Ears to Hear

Good Morning,

 What time is it?  I declare to you this is the beginning of the last days.  It is time for an awakening to come to the Jewish people in order that we can become 'one new man.'  It is time that a great falling away from the truth will happen.  It is time that the 'love of many will wax cold in the people of God.  It is time that all of the natural calamities spoken in the Bible to begin to happen concurrently as the infestation of wickedness = increase.  It is time that if it is possible that the very elect could be deceived (Ephes. 2:15; II Thess. 2:3; Mtt. 24:12; Mtt. 24:5-13; Mk.13:22).  It is also the set time, "My dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ)." (Phil. 2:12)  It is time for us to be alert and sensitive to the evil of the last days.  We must stay awake to the Word and the 'doing of it'.  Listen to this "Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves]..(verse 14)  In other words we must do the Word of God and not doubt His Word because of the outward circumstances, but bring all things that happen to the light of the Word.  Notice the verse said, we must not grumble, fault find and complain against God.  Now, we usually turn this towards those who represent God as well, like the pastors, the congregation, etc.  The enemy loves to keep division, strife and complaining stirred up in God's House.  This is why we can't afford to play into the enemy's hand.  Listen to James 3:16; "For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."  The weapon that the enemy is trying to use against those who want to please God is confusion, which in turns produces every evil work.  We must not be found complaining against God's Word and those in the House of God who are actually working out their salvation with fear and trembling.  We must keep and stay on target with the Word, no matter what we see happening in the world.  The Word is our plumbline, not the things that go on around us in this world.  

Now let's read it again, "Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves], that you may show yourselves to be blameless  and guiltless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish (faultless, unrebukable) in the midst of a crooked and wicked generation {spiritually perverted and perverse], among whom you are seen as bright lights (stars or beacons shining out clearly) in the dark world…" (Phil. 2:14-15)  Working out our own salvation, right here in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation is the mandate for every one of us now, in this dark world.  We are not to let our lights become dull by the behavior of complaining about what is going on in our neck of the woods.  No, rather we are to stay true to God's Word and be watchful against any form of temptation that will try to draw us off of the strait way.  It can come in any deceptive avenue, that's why we must be cautious, without becoming paranoid.  How can we do this?  Well, let's close with the verse that tells us how. "[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and the desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight."  We have help from on high, we are never alone.  As we continue to yield, God through Holy Spirit gives us the power and the desire to continue to work at becoming the uncontaminated children of God.  He will enlighten us to every thing that we need to be aware of, and prepare us for the road ahead.  We can still shine.  In fact when it is really the darkest, this is when we shine the brightest.  Let's be radiant, for our God!

"Work out your own salvation" 

 Love,

 Pastor D.