friendly to others. While Israel and others want to be our friends and allies in this lifetime, others want to annihilate us. In Gaza, the West Bank, in Hebron and Ramallah AND in Iran the word on the street is: “Death to America.” That is not code. That is the sincere desire of those who chant it AND THE PLAN of those who lead them. But we call Islam a religion of peace and only “hijacked” by radicals who misunderstand Islam and twist the words of the Koran.

Islam is more than at the America’s front door. Islam is in the White House. Our nation’s founders never envisioned such a thing. In their minds and writings religion started and ended with those naming Jesus as Lord, Savior and God’s Son. Of gentile Christians Paul wrote: “… once ye did walk according to the age of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience…” Can we see that gentiles today who reject Jesus the Son of God the Father are truly sons of disobedience and do walk according to the age of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, of the spirit that is now working in them.

 

Friends, if it looks, walks and quacks like a duck… it is not a dove. In the case of Islam it looks like a monster. Can there be ANY DOUBT AT ALL that muslims are sons of disobedience? I fear those calling themselves christians and allowing muslims to be a religion of peace are at the least deceived and many do not know the real Jesus of Bethlehem and Nazareth whom claim as their own. Those in high places and low who say Islam is a religion of peace look like the ostrich with their heads in the sand. Muslims know better, Islam is an oppressive political system with religious form. Their leaders wield human power (brutally) while claiming divine power. Islam is a bully. Their leaders are liars, and their religious laws encourage lying as a strategy and tactic to advance their caliphate.

 

Real peace, true peace comes from God in the Messiah. It is offered by God as a gift, not coerced by force. It is of the truth and offered by God with NO deceit, NONE.

 

In this world amongst those who reject the Messiah Jesus, world peace comes from God by the agency of His servants who rule and “bear the sword.” World peace is maintained by vigilant people and nations who desire to live in tranquility. Yet He has given man freedom and some men abuse it, some want only war. God IS in control and is carrying out His Plan For those who  abuse their freedom God raises up Presidents, Prime Ministers, congresses and Parliaments, even Politburos and their armed/police forces. Why then do some like Iran and their surrogates ISIS, Al Qaeda, Boko Haram, and the Muslim Brotherhood rule and bear the sword? Because men are free and choose evil rather than good. If Jesus is not your Lord and Savior I fear you will not see the difference. In Islam an evil spirit rules, in God’s church the Holy Spirit is Lord.

2 Corinthians 3:17 “Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” 2 Corinthians 4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish: 4 in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them.

1 John 5:18 We know that whosoever is begotten of God sinneth not; but he that was begotten of God keepeth himself, and the evil one toucheth him not.19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the evil one.

As one preacher said, even “the devil is God’s devil, and He (God) has him (the devil) on a short leash.” So we should not worry, “be anxious for nothing!” Jesus is Lord, and He is Lord of all! And for we who believe and receive Him, Jesus the Messiah is our peace!

 

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. NKJV

John 14:27  I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give. It isn't like the peace that this world can give (is giving you). So don't be worried or afraid. CEV

Those faithful to God have ALWAYS found the Savior’s peace, even in the midst of the war and tribulations of the moment. But let’s not think that those who are unfaithful and unbelieving have God’s shalom (peace) or can give us God’s shalom. Under the hand of God and for this present world they may help keep the world’s peace, or they may seek to destroy the world’s peace. But in Jesus our Rock, our shield and buckler our high tower we have peace that the world cannot give, and that the world cannot take away!

 

Jesus is the Prince OF peace!

Glory, Hallelu Yah, Hallelu Yah Yeshua !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Isaiah 9:6  For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father [of Eternity], Prince of Peace. [Isa. 25:1; 40:9-11; Matt. 28:18; Luke 2:11.]

Psalm 18:2  The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

Deuteronomy 32:31  Even our enemies know that only our God is a Mighty Rock.

 

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He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High

shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.

(Psalm 91:1-16)

 

 

Holy Enigma !!!

The Enigma of Our Day

Mankind is not equipped by nature for peace. His history shows it to be so and there is no doubt of it. He is equipped with great abilities, but to be at peace with his neighbor is not given him by nature, that is by his birth. And issue de jour is that of the bully. We don’t want our children to be bullied, or to be bullies. But there are many bullies today; some we call gangs, or terrorists. Some of them rule nations and armies.

No surprise them that we see many at war with their neighbors near and far. Though there are greater and lesser conflicts, for decades, indeed since May 14, 1948 the most persistent conflict has been seen as between Israel and those who would destroy her. For nearly 2,000 years Israel was a nation without land, that is, without a homeland. That did not mean she was not a nation, for a nation is simply a family. This family whom we call the Jews was scattered throughout the whole world by the armies of Rome in 70AD. After that war and scattering the Jews were persecuted, bullied almost everywhere they went. Jews did make two notable attempts to take the land back, but they failed in each.

Today there are around 17 million Jews worldwide, that number being only ¼ of one percent (0.025%) of the 7,000,000,000 (7 BILLION) people in the earth today. Somewhat over 6,000,000 of them now live in Israel, a land about the size of the state of New Jersey. On May 14^th, 1948  this land given, or returned(?) to them by the United Nations. On THE NEXT DAY, May 15^th, 1948, six Islamic nations attacked Israel. Clearly mankind was not equipped for peace with the Jews after this their AUTHORIZED return to the Land. Israel has been fighting a defensive war there since that time.

(We are told that there was some conflict in Israel prior to this between Jews already returning to Israel wih the Arabs and with the British forces then present in Israel. After their treatment in Hitler’s Germany one could understand why. The Jews had never lost hope in returning to the Land and the fervor for that return had been growing worldwide ever stronger. What a relief it must have been to have the Land given to them in May 1948. What a relief it might have remained since were it not for the ancient enmity between Israel and her enemies.)

The question I ask is this: WHY ARE SO MANY POWERFUL AND WEALTHY NATIONS, AND SO MANY CRIMINALLY INSANE TERRORISTS OPPOSED TO EXISTENCE OF THE JEWS IN ISRAEL OR IN ANY LAND? Also: WHY ARE JEWS BULLIED WHEREVER THEY RESIDE BY SOME OR MANY OR ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE THEIR NEIGHBORS?

PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANTLY: Why are so many so afraid of so few? This has been so for a very long time. Proportional to the world populations, in a room with 400 people, around 150 would be Christian, 150 would be Muslim, 40 to 49 would be other faiths and ONE would be a JEW! Throw out academics, throw out politics, throw out even common sense, but explain to me WHY the Jew is so hated, condemned, persecuted, assaulted and murdered by so many gentiles.

Israel has had a most powerful ally in the USA for many years. Not a few American Christians have taken a keen interest in Israel as they believe her to be “God’s timepiece.” They believe that what happens to Israel today and tomorrow to already be a matter of record in the prophecy of their Bible. These commonly called “Christian Zionists” are staunch supporters of Israel and defenders of the right of the Jews to the land of Israel. Other Christians do not think the same way. There is an entire theology (Covenant theology) among these which declares that God is finished with the Jews as a people and Israel as a nation. It is known that on May 14^th, 1948, when Israel was given her Land back, it was as if an earthquake has rocked the community of the Covenant theologians. Sadly many, even most(?) Christians are ignorant of Israel as important to the Christian faith, in the past or the future.

Why does the world not simply tolerate Israel? Could we gentiles not live and let the Jews live? “World peace” seems like a game whose rules require that Israel be accepted, with one side trying to lawfully guard her and the other committed to break every rule of law to destroy her. And who is the referee?

Are Evangelicals Missing the POINT???

Are Evangelicals Missing the POINT???

Though he were a Son, yet he [Jesus] learned obedience by the things which he suffered 

Hebrews 5:8

John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose... Luke 3:16

Are we worthy of anyone that we might untie their shoes and wash their feet? If you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

It used to be that Abortion was the third rail in American politics, touch it and you die. Now it has been replaced by homosexual “rights.” Or is this a fourth rail, an added level of liberal re-enforcement against Christian values?

As one who was a “world class” heterosexual sinner, and one who still wars in his heart against ungoverned desires for women, it might seem hypocrisy for me to be opposed to and disgusted by  homosexual behavior. But as a Christian I have to let God be God, I have to agree with Him. God calls homosexual behavior an abomination. “Abomination” is a strong word. It means disgusting. I fear that many people simply don’t want to believe God can hate anything or any one. For them God is someone who is capable of only one thing: Love. Whatever your or my opinion or knowledge of God, it is, and forever will be God who knows who He Himself is. Letting God be who He is: that is the only real starting place in knowing Him. If my name is Frank Smith and you come to my house calling me Bill Jones, it is not likely you know me at all. So I should tell you my real name and who I am, yes? Many say they believe God to be Jesus the Messiah, they actually know the right Name, but they have not known who He is.

If your “god” is someone you can make to agree with you every time and at all times, it is not God. God says His word is settled forever in heaven. God says His word is truth. God says ALL have sinned. God says He is not a man that He should lie. He says of Himself:  I am the LORD, I change not. You are a sinner. You are a liar. You change your mind frequently. God says for two men to lie together is disgusting. But now in 2015 your eyes may have already glazed over, or you may have become unrighteously indignant against God who IS Love, yet who is also Holy and Just.

Or perhaps you are an “evangelical,” or someone the media and the pollsters and the politicians call an evangelical. And perhaps you are also a caterer or an inn keeper. And perhaps you do not want to allow homosexuals to stay a night at your inn. Or perhaps you do not want to serve the meal for a homosexual couple at their wedding reception. And if so you certainly do not want the government by law requiring these things of you. I understand those desires. I have served homosexuals in my restaurant and in my taxicab. I’m retired now. But If I could have refused to serve them I might have done so.

Most people do not enjoy the guarantees and protections Americans have under the U.S. constitution. We have enjoyed freedom in a way few people have in the course of human history. Many have become so accustomed to these freedoms that any infringement upon them wounds us, it wounds our proud dignity. We have come to consider ourselves worthy of freedom. The Lord and His word teach us that all have sinned and the wages of sin is death. And we all do die. So we should not see any blessing of freedom in this life as that which we deserve, but as that gift of mercy and grace we receive from the Lord our God.

Are we offended by homosexuals and our government who now favors them? Are we offended so much that we would refuse them services we render to other sinners? What if the USA were to become a Muslim nation. Great Britain is nearly one today. Will we refuse to allow Muslims to rent our rooms, will we refuse to cater the weddings of unbelievers, or the wedding of a Christian to a non-christian, or of a believer who is a known adulterer? As a cab driver I often picked up men and women and transported them to bars and strip clubs. Sometimes I made round trips for people buying drugs from the streets. You never knew where you might take someone. It was a crazy job at times. I asked a Christian brother if he thought I should refuse transport people on such trips. He noted that if I didn’t someone else would.

When Jesus came to die for us, Israel was under the Roman boot, she was occupied by Roman soldiers representing the Empire of Rome. Roman dignitaries and military personnel had the power impress people, even Jewish people into service, to have them perform labors without compensation, to make them slaves temporarily And yet Jesus preached to His people:

Mathew 5:38-48  “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’  But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.  And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.  And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.  Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

  “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Homosexual sin is certainly the result of human denial of God in the Messiah Jesus. It is a rejection of the proper and noble relationship of man and woman. It is a sin which usually marks people for all to see. So does drunkenness and drug abuse. What should we do if the heterosexual wedding party we cater becomes an orgy of alcohol and marijuana? Both are now legal in several states.

HONESTLY WHAT BOTHERS ME IS SIN IN GOD’S OWN CHURCH. AND OF ALL THAT SIN, my sin BOTHERS ME THE MOST.

Job was blessed above most men, and was righteous more than many. He had sons and daughters and great wealth, and yet when he lost it all he declared: “Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” Left with nothing but his wife and his health, God allowed that his health be taken away. His wife, in a state of despair advised Job to “curse God and die.” Job replied: “‘Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?’ In all this did not Job sin with his lips.” Job would have done well  to  suffer in silence from that point forward…yes? no?

What would Jesus do? What did Jesus do? He took away the sins of the world. If any will trust Him, He will take away also their guilt and shame for their sins, and their punishment for them. God makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

Evangelical cannot refuse to love their enemies. Jesus love them while they were still sinners, sinners at enmity with Him.

D. Severy aka lambsev