HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN WE ARE IN A WAR?

"Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of [this] life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier." - 2 Timothy 2:3&4.

During World War II, as Hitler began his march across Europe, to control the people in the army, and the civilians in Germany, he used a very time tested and powerful technique. Hitler would begin each week dropping what was called “propaganda bombs” thruout the land. These missiles would be delivered like regular live bombs; but instead of exploding charges, inside were hundreds of letters. These letters contained lies and false information aimed at making the people believe they were going to win the war and take over the world. Also, they would contain lies about how evil and wicked Americans, Britians, Russians and any enemy poised against Hitler’s agenda were.

At first, one could imagine the people standing in wonder; “What is this?” and, “Is this stuff really true"? Maybe they even tried to check the newspapers and radio broadcasts to determine if what the papers stated was real. But Hitler, in his evil intelligence, knew that for the propaganda to work, he had to control all the FLOW OF INFORMATION. Now with his “propaganda bombs” plus controlling all the media, slowly the people began to accept what they were hearing as truth. Eventually, not only did they accept it as truth, but they became disciples of Hitler’s agenda. They joined the army to kill the “evil Americans”. They worked in factories to build weapons, taught their children that what Hitler was doing and saying was the gospel and he was their savior. Slowly, they were lulled to sleep into believing that what they were hearing and seeing was the war; but in reality, the REAL WAR was going on around them and they never knew the truth or what was trully happening. Finally one day the “evil Americans” invaded, and truly set the people free from the real evil of Adolf Hitler.

Beloved, do you realize what is happening around you? We are in a real war to the death. This a war between God and Satan and YOU are the battlefield. At the beginning, the church was on fire with this truth. After Jesus ascended to Heaven, the once clueless disciples were endued with power (Weapons) from the Holy Ghost and transformed into Apostles to fight this war. With these weapons from the Holy Ghost called the spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12), these men turned the known world upside down. But don’t think for a moment that they didn’t have any opposition. These men were beaten to bloody pulps, left for dead, snake bitten, thrown into the sea, crucified, beheaded for the cause of the truth that they preached. They had a enemy called SATAN, let that be stated one more time, an enemy called SATAN, and his army of demons, that were and still are real today, and wanted these men and their message stopped at all costs. Satan, knowing that persecution only makes the cause of the people grow stronger, stopped his all out physical attacks for a much better plan. One that has proved today to have worked.

As drops of water dripping on a rock that slowly over time breaks that rock down to pebbles, Satan began to take control of the flow of information after the Apostles died out. Little by little, thru the ages, he slipped in his little propaganda bombs of lies mixed with truth, setting in false prophets and preachers who looked and talked like the real deal, but had doctrines and false truths that poisoned the church and the people that the Apostles built. Oh, at first, like the German people, we bucked up on this assault. People like Martin Luther, Smith Wigglesworth, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Lester Sumerall, and David Wilkerson cried out at the poison doctrine and preachers that were trying to destroy what God was building. But over time, these men and women of God were silenced by the voices of television, movies, and radio. Preachers, that were either false from the beginning, or had been seduced to the dark side, began bringing “new” doctrines of self reliance, humanism, and twisted theology that God was some “Grandfather” who like a genie, winked at your sin and if you rubbed him right would grant you any request. And now the damage has been done.

Now, sinners come to church and leave out laughing at how, they once again, left untouched by a powerless message, not birthed out of a prayer closet with God, but of some minister’s book of sermons. We no longer can lay hands on the sick, bound, oppressed and possessed and see the wheel chairs, crutches and demons pile up in the trash corner; but only watch as Satan laughs at or jiggling and wiggling, while we hide the pet sins that are killing our power and anointing. We want to jump and dance under the “power” at church, while thru the week we run our brother and sister down with our mouths and even stab them in the back; as long as we don't get caught at it. Jesus said, "Pastor, preacher and congregation member, if you say you love me, and hate your brother in any way, you are a liar and the spirit of God is not in you!" (1 John 4:20).

And then it works its final poison...no longer can you hear, see or recognize that you are on a Hell bound journey that is pumping you full of lies, false doctrine, hybrid truths (that’s lies mixed with just enough truth to fool you). You feel everything is ok, you and God are in good standing. Just like a drunkard who can feel no pain, you are on a HIGH that has been coming from the enemy to fool you into thinking' “I don’t need to check myself. I am ok with God”. Satan will tell you, "Its ok”...while you watch that pornography on HBO and the internet....while you cheat on your spouse...while you put that drug needle in your arm...while you listen to that false preacher on TV and radio tell you, "Its all about you, you can command the blessing, you will always be saved and can never backslide into hell", or "I must get wealth to be a child of the king".

We have been bitten by the snake.

The snake of self reliance, of religious humanism, of eternal security and of how good you are. There are some of you out there who think you are running this race better than Paul the Apostle. You have a squeaky clean track record. You say, “ I have not committed murder, adultery or been bound by drugs or alcohol”. But reader, are you guilty of harboring faithlessness to God, anger at God for something you feel he failed you on, or pride in how good you have ran this race without doing the “big sins”. SIN IS SIN my dear reader. God hates the pride in your achievements as bad as if you pulled a trigger on a little baby. There are also some who think right now, “I don’t have to worry about any of this, the Blood of Jesus protects me from any punishment from God”. Reader, if you have been truly saved, and are guilty of any of these, or doing nothing for the Kingdom of God, these scriptures are for you:

 

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." - Hebrews 6:4-6.

If you are guilty, and have not repented (that means pray for forgiveness AND turn away from doing it again), then the blood of Jesus is not present in your life right now to save you. This is war. Satan has dropped the bomb on all of us. And it is time, right now, before it is to late, to repent! Cry out to God in tears and turn from our wicked way. Some of you haven’t shed a tear in prayer since the day you were saved, or not at all. There is a word from the Lord for everyone reading this. And it simply this;

 

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." - 2 Chronicles 7:14.

What is said today is said in love, for all our sakes. Because God loves you, this word is sent to you today - If you are guilty of this, you are in danger of Hell. God is looking for a bride when he comes - spotless and pure...waiting for his return like an anxious school girl waiting for her new boyfriend to knock on the door. He is not looking for a whore, who has slept with everyone (someone, caught up in what has been mentioned here today)...who is dirty, unclean, and doesn’t care to change. God is calling you to check yourself, against this word, and repent now! Jesus is on his way to gather his bride and soon the door will be shut forever to repent and get ready. There is a war that is raging right now. Don’t become a P.O.W, or choose to stay M.I.A. 

Repent and fight till the death.

A Battle You Have to Lose to Win

"And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids." - Genesis 33:1.

 

The above scripture is a powerful story if you read the whole ordeal from Genesis chapter 32 and 33. Let me give you just a brief summary. Jacob here had for all of his life been a con artist. Whenever he was in trouble, or when he desperately wanted something, he schemed and conned his way to get it. Jacob was a very intelligent man, and with his charm and whit would trick people into getting what he wanted. He tricked his brother Esau out of the family blessing, which meant whoever got this blessing was officially the ruler of all the people and anointed of God. He tricked his father-in-law Laban out of two daughters and the best of all his flocks and herds, and his gold and silver. Jacob came to believe with this power he possessed of whit and trickery, he could master any situation he got into.

Beloved, do you see the trap here? Jacob came to believe he had the power to manipulate his way out of any situation. This trap is called the trap of self reliance. You come to believe YOU possess the power to control your life, and the only one you need to rely on is you. It makes you to believe you are the master of your destiny and you control the outcome. But dear reader, if you are a child of God, you must remember you made a contract, with God, the day you got saved, that no longer were you the master of your destiny. You covenanted with Jesus Christ, to make him lord of your life and take control of your future. We forget this truth, and only invoke this when we are in trouble, or when we go to church on Sunday. Yet through the week, where it counts, we are like Jacob, maneuvering and manipulating people and events in our life to get the outcome we want. And I must warn you, when you get to this point in God’s eyes, something will happen to put you in the place where all your tricks, all your manipulating, will not save you. And I must let you know who will put you there, it will be God himself!

Go back to the scripture reference above. Jacob came to the place here, where Esau and four hundred soldiers were now after him to kill him. On the other side, Laban and his army were after Jacob for his thievery. I could see Jacob’s heart pounding with fear, as he finally came to the “no win” scenario. With both armies coming, cutting off all escape routes, Jacob still tried to manipulate his way out. He sends presents to both men, sending messengers to them to calm down the situation and beg for mercy. But for poor Jacob, every trick worked to no avail. And as the clock is ticking down to his own demise, Jacob finally does what God has been wanting from him from the beginning, he cries out to the Lord for help.

Would to God, that we could understand this truth before we get into the hot seat or the no win scenario. God is a god that will not accept our relying on anything other than him. We have so many scriptures that deal with the fact God wants us to come to him first, cast our cares on him, talk to him first and bring our problems to him to solve. There is a reason for this beloved, God wants faith! And that faith is simply complete trust that HE is in control, HE can fix any situation, and HE wants you to totally rely on him, and have no faith in your abilities, powers and intelligence. And I can promise you, if the “Jacob disease” is in your life, if your reading this and are feeling the conviction this is me, I do try to trick and manipulate people and situations, my friend God is going to put some situation, some trouble in your life that will cause all your tricks not to work, and the only thing left is to cry out to him.

I sense that someone is reading this, right now, that all of Hell is come at you. Everything has been stripped from you in your life. You’ve lost a job, a friend, bills are piling up or the doctor has come to you with bad news. Also, someone is reading this who had everything going good in their life till just recently. Now, you feel this overwhelming depression, a pit so deep you canfind no way to come out. Your life no longer has meaning or fun, your prayers hit the ceiling right now and God feels a million miles away. You have no clear direction on what to do and you have tried everything (trick) in the book, but all you have is silence and confusion. Let me speak to you right now, for I have a word from the Lord for you.

You have been put in the place where God is trying to teach you, stop relying on your abilities and strength. Your faith is not in me alone. For awhile now, you have manipulated your situations, and even me (God) to get what you want, and now I am teaching you, and allowing you to come to the end of your abilities and strength, so you will realize I am your answer, I am your God, and there is no problem or situation I cannot solve, but you must come to me first, and utterly have total faith that, I (God), will take care of it.

Beloved, what you are feeling right now, the depression, the loneliness, the fact that all of Hell and Satan are seeming to take everything out of your life and your situation looks hopeless, is not what it looks like. Remember the reference above. When Esau finally caught up with Jacob after he prayed to God for help, he didn’t get what he thought he would. Instead of Esau taking his life, he ran to him, fell on his neck and embraced him. In the end, because Jacob finally gave up on his strength, and gave all to God, Esau became one of his best friends till the end, and Laban ended up blessing Jacob and helping him the rest of his life. God turned what was to be the NO WIN scenario into the greatest blessings of Jacob’s life. I tell you now, if you will cry out to God, give up on the fact of figuring it all out, believing what the Devil or the Doctor is saying, and totally throw all your trust and help on Jesus, you will see your situation turn around. You will find, your steps have been ordered all along, and that God was always with you, wanting you to understand; “it’s not by might nor by power, but by MY spirit, sayeth the Lord of Hosts”.

KNOWING THE TRUTH

"Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all." - John 18:38

 

Look at our scripture reference today. Imagine the scene before you. Jesus, already having been beaten by the Jews, is brought before the Roman governor of Israel. At this time, Rome had conquered much of the Mediterranean, including Israel and Egypt. The Jews, not wanting to defile themselves so close to Passover, brought Jesus to Pontius Pilate to be put to death, not for the miracles he did, or the things he taught the people, but because he claimed to be the only Begotten of God, making himself equal with God the father.

Did you hear catch that? The reason Jesus was put to death, officially on the books, was his statement, “I and the father (God) are one!”(John 5:18).This made the Jews scream in agony, rent their clothes, and cry blasphemy. How dare a man claim God is his birth father. And to these Jews, who were spiritually dead inside, they were being asked to worship an image, something that would break the first commandment given by God in the old testament. But what they missed in their deadness inside is this; they were not asked to worship a man, a mere mortal born of the line of Adam, they were asked to worship God in the Flesh! Therefore, the first commandment is never broken, because the commandment maker is before you, wrapped in flesh. In our reference here, Pilate never gets his answer to “what is truth?”, because he asked the wrong question. It is not, what is truth?, but, WHO is truth?

Today, many cults and world religions claim they are like Christians. “we are brothers with you”, they say. They take some of the doctrines of Christianity and incorporate it into their false religion even. But beloved, these people are poison to your soul, wolves in sheep’s clothing, only able to give you lies and false doctrine, damning your soul to Hell in the end. Jesus Christ is not in a thousand miles from their places of worship, nor at the heart of their worship services. And these false cults are everywhere, on TV commercials, in your neighborhood, passing themselves off as workers of Jesus, but are disciples of Satan himself.

Let me give you just a small list of the people who claim to be Christian, but are people to stay away from:

· The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints (the Mormons)

· The Jehovah’s Witnesses

· Masons and the Masonic Lodge

· Catholic religions (specifically the worship of people; i.e. Mary – and the belief in purgatory (the ability to buy or pray someone out of Hell)

· Islam and Muslim faiths – (specifically the worship of Mohammad as final authority over Jesus Christ)

Notice that I didn’t include such ludicrous religions as Satanism, Buddhism, Witchcraft and the many other religions that preach their own prophets and gods that are specific to their religion. These crazy cults are not a threat to a real Christian. To the worshipper of Jesus, you can see these false doctrines coming from miles away. But I did include the religions that are dangerous, that claim Jesus as their religion, but are far from him being the leader of their faith. In essence, they have just enough truth, mixed with lie, to make you believe they are ok, and snare you in their trap. Don’t believe their lies, don’t go to their churches, don’t even let them in your homes! Do just what the Bible says, stay away from them and don’t even bid them Godspeed when you come in contact.

Without getting into the specifics of what is wrong with them, I shall make this short and sweet for you. The one test you need to perform to make sure any church, any religion, is not like one of the above is this in two simple questions:

1. DO YOU BELIEVE JESUS CHRIST IS GOD, IN FLESH, THAT CAME ON THE EARTH?

2. DO YOU BELIEVE JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONE, THE ONLY, WAY TO HEAVEN?

If the answer to these questions is any other than yes, run! Flee from them and their place of worship! Run like Lot and his family from Sodom and Gomorrah and don’t look back!

I give you a warning from the Spirit of God. There is coming a wave of false cults and religions on the earth. And they are coming with all their disciples to your door, to your work, on your TV and radio and they will be promoting that they are your friend, they are the way to heaven and they have all the answers to your problems. They will talk with Christian talk, they will make you feel that they are ok, and that they will help you. This wave is part of the end, Satan knows his time is short and he will be sending these people out to deceive and destroy you, and take as many to Hell as he can with him. I warn you now, as this time is upon us, RIGHT NOW.

Beloved, don’t believe the lies. Test their spirit, test their doctrine, ask them the hard questions above, if they are not true Christianity, they will not be able to give you a straight “yes this what we believe”. There is no help in a Mormon church, in a Jehovah’s Witness, or in the good works of the mason lodge or a Catholic priest. Your only answer, your only way to heaven, your only truth and help is in one person alone……JESUS CHRIST, EMMANUEL (GOD WITH US). He is the only “truth” and the only way. And only trust those who proclaim this truth.

WHEN GOD IS GONE

"Seek the Lord, while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near." - Isaiah 55:6.


We hear thru our lives by many preachers and pastors, "Just pray, God will always be right there to hear you". And even in this ministry at Watchmen of the Wall, you will hear us beg and plead for you to reach out to God in prayer, we will say please pray because God is waiting to hear from you. But, I believe Isaiah to be a prophet who fortold many future events. This particular scripture holds a key you won't hear many preachers talk about, because it's just to bad, to horrible to imagine. It goes against every doctrine preached by TV evangelists, major denominations and maybe your local pastor.

But as a Watchman I must cry out a truth; THERE IS COMING A DAY GOD WILL BE GONE!

Every word in the Bible, if you believe it to be God's inspired word, is not an idle word placed there to take up space, or link one good thought to another, it has a meaning. And Isaiah here places a prophetic "time will come" situation on this scripture. Preachers will say "seek the Lord" and forget the stipulation, "while he may be found". This tells us a warning, there is coming a time when God will no longer wink at our sin we refuse to repent of, put up with our unbelief in his word, grieve the Holy Spirit every day by telling him we don't need him in our church, running our lives. I must forewarn you, whether your grandpa preacher told you this, whether mother said it's impossible, God's grace and mercy has a limit! And it is soon running out.
Time will not let me get into the many examples of God proving this statement: from Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah ( Genesis 19:24) , Noah and the great flood (Genesis 7:15) , Moses and the children of Isreal (Exodus 32:10) , and many more tell us there comes a time when God says, "Enough" , they no longer care about my word, respect my spirit or the sacrifice of my son, the thoughts and intents of their heart is only evil continually", and I must tell you in Love, this time is almost upon us again. The difference is, this time it will be forever.
I bring this to the warning I want to make to you. The prophet Amos warns us of what is coming just around the corner. Chapter 5 and verse 18 of this book gives us a glimpse into the future of what will happen to the children of this earth who wait to long, put off till tomorrow, what you must do now! Amos declares; "Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light". What he is saying here is there is coming a day when God will turn to his son Jesus, tell him to get his children who recieved him, and when those who have made and kept their self ready are gone, the God of light and mercy turns into the God of darkness and wrath. The sun turns black, the moon turns the color of blood, stars falling from the heavens, men trying to commit suicide to escape, only to be able to not kill themselves. The earth rocking a reeling under the full weight of God's divine justice on the sins of the men and women who shook their fist in God's face before, not wanting to seek him, or have him in their lives.
When God says it is done, their will be no crying out to him for a second chance, no more running to a church altar to pray, " I'm sorry God, forgive me for what I've done, I didn't mean to hurt you or your spirit" No. When God shut the door on Noah's ark, it was over, when he took Lot and his family out of Sodom, it was over, when the 5 foolish virgins waited till the bridegroom came, the other 5 went in, for them it was over (Matthew 25:10). Grace is gone, the Holy Ghost that you pushed aside and kicked out of your life is gone. You will be hopeless.
This terrible day is coming, it is almost upon us, but thanks be to God it is not happening right now! You still have time. The Bible says, right now, call upon him while he is near, seek him right now and you will find him, knock on his door in prayer, right now, and he will open. Whatever thing you are clinging to that is keeping you from seeking God with all your heart, LET IT GO!
Don't believe Satan's lies! That beautiful woman at work, that doesn't belong to you will send you to Hell, the money you are destroying others to get will send you to Hell, the wife and children you are leaving behind so you can keep up your drug and alcohol habit will send you to Hell.
Beloved, I beg you again, whether you profess to be a child of God, or you know you are not in fellowship with him, Seek God now! while he will listen to your prayer and help you. Forsake the weights ( worries and fears) and sins that so easily stop you from seeking God with all your heart. Go after him like a thirsty deer panting for a drink of cool water, go after him like he is the precious expensive coin you have lost somewhere in the store, and you will find him. And the only way you will seek and find God is thru his son, Jesus Christ. But do it now! don't put it off another second! Don't be caught in the day he laughs at your calamity.

The Only Cry that God Answers

"Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I [am]...." - Isaiah 58:9.

I know that the above title causes one to possibly feel offended. I can already here the statements of rebuke – “God hears all our cries” and “How dare you say God doesn’t hear me when I pray”.

Beloved, I don’t refute that fact. God is omnipotent, omnipresent and is everywhere, in every place, all the time. He is right now beholding all the good, and all the bad, that you and I - all of humanity is doing right now. But, there is a difference between hearing and answering is there not? I could go to my earthly father when I was young, and ask him “could I have a brand new car?”. Oh yes, he could hear me, but to date I still haven’t got that new car.

"Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me,..." - Isaiah 29:13.

Today, it is a fact that our churches suffer from “lip worship”, “mouth praise” and “minimal effort” service to the living God. It is impossible these days to keep a congregation of believers interested past 3 songs in the praise and worship portion of the service. Past that and our backsides seem to grow magnets attracted to the back of the pew. It is impossible for our preachers to minister past the 12:00 o’clock mark, or our eyes begin to wander, and the king of our intestinal fortitude, (better known to the general public as our stomachs) begins to cry aloud at the sacrilege committed at hindering us getting to the nearest McDonalds on time.

Oh God, forgive us! -  for losing the passion that was in Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel. Her cries to move God to open a dead womb went past lip praise and mouth worship. She pushed back the plate of food, cried tears till her tear ducts were dry, talked to God till no more words could be formed and only her mouth quivered under the power of a heart that was pouring out to God with everything it had in it. (1 Samuel 1:13).

Would to God we could regain the passion to call on him with everything we have in us. Just like the widow woman that lost all her money in her house. She swept and searched, cleaned and moved everything over and over and would not stop till she found it. With a burning fever of desire, she tore that house apart looking for those coins, until at last she found them. (Luke 15:8)

It is a proven fact that we today have lost this cry, this burning desire that wakes God up and moves him to answer:

· Suicide rates are at an all time high in history.

· The murder of babies in the name of abortion are at an all time high in history.

· Hospitals are running out of space to house the sick, terminally ill, and drug or alcohol addicted souls.

 

 

All while the “church” carries on with our powerless worship, skin deep spirituality and nonexistent presence in our services while proclaiming; “We are rich and increased with goods, we have need of nothing”. Beloved, I give you a word from the Lord today; THUS SAITH THE LORD- I TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE MISERABLE, AND WRETCHED, AND POOR AND BLIND AND NAKED! (Revelation 3:17).

It is not how many times you go to church, how many good things you do thru the week, or how long you have been saved that moves the heart of God to hear and answer your call. It is not how “squeaky clean” your track record is, and how good you have ran your “life race” that forces God to rush in and save the burning building that is your life. NO! I tell you a thousand times no! No matter what some preacher, or even your pastor, has told you.

 

 

It is a cry, that begins after all your strength , all your pretty and intelligent words are gone. After all the tears are shed, till no more can fall down your cheeks. It is a cry that causes food to no longer be a priority. It is a cry that transforms you! It turns you into a madman, a different person if you will.

 

 

This cry causes you to become so thirsty for God and his presence, you look like a wild deer running at top speed thru the woods looking for that stream of water you haven’t seen in days, knowing without it you will die. (Psalm 42:1)

You turn into that woman mentioned in the Bible with the blood disease. No longer did she care how she looked in public or that she had to push thru the crowds on her hands and knees, just as long as she got to Jesus. (Matthew 9:21)

This cry will turn you into that woman, because you will know in him, with one touch, will come life giving, sin forgiving, devil stomping, prayer answering, miracle working power. And let’s not forget the greatest benefit. With this cry comes Jesus, God in flesh, into your life! The very one who created the universe, framed the worlds, and made you, into your very life! The one who died for you. The one that says; “I love you, more than any mother, father, or spouse could ever love you”. Jesus! Glory to his wonderful name!

 

 

Dear saint, does this cry burn within you? Does it drive you to say, “I can’t live till I find him, I can’t breathe until I am once again in his arms!”. Is there a cry within you that causes everything, in the world, to lose its allure and charm. And the only thing that burns within you is a desire to have Jesus and be in his presence, because you know the only real peace and joy is there.

 

 

Child of God, we are near the end of all things. Satan is to be given freedom to ruin, persecute and destroy like never before. The antichrist is soon to take control of the earth. And the time of Jacob’s trouble (better known as the great tribulation) is just around the corner. And no matter what some big time preacher, evangelist or pastor has told you-YOU WILL BE HERE THRU PART OF THIS TRIBULATION. There is no such “early rapture” escape to get out early before it gets bad. You must be prepared.

 

 

And only those who are crying this heart cry- this “Hannah cry”- and possess this burning for Jesus- this “widow woman fever”, will have the strength to stand. Only those with this cry will have the ability to not be deceived by the Antichrist. They will have the power to resist his eternal damning mark, resist his temptations, and boldly proclaim; “I will not let go of the lover of my soul, I will not divorce my Jesus, only to follow you to eternal Hell to burn forever, I will love him till the end”.

 

 

Precious one reading this, there is still time:

 

 

1. The Door is still open to the throne of God thru Christ

2. There is still a chance to call on Jesus and have him hear and answer

3. There is still time to call on him while he is near, before the door is shut forever

 

 

Run to him now! Ask him to place this cry within you, now. Ask him to put this burning desire in you, now. You cannot generate this in your power and strength, but if you will call on Jesus, he will put this cry within you, this burning for him inside if you will just ask. Remember his promise to us;

“Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for the SHALL be filled”. - Matthew 5:6.

Get a hold of this cry, it will save your life, in the coming storm.

"Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:" - Isaiah 55:6.

Loving the Rod as much as the Staff

“Thy rod and thy staff…they comfort me…” - Psalms 23:4


The verse above comes from one of the most well-known chapters in the entire Bible. Psalms 23, or what is often called the Shepherd’s psalm, has brought countless Christians comfort during times of distress, uncertainty, and especially loss. This chapter assures the believer of God’s protection, provision, and His peace throughout the believer’s life, death, and eternal life.

The particular verse quoted above is also an example of the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep. Both the staff and the rod played very unique roles in this relationship.

The staff is a symbol of the shepherd’s protection and leadership. The sheep were to follow wherever the staff led. When one of the sheep strayed too far from the rest of the flock, the distinct curve or hook in the staff was to gently steer the sheep back to the place where it belonged. The staff was also used by the shepherd as a weapon to protect the sheep against predators.

The rod, however, is a symbol of the shepherd’s authority. When one of the sheep disregarded the gentleness of the staff the rod was used as a means of correction.

David described God’s leadership and authority as working much the same way. The staff is a symbol of God’s promise to lead and protect His children. It is God’s desire to lead His children with gentleness. Unfortunately, many believers take advantage of God’s gentleness and see it as a sign of leniency. That’s where the rod of God comes into play. God has a way of making a believer’s life uncomfortable without denying His love for the child.

Believer, has your life reached a point where you’re feeling the rod more than the staff? If so, “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4) This is proof that you are a child of God. Your faith can only reach maturity through the loving application of the rod of God.

Do you desire a closer walk with God? Do you hunger for more of Jesus? You must learn to love His rod as much as the staff.

Run! Run for your Life!

"And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the Vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it." - Habakkuk 2:2.

I write to you this morning in tears. My heart is heavy within me and I weep and cry for you who are reading this - for those who will read this on the website - for those who see this at their workplace. For all the souls who I will not see with my eyes, I weep and cry.

I see a storm coming!

God said to me the vision I see I am to write it to you today, so you may run when you read it. I see a time coming when the money we hold so dear to our heart to save us will be of no more value than the dung you find on the street. I see a time coming when Pastors, who have proclaimed a god of riches and financial gain for his blessing, will stand behind a pulpit one morning and cry as they see chaos and fear in their city, where no one has any money to buy food, and they have no answers to why their god they preached, didn’t come thru.

I see a time coming, when this nation will once again be shaken, even worse than when the twin towers fell in New York City, September 11, 2001. I remember watching, as the buildings were burning and the people that were trapped in the floors above the fire, jumped hundreds of feet to their death. Some jumped together holding hands as they fell knowing they would die. I’ve come to you this morning to tell you, THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE! JUMP! But not to your death, but to the arms of a merciful Saviour, waiting to catch you before it’s too late. Run to him now, while you still can.

The house we call the United States of America is burning. As we murder thousands of unborn babies a year, their blood cries from the hands of the doctor it is dripping from, to a God who hears it. As preachers build armies of powerless pew sitters, all for the money they can greedily take from you, and selfishly lift themselves up with the praises they receive from your mouth. We can go to church hiding some unrepentant sin, and leave knowing we escaped feeling bad about it because God never showed up today . We are burning! The storm is coming! The wrath of God is coming! Jesus is about to return! What side of the fence will you be on in that day!

Run child of God, run away from churches that have no Spirit of God - that have a humanistic gospel of prosperity, self-centeredness. Run from preachers that lift up man and make him feel good with some philosophical poison. Run from Pastors that tell you God is a God to make you wealthy and rich. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing, and they are pumping poison in your soul and raping you of any chance of making it into eternity with God!

Run! Run! run away from them! And run back to Jesus. There you will find the ONLY shelter from the coming storm.

This storm will come. We are in the beginning stages of it now. If you don’t believe me, look at the news as one family out west gathered together, took a gun and the father, mother and children killed each other in their living room, because the financial crisis caused them to loose their life savings. We are in the last of the last days! And as Elijah asked the people on Mount Carmel, I ask you reader, how long halt you between two opinions? How long do you stand between God and the Devil and make no decision about which one to accept? JESUS IS COMING!

The bible states in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, in a split second He will return, and gather to Him only those who have made a decision to follow Him. The storm is coming, trouble on earth so great that men will try to kill themselves, and cannot die because the wrath of God is on the earth and there still here, left behind. They made the wrong decision.

I beg you with a broken heart, trembling in tears - make the right decision today before its too late. Throw away that beer, run from that woman wanting you to cheat on your wife, Tell your stock broker money is no longer your number one focus. Click off the pornography on your computer at home. Run from them! Run to Jesus where you are right now, I want to see you in Heaven with me one day. I pray you choose God before it’s too late, while God can still be called on in prayer.

Run to him now and live thru the coming storm.

"The name of the LORD [is] a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." - Proverbs 18:10.

The Highest Calling

"That I May Know Him..."  - Philippians 3:10.


This quite possibly could be the greatest statement of faith, hope, and love that the Apostle Paul made concerning his life.

One question that needs answered by all is, "What are you living for?"

Even if you never consciously ask yourself that question, you answer it on a continual basis. The need for purpose in life is, I believe, the greatest need there is - far surpassing that of food and water. Destroy the spirit's will to live, and the body will follow shortly
thereafter. The greatest killer in our world, contrary to statistical study, is not heart
disease, but namely "hopelessness."

"Hope," in any context, is any reason a person has for living. Whatever a person
puts their hope in will be their motivation. Their drive to rise up in the morning, to face
another day, to lie back down at night, will all stem from where their hope lies. Remove
them from that hope, or that hope from them, and soon they will die. Also, their power
to live and the impact they have in this world are based upon the source and strength of
their hope.

That is why the Apostle Paul made such a difference in the world. Even today, his words are still making a profound impact in the lives of those who choose to
take his words and his "hope" seriously.

"That I may know Him...," is the single, main reason for our existence. This
statement is the bottom line to questions such as, "Where did we come from?', or, "Why
did God create us?", or, "Why are we here?" It is also the answer to the questions, "Why
did Jesus die?", or, "What's God's purpose for my life?" So many people are waiting for God or "fate" or "karma" to reveal to them some great answer to the mystery of their existence.

Why did God create me?

"That I may know Him."
Why am I here?

"That I may know Him."
Why did Jesus die?

"That I may know Him."
What's God's purpose for my life?

"That I may know Him."
Discovering Jesus was the reason, purpose, goal, and motivation for Paul's life.
Knowing Jesus was the aim of his entire ministry. This should also be the reason,
purpose, goal, and motivation for our lives; and the aim for any work we endeavor to do
for Him. Jesus is our "Blessed Hope."

What are you living for?

The Point of It All

"Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher, vanity of vanities: all is vanity." - Ecclesiastes 1:2.



Solomon was the wisest, richest king in all of Isreal's history. God had annointed him with wisdom unsurpassed even to this day. He had, to coin a phrase of today, " done it all and seen it all". At his beck and call was enormous wealth so that he could have anything his heart desired. Fine clothes, new chariots, women on every hand, parties all nite, friends everywhere, houses that would rival today's mansions. But something happened to this man.

In the end, all this prosperity did only one thing. It took his heart away from what really mattered and what was important. For a season all those things - the money, the women, the friends gave him just enough peace and joy to send him down the road of dispair and depression without Solomon even knowing he was heading there!

"And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful." - Mark 4:19.

The false peace and sence of accomplishment we get when we give our flesh what it desires only serve to dull our senses to the giant hole in our soul needing to be filled. At some point in your life, what you do to pacify the call of longing in your soul will run out; and all the parties, women, cars, drugs, alcohol, and friends in the world will not stop the sleepless nights, tears and anguish, and overwhelming loneliness - crying for help. If you don't believe me, check the latest suicide rate statistics.

Solomon found this truth after his own fruitless journey. As he came to the end of his life, he realized way to late a life spent on these things for satisfaction is "Vanity" or "meaningless" -  useless and powerless to satisfy. But he also discovered the real reason for living - the only thing that matters and gives us peace and joy that will last.

" Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." - Ecclesiastes 12:13.

Beloved, what is the point of it all? It is a life spent loving God, seeking to hear His voice, seeking for Him and fellowship with His precious Holy Ghost. That is all. The only thing that will give you real peace and lasting joy. The treasures and toys of this world you cannot take with you when you die, and you will die someday.

All the accolades you accumulate will not move or impress God when you tell Him about them on judgement day. I plead with you - Get to know Jesus Christ and the power of His resurection, the fellowship of His sufferings. Call on him before the end and He will give you a life of "Victory" not "Vanity".

".....to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified." - Isaiah 61:3.

It's a Heart Thing

“Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the WHOLE HEART " - Psalm 119:2.

As I look at the state of the church as a whole, I am quite amazed at how far we have come! Now, you're thinking I am about to brag on our wonderful prefabricated Sunday school programs, our 5 steps to know how to grow a mega church, our schools for learning how to be the most charismatic speaker that has ever graced a pulpit, our man made plans to mission field the entire face of the planet earth so those pour heathen in other countries can have the chance to join the church like I have. Now, that is what you think I am about to do, don't you?

Wrong! I am quite amazed at how far we have come from the CHURCH that is in the book of Acts, to what we have turned into today! That small band of soldiers of 2,000 years ago so upset the kingdom of Satan, that he killed many of them, tortured them horribly, and brought them through terrible persecutions. These are the ones that were given the testimony by all the people in that region of, “THE ONES WHO TURNED THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN "!

Beloved, the church is not a building, it is not a man made denomination, it is you! Jesus said now you are the temple of the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 6:19). God no longer dwells in tents and buildings made by human hands. He wants to dwell, and that word dwell implies living and breathing and moving, in you!

We can be just like the church of Acts, today. The same spirit of God, the same access to God's power and provision they had is here for us today. We can walk in the fellowship of His Spirit and Word and have people say of us today we are turning the world upside down for Him. What is the missing ingredient you say? What were they doing back then we are lacking in now? It is many things, but the first, most important thing is this, they sought the lord with their whole heart!

They pursued God like a thirsting deer, parched and dry, needing a drink, looking for a stream or pond with all their strength and will before they died of thirst! They sought after His will and His fellowship like someone who has lost something very precious to them in their house. And that person begins to sweep, and tear the house apart inch by inch, and does not rest until they have found their precious thing. This is the foundational difference between the Acts church then, and what is called the church today.

I ask you, can you truly say you seek God with all your heart? Do you pursue Him in prayer and fellowship like someone who has found his/her soul mate? Do burn inside for His word to speak to you, for His presence to carry you into the bedchamber of God and worship there?


Beloved, if we will make the decision today to pursue God with all our hearts, then we have the promise of the Father that He will let us find Him. And everything we are needing and wanting in our soul is there. Thanks be to Jesus Christ, who paved the way with His own blood so we can have access to the throne of God!

Beloved, make the choice today to pursue God with your whole heart. Don't do it half-way, don't give Him 2/3 and keep some back for yourself. Go after Him like a new found lover and accept nothing less than 100 percent of God in your life. Ask God to give you a heart to seek after Him and His word and I promise you, He will be waiting there for you.


"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me" - Psalm 51:10.

The Hour Before The Hour

“And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.”- Matthew 26:40 & 41.

“Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.”- Matthew 26:45.

“When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” -Luke 22:53.

“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”- Revelation 3:10.

“And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.”- Revelation 17:12.

The time is now upon us when the Mystery of the Gospel will be revealed/unveiled; and this unveiling will begin with two types of hours. The first is an hour of preparation - a time of “readiness” in anticipation of the Lord’s return.

The second hour is an hour granted to the enemy - an hour when Satan will be given permission/authority to work all manner of evil and persecution in this world. These two hours are not limited to sixty minute intervals, but rather divinely appointed times ordained to bring about the fulfillment of God’s Plan. The key to understanding these hours and our role in them lies in the scriptures stated above.

“And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.”-Matthew 26:40 & 41.

The first scriptures deal with Jesus and His disciples in the garden of Gethsemane, right before His trial and crucifixion. Jesus, knowing what terrible times lay ahead, went into prayer and preparation to have the strength and spiritual ability to endure what must come.

Now, focus on the disciples - unable to stay awake or pray for just one hour. Lethargy had set in and the disciples thought, “This was a good time to rest” – failing to realize their greatest hour of temptation would soon be upon them - a time when the enemy would have “his own hour”, and be granted the power to manipulate the people and crucify our Lord. Notice the second scripture, after Jesus warned the disciples not to sleep, but to “watch and pray” for an hour less they fall prey to the coming danger….the window of opportunity passes and we find Him saying, “sleep on now, ( it is too late.) The enemy’s hour has now come.”

Beloved, hear the Word of the Lord, “This is the state that we are currently in. There is an “hour before the hour”, a time when the window of heaven is open, access to God and His power is granted, and the ability to pray and receive strength and power to withstand the enemy’s HOUR is available….but not indefinitely.”

“When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” -Luke 22:53.

God has set in motion a plan; and in that plan Satan will be granted time, an hour, of free reign to persecute God’s people and subdue the world. This time will be as Daniel declared - the worst time that has ever been on the face of this earth, or ever will be. Jesus called this hour, “the power of darkness”.

It will be a time when it appears God has withdrawn Himself, scriptures don’t comfort, prayer doesn’t produce any results….all seems lost. A time when evil men, under the control of an “Anti-Christ”, will rule and reign and all who do not worship him will be persecuted and/or killed. A time when obtaining food and medicine will “mark”you as one who has forfeited your place in heaven for eternity. A time when you will see loved ones tortured, murdered because they will not bow down to Satan’s will.

“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”– Revelation 3:10.

But God, in His mercy, grants an hour before that hour - a time that we can be endued with power from on high, supernatural strength beyond what you can muster, so that we may boldly stand. Just as the martyrs in John Foxe’s book – “no matter if I starve, or if you kill me where I stand…I will not deny His name or worship your image!”

Beloved, be honest with yourself….does that kind of power lie within you….right now? Can you truly say, at this moment, if the rapture were to be delayed, you would be able to stand for Jesus and not submit to the seductive power of the enemy?

“And that, knowing the time, that now [it is] high time to awake out of sleep: for now [is] our salvation nearer than when we believed” – Romans 13:11.

This present hour- is a time of prayer, of finding where you stand with God, of repairing that backslidden relationship, renewing half-hearted worship and earnestly living for Jesus.

This present hour - is a time when we realize that fleshly desires and what the world has to offer mean nothing compared to knowing Jesus intimately.\

This present hour- is a time to insure He is all that matters and reaching “the secret place of the Most High” - your key to surviving the coming enemy hour.

The time to prepare is now; the time to stay awake and alert is now. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” – 1 Corinthians 10:12.

I ask you now reader, the most important question of your life. And that question is not, “have you been saved?”, but “are you ready right now?” Are you prepared to gamble on the popular doctrine stating that you will get out of here before anything bad happens? Or are you one who will heed the warning from the Holy Spirit and declare,“I do not want a gamble, I want to be ready no matter what!”

“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” – Matthew 24:44.

In the 1950’s, men began building bomb shelters in case of nuclear war. No one had a guarantee that nuclear war would inevitably happen; still, men prepared a place to weather the fallout and protect their families. Until this day, these bomb shelters have yet to be used for the purpose in which they were designed. These men decided not to take any chances, adopting the wise old adage, “It’s better to have it, and not need it; than to need it and not have it”.

“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock [that] is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, [and] a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle forever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings.”– Psalm 61:2-4.

Beloved, God has prepared us a “bomb shelter” in the person and power of Jesus Christ. But having said a prayer when you were a child will not protect you - being baptized when you were eight years old, or eight days old, will not guarantee the power and strength needed should we be here longer than mainstream leaders have told us. We are in the hour before the hour, a time right before the enemy is loosed and the restraint lifted. But God, in His mercy, invites us to reach out to Him NOW, to prepare spiritually NOW, to make sure we are in Him and He in us…intimately…at the critical moment!

Remember the ten virgins described in Matthew, chapter 25? A call was made to prepare them to meet the groom – to insure everything was in order in their lives - not caught unprepared or backslidden - half-heartedly waiting on the bridegroom. Five of those virgins failed to prepare….having no extra cruse of oil, they were left behind…and there wasn’t any “second chances”.

"Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.” – Lamentations 2:19.

Beloved, the “first hour” call is being made…NOW. Prophets and preachers are coming out of obscurity - God using people that no one would have believed capable or“qualified” - sending His word that the time to prepare is NOW.

If you wait any longer, like the five foolish virgins, this open door of opportunity will close on you. You will not have what it takes to survive the coming persecution and seductive power of the enemy. You will be part of the coming “apostasy” (great falling away) described in 2 Thessalonians 2:3.

 Do not be deceived into a false sense of security; don’t be lured to sleep by the siren-song of the world and false doctrine. There are no irrefutable, defining scriptures guaranteeing us a pain-free, tribulation-free rapture. Prepare now. Reach out to Jesus and insure you stand with/for Him. Ask Him to prepare you - enslave you - make you ready to meet Him.

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. – Revelation 3:20.

He is knocking on your door, right now. What will you do? Let Him in…or ignore the cry of the Beloved until He goes away? (Song of Solomon 5:2) The choice is yours….make it soon….time is running out.
(A new series will follow this posting describing in greater detail the subject of the Hour before the Hour - just follow the blog found at the weblog address listed below)


www.psalm25-4.blogspot.com

TRIBUTE TO PASTOR DAVID WILKERSON

WE HERE AT WATCHMEN OF THE WALL MINISTRIES GRIEVE THE LOSS OF OUR MENTOR AND FATHER IN THE FAITH, DAVID WILKERSON. WE FEEL HE WAS THE "MOSES" OF OUR GENERATION AND HIS PASSING IS NOT ONLY THE LOSS OF A MAN OF GOD, BUT ALSO WE FEEL THE PASSING INTO THE NEXT PHASE OF GOD'S PLAN. TODAY WE PAY TRIBUTE TO HIM AND HIS LIFE AND MINISTRY. BELOW IS THE EXCERPT FROM HIS SON GARY. PLEASE PRAY FOR HIS WIFE AND FAMILY DURING THIS TIME AS WE ARE. DAVID, WE THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE IN THE NAME OF JESUS, SEE YOU SOON.


by Gary Wilkerson
by David Wilkerson

“David served the purposes of God in his generation, then he died” (Acts
13:36).

On Wednesday afternoon my father, David Wilkerson, passed away in a car
accident. We grieve the loss of a beloved father, a faithful husband and a holy
man of God. My mother, Gwen, his wife of 57 years, was in the car also, but we
are told she will recover fully.

Dad’s 60-plus years of ministry have impacted the lives of those closest to
him and extended to millions around the world. Today we feel a personal loss,
but at the same time we rejoice knowing Dad lived life to the fullest, obeying
God with devotion and loving Jesus radically.

He was known for his unlimited faith. He believed God could change the lives of
gang members and transform the most desperate drug addicts. He believed that a
dynamic church could be launched in the heart of Times Square, New York City.
He believed he could be a man who loved his wife and children well. And he did.

Dad was not one for fanfare, acclaim or ceremony. He turned down invitations to
meet with world leaders yet would give everything he owned to support a poor
orphan or a widow in distress.

Like King David of old, Dad served God’s purposes in his generation. He
preached with uncompromising passion and relentless grace. He wrote with
amazing insight, clarity and conviction. He ran his race well and when his work
was done, he was called home.

I don’t think my father would have retired well. I don’t think he was one
to sit in a rocking chair and reminisce about times past. I believe that Jesus,
knowing this, graciously called him home.

Dad’s last mission on earth was to be an advocate for the poorest of the
poor—to provide relief and support for hungry children and widows and
orphans. After founding Teen Challenge, World Challenge and Times Square
Church, he sought to feed starving children in the most impoverished countries
in the world. Today, Please Pass the Bread is saving the lives of thousands of
children, through 56 outreaches in 8 countries.

Like King David of old, after having served God’s purpose, he died. I know if
my father were able to encourage you with his words today, he would invite you
to give your all to Jesus, to love God deeply and to give yourself away to the
needs of others.

The works he began outlive him. We can all attest to his impacting us—not
only in his preaching, writing and founding of world-changing ministries, but
in his love, devotion, compassion and ability to stir our faith for greater
works.

GET INTO THE ARK

John Owen, the great Puritan preacher, spoke the following message to his
congregation on April 9, 1680:

“You know that for many years, without failing, I have been warning you
continually of an approaching calamitous time, and considering the sins that
have been the causes of it…I have told you that judgment will begin in the
house of God; that God seems to have hardened our hearts from his fear…and
that none knows what the power of his wrath will be. In all these things I have
foretold you of perilous, distressing, calamitous times…These all now lie at
the door, and are entering in upon us.”

God did send his awful judgments on that society. John Owen lived to weep over
a flaming holocaust that engulfed London.

Yet, before he ever saw a single one of these calamities take place, Owen
faithfully cried out from his pulpit, “I am going to show you how we ought to
deport ourselves in and under the distressing calamities that are coming upon
us, and may reach, it may be, up to the very neck.”

Beloved, we’re living in just such a time as Owen’s. And in times like
these, there is only one response to the coming storm. “The just shall live
by faith!”

Owen admonished his people with tears, “Get you an ark—prepare an ark for
the safety of you and your families.” Then he added, “The ark is Jesus
Christ. There is no other way, no other ark—for Isaiah, the prophet, said of
our Lord, ‘And a man [Christ] shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and
a covert from the tempest, as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadows of
a great rock in a weary land.’ That is our ark! Blessed are they that trust
only in him…I know of no safety, no deliverance, in the trials and
afflictions coming upon the earth, but in believing Christ as our only
refuge.”

We may see dangers on all sides, including a devil and his principalities who
want to drown our faith in doubts. But we have a fiery guard of angels
surrounding us and a God who is under oath to carry us through any disaster we
may face.

So let me ask you, do you want to face the coming storm with quiet confidence
and peace of mind? Then die today to all your own ways and means of saving
yourself and commit the keeping of your life wholly to God’s care. He’s
your good, loving Shepherd—and he is faithful to see you through all!

Fix your eyes on Jesus. He alone is our hope.

By David Wilkerson