“But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them”. (Matthew 13:29)
You need to read this whole chapter in Matthew. But basically, Jesus gave us a parable here of a sower (Jesus) who plowed up a field (the world) and planted good seed in it (man in his original sinless state). The Bible then records that the enemy (Satan) came in and sowed something called a tare, this is what I want to focus on here.
If you read further, Jesus explains this parable in plain English. Something happened to the field while the good seed was planted. Satan came in and sowed tares, (children of the devil himself, see verse 38). Think about that statement! Satan actually came in to the field and corrupted the good seed God planted first. Now, there are many theories as to how the tare was introduced, but lets stay simple here. Whatever it was, a tare is something that caused the sinless state of the seed to become sinful, it corrupted the uncorrupted seed. And that sinful, ungodly seed produced a race of human beings that were the offspring or children of Satan himself.
And just as the children of God hear the voice of God, for Jesus said my sheep (children) know my voice, these tares only know and can only hear the voice of their father, the devil. Just as children, who have been birthed by the Holy Ghost, say and act like their father, these children of the devil can only do and say what they have been given them by their father. These tares cannot hear when the voice of God speaks. They get nothing out of the Bible, actually they despise God’s word. They cannot follow the leading of the Spirit of God, they have only the “anti-spirit” of demons and devils to guide them. Just as you inherit traits genetically from your parents, because you were conceived by them, so it works in the spiritual realm as well. How powerful this parable is in revealing this truth, but sadly many people and preachers do not understand this.
This brings me to my question to you for this parable ends with something called “The Harvest” (verse 39). In case you don’t understand, this harvest means the end of the world, when Christ returns to set up his eternal kingdom. The end of the wheat is eternal life with him never to hurt or die anymore. The end of the tares is one of bundling up all like tares and sending them to a burning furnace (The Lake of Fire). This is why I must ask you, which one are you? does God’s spirit burn within your soul? Do you love his word, and walk everyday faithfully according to his commands? Does Jesus’ return thrill your soul or is it something you really don’t want right now? Do you hear his voice speak to your soul, or are the only things on your mind one of selfish desire?
I beg you reader, whom ever is looking at this, you know where you stand. Here is one way to check what you are. If what you just read bothers you, makes you begin to call on Jesus to search you, then welcome my brother wheat. If you don’t care, I suggest you worry, you might be a tare. Call on Jesus before the Harvest time, it will be to late to change then.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
A GHOSTLY FOG
In our last devotional, we talked about truth. And we here at watchmen ministries gave you the ultimate truth. This truth should be the foundation and basis for everything that has to do with your walk with God. Jesus Christ. I want to explore one facet that this God/man, Jesus, gave us.
If you believe Jesus Christ to be absolute truth, then you must believe he speaks and gives absolute truth. Either every single word he said was truth, or he was a liar and we can believe nothing he said. I am going to assume, for now, that you believe the first proposition. One truth Jesus gave us was the truth of an enemy. There is someone who desires, wants, and needs to see you fail. He wants to kill you, your family, your friends, your finances, your health, your happiness. And not only that, he wants to see you burn in an eternal Hell with him, forever. He will stop at nothing; he will go to any lengths to try to make that happen to you.
I am tired of preachers and churches who proclaim Satan is not real. I am tired of hearing TV preachers make the Devil out to be nothing more than some “ghostly fog” whom you should not worry about. We have taught our children today to dismiss Satan as nothing but some fairy tale that is not real. Here is some real truth for today……
SATAN IS A REAL PERSON, WHO LIVES ONLY BUT TO KILL YOU, TO DESTROY YOU, AND STEAL EVERTHING YOU HAVE AND LEAVE YOU WITH NOTHING!!!!!!!
In case you have not realized this yet, when you are born into this world you enter WAR! This life is not meant for you to get saved, and then try to find heaven here on earth. Our mistake many times is we try to find some peaceful Eden where we can dance around barefoot in the Lilly fields, blowing dandelions in the wind and not have a care to worry about. Beloved, you will never find this false euphoria down here. While you try to find that, Satan will come in and kill your children, your family and your walk with God. Then when that happens, and it will, you will find yourself mad at God and questioning why this happens to you. Jesus warned us to “be sober, be vigilant, for your (enemy) the Devil walks about, looking for someone he can destroy”.
Wake up saint of God. You are at war for your children, for your church, for you family. This war is to the death and only stops when you leave this world behind in death. It doesn’t matter whether President Obama believes in Satan, nor does it matter if your Pastor says he’s not real. He still lives. But thanks be to God, that Jesus Christ came and destroyed the power of Satan that kept us all in prison. Thru him we can be made free. And whom the Son sets free, is free indeed.
Let us hear the word of the Lord in this last day: “to all who read this watch, be not ignorant of Satan’s devices. But I have come to give you power over all the Enemy”.
Trust in Jesus’ power. Live in his protection everyday. You don’t have to fear Satan if you stay living on the winning side, Jesus.
If you believe Jesus Christ to be absolute truth, then you must believe he speaks and gives absolute truth. Either every single word he said was truth, or he was a liar and we can believe nothing he said. I am going to assume, for now, that you believe the first proposition. One truth Jesus gave us was the truth of an enemy. There is someone who desires, wants, and needs to see you fail. He wants to kill you, your family, your friends, your finances, your health, your happiness. And not only that, he wants to see you burn in an eternal Hell with him, forever. He will stop at nothing; he will go to any lengths to try to make that happen to you.
I am tired of preachers and churches who proclaim Satan is not real. I am tired of hearing TV preachers make the Devil out to be nothing more than some “ghostly fog” whom you should not worry about. We have taught our children today to dismiss Satan as nothing but some fairy tale that is not real. Here is some real truth for today……
SATAN IS A REAL PERSON, WHO LIVES ONLY BUT TO KILL YOU, TO DESTROY YOU, AND STEAL EVERTHING YOU HAVE AND LEAVE YOU WITH NOTHING!!!!!!!
In case you have not realized this yet, when you are born into this world you enter WAR! This life is not meant for you to get saved, and then try to find heaven here on earth. Our mistake many times is we try to find some peaceful Eden where we can dance around barefoot in the Lilly fields, blowing dandelions in the wind and not have a care to worry about. Beloved, you will never find this false euphoria down here. While you try to find that, Satan will come in and kill your children, your family and your walk with God. Then when that happens, and it will, you will find yourself mad at God and questioning why this happens to you. Jesus warned us to “be sober, be vigilant, for your (enemy) the Devil walks about, looking for someone he can destroy”.
Wake up saint of God. You are at war for your children, for your church, for you family. This war is to the death and only stops when you leave this world behind in death. It doesn’t matter whether President Obama believes in Satan, nor does it matter if your Pastor says he’s not real. He still lives. But thanks be to God, that Jesus Christ came and destroyed the power of Satan that kept us all in prison. Thru him we can be made free. And whom the Son sets free, is free indeed.
Let us hear the word of the Lord in this last day: “to all who read this watch, be not ignorant of Satan’s devices. But I have come to give you power over all the Enemy”.
Trust in Jesus’ power. Live in his protection everyday. You don’t have to fear Satan if you stay living on the winning side, Jesus.
Walking in His Wake
Scripture Reading: Joshua 1
“Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage. Be not afraid; neither be thou dismayed, for the LORD thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1:9).
In Joshua 1:9 God warned Joshua not to fall for two of the most effective deterrents to a Promised Land existence. “Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged.” Fear. Discouragement.
Fear is the very factor that keeps many of us from living out the reality that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. We can do it, but frankly we won’t if we’re too afraid to try. Satan will do anything he can to scare you away from your God-ordained destiny. I have wrestled with a stronghold of fear much of my life. Like you, my life challenges and long list of loved ones provide the enemy no few opportunities to prey on my fears. I have often heard the statistic that 90 percent of what we fear never comes to pass. Certainly, those statistics have proved true in my experience, but God has taught me as much from the 10 percent as the 90. Paradoxically, one of the ways God has cured many of my fears is to allow a few of them to come to fruition. After the crises came and went, He seemed to say to my heart:
“ Did you live through it?”
“Well, yes, I guess I did.”
“Was the devil able to use it to destroy you?”
“No, Sir. Apparently he wasn’t.”“Are you still serving me?”
“As a matter of fact, I am.”
“Did you glean anything that might serve the body?”
“I believe I did. Volumes in fact.”
“Do I still love you?”
“Undoubtedly, Lord.”“Do you still love Me?”
“More than ever, Lord.”
“Why?”
“Because we made it. You and me.”
Immediately after God told Joshua not to be terrified or discouraged, He gave him the important reason. The reason had nothing to do with the absence of terrifying or discouraging circumstances. On the contrary, Joshua had never faced anything so frightful or potentially disparaging. What reason did God give Joshua for turning from fear and discouragement in the face of huge opposition? “The LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Josh. 1:9). When Jesus told His disciples not to be afraid in the storm, the reason wasn’t the removal of their frightful circumstances but the presence of their Savior. “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid” (Matt. 14:27).
Remember, faith is never the denial of reality. It is belief in a greater reality. In other words, the truth may be that you are presently surrounded by terrifying or terribly discouraging circumstances. The reason you don’t have to buckle to fear and discouragement is the presence of God in the middle of your circumstances. Call upon Him to step His One and Only shoes onto your territory and take over like the commander of the LORD’s Army (Joshua 5:15) Hear Him say to you the words He said to Joshua: “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” That place, that circumstance, is holy because God stands on it with you. You don’t have to fill His shoes, Dear One. Take off your sandals and walk barefoot in His wake.
Almighty God, thank You that I don’t have to pretend that my frightful and discouraging circumstances aren’t real. The source of my courage is that You are present in the middle of the battle. Please help me overcome fear and live out the truth that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I praise You for the new perspective that these battlefields are holy ground because You are there with me. Let these trials produce the fruit You desire from my life. In the strong and mighty name of Jesus, Amen.
Written by: Beth Moore
Scripture Reading: Joshua 1
“Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage. Be not afraid; neither be thou dismayed, for the LORD thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1:9).
In Joshua 1:9 God warned Joshua not to fall for two of the most effective deterrents to a Promised Land existence. “Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged.” Fear. Discouragement.
Fear is the very factor that keeps many of us from living out the reality that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. We can do it, but frankly we won’t if we’re too afraid to try. Satan will do anything he can to scare you away from your God-ordained destiny. I have wrestled with a stronghold of fear much of my life. Like you, my life challenges and long list of loved ones provide the enemy no few opportunities to prey on my fears. I have often heard the statistic that 90 percent of what we fear never comes to pass. Certainly, those statistics have proved true in my experience, but God has taught me as much from the 10 percent as the 90. Paradoxically, one of the ways God has cured many of my fears is to allow a few of them to come to fruition. After the crises came and went, He seemed to say to my heart:
“ Did you live through it?”
“Well, yes, I guess I did.”
“Was the devil able to use it to destroy you?”
“No, Sir. Apparently he wasn’t.”“Are you still serving me?”
“As a matter of fact, I am.”
“Did you glean anything that might serve the body?”
“I believe I did. Volumes in fact.”
“Do I still love you?”
“Undoubtedly, Lord.”“Do you still love Me?”
“More than ever, Lord.”
“Why?”
“Because we made it. You and me.”
Immediately after God told Joshua not to be terrified or discouraged, He gave him the important reason. The reason had nothing to do with the absence of terrifying or discouraging circumstances. On the contrary, Joshua had never faced anything so frightful or potentially disparaging. What reason did God give Joshua for turning from fear and discouragement in the face of huge opposition? “The LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Josh. 1:9). When Jesus told His disciples not to be afraid in the storm, the reason wasn’t the removal of their frightful circumstances but the presence of their Savior. “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid” (Matt. 14:27).
Remember, faith is never the denial of reality. It is belief in a greater reality. In other words, the truth may be that you are presently surrounded by terrifying or terribly discouraging circumstances. The reason you don’t have to buckle to fear and discouragement is the presence of God in the middle of your circumstances. Call upon Him to step His One and Only shoes onto your territory and take over like the commander of the LORD’s Army (Joshua 5:15) Hear Him say to you the words He said to Joshua: “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” That place, that circumstance, is holy because God stands on it with you. You don’t have to fill His shoes, Dear One. Take off your sandals and walk barefoot in His wake.
Almighty God, thank You that I don’t have to pretend that my frightful and discouraging circumstances aren’t real. The source of my courage is that You are present in the middle of the battle. Please help me overcome fear and live out the truth that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I praise You for the new perspective that these battlefields are holy ground because You are there with me. Let these trials produce the fruit You desire from my life. In the strong and mighty name of Jesus, Amen.
Written by: Beth Moore
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
WHAT IS REAL TRUTH?
All religions believe they have the truth to eternity. All of them offer a way to enter into some type of “Heaven” where rewards are dealt to those who qualify. The terrorists who bombed the World Trade Towers believed they were going straight to heaven because of the brave act they were doing, destroying the infidel America. My question is this; what is truth? What separates us from all religions of the world?
The answer to this question is very simple. The answer has become the focus of all the attacks that we as Christians will ever face. If it were not for this answer, we could get along with all cults and world religions, we could find common ground to worship together, build churches together, and say we all will be there in this “Heaven”. But this answer is the reason we cannot all be brothers. This is why Muslims, Orthodox Jews, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons hate you. The answer is why you cannot walk arm and arm together and compromise to find common ground.
THE ANSWER IS THE GOD/MAN – JESUS CHRIST!
Jesus is the focus for all that happened in the Old Testament. He is what founded and began the New Testament and the first church on the day of Pentecost. Not only was he just a “good man”, he was the son of God. Not only was he a “great prophet”, he was God manifested in the flesh (John 1:1). All the power the church has at its disposal, to claim healing, deliverance from Demons, and the gift of salvation from hell is bound up in the name of Jesus. This is what separates us from all other religions. The “church” is not the way to eternal life, Buddha is not the way, and the Mormon Church is not the way! You cannot ride enough bicycles in white shirts to ever gain heaven as your home! Salvation was and is a gift, given freely to all who will believe on God who came and entered his own creation, Jesus Christ.
Here is real truth: anything that puts Jesus Christ at the center, places him as God manifested in flesh, and worships him alone, is truth. Anything else that lifts up a man, an angel, or a preacher is false, and of the Devil. It will lead you down a road called Hell, forever to be in burning in torment! Any miracle that does not lift up Jesus, as the author of said miracle, is a supernatural work of Satan. You cannot get to heaven because Joel Osteen says you will, only because Jesus Christ says you are in my book of Life! Where are you with him today? Is he some cerebral point of view to argue? Is he some historical figure who lived like Mother Teresa, or is he God, second person of the trinity, who saved your soul? Reach out to him today, whatever you have done or been apart of, he will forgive and accept you into his family. Take him now while you still can.
The answer to this question is very simple. The answer has become the focus of all the attacks that we as Christians will ever face. If it were not for this answer, we could get along with all cults and world religions, we could find common ground to worship together, build churches together, and say we all will be there in this “Heaven”. But this answer is the reason we cannot all be brothers. This is why Muslims, Orthodox Jews, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons hate you. The answer is why you cannot walk arm and arm together and compromise to find common ground.
THE ANSWER IS THE GOD/MAN – JESUS CHRIST!
Jesus is the focus for all that happened in the Old Testament. He is what founded and began the New Testament and the first church on the day of Pentecost. Not only was he just a “good man”, he was the son of God. Not only was he a “great prophet”, he was God manifested in the flesh (John 1:1). All the power the church has at its disposal, to claim healing, deliverance from Demons, and the gift of salvation from hell is bound up in the name of Jesus. This is what separates us from all other religions. The “church” is not the way to eternal life, Buddha is not the way, and the Mormon Church is not the way! You cannot ride enough bicycles in white shirts to ever gain heaven as your home! Salvation was and is a gift, given freely to all who will believe on God who came and entered his own creation, Jesus Christ.
Here is real truth: anything that puts Jesus Christ at the center, places him as God manifested in flesh, and worships him alone, is truth. Anything else that lifts up a man, an angel, or a preacher is false, and of the Devil. It will lead you down a road called Hell, forever to be in burning in torment! Any miracle that does not lift up Jesus, as the author of said miracle, is a supernatural work of Satan. You cannot get to heaven because Joel Osteen says you will, only because Jesus Christ says you are in my book of Life! Where are you with him today? Is he some cerebral point of view to argue? Is he some historical figure who lived like Mother Teresa, or is he God, second person of the trinity, who saved your soul? Reach out to him today, whatever you have done or been apart of, he will forgive and accept you into his family. Take him now while you still can.
Monday, May 25, 2009
"YES - BUT . . . !"
"Lord, I will follow Thee; but . . ." Luke 9:61
Supposing God tells you to do something which is an enormous test to your common sense, what are you going to do? Hang back? If you get into the habit of doing a thing in the physical domain, you will do it every time until you break the habit determinedly; and the same is true spiritually. Again and again you will get up to what Jesus Christ wants, and every time you will turn back when it comes to the point, until you abandon resolutely.
"Yes, but - supposing I do obey God in this matter, what about . . . ?" "Yes, I will obey God if He will let me use my common sense, but don't ask me to take a step in the dark."
Jesus Christ demands of the man who trusts Him the same reckless sporting spirit that the natural man exhibits. If a man is going to do anything worth while, there are times when he has to risk everything on his leap, and in the spiritual domain Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold by common sense and leap into what He says, and immediately you do, you find that what He says fits on as solidly as common sense. At the bar of common sense Jesus Christ's statements may seem mad; but bring them to the bar of faith, and you begin to find with awestruck spirit that they are the words of God. Trust entirely in God, and when He brings you to the venture, see that you take it. We act like pagans in a crisis, only one out of a crowd is daring enough to bank his faith in the character of God.
Written by: Oswald Chambers
"Lord, I will follow Thee; but . . ." Luke 9:61
Supposing God tells you to do something which is an enormous test to your common sense, what are you going to do? Hang back? If you get into the habit of doing a thing in the physical domain, you will do it every time until you break the habit determinedly; and the same is true spiritually. Again and again you will get up to what Jesus Christ wants, and every time you will turn back when it comes to the point, until you abandon resolutely.
"Yes, but - supposing I do obey God in this matter, what about . . . ?" "Yes, I will obey God if He will let me use my common sense, but don't ask me to take a step in the dark."
Jesus Christ demands of the man who trusts Him the same reckless sporting spirit that the natural man exhibits. If a man is going to do anything worth while, there are times when he has to risk everything on his leap, and in the spiritual domain Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold by common sense and leap into what He says, and immediately you do, you find that what He says fits on as solidly as common sense. At the bar of common sense Jesus Christ's statements may seem mad; but bring them to the bar of faith, and you begin to find with awestruck spirit that they are the words of God. Trust entirely in God, and when He brings you to the venture, see that you take it. We act like pagans in a crisis, only one out of a crowd is daring enough to bank his faith in the character of God.
Written by: Oswald Chambers
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