New Age Spirituality & The Sons of God :: By Gary Ritter

Published on: June 30, 2019 by RRadmin7 Category:General Articles

 

The New Age movement, i.e. the New Spirituality, isn’t really so new. Its roots go back to antiquity. They weave throughout the Bible. And they manifest in various world religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. These roots are fascinating and deadly.

In order to see the nature of these roots, we have to look at the Bible in a new way, actually one that is old. It’s all about context. How would ancient Israel, and the nations surrounding her, have understood various concepts that we read in Scripture, but we pass by as throwaway passages because we don’t have the proper context, nor desire to apprehend the supernatural as those in past millennia did?

One of the keys in this approach is found in two passages from Deuteronomy. The first is Deuteronomy 4:15-19, which reads:
“Therefore, watch yourselves very carefully. Since you saw no form on the day that the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth. And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, things that the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.”

The second is Deuteronomy 32:8-9:
“When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. But the Lord‘s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage.”

In the Deuteronomy 4 passage, God warns His people Israel not to follow false gods; they are allotted to every other nation except Israel. But we know the story. Israel did exactly the opposite. She bowed down and served the gods of other nations.

The verses in Deuteronomy 32 round this out for us. They say that God placed other nations under the control of other gods. When He did that, however, He called Abraham, who then fathered the nation of Israel that became God’s special people. They would be His heritage, His inheritance. We also know that from them all the nations of the earth would be blessed.

Who are these gods that God the Most High placed over the nations? They are the members of His divine council we see in Psalm 82:1, divine beings He created to be part of His family:
“God stands in the divine assembly; he administers judgment in the midst of the gods.”
In this psalm we gain a clear picture that His divine sons have been corrupt in their administration over the nations. God admonishes them in verses 2-5:
“How long will you judge unjustly
and show favoritism to the wicked? Selah
Judge on behalf of the helpless and the orphan;
provide justice to the afflicted and the poor.
Rescue the helpless and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
They do not know or consider.
They go about in the darkness,
so that all the foundations of the earth are shaken.”

These sons of God, the divine rulers He placed over the nations, became wicked. They harmed mankind in their divine oversight. God is quite displeased; He rebukes them. Then He issues a decree as to their ultimate fate in verses 6-7:
“I said, ‘You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.”’

In other words, these divine beings that God entrusted to responsibly do a job for Him failed miserably.  They took the same attitude that we see with Satan in Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14. Effectively, through their pride, they decided they could do a better job of “godding” than God. They had free will, just as God created mankind to have. They used it poorly and will suffer the consequences. Though divine, they will die like men.

Ultimately, God will right this wrong. The final verse in Psalm 82, verse 8 gives us that assurance:
“Rise up, O God, judge the earth, because you shall inherit all the nations.”
God will take back the nations from these unjust divine rulers. His plans and purposes will prevail.

All this has been background to my premise. These are the roots. How does this equate with New Age Oneness?

Recall that God had directed mankind twice to go throughout the earth, multiply, subdue, and have dominion. He told Adam this (Genesis 1:28), and we know where that went. He also told Noah this following the flood (Genesis 9:1-2). It’s clear that God intends for mankind to multiply, subdue, and have dominion over the earth.

But what did men do? They gathered in Babylon to build a tower. Their intent was to stay there and bring God down to them on their terms. Of course, that’s not what He wanted. He would have none of that. So, He confused their language and scattered them throughout the earth. In doing this, that’s where Deuteronomy 32 comes into play. This is where God assigns members of His divine council to administer the nations. This is what we call the Deuteronomy 32 worldview.

The original desire of mankind, in contradiction to God’s will, was to come together as one, seen in the building of the Tower of Babel. Although each god over his own nation is doing his own thing, the inclination of them all is to thwart God’s intent and man’s understanding of who God is.

God is our creator. He is separate and above all things. He wants to restore our relationship with Him, but that can only be done on His terms. It turns out that the means for this is through the incarnation of Jesus, His death, and His resurrection—all contrary to what these rulers and authorities over the nations want. Besides, when God ultimately accomplishes His will, these divine sons will be toast. They will be cast into hell; they will die like mortal men.

So, the plot thickens. What can these rebellious sons do? They will mislead men and their understanding of the nature of reality. They will confuse men as to who and what they are.

These gods do this by teaching men that they are all part of a seamless fabric – Mankind is not only part of all creation; it is one with it. There is no difference between a man and an ape. Man evolved from the muck. The oneness man feels when he looks at the trees is because he is part of them and they are part of him. In fact, because man is in all, he is also god, the one universal essence and energy in the universe.

This all comes together in the ancient and the New Age religions. It will have its final fulfillment in the 7-year Tribulation with the rise of the One-World Religion.
When we talk about the fact that we’re in a spiritual battle, it is much greater than most of us realize.  There’s a much bigger picture at play here that we typically see. Its roots are extensive, and it involves all the spiritual entities that Paul writes about in Ephesians 6:12:
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
…and Colossians 1:16:
“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”

It is all these entities that have rebelled against God that we struggle with in the flesh. This great eons-old war is coming to a head. When Jesus came, He threw down the gauntlet that God was about ready to take back what is rightfully His. That’s the last thing these rulers want, so the battle is intense, and it’s growing by the day. It will reach a fever pitch following the Rapture of the Church as the Restrainer is removed. At that point, lawlessness originated by these demonic entities will have its day.

We generally think it’s just Satan we have to worry about as the director of the chaos that will soon erupt on the earth, but he’s got a lot of powerful friends in high places. The corrupt sons of God will have a major part in the violence that fleshly rulers will perpetrate in the world.

But God is in charge. He is greater than any of His sons, these divine and wicked rulers. He created them; He can and will destroy them.
Our job is to remember who we are in Christ and to warn others of the horrors to come, even as we show them the love of God. Let us keep our eyes on Him, and these pretenders to the throne will never deceive us.
—————

Gary Ritter is a lay pastor and serves as Missions Director at his church. He is also a prolific author. His Whirlwind Series is comprised of three books: Sow the Wind, Reap the Whirlwind, and There Is A Time.  All these books are also contained in the collected volume of the just-released Whirlwind Omnibus.  Gary has a standalone novel of supernatural suspense, The Tattooed Cat, and plans to release Alien Revelation – The Unveiling, the first novel in a new series The Sons of God Chronicles in early Fall 2019.  You can reach him via his website at www.GaryRitter.com or at his Facebook Author page at https://www.facebook.com/gritter3390.

Lord, What Time is it?

 

Re-published, revised from a 10/17/2010 article. Original notebook entry circa 1998.

A teacher gathers his students around a fancy chronometer watch that indicates everything about time that 21st century man needs to know in order to live a full life. He has removed carefully the crystal in the front and is showing the face with all the many different hands. 

What time is it? he asks the young people. Everyone gives the right time in unison.

How about now ? removing the tenth of second hand. Still the same answer.

Then, the teacher removes the second hand and the students can still give him the correct time within a minute. 

Now he removes the minute hand, leaving only the hour hand. Can we still tell the time?

 

 

 

 Yes, of course, respond the students. It is sufficient to indicate the hour.

I know this might sounds trite, but have you noticed that when someone asks for the time, the question always is: what time is it ? The French are even more to the point; they say : What hour is it ? As do the Spanish speaking people. 

Have you ever heard someone ask: what minute or what second is it since we live in a world in which our lives depends of decisions made with the help of computers capable of functionning at the speed of a nanosecond ?!

According to the Bible, who created time, separating the night and the sun, the moon and the rotation of the earth in 24 hours from which we get the time zones each of which measuring one hour?
How could our ancestors live simply with the help of a solar dial or an hour glass or later with a clock indicating only hours and minutes?

Now let us think about Jesus when he criticized the pharisees for focusing their attention and judgment on small unimportant details that they elevated at a level that God himself did not require, when at the same time neglecting the more important commands. 

Nowadays as always, there exist in some churches and denominations persons who make splitting hairs a pastime, concentrating their attention on isolated, obscure (at least to our limited understanding since we see only through a glass darkly), difficult to  explain bible verses in order to validate their viewpoint or to justify a false doctrine.
 
This Pharisaical attitude leads me to think about a watch with the tenth of a second hand, or the minute hand that are obviously practical, but are not really essential when it comes to know what hour of the day or night it is. 

Would we be totally mistaken if we compared the hour hand to the great essential body of teaching from the Bible nobody could understand the existence or revelation of God through His Word. After all, what is an hour of our time measured against the eternal nature of our Creator whose existence is outside of time? Without these doctrines nobody could understand the existence, the nature and character of God, the prophecies, salvation and the forgiveness of sin, His covenant, promises to Israel and the Church, His will, instructions and commands that he gave us for the benefit of mankind? 

The others isolated and few verses are undoubtedly a part of the biblical canon of the inerrant Scriptures ,but when we use them to divide the brothers and poison the Christian discourse, we are entering into a dangerous territory. Paul warns about the danger of being sectarian in I Corinthiens.
 
The question remains a valid one: What time is it in the church today?  Is it the primitive church with its martyrs that some believers like to dream about as the perfect church, the time of Augustine,  Martin Luther's time? do we live in the era of Calvin, of the Wesley brothers, of Charles Spurgeon or any other great man of God, even a founder of a denomination or do we live according to God's time? Granted, these men were powerful instruments in the hand of God and in the propagation of the Gospel, but they are not the ones on whom, neither are their thoughts on which our salvation depends. 

The Bible is always the up to date and eternal word of God. What does God say of his salvation, the greatest manifestation of his love for mankind: "As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says: "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you. I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.” II Corinthians 6:2.

 

Again in Hebrews 4:7-11, Paul declares: Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.”

Let us live in the eternal present of God. Let us beware of becoming slaves of a time imposed by man and believe that we are going to miss the rewards of the frantic modern life if we do not follow the patterns of a world which does not even know where it is going, neither knows what hour it is in the time allotted to it by God, the sovereign Lord and Creator on this earth. Now is the time for us to preach His Gospel, do His work, to serve Him with gladness, in His own time, empowered by His Holy Spirit in our heart full of faith, love  and joy and gratitude for his abounding grace and mercy. 

 
Jean-Louis.

Frauds, Crooks and Criminals

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Hundreds of Congolese Asylum Seekers Arrive in Texas, Some Shipped to Maine

June 13, 2019 ~ Ann Corcoran

 

 

 

 

When I saw the news the other day about 350 illegal aliens, mostly from the DR Congo, arriving at our southern border and being sent to San Antonio by border patrol I was steamed to say the least!

The UN asked Obama to take 50,000 from the DR Congo five years ago.  Obama started the migration and Trump is finishing it!

What the h***!  We have admitted over 50,000 ‘refugees’ from the DR Congo since fiscal year 2015 (not quite 5 years). 
50,314 to be exact as of today!
Yet we are expected to welcome hundreds more coming in illegally.
And, by the way, who funded these ‘impoverished’ people to make the long journey from Central Africa? Does anyone in authority ever ask that question?

Before I get to the maddening news and give you some background on why they are now being shipped to “welcoming” Maine, below is a map of where the 50,314 have been placed in less than 5 years.  I will bet most of you never had a clue this was happening.

And, if you missed it, the DR Congo is Ebola central in Africa these days!

I wrote about the Congolese migration to your towns and cities extensively at Refugee Resettlement Watch—a migration that Obama and the UN kicked off and that the Trump Administration continues!

I reported last month here at ‘Frauds and Crooks’ that nearly 8,000 from the DR Congo have arrived (as legal refugees) in America in under 8 months in this fiscal year!

When is enough, enough?

This is a map from the US State Department’s Refugee Processing Center.
Numbers are hard to read, but know that Texas, Arizona, Kentucky, North Carolina and New York are the top five states building Congolese ‘communities.’
Does anyone think that any of these ‘new Americans’ will vote for anyone other than socialist candidates?
When are the dumb Republicans going to get it—when they lose Texas (the number one state for all refugee resettlement) they lose the White House.




  
Now what about this secondary migration to Maine!
Laura Ingraham did a report on San Antonio seeking to send their new arrivals to Maine, see here.

Turns out that after getting the first couple of batches, Portland, Maine elected officials started to get cold feet and asked San Antonio to not send more.  See that story here.

So, why Maine?
It’s the welfare magnet stupid!  I’ve been writing about Maine’s generous welfare for migrants of all stripes (not just legal Somali refugees which started the African flood to the state), so the word went out that asylum seekers could get welfare there too!
(See many posts on Maine and welfare for migrants, here at RRW.)

Here is the key to Maine as a magnet!
It is well known around the world as a state that gives welfare benefits to asylum seekers.  In most of America, asylum seekers (those not granted refugee status yet!) are not permitted to receive welfare!  (I suspect many are still getting benefits, but it’s not supposed to be happening.)

The illegal aliens can get taxpayer-funded goodies in Maine, and despite the best efforts of Maine’s previous Republican governor the handout continues.
Don’t miss my post yesterday about how the vast majority of asylum seekers never show up for their court dates.  Why bother when they can stay comfortably cared for and protected in Maine!

One last thought:  Since Catholic Charities is responsible for federal refugee resettlement in Maine, I suspect they are called upon to help move some of the migrants (aka ‘new Americans’) from Texas to Portland (but surely use taxpayer dollars for their supposed Christian charity).

Congressional Record–Appendix, pp. A34-A35

Congressional Record–Appendix, pp. A34-A35
January 10, 1963
Current Communist Goals EXTENSION OF REMARKS OF HON. A. S. HERLONG, JR. OF FLORIDA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thursday, January 10, 1963

Mr. HERLONG. Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Patricia Nordman of De Land, Fla., is an ardent and articulate opponent of communism, and until recently published the De Land Courier, which she dedicated to the purpose of alerting the public to the dangers of communism in America.

At Mrs. Nordman’s request, I include in the RECORD, under unanimous consent, the following “Current Communist Goals,” which she identifies as an excerpt from “The Naked Communist,” by Cleon Skousen:

image: https://www.beliefnet.com/columnists//watchwomanonthewall/files/2011/04/130px-US_Congressional_Seal.svg_.png
[From “The Naked Communist,” by Cleon Skousen]

  CURRENT COMMUNIST GOALS
1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.
2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.
3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament [by] the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.
4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.
5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.
6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.
7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.
8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev’s promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.
9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.
10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.
11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)
12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.
13. Do away with all loyalty oaths.
14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.
15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.
16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.
17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers’ associations. Put the party line in textbooks.
18. Gain control of all student newspapers.
19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.
20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions.
21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.
22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to “eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms.”
23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. “Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art.”
24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them “censorship” and a violation of free speech and free press.
25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.
26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as “normal, natural, healthy.”
27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with “social” religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a “religious crutch.”
28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of “separation of church and state.”
29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.
30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the “common man.”
31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the “big picture.” Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.
32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture–education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.
33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.
34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.
35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.
36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.
37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.
38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand [or treat].
39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.
40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.
41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.
42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use [“]united force[“] to solve economic, political or social problems.
43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.
44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.
45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court

You may not find these 45 Communist Goals on the Web in it’s original form because in 1963 there were no digitized documents. You will find web sites that have copied them as I have. Call your local library and you can obtain an original copy there. Or ask your U. S. Congressional Member. They will be able to help you get a genuine copy of this Congressional Record of the 45 Communist Goals. ▬ Donna Calvin, The Word Warriorette

Watchwoman: In addition to reading this, the 45 communist goals, click here to read “The 10 Planks of Karl Marx, ‘The Communist Manifesto.’ ”  America has already fulfilled 90% of them. 

Read more at https://www.beliefnet.com/columnists/watchwomanonthewall/2011/04/the-45-communist-goals-as-read-into-the-congressional-record-1963.html#165WSreRJaApmiMA.99

Judgment Seat of Christ :: By Daymond Duck

Published on: June 16, 2019 by RRadmin7 Category:Daymond Duck, General Articles

 

The Apostle Paul wrote, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (II Cor. 5:10).

“We” refers to believers (those that have received the Holy Spirit and walk by faith in Jesus (II Cor. 5:1-9).

“Must” means appearing before the judgment seat of Christ is a requirement for believers.

“All” means every believer must appear before the judgment seat of Christ.
“Judgment seat of Christ” means Jesus will be the Judge.

The time will come when every believer will be required to appear before Jesus.
He received the authority to judge from the Father (Jn. 5:27). Believers will be judged after He comes for His Church (after the Rapture when all believers are in heaven (I Cor. 4:5; I Thess. 4:17); believers will be judged before His throne in heaven (see Rev. 4:4-10); and believers will be judged rightly and fairly (Psa. 98:9).

But this judgment is not for condemnation because our sin was judged on the cross; and “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Rom. 8:1).
“That every one may receive the things done in his body” means the judgment seat of Christ will be established to evaluate what believers did when they were alive.

The Apostle John wrote, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them” (Rev. 14:13).

Those that “die in the Lord” (die as believers in Jesus) are blessed because their works (what they did while they were alive) will follow them into heaven.
“Whether it be good or bad” means the believer’s works on earth will be examined, appraised, or judged to determine their significance or value in the eyes of Jesus.

Paul said, “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

“Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (I Cor. 3:9-15).

Jesus will judge the quality and quantity of the believer’s works (was it done in faith; was it done to honor Jesus; was it self-serving; was it done for personal praise; how many years did the believer serve; etc.).
The person that gets saved on their deathbed is just as saved as the person that gets saved in their early years, but there will be a big difference in rewards.
The person that gets saved on their deathbed has no time to lay up treasure in Heaven, but the person that gets saved in their early years could have many years to lay up treasure in heaven (Matt. 6:19-21).

Some believers serve in many ways, and they will receive great treasure in heaven; but others serve very little, and they will receive very little treasure in heaven.

Some believers serve to glorify Jesus, and they will be rewarded for honoring Him (gold, silver and precious stones); but others serve to glorify themselves, and their works will be worthless and destroyed (burned up like wood, hay and stubble).

Some believers will receive 5 crowns, some 4, or 3, or 2, or 1, or none (II Tim. 4:6-8; I Pet. 5:2-4; I Thess. 2:19-20; James 1:12; I Cor. 9:24-25).
Some Christians will be made ruler over 10 cities, some 5, or 1, or none (Luke 19:11-27).

The one that does more and for the right reason will receive a greater reward.
The one that does less or for the wrong reason will receive a lesser reward.
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. The contractor he worked for asked him if he would build just one last house as a personal favor. The carpenter agreed, but he thought, “This is my last house. Why should I knock myself out?”
His work was sloppy, and the materials he used were cheap.

After the carpenter finished, the contractor gave him the keys to the house and said, “These keys and this house are yours in appreciation for your service.”
The carpenter was shocked! He thought, if I had known that I was building this house for myself, I would have built a better house.

Know that what believers do in this life will be evaluated for quality, quantity and motive; and there are implications for all eternity!

Talk about rewards in heaven makes some people nervous; but Jesus urged believers to lay up treasure in heaven (Matt. 6:19-20), and John encouraged believers to carefully receive a full reward (II Jn. 1:8).

FYI: My surgery is behind me, and my recovery is going better than anticipated.
Glory to God, and thanks to all of you that prayed.
I will now try to get back to current events.

Prophecy Plus Ministries, Inc.
Daymond & Rachel Duck duck_daymond@yahoo.com

False righteousness and true righteousness. Personal Reflection. Edited and expanded

Written and published by Jean-Louis Mondon

Jesus, talking about the righteousness of the Pharisees: 

"For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:20.

How can we exceed the Pharisees´ righteousness? Jesus here I believe is using irony. 

 

The only righteousness the Pharisees had was self-righteousness. Is that what Jesus meant? That we should try to surpass their performing to the minute detail their more than three hundred commands and ordinances. I think not.

What could we do to exceed their own righteousness? Nothing. It would be futile and useless to even try.

Our first parents Adam and Eve tried to hide themselves and their shame by covering their nakedness with fig tree leave that had to be replaced over and over like the works of the Pharisees. What was the remedy provided by the Father/Creator? A hide from an animal sacrifice, a type of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross for the remission of sin would be enough to cover the sin of disobedience, desire for self-sufficiency, forbidden wisdom and the subsequent shame they felt.

Their webs will not become clothing, Nor will they cover themselves with their works; Their works are works of iniquity, And an act of violence is in their hands. Isaiah 59:6

  
For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. Isaiah 64:6.

The works that the Pharisees covered their nakedness with are like the figs leaves of the tree of Israel that produced useless leaves and no fruit worthy of repentance and no faith in Jesus-Christ. 

See Matthew 21:19: Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He(the Lord Jesus) came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He said to it, "No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you." And at once the fig tree withered.

At this point let me interject something about flowers. The Bible talks about leaves and flowers. But what about flowers? They are beautiful, colorful, fragrant and some are even edible. They fill our life and our house with pleasure.  To join our gratitude and humility to their awe-inspiring qualities we have to recognize the creative hand of our Creator/God that created everything that was good to add a measure of pleasure to the beautiful earth that he created as our temporary home. 

  

To me, flowers represent the fading beauty of the artistic creations of man in all its forms such as painting, music, poetry reflecting the talents given to us by God. Such artistic abilities could be perverted and turn into nightmarish representation of the tormented psyches of man without God or in rebellion against God´s sovereignty. 

One example comes to mind, Alexander Scriabin, a famous and talented Russian pianist and composer (1872-1915) was influenced with mysticism, theosophy and became a delusional megalomaniac who met a tragic end by suicide, drowning in a river.  Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22357678
 

The creation is in constant flux. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. Isaiah 40:8. 

And so it is: the flower must die in order to leave room for the fruit to appear grow and provide food. Holding on the fleeting beauty of the ephemeral flowers, the beauty of creation for one´s own selfish pleasure without recognizing and honoring the source in the God of love is like keeping a song bird in a cage or retaining flowing water in a stagnant pool. We cannot selfishly and endlessly hold on to passing life and beauty.

In I Corinthians 13 Paul declares: But now faith, hope, loves, abide these three; but the ^[f]greatest of these is love.

So let us cultivate and hold on to faith, hope, remembering that love is the ultimate fruit that God grows in us for his purpose and that as I John 4:19 states: “We love because He (Jesus) first loved us”.

The leaves could not cover Adam and Eve, the works the Pharisees perform could not cover them and following their teachings without faith resulted in the putting aside of Israel until the end of the time of the Gentiles in which we are living now. 

What Jesus wanted from the Jews is faith in the living Savior that walked among them, not the dead works that did not please him. What He wants from us when we are seeking salvation is the same thing: faith in His saving power and abandoning any hope of saving ourselves by our good deeds.

John  6:28-29:

Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” ²⁹ Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent; and further in verse 40:  For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

How could it be clearer than that?

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Here is an excerpt from the last chapter of an allegory I wrote a few years ago: To read the whole story click Here: http://thelightseed.blogspot.com.br/2011/02/joshua-tree-desert-parable.html

The Tree of Life

Theophilus woke up, with tears of joy flowing from his eyes. He was watching an unforgettable scene.
There in front of him, stood up a Joshua tree, majestic and radiant that bore an uncanny resemblance with the man from his dream whose blood had saved his life. He fell down, prostrate on his face against the hot desert sand. He knew without the shadow of a doubt that he was in the presence of the Master of the Joshua Trees. He didn’t dare move from his position such was the power emanating from the glorious appearance. An indescribable ripple of fear coursed through his being.

"Rise, Theophilus and look at me." The commanding tone of voice was enough to make him obey. He was reluctant at first to lift his gaze directly into the eyes of the Master. Lifting his head up slowly, he saw the pierced feet, then, the pierced wrists. He gathered enough courage to focus on the chest where a scarlet wound in the shape of the tip of a lance or the eye of a needle remained from a cruel wound.
  
"Don’t be afraid, look at me. I am Yeshua, the Master of the Joshua Trees. What is your quest? Why do you want to meet me?"
 
While the Master was asking these questions, his eyes whispered softly words Theophilus never heard before, words of love that penetrated deep in his heart.

"Master, I am looking for the desert exit door. Your trees told me that you possess the keys and that a word from you can set the captives free, can give sight to the blind, make a poor man rich, and heal the afflicted. You can also give knowledge to the ignorant who think they are wise, and you can clothe with your pardon and righteousness the nakedness which I try to cover with my religion and good deeds."
 
'It’s true. But you have too big a notion of yourself to be able to go through this door. First, you must answer a few questions."

"Yes, master, as you wish."
 
"What is your name? Who are you?"
 
"Well, before, they called me Theophilus, but I will accept whatever name you wish to call me. "
 
"Where do you come from?"
 
"From the land of deadly illusions and appearances, a world filled with violence and deception."
  
"Well said! Are you rich, or do you intend to be?"

"Well, before now, I had credit cards, bank accounts, a good and profitable business, cars, a beautiful house, but all that didn’t help me very much. To tell you the truth, I will accept whatever you want to give me."

After these answers, Theophilus was feeling his body shrink little by little. What a strange sensation!

The Master continued:
"What about your reputation?"
 
"Alas, people looked at the appearances. But I can see that you know me and I desire to become what you want me to be."
 
"What do you hope to gain from me?"
 
"Freedom from the chains that keep me tied up and hinders my walk, understanding truth and knowing which way to go."
 
"Good, I can do that for you. But what will do once you are free if I give you the key to the door?"
 
"Master, I want to belong to you and serve you, for you are the one who saved and healed me."

Each of Theophilus’ responses was followed by a change in his size until at last, the Master's stature appeared gigantic in comparison without overwhelming him. Then, the Master bent forward and catching him tenderly in the palm of his right hand, he lifted Theophilus up to his chest and hugged him close against the wound shaped like the tip of a lance or the eye of a big needle.

On his way up, Theophilus was helplessly watching on the screen of his memory the video from his first meeting with the touchstone at the crossroad of his destiny, the first step of a stairway which led to the royal capital of the heavenly kingdom, illumined by the eternal light of the Master.  He possessed a law of gravity defying lightness, with no desire to resist the attraction propelling him towards a universe of unconditional freedom. Being transported on this celestial stairway, this bridge between two worlds without any effort on his part, he was about to enter a territory invisible to the human eye and yet so real.

Instantly, going through the open door at a breathtaking speed, Theophilus found himself standing on the desert floor that he had just left.
 
"Welcome to the kingdom, announced the Master in a warm tone of voice. Open your eyes and look at yourself."

His eyes opened by the voice of his Master, Theophilus looked at his legs, his trunk, his arms and discovered that he had turned into a Joshua tree with soft scars in the place of the usual armor of thorns. Yeshua spoke to him solemnly: 
 
"From now on your name will be Joshua Theophilus O’Call because I called you to my service and you responded with good will."

Tears of joy mixed with gratitude flowing from his eyes, Theophilus answered:
 
"Master, where do you want me to serve you?"
 
"Right here in the desert to guide those who have lost their way or those who have wandered from the way of truth and need help in finding me."
 
"Yes, Master. But I have a question. How do your trees find food and drink? There is nothing but sand in the desert."

Yeshua touched his eyes and now he could very clearly watch a fantastic scene through the desert floor as if it was made of transparent crystal. From the feet of the Master, roots full of a sap that resembled light amber honey extended all the way under the feet of the Joshua trees and fed them constantly night and day.
 
"Please, Master, what do you want me to call you?"
 
"Call me Lord Jesus, for I am both Savior and King."

"Lord, I can see the trees, the roots, the leaves and the cactus flowers, but where are the fruits?"

"Every time one of my servants extended to you love, kindness, goodness, patience, they shared their fruits with you. When you enjoyed their light, their protective and refreshing shade, their peace, their wise words of counsel, comfort or encouragement, those are the fruits that grow from the source of life that I give each one of them."

Read more: http://thelightseed.blogspot.com/2011/07/joshua-tree-desert-parable_15.html#ixzz3fLWh5vlf