God Has Left The Building - Michael Smith July 28, 2013

Are there times when God after growing a once thriving fellowship departs? Could it be true that He would write Ichabod, “the glory of the Lord has departed,” on the door? Would we even know if God has left if the church service continues in singing, prayers, fellowship, etc. How would we know?

By observing whether or not there is life. Life as described in the dictionary as enthusiasm, vigor, vitality, zest, zeal, lively; all of which can indicate the presence and joy of the Holy Spirit.

For some churches they are devoid of life, “God has left the building” long, long ago!  But some refuse to believe it! They continue following after those who exhibit the same spiritual actions and the same spiritual words of the same spiritual visions that has been exhibited before only now repackaged for the appearance of growth and the seeming NOW presence of God.

None of us would want to be in a church that God has left?  

Yet staying in these churches, instead of leaving, only props them up as a healthy church. Do not be deceived. If we choose to continue in these Ichabod churches, we will physically grow older while spiritually remaining stagnate.  From such as these flee. Surely if it was that bad, people would have left, right? Wrong, dead churches have a blind allegiance. For a myriad of reasons they will not leave, familiarity, fear, misplaced loyalty, soul-ties to name a few. Deception is difficult to acknowledge when the one deceived is yourself. It takes a view from the outside looking in with fresh eyes. Eyes not under influence of a dead fellowship with bad leadership.

Remember those who were questioning and warned you, you thought they were crazy, wrong, deceived, and the leadership told you to stay away from them. Go out and find them. Search for the people who were caring enough to warn you before they left. They will probably still be caring. Be aware though, an abusive or deceived leadership of a Ichabod church will do everything it can to discredit them and malign the character of those who left and you as well. If you decide to stay inside the dead church system, you could stay spiritually impotent for a lifetime. 

It is true that whenever someone exposes darkness and subversion inside the Christian establishment, the slander will come against that person. Whenever someone unmasks deceptive ministers along with the evil practices within the local dead church, the hounds will be sent out.

They will show their ferociousness, anything to shut out the Truth and maintain a facade, the lie! 

Those in “church leadership” positions of Ichabod churches, will try to silence anyone who would dare oppose or expose them, that same spirit is still very much alive in many churches today.  

By speaking against the stale dead church it becomes evident very fast just how little interest indeed many of your supposed Christians friends have in God’s Truth. Jesus Christ was hated and despised by most of the religious teachers and spiritual leaders in His day. Do you think that anything has changed regarding this in today’s churches? There will be those who seek to hold you back; those from your family, your church, and those considered friends. 

They will accuse you, slander you and discredit you, your choice to live by God’s Word will reveal enemies and persecution from sources you never dreamed of. You will be mocked and lied about. Especially by those in so-called “positions of church leadership.” This is all that these people know how to do. The very people who are supposedly in the best position to inform their fellowships the truth of a matter, turn out to be the very same people who will destroy and silence you if you allow them.

If they hated Him, they will hate you also. 

WHEN TRUTH BECOMES THE CRIME

When the truth becomes the crime

Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff and Geert Wilders

Last Thursday a court in Vienna found lecturer and human rights activist Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff guilty of one count of “denigration of religious beliefs of a legally recognized religion” and she was fined the sum of €480. A relatively small sum, but she now has a hate crime conviction against her name.

Sabaditsch-Wolff's crime was to state, at a series of seminars about political Islam, that the Prophet Mohamed had sex with a child, his nine year old wife Aisha. Although acquitted of the more serious charge of inciting racial hatred, she was also convicted of being a “serial offender” despite this being her first offence.

Elizabeth is a regular writer at the Gates of Vienna who have written extensively about her case, links to their various articles can be found here, meanwhile American writer Diana West who runs the Death of the Grown Up blog has addressed the case in a recent posting “Willkomen to the Caliphate”, where she effectively argues that the conviction was in fact on the basis of Sharia law, not European law or what still passes for Austrian law.

It is interesting to note that the court did not find that the defendant had lied, at one point the judge stated that Aisha was 18 but later acknowledged that she had in fact attained that age at the time of Mohamed's death. Indeed the fact that Mohamed married Aisha while she was a child is largely undisputed and accepted as fact by most Islamic scholars. Marriage between an older man and a pre-pubescent girl was not unusual in Islamic culture during the prophet's life and remains so today in some Islamic countries.

The truth of the claim was irrelevant to the court. To convict Sabaditsch-Wolff, it was not necessary to demonstrate her claims were untrue, they were true, but merely to prove, as the court did, that she told a truth which some Muslims found offensive.

This was by no means an isolated case. Also last week French journalist Éric Zemmour was found guilty of incitement to racial hatred after telling a TV chat show that drug dealers were mostly "blacks and Arabs".

Once again, the truth or otherwise of Zemmour's claim was irrelevant to his conviction for he spoke a truth which French law bars him from speaking. It is illegal in France to reveal the race of criminal offenders, or to report rates of ethnic offending, presumably because to do so would be to reveal the truth of Monsieur Zemmour's illegal words.

Meanwhile in Holland it has been announced that the trial against PVV leader Gerrt Wilders for discrimination and inciting hatred will recommence on March 14th. As in the other cases mentioned, the truth or otherwise of Mr Wilders' words will have no bearing on his prosecution, all that matters is that they have offended Muslims and questioned the state dogma of multiculturalism.

Like Sabaditsch-Wolff and Zemmour, Wilders could join the growing group of people convicted of, and punished for, telling the truth.

In Britain, as we all know BNP leader Nick Griffin was subjected to a politically motivated criminal prosecution for making statements which have since been proven to be true. Mr. Griffin's claims that gangs of Muslim paedophiles have been grooming white girls for sex, have been echoed by ex-Justice secretary Jack Straw, and confirmed by various journalists and leading police officers. However, as Judge Norman Jones informed Nick Griffin at his trial, that he was telling the truth was no defence against race hate charges.

Indeed, had it not been for the wisdom of a jury, who acquitted Griffin against the judge's advice, he would have gone to prison for the New World Order offence of telling the truth.

In fact the situation is worse than the judge implied, Judge Jones understated the truth, for we in Europe have gone beyond the point where the truth is merely no defence against race hate charges, the truth itself is now the crime.

The mad Orwellian creed of multiculturalism, which our rulers have imposed upon us has produced a reality where, when addressing the subject of race and religion the only act left to us, which is legal and permissible, is to lie.

http://sarahmaidofalbion.blogspot.com

The Usual Suspects – A Line-up

The Usual Suspects – A Line-up

So let me make sure I understand. First Baptist Church of Glenarden on the Kettering (FBCGotK) is showing an “award-winning film” in two weeks. The “award-winning film” will feature what FBCGotK describes as “some of the most influential pastors, bishops and ministers in the United States.” Remember, nothing appears on that web site without the approval of John Kenneth Jenkins, the senior pastor of FBCGotK. Stated another way, if something appears on the site, there is the direct implication that he approves of it.

Take a look at who is appearing in “The Scroll”. More exactly, get a load of who your pastor, John K. Jenkins, is appearing with.

1. T. Dexter Jakes (a Oneness and Word of faith shill who makes a living selling products to hurt and damaged women.)
2. Jeremiah (G. D. America) Wright (a Liberation Theology proponent who thinks Jesus was a community organizer and Che Guevara was his disciple)
3. Shirley Caesar – Pastor. Tell me again what the Bible says about women pastors?

The list of folks in the announcement is bad enough. Look at some of the folks included there.  This is from the FBCGotK site.

Why would your pastor want to appear in the same film (supposedly promoting great faith) with Jeremiah Wright. Wright promotes a Social Gospel that doesn’t even come close to that which the Bible teaches. Rather than seeking to bring folks to Christ, he seeks to drag us into socialism and life that mirrors the miserable lives of those trapped in Cuba. He would make us all be equally miserable with state controlled medicine and a state controlled economy. What does this mean? Try to imagine the State Motor Vehicles Department running every aspect of your life.  And it’s not as though John K. Jenkins doesn’t know the fellow is in the film.  It’s right there on the web page.

T. Dexter, who by the way is your pastor’s mentor, is a Oneness fellow who doesn’t have the guts to stand on his beliefs and instead stands on his popularity, and his ability to draw a crowd stupid enough to throw money in his direction, over and over again.

The others on the list – certainly not consistent with Baptist doctrine (You know First BAPTISTChurch of Glenarden). However, compared to some of the folks not mentioned in the Church announcement they are the epitome of orthodoxy. Even T. Dexter.

What the announcement at FBCGotK doesn’t tell you is that the following people will also be included in the “award-winning film.”

1. Eddie (I’m rather fond of younger men) Long
2. Frederick(Jesus Committed Suicide) Price
3. Tudor (Yes, my wife is a prophet) Bismark
4. Donald (I Got John Started) Hilliard
5. Vashti (Yes, I’m a woman, but I’m going to be a bishop anyway) McKenzie
6. Al (Forget About Tawana Brawley, Please) Sharpton
7. Noel (The Weasel) Jones
8. Kenneth (New Thing but Nothing in the Bible) Ulmer

As if this is something to be proud of, John K. Jenkins, the senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Glenarden on the Kettering, has allowed himself to included in the Bizzaro version of the Hall of Faith – the Hall of Fakes.

Let’s go with the low hanging fruit here.

What has Al Sharpton to do with faith, Jesus Christ, and Holiness? Nothing. It’s generally apparent he worships the CNBC hosts, not the Lord of Hosts. He is what one might call a poverty pimp who occasionally presents himself as a pulpit pimp. But clearly he makes more money keeping the general Black population dependent on Government charity.

Then we have Eddie Long. Eddie Long!?!? Do we even need to say anything here? The man was accused of pressuring several young men into a sexual relationship with him. At least Fast Eddie had the good sense to make sure the young men were at least 18 years of age. How can you say this guy is an inspiration? An inspiration for what?

The rest of the list is, in fact, a list of the usual suspects. It’s the usual list of men and women who seek to deceive the body of Christ, taking advantage of those who don’t know their Bibles well enough to know they should avoid these characters.

You would think that John would know that bad company creates poor morals (1 Cor 15:33). In other words, if you lay down with dogs you’re going to get up with fleas. Of course if you already havefleas it really doesn’t make any difference if you lay down with the dogs.

And John appears to be more than willing to associate himself with these people. T. Dexter is his mentor. Noel Jones spoke at the grand opening of the Monument, Museum and Mausoleum they call a church building over near Kettering MD. And other theologically questionable people have been involved in activities at the church.

Here’s a challenge for you. Ask John why he is allowing himself to be associated with the likes of Jeremiah Wright, Al Sharpton, and T. Dexter Jakes. And see if he actually gives you an answer or if he tries to blow smoke by trying to cast doubt on my character. If he tries to call my motives into question, you’ll know he has no sufficient response to your question. If you have the ‘nads, press for an answer to the question.

But wait a minute. You probably can’t get to him (except maybe at the end of one of his milktoast sermons). So tell you what, ask one of the Elders or Deacons (try Stan Featherstone or Deacon Grant for starters) to answer the question. What do THEY think about the fact that the pastor is associating with the like of the men and women in the film? Why is he allowing his name to be associated with them? And why does he bring some of them in to speak to the congregation?

EVIL REPORT ~ Michael Smith 10.19.2014

When the people of God came up to a land of decision called Canaan they were confronted with an opportunity to believe God and trust the outcome to Him for their victory or they could believe a lie and miss the future blessings prepared for them. 

As they investigated the land two different stories or versions of what transpired in Canaan emerged. Something was different between the two. One was the truth the other was a twisting of the truth in order to sway the congregation to accept it as the truth. Out of twelve who spied out the land the majority of ten opposed the truth of the two and influenced the congregation with its destiny.

The congregation chose to believe the explanation of Canaan by the majority of ten rather than the minority of two. God called it an evil report. Because these chose to accept the majority report of the ten they spent the remaining years stuck in the same endless routine of circling a mountain of nowhere. 

Did the ten have influence more than the two? Did they have some level of maturity or were they more seasoned with the people that their words were accepted as truth rather  than Joshua’s and Caleb? Scriptures bears out the minority of two were the correct ones in their description of events in Canaan. Today we read the story with the advantage of hindsight seeing the obvious blunder by the congregation, but what if we were subject to that scenario today? Would we be any different? Sadly not, many today chose untruths over truthful versions of events more often than not. 

Imagine the family members, relatives and good friends of that congregation that were forever separated due to the choice of the people believing the majority version rather than the truth of Joshua and Caleb.

Sure the people acted in fear but their decision was based in an evil report (untruth) concerning what happened in Canaan. They doubted their God, Joshua and Caleb’s declaration and version that the giants were able to be overcome.

Amazing how those task with leading a people can resort to past patterns of safety rather than risk it all on God and His ability to fulfill His promises. They are called to lead yet remain non-involved, visionless and passive. By their actions (fruit) they declare it is better to be safe and not risk. They did not enter His rest (Canaan) due to unbelief and disobedience. Lack of faith; the very thing that displeases God. The ten chose to point the finger at Joshua and Caleb for their sudden newfound dilemma confronting them. In so doing encumbering those they lead into a lifeless existence where things never change including they're clothing or food until they die off having never experienced the victory God had for them. Condemned to miss the bounty of Canaan.

See, I Told You So - Pulpit Pimps

Not to quote one of my favorite conservative commentators, but: “See, I told you so.”
I told you Mr. Obama, our president, is anti-Christian. I told you that Mr. Obama, our president, is the most aggressively pro-abortion president we have ever had. I told you that Mr. Obama is the most aggressively pro-LGBT president we have ever had. But you sheeple out there, the ones who claim to be obedient and mature Christians pooh-poohed the idea. You said “No Melvin. Mr. Obama is a Christian. He’s a man of God. He is going to work for us (“us” being Black people)”. I’ll save the litany of his actions that have done just the opposite for a later article.
I warned you that Mr. Obama and his fellow progressives are going to make it very difficult for the Christian to exercise his or her conscience. You pooh-poohed that as well. But a week ago (21 January 2013), Mr. Obama, our president, on an international stage, put the force of the Presidency behind the idea that they way you choose to have sex is as immutable as skin color and gender. Homosexual practices, according to Mr. Obama, our president, should have the full protection of the law.
The citizens of Maryland (dumbed down by the education system and easily duped by the proponents of equating homosexual liaisons with marriage) have already placed homosexuality on the same footing as heterosexuality. It’s not going to be too long before parents will be accused of teaching bigotry and hate if the parents teach their children that homosexuality is a sin, just like adultery, stealing, and lying. Attempts to shame the parents and the children will increase. They will be treated like people who make racist comments.
Get ready for the pressure to start against orthodox churches. Your pastor preaches that homosexuality is a sin? Expect the government to pay them a visit and discuss their tax exempt standing. Your church gets funding from outside sources? Expect them to go away as homosexual activists protest against the companies contributing money. Remember, the Susan Kommen organization got hot oil poured on them just for contributing to a pro-life organization. And who could ignore the attempt at filleting Chick-Fil-A? You think your contributors will be any less a target to these ideological Terminators?
You professing Christians who have been exercising what at best could be called “easy believism” are about to experience at least a taste of what Christians have been experiencing outside the border of the United States. More and more often, you are going to have to decide which is more important: dull, boring doctrine and all that goes with it, or skin color, tradition, and cheap theatrics.
Our nation has, over the last forty years, killed fifty million (50,000,000) babies. That’s more than the populations of many countries. Currently, we are in the process of killing almost eight hundred thousand (800,000) babies a year. And, just as a note to you Afro-centric Christians, the ones who have pictures of Malcolm X, Mandella, and others on prominent display in your sanctuaries, almost half of those babies are Black. Let me put that in clearer terms – every year, Planned Parenthood facilitates the destruction of four hundred thousand (400,000) Black babies. Mr. Obama, our president, has made sure that Planned Parenthood, the folks who have facilitated the killing of 400,000 Black babies a year, continues to get funding from the federal government. Yet many of you Black Christians, enamored by the idea of a Black president, have voted a second time to put this man in office. Margaret Sanger would be pleased at how well the garden is being weeded by the weeds themselves.
Times are getting tough. They will continue to get tougher. And when the federal or state or local government comes knocking on your door to shut you down and shut you up, you will have only yourselves to blame. And you won’t even have Jesus Christ to comfort you. You kicked Him out of your church a long, long time ago

Posted in Christian Living, Churches, Obama | 39 Comments »

Freedom From Avoidance Behavior ~ Michael Smith

In my past and the past of many I have spoken with over the years there can be fears or phobias we develop over time. I mention “we develop” because we construct them and give them power over us. These fears eventually turn into patterns of avoidance in which we operate daily without most people knowing. However we know, we are painfully aware of those fears when confronted with exposure to them. We become artful in making excuses for not exposing ourselves to that which we fear. Yet it is not avoiding exposure to the fear or phobia that we need to understand or focus on as much as the lie concerning the fear we have accepted as truth.

When we begin to accept lies as truths we give the those lies credence which is supported by feelings and emotions and overtime develops avoidance behavior. We receive a lie as truth just as Adam and Eve did in the garden. That God cannot be trusted therefore we must act on our own determining our future thus we begin to control our surroundings. Anxious feelings unsureness and unfamiliar will reinforce lies as truth. Over time as we operate in these untruths we develop a pattern of avoidance. This avoidance is a survival mechanism of the flesh and is natural-earthy. Whereas faith is Godly and a supernatural power beyond our flesh that enables us to walk into that which we fear. As we try to step out in faith often times the feelings of anxiety become so intense we fall back to our survival mechanisms and avoid that which we fear resulting in continuing a pattern of avoidance. Plus our feelings of fear reinforce the lie that, God is not helping me, I am on my own, I must do this myself, God has abandoned me” 

Repeated survival routines train us to act in avoidance behavior for our survival diminishing our daily activity as we avoid exposure to that which we fear. We become reclusive or isolated as we seek to understand what is happening to us. We seek prayer, healing, medication and more, the list is endless as we substitute trusting the peace and power of God for our own efforts of survival. The devil has not changed his tactics he continues the same since the garden experience. He did the same to Adam and Eve and tried to influence Jesus in the wilderness. Adam and Eve believed the lie and found themselves outside the garden operating in their own strength, clothing themselves with their own avoidance mechanisms because of fear. Luke 8:11,12

This scenario does not have to be our lot. We are of the most high God, blood washed and accepted in the beloved. Jesus is our Lord and Savior. He is for us regardless what our feelings tell us. We are not left to our own devises outside of the garden. Because of Christ we can go boldly into the throne of God. The devil is a liar and wants us to believe a lie so he can take control of the outcome of our daily lives. As a result we begin to pray harder, read the word more or spend hours in secluded worship of God believing we are finding freedom. When in reality we are avoiding and seeking peace through works of the flesh, trusting in our own efforts rather than God’s faithfulness. Not realizing we are working for God’s approval we operate in a behavior to find His peace which becomes more elusive with time leaving us confused and disillusioned as we continue deceiving ourselves into believing we are finding freedom.

Our freedom is to no longer to avoid instead believe God concerning our future and step boldly into the lie fed us from the devil who is the father of lies. These are steps I began choosing to believe in finding freedom from the fears I have experienced.

1. Tell myself the truth that scripture says concerning who I am.

2. Refuse to accept the lie I had so long accepted as truth.

3. Take steps to expose myself to that which I fear if only in small steps.

4. Stand my ground choosing to believe GOD WILL NOT ABANDON ME.

As we begin to see the lie we’ve been accepting as just that a lie and not truth, the battle is really over. Because a lie only has power as we choose to believe and accept it as fact. We actually give the lie power by not resisting it as the devil deceives us into believing them. Once we begin renouncing those lies and choosing by faith to believe the truth God say’s concerning our identity and our future we will be free. We must walk into that which we avoid by exposing ourselves to the outcome. When we do, God will come in great power with a peace which surpasses all understanding and the lie that we have accepted as fact will be exposed for what it is, a LIE. 

As we continue in this course of freedom we become amazed after each occurrence of exposure of what we can do. We develop a NEW PATTERN of learned behavior that we can really do it, we can walk into our fear and not expect the worst. We find freedom real true and lasting freedom in God and not in our efforts or works of the flesh. Our boundaries of freedom enlarge increasingly with each exposure.

Exposure is our answer even if little by little rather than avoidance. Utter and complete surrender to God for He will not fail us. 

If we only endure each occurrence while seeking escape or in our efforts remove the anxious stimuli we will continue in avoidance behavior. However, if we stay until His peace comes and IT WILL COME, we will be free. With each exposure we gain assurance that WE CAN do all things in Christ. God loves for us to abandon ourselves to Him whereas complete survival is in His hands. Because it Glorifies Him when He and He alone is our savior, deliverer and Lord. Nothing can separate us from His great love when we cast ourselves fully into His Hands where He exceedingly and abundantly overwhelms us with Himself. We must believe He can and will move heaven and hell for us. Because He loves us He will save us. Trust Him with the outcome and reject the lie.

Would we know if the spirit of God has left us? - Michael Smith 04.02.2014

Recently a friend of many years said to me after attending a memorial at a church which in the past had been vibrant and full of life with many members. But now is a dismal remnant of what was. The first thought this person had upon entering the building was of a verse in the book of Judges concerning Samson who said, 

“I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him. Judges 16:20

My friend said, the remnant of what is left are unaware the spirit of God has departed and continue to go and do as other times believing they can shake themselves free. (So much wisdom could be these obtain through these verses for dead churches) We both discussed that of all things in our Christian walk, the spirit of the Lord departing would be a great fear. Would we today be aware if the Lord had departed from us? 

Samson was a man who exhibited great strength in the Lord. Yet was unaware Gods spirit had departed from him as he got up to do what he always had done in the past. Can we too continue in routines of past making believing we have the spirit of God upon us only to discover we do not? 

Its why we must read and know the word of God. 

It is the standard by which we hold up truth for our beliefs and ideology. When we no longer allow reproof or correction from scripture we become ideologues lost to philosophy of our own doing. Ingrained in our psyche as with a branding iron.

“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, 1 Tim. 4:1-2

These refuse wisdom or discernment of others to their own demise as they are unaware that the spirit of God has departed from them. I have witness many times those who believe that the spirit of the Lord was upon them as they continue doing the same as in the past. But to the those discerning it is obvious the spirit has departed from these and they now operate in personal dogma, philosophy or ideology such as those spoken of in scripture,

“taking their stand on visions they have seen, inflated without cause by their fleshly mind, 

Col. 2:18

Not knowing the spirit of the Lord had departed we can substitute what was the spirit with flesh of our own making, relabeling it the spirit of the Lord. May we diligently pursue scriptural truth staying in His presence less we too become unaware that God has left the building.

Gods word never fails. ~ Michael Smith

Imagine, you are on the cusp of the greatest victory of your life — within months of achieving that which you labored and believed for years to achieve, something truly worthy of a heroic effort. You can almost feel victory within reach, when subtly you hear your opponent announce that defeat is inevitable and it's time for you to quit, stop trying and just give up.

Would I give up the fight, would I resign simply because he who opposes me proclaims it's inevitable that I lose? 

Of course I shouldn't! The very notion is outrageous — yet that is what many of us often do!

Tenacity, perseverance, steadfastness, endurance stances of a determined persistence to overcome in the face of defeat and disappointment. They are the words that convey an unfailing determination to persevere and never give up, never!

We only learn how close we are to achieving our victory when we DO NOT QUIT!

Naysayers and those used of the enemy can at times speak words of defeatism without realizing their destructive words. I have learned to not listen choosing rather to follow the still small voice with strength of purpose and resolve. Not being deterred, I run the race set before me to win. I do not stop long enough to receive words of can’t or shouldn’t from those on the sidelines content with the safety of the status quo. 

I endeavor to overcome, agreeing with the still small voice that I can do all things”

The NEW "EVANGELISM" by A.W. Tozer

The new cross encourages a new and entirely different evangelistic 
approach. The evangelist does not demand abnegation of the old 
life before a new life can be received. He preaches not contrasts 
but similarities. He seeks to key into public interest by showing 
that Christianity makes no unpleasant demands; rather, it offers 
the same thing the world does, only on a higher level. Whatever 
the sin-mad world happens to be clamoring after at the moment 
is cleverly shown to be the very thing the gospel offers, only the 
religious product is better...

That evangelism which draws friendly parallels between the ways 
of God and the ways of men is false to the Bible and cruel to the 
souls of its hearers. The faith of Christ does not parallel the world, 
it intersects it. In coming to Christ we do not bring our old life up 
onto a higher plane; we leave it at the cross. The corn of wheat 
must fall into the ground and die.

We who preach the gospel must not think of ourselves as public 
relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and 
the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make 
Christ acceptable to big business, the press, or the world of sports, 
or modern education. We are not diplomats but prophets, and our 
message is not a compromise but an ultimatum.

God offers life, but not an improved old life. The life He offers is 
life out of death. It stands always on the far side of the cross. 
Whoever would possess it must pass under the rod. He must 
repudiate himself and concur in God's just sentence against him.

What does this mean to the individual, the condemned man who 
would find life in Christ Jesus?... He must forsake his sins and 
then go on to forsake himself. Let him cover nothing, defend 
nothing, excuse nothing. Let him not seek to make terms with 
God, but let him bow his head before the stroke of God's stern 
displeasure and acknowledge himself worthy to die... The cross 
that ended the earthly life of Jesus now puts an end to the sinner; 
and the power that raised Christ from the dead now raises him to
a new life along with Christ.

To any who may object to this or count it merely a narrow and 
private view of truth, let me say God has set His hallmark of 
approval upon this message from Paul's day to the present. 
Whether stated in these exact words or not, this has been the 
content of all preaching that has brought life and power to the 
world through the centuries. The mystics, the reformers, the 
revivalists have put their emphasis here, and signs and wonders 
and mighty operations of the Holy Ghost gave witness to 
God's approval.

Dare we, the heirs of such a legacy of power, tamper with the 
truth? Dare we with our stubby pencils erase the lines of the 
blueprint or alter the pattern shown us in the Mount? May God 
forbid. Let us preach the old cross and we will know the old power.

-PLEASE COMMENT on this topic at the following website-

http://www.revivalschool.com/

THE COST of SPARING the GOOD THINGS by Rodney W.Francis

In 1 Samuel 15 we have the revealing story of the cost of not fully 
obeying the voice of the Lord. The first king of Israel, Saul, was 
instructed by God to "Go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy 
all that they have, and do not spare them" (v.3). Saul heard what 
God had spoken to him, yet we discover that he was only partially 
obedient to the command. As we read through the chapter we
discover that Saul's decision to "spare the good things" was to 
prove very costly for him and his people.

When Samuel the prophet was sent to reprove Saul, we find 
that Saul was confessing that he had indeed obeyed the Lord. 
But he was in deception ~ the good things of the Amalekites 
had deceived him. You will also notice that Saul was hiding 
behind a form of spirituality by declaring that they had spared 
the good things to "sacrifice to the Lord" (v. 15). How 
interesting that human nature seeks to cover its disobedience 
to God by declaring the result of that disobedience is "for the 
Lord"!! But God is not mocked, and God is not fooled by
our covetousness and desires for "sparing the good things." 
It is recorded: "But Saul and the people spared Agag (king 
of the Amalekites) and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the 
fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling 
to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, 
that they utterly destroyed" (1 Samuel 15:9). As a result, God 
said to the Prophet Samuel, "I greatly regret that I have set up 
Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has 
not performed My commandments" (v. 10-11). Saul paid a huge 
price for his disobedience that day: 

1. He lost his anointing 

2. He lost his respect, and 

3. He lost his kingship (ruling authority). 

Things changed that day for Saul because of his pride in thinking 
he knew better than God. Like most disobedient leaders, he blamed 
the people for his rebellion against the voice of the Lord.

The "good things" that he spared were the very things that found
him out ~ the "bleating of the sheep" (v. 14)!

In summing up His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus made this 
statement to His listeners: "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' 
and do not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:47). He then went 
on to tell us of the wise and foolish man. The wise man was wise 
because he listened to Jesus and obeyed what He said; while the 
foolish man only listened to Jesus, but did not apply and do what 
He said. The difference between the two men was success for 
the wise man and total loss for the foolish man. Maybe the foolish 
man "spared the good things", like Saul did? 

The foolish man paid a very high price for his disobedience!

This is a huge challenge and lesson for every Christian today. So 
many of us are wanting to have the "good things" of life, but if God 
has asked us to sacrifice them for His sake, then we need to do 
that, because God always has our best at heart ~ He wants us to 
enjoy the best, but with His way of providing it, and in a way that 
He gets the glory. This message explains one reason why the 
Christian Church seems to be so powerless in these days ~ not 
much anointing, not much respect, and not much authority. We 
have spared the good things ~ things that God wants us to give 
up for Him. We have compromised with the ways of the world,
and it has cost us dearly. In Christianity, "having the best of 
both worlds" does not work! God is trying to get us to the place 
where we will totally trust whatever He says to us, and that we 
will obey Him without question ~ because we have learned that 
"the Word of the Lord is right"; that there is nothing more sure 
and accurate than that which God speaks. But we have to trust 
and obey what He says in order to see the fulfilment of His 
promises to us! And that means a total commitment to 
whatever He says. 

GOD TESTS Our COMMITMENT

We need to know that God does test our commitment to Him. 
When we say that He comes first in our lives, then He will test 
us to see if we really do put Him first before anyone and 
everything else. When we demonstrate to God that He is, indeed, 
"Number One" and we value Him above all else, then He can trust 
us with assignments that clearly show the handiwork of God that 
are accompanied by supernatural signs, wonders and miracles. 
Let's face it: 
If we have the Living, Supernatural Jesus Christ residing within
us, then surely there should be some evidence of a Supernatural 
God at work in and through us??!! 

The world is sick of religion ~ it is crying out for a demonstration 
of the risen, Living Lord Jesus Christ manifest in and amongst His 
people. If we do not learn this lesson, then we will go the way of 
Saul and finish up with nothing of eternal value to show for our lives. 
Let the voice of God guide you into all truth, and into a life of total 
commitment that has no regrets! 

-PLEASE COMMENT on this topic at the following website-

http://www.revivalschool.com/

-Original Source-

http://gospel.org.nz/

THE PHARISEES PERSPECTIVE - 23 - Michel Smith

The Pharisaical perspective is a view of conforming others through THEIR law thereby becoming acceptable followers.

So incompatible were the Pharisees views from those of Jesus that when the Pharisees posed a question to Jesus, it appeared that He was answering an entirely different question. On such a completely different level were His answers that the Pharisees who did not have eyes to see nor ears to hear could not perceive the truth presented to them and they were Gods leaders of that day. Astonishingly Pharisees continue just as deaf and blind today.

Why is this?

Because the Pharisees perspective was from tradition, rules and law. They saw everything and everyone relating to THEIR religious views.

Jesus was a fierce critic of the Pharisaical system of His day, openly declaring its evil. Warning those who would hear, not do as the Pharisees or receive their leaven (teachings).

Regrettably, there is a great deal of pharisaism in the church today. Leaders that view others through the perspective lens of THEIR religious system neglecting the weightier provisions of the law: justice, mercy and faithfulness. Matt. 23:23

A modern day Pharisee fruit;

• Doing things to be seen by men.
• Love the praises of man.
• Seeking the best seats.
• Love to be seen.
• Failure to discern holy things.
• Their leading consists of ruling and not serving.
• Focussing upon external laws rather than internal change.
• Claiming righteousness with God while opposing His will.
• Exalting tradition above the commandments of God.
• Loves the seat of decision making.
• They strain at a gnat and swallow a camel.
• They appear beautiful outside, white and clean like a tomb, but inside are full of dead men bones.
• KNOWS right from wrong on all matters and will set others straight.
• They go out of their way to convert a soul only to make that soul a son of hell worst than themselves.
• They pay tithes, but omit the weightier matters such as justice, mercy and faith.
• They are stumbling blocks for those earnestly seeking salvation.

Many continue to follow after or submit to these modern day Pharisees believing them to be righteous and godly men. Yet Jesus commanded us to beware of such men. Not to accept THEIR teachings. Leaven if allowed into the dough eventually leavens the whole. Beware.

Jesus said to them, Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” Matt. 16:6

Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Luke 12:1

The pharisaic elite need a following otherwise they have none to appear superior to, rule over or be idolized by. Open your eyes and ears to THEIR Pharisaical hypocrisy. 

The Pharisee proudly declares his leaven with, we have a law” John 19:7

The Holy Spirit affirms, you are free from the law” Rom. 8:2

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery (law). Gal. 5:1

You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? Matt. 7:16

(emphases mine)

~ Michael Smith 09.10.2014

THE TRAVELING SALESMAN by Michael Smith

I heard recently of a pastor who declared his city will be a gateway to a great move of God. So I felt a need to comment.

Many charismatic churches of the past are dwindling or dying as the pastors desperately try to make their church relevant again through failed procedures of the past. They have become as denominational churches fading into obscurity. If only they would seek God rather than the next move of God. Preach the cross to a self-centered and self absorbing church. Instead they pursue revival for their church through traveling salesmen rather then seeking the author of true revival. What is sad is the number of pastors or leaders that expose their fellowship to these presumptuous statements mentioned above rather than protecting them from such nonsense.

There are those who make a living off the body of Christ, not through co-laboring with them but rather through fleecing them of their hard earned money with similar false promises. Promises such as, revival is coming to this area, this church will be used mightily to bring revival, Gods anointing is here in this place like no other, your pastor has a vision of growing as to influence this county. On and on they spill. Pumping the congregations with false belief and hope. 

Yet many a charismatic pastor continue to expose their flock to the false promises of these hirelings. The problem is after a few years the people not experiencing what was prophesied or declared become disillusioned and doubtful and many will fall away from church or at least that church who presented these false truths.

Has anyone been astute enough to research what these guys say in other cities or states? I have, and it is amazing how much is repeated. Different people same prophetic word just repackage for the local fellowship.

Jesus spoke of going into the world and making disciples. Matthew 28:19 When did the Christian walk become a seminar where we seek to feel good, fall down on floors or becoming supposedly drunk in the Holy Spirit? Do we mock God? Are we now so arrogant to believe God exists for us? Is this really revival?

No where in scripture, our standard for truth, are we encourage or told to go to meetings or conferences where we are pumped up akin to some worldly rally or seminar. Of course these are held under the guise of taking our county, city or country for God. Has anyone seen this proclamation routinely given bear any fruit? Our country, county and cities are still worldly as ever. We are told to look at the fruit of these false prophets according to scripture. Are we?

Pastors have a responsibility for those they have been entrusted with and will give an account to God according to scripture. What might that responsibility be? To protect from such as these, make disciples, to teach, train and send out. Not to produce ear tickling rallies. I do not know one person who experienced lasting change from such renewals or revivals. Do you?

True revival is Godly conviction producing repentance from our lifestyle. Embracing the cross. Thats what brings lasting change. It makes men and women go out with a message desiring to make disciples. Yet those attending rallies come away pumped declaring that God was surely there and we missed it. Missed what? Has God now become non-omnipresent that we must seek a rally to be touched? Months later those pumped are unchanged and indulging sin without any conviction.

Do people realize these that travel the circuit, for thats what it is, are making large sums of money fleecing the church?  A reason they need to continue to seek out new venues or find a pastor who willingly brings them back repeatedly that they might bring “the great word” that is worth being financially supported. People wake up. This is nothing in comparison of what apostle Paul did in going to the churches. He like Jesus gave of himself not to acquire money.

If you knew of some truth or power that would set men free, heal them or deliver them from their dire situations, would you charge for that information or power? Are we so blind? Do we not realize the many people make a living and some a very good one at repackaging whats already in scripture if we will but search it? Men are not our deliverers, Christ is. 

Many major christian magazines have advertisements representing the next great line up of traveling ministers. They say it’s the feel good event of the year and not to be missed. Christians will flock to these seminars expecting to hear the next great word from God. These same people also sit in churches Sunday after Sunday waiting to hear a message from their (Moses) representative of God. After years of sitting in Sunday church where a program is centered around a 20 minute message many of these have never led someone to Christ or made a single disciple and we wonder why true and lasting revival tarries. I once attended a church who’s message was, for those who want more than a Sunday morning religion” I yearn for that. I can no longer indulge the lifeless church structures of men. It creates zombies followers without the power of Christ.

Did Christ come and die that we might sit at the feet of other men? Or take up a pew so to speak year after year at the fellowship club we belong to? Where are the men and women with real conviction? Who pursue Christ and pick up their cross daily? Are we now a bunch of impotent Christians that require being pumped up by some traveling salesman?

Michael Smith

9.6.2014

WHO ARE WE ALLOWING TO DRESS US? - MICHAEL SMITH

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.(clothes) They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, band the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 

Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” 

He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.” Gen. 3:7-10

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 

The LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand (log) plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel. He spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” Again he said to him, “See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes.” Zech. 3:1-4

For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. 

For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord — for we walk by faith, not by sight  2 Cor. 5:2-7

And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high. Luke 24:49

I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, 

My soul will exult in my God; 

For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, 

He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, 

As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, 

And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. Is. 61:10

JESUS CAME TO;

BLESS

LOVE

SUPPORT

ENCOURAGE

FORGIVE

LIFTUP

CLOTHING US WITH;

PEACE

ACCEPTED

LOVED

JOY

STRENGTH

ASSURANCE

CONFIDENCE

HOPE

AFFIRMED

LIFE

OVERCOMER

DEVIL CAME TO;

ACUSE

BLAME

CONDEMN

CRITICIZE

DESTROY

KILL

CLOTHING US WITH;

FAILURE

DESPAIR

UNWORTHINESS

SHAME

UNDERSERVING

HOPELESS

UNACCEPTABLE

MISERY

DISCOURAGE

DEMORALIZED

UNSUITABLE

Stop excepting the devils attempts to dress us.

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Gal. 3:27